The Bible says "those who will be first will be last and the last will be first" what does this mean?
92223
Subject is about humility.\n\nAT the time that this story was told, guests were seated in a pattern going out from the host. \n\nThe guest of honor would sit at the right hand of the host.\n\nguests would be seated according to the order of importance.\n\nIf someone of greater importance came in, they would be allowed to sit closer to the guset of honor.\n\nJesus tells the story as a warning and a promise.\n\nIf a guest were to feel as if he was more important than some of the other guests at the feast, he might seat himself closer to the guest of honor and the host.\n\nBUT, if someone of true greater importance comes in, the host will do his duty. He will take the person and PROMOTE him toward the head of the table. He will make a BIG deal about the fact that this person is important partially because he is bragging about the fact that this person has attended his banquet and partially because he is TRYING to pay this person a great respect.\n\nThe problem is, YOU make be removed from your seat and the new guest is dropped into your spot. Rather than moving everyone, you take your plate and move to the END of the line. In other words, because you have exhaulted yourself, you run the risk of being publicly humiliated by be chosen to be replaced by someone obviously more important than you are. YOU shall be LAST.. Sitting with the Servants.\n\nNOW, if you come into a dinner and seat yourself in the most humble position (the last position), the host will be greeting his guests and see that you are out of place. \n\nHe will do his duty and lift you up from your seat. He will promote you up toward the front of the table thuse exhaulting you. You may even be maded first. \nBecause you chose not to exhault yourself and you were humble, the host paid you a great compliment in front of all the other guests by moving you closer to him.\n\nPicture though, often there was no table, and everyone was seated in a reclining position partially leaning on the pillws and leaning on each other. \nYou ATE with one hand from the Plate the the person next to you was holding. You were Feeding off of someone else, so to speak (as someone (or a parasite)  might feed off of a host). \nThe food closest to the guest of honor was of much better quality (and quantity) than that which was at the end of the table. It was Very important to sit as close as possible to the host. You might get no meat at all, or get the leftovers if you did not.\n\nThe First shall be last (embarrased and sent to the end of the food chain) and the last shall be first (promoted to their proper place of importance).\n\nJesus suggests that if you humble youself before God and treat yourself as a servant, then you shall be made to be great in his eyes and the eyes of others.
113065
I believe it means "If God wills it," or "In the will of God."\n\nOne could say that anytime, but especially when discussing future plans, hopes, or intentions.\n\nWHY we say it is because we realize that the future, or the outcome of our plans isn't up to us. I believe it is also said  in the hope that God will favor our plans or intentions.\n\nWhat is your opinion?
27627
From the King James Verson in Matthew 15:14\n\n"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."\n\nIn the Webster version the quote is:\n\n"Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leadeth the blind, both will fall into the ditch."
989331
One of my favorite verses, and actually one of the two verses that I try to live my life by.  The other being "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will then be given to you".\n\nThe verse "he that seeks to keep his life shall lose it, but he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it" means to me....that the more I give up my "rights" in life, the less I go after what I think I want for myself, the more I give up pursuing the things of the "world" and the more I give up my life for Jesus to do with as He pleases...the more "myself" I truly become.\n\nI never have felt more at peace, more my true self, then when I have given up my own will and choices and asked Jesus to guide my every step, thought, word.  Funny, isn't it?  You think by serving yourself you'd get what you want in life.  I've found by serving Him first (which means, putting others first), that's when I've found true happiness and fulfillment.
901185
It is at least seven years away. The world is unraveling, the one world government is around the corner. God is in the process of cleansing His people, getting rid of the chaff. Soon, Christ will come for His bride, His church. Then, the Holy Spirit will be removed and the man of sin will ascend to power, then the count down begins. \n\n2Pe 3:3  first, knowing this, that during the last days scoffers will come walking according to their own lusts, \n2Pe 3:4  and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For from which time the fathers fell asleep, all things remain so from the beginning of creation. \n2Pe 3:5  For this is hidden from them by their willing it so, that heavens were of old, and earth by water, and through water, having subsisted by the Word of God, \n2Pe 3:6  through which the world which then was, being flooded by water, perished. \n2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth now, having been stored up by the same Word, are being kept for fire to a day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. \n2Pe 3:8  But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is "as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Psa. 90:4 \n2Pe 3:9  The Lord of the promise is not slow, as some deem slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not having purposed any to perish, but all to come to repentance. \n2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with rushing sound, and having burned the elements will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be burned up. \n2Pe 3:11  Then all these being about to be dissolved, of what sort ought you to be in holy behavior and godliness,
242892
"Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near."\n\nThis is the first of seven beatitudes in this book; the others are in Rev 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14. This prophetic message: literally, "the words of the prophecy"; so Rev 22:7, 10, 18, 19 by inclusion. The appointed time: when Jesus will return in glory.
734518
It depends on your definition of "rapture". If your rapture means that people will be taken on a random basis to heaven and that no one will know it...there is no scripture saying that. If the rapture means that the righteous living and the righteous who will be raised from the dead in the first resurrection will be taken to heaven at the second coming. Dictionary definition of rapture means":transporting of person to heaven" (1 Thess. 4:16,17)
830821
There's a passage I got memorized,\n                       seems appropriate for this\n                       situation: Ezekiel 25:17. "The path\n                       of the righteous man is beset on\n                       all sides by the inequities of the\n                       selfish and the tyranny of evil\n                       men.  Blessed is he who, in the\n                       name of charity and good will,\n                       shepherds the weak through the\n                       valley of darkness, for he is truly\n                       his brother's keeper and the finder\n                       of lost children.  And I will\n                       strike down upon thee with great\n                       vengeance and furious anger those\n                       who attempt to poison and destroy\n                       my brothers.  And you will know my\n                       name is the Lord when I lay my\n                       vengeance upon you."\n\nAlthough its a very inaccurate quote if you actually check that passage in a bible.
1085842
It speaks that just before the second coming of Jesus the spirit of Elijah will come just like John the Baptist came with the spirit of Elijah before Jesus' second return so it will be near the second Return of Jesus.
1105877
Who says that this world be destroyed by fire?  Yes, God will rebuild after the "world" is destroyed, and yes, we are living in "the last days".  We are already living in the "last days". At 2 Timothy 3:1-5 describes the "last days", and Jesus said what to look for when the "last days" arrive, or when he would be King in heaven. (Matthew 24: 3-31). The bible also states that Jesus does not know when the end will come, only his father does, but as a thief in the night it will come. You're cordially invited to the "Deliverance At Hand" convention going on now. It will talk about when the "end" is coming. Also, when the bible speaks of the "end" it is referring to the wicked system of things (wicked people) being destroyed, not the literal earth, since God made the earth for people to inhabit it. \n\nDo you happen to know what Armageddon is? At Rev. 16:14-16 it describes what Armageddon is. It is God's war. It is when God will destroy all the wicked people on earth, those that are opposed to him and the governmental kingdoms on earth. It is not said in the bible exactly when that date is, however, we are not left to guess at what will take place before Armageddon arrives. We are given specific warnings and signs. To especially bring Armaggedon to the fore, the political system will turn on the religious system, which is not very far off. So much wars are caused by religion, so pretty soon, the political system will turn on religion altogether.  After the "world" is destroyed then that will bring about the resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous people back to earth so that they will have the chance to live forever on earth in a beautiful paradise, with no evil influences, since Satan the devil will be abyssed for 1000 years and then completely destroyed, him and his demons.
358651
Everything that is , has been or will be , is in his perfect will. We can not understand God's perfect will as long as our knwoledge is veiled. For God works even that which is evil for good to those that diligently seek him and abide by his precepts. If your search is to find flaw and imperfection you will arrive soon, if your search is for is glory, both you and I have a long way to get there and we will certainly not accomplish it until that which is perfect returns.
1079415
it means before you are born God already knows whose going to heaven and hell
1032053
OK, I get it:\n\nRev 21:8:\nBut for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." \n\nThe second death refers to hell, so all those who go to hell will be in the second death.
355646
If you beleive in the Bible then the Bible tells us that the world as in the earth will never end.\n\nHowever the Bible sometimes uses the word world to refer to human society.  The Bible shows that part of human society will end. That is the part controlled by Satan.\n\nHowever Gods purpose to to bring the earth back to how he originally planned it.  No human governments but a direct rulership by him, with no death or sickness, or wars or desarters, but a pecafull community of humans living in perfect harmony under his rule.\n\nThat time is not spelt out as to exactly when it will occure but we are given signs to watch out for.\n\nIt would appear that the time we are now living in is what the Bible terms the "time of the end" when the "system" as we now know it will soon end, and a theocratic order will reloace it.
873911
2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, \n2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
651673
The answer by Spider is not correct. Jesus was resurrected and we, his followers will be resurrected when he returns at the end of time.\nMaranatha!
729498
They were looking forward to the Redeemer; we are looking back to the Redeemer. There is one underlying message of the entire Bible - salvation by a Redeemer. The OT says that a Savior will come (Genesis 3:15, 17:7 , etc.) . The NT tells us that he has come. The message was not as complete in OT times, but they believed by faith what was reveled to them and it was counted as righteousness.  OT & NT are saved by grace, not by the law or by works.