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It's a pre-trib misconception that raptured saints return with Christ as part of his army. There's lots of evidence that this army is an army of ANGELS and NOT people/saints.
Matthew 25:31 tells us that Christ will return with angels and SAINTS are NOT mentioned.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mathew 16:27 Jesus says,
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
In Mathew 24:31 Jesus says,
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
In Mathew 13:49 Jesus says,
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just.
In Mathew 25:31 Jesus says,
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
In Mark 8:38 Jesus said,
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
In Luke 9:26 Jesus said,
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
2 THESSALONIANS 1:7 Paul says,
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.
In 1 Thes. 4:16 Paul says,
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel...
So we can conclude that "hagioi", which literally means "the holy (...)", always refers to "the holy angels."
The Old Testament
In Job, Psalms, Daniel, and Zechariah "holy ones" refers to angels. In Daniel 8 the word saints is used and is the same Hebrew word 'kadosh' and that word is used for angels. The 'saints' Daniel is referring to in 8:13 is 'angels'.
The word saints in Zechariah 14 is the word "qadowsh." It's the same word that refers to angels. The interlinear does NOT use the word SAINTS in Zech. 14:5… "and the Lord my God shall come, and all the "holy ones" with Thee". Dr. E.W. Bullinger suggests the “holy” ones are angels and I'm convinced they are.
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him That sat on the horse and against His ARMY. (of angels)
His army of angels!
In 1 Thes. 3:13 the KJV uses the word saints...The interlinear uses the words "HOLY ONES" NOT saints.
In JUDE 14 - The KJV uses the word saints, the interlinear uses the Words, "holy ones" NOT saints.
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints. (holy ones)
SAINTS is an adjective - used without a noun it is translated "saints" referring to people in Matthew 27:52; Acts 26:10; Romans 1:7; 15:25-26; Ephesians 3:8; 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 4:21). "Saints" refers to angels in 1 Thessalonians 3:13; and Jude 1:14. "The holy one" refers to Jesus in Mark 1:24 and Acts 3:14. When used as an adjective with a noun it is always translated "holy". It used of men in Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; and 2 Peter 3:2. It is used of angels at Jesus' second coming in Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38; and Luke 9:26. It is used of Jesus in Acts 4:27; and 4:30. It is used of the Holy Spirit in Mark 1:8; 13:11; Luke 4:1; and Acts 2:4.
Now that may help us determine if the army in Rev. 19:20 can be saints! We know that angels are mentioned several places as returning with Christ. That means in Revelation 19:20 they ARE God's returning army! Even though this battle is AFTER the resurrection, that in no way means the resurrected saints RETURN with Christ and his angels because SAINTS are angels - NOT people - and people are NOT part of God's army.
Another good reason is that NOBODY sends anybody into battle without some training and some orientation. The Lord just can't throw resurrected believers into battle without some guidance, instruction, and training. IF there are saints, they are saints OTHER than the ones who were newly resurrected.
Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle."
2 Timothy 2:4 "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."
Christ and His army of angels return and will fight this battle as Christ comes to earth, He first appears in the clouds - raises the dead and living believers, then continues on to do battle.
Matthew 25:31 tells us that Christ will return with angels and SAINTS are NOT mentioned.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mathew 16:27 Jesus says,
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
In Mathew 24:31 Jesus says,
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
In Mathew 13:49 Jesus says,
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just.
In Mathew 25:31 Jesus says,
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
In Mark 8:38 Jesus said,
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
In Luke 9:26 Jesus said,
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
2 THESSALONIANS 1:7 Paul says,
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.
In 1 Thes. 4:16 Paul says,
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel...
So we can conclude that "hagioi", which literally means "the holy (...)", always refers to "the holy angels."
The Old Testament
In Job, Psalms, Daniel, and Zechariah "holy ones" refers to angels. In Daniel 8 the word saints is used and is the same Hebrew word 'kadosh' and that word is used for angels. The 'saints' Daniel is referring to in 8:13 is 'angels'.
The word saints in Zechariah 14 is the word "qadowsh." It's the same word that refers to angels. The interlinear does NOT use the word SAINTS in Zech. 14:5… "and the Lord my God shall come, and all the "holy ones" with Thee". Dr. E.W. Bullinger suggests the “holy” ones are angels and I'm convinced they are.
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him That sat on the horse and against His ARMY. (of angels)
His army of angels!
In 1 Thes. 3:13 the KJV uses the word saints...The interlinear uses the words "HOLY ONES" NOT saints.
In JUDE 14 - The KJV uses the word saints, the interlinear uses the Words, "holy ones" NOT saints.
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints. (holy ones)
SAINTS is an adjective - used without a noun it is translated "saints" referring to people in Matthew 27:52; Acts 26:10; Romans 1:7; 15:25-26; Ephesians 3:8; 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 4:21). "Saints" refers to angels in 1 Thessalonians 3:13; and Jude 1:14. "The holy one" refers to Jesus in Mark 1:24 and Acts 3:14. When used as an adjective with a noun it is always translated "holy". It used of men in Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; and 2 Peter 3:2. It is used of angels at Jesus' second coming in Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38; and Luke 9:26. It is used of Jesus in Acts 4:27; and 4:30. It is used of the Holy Spirit in Mark 1:8; 13:11; Luke 4:1; and Acts 2:4.
Now that may help us determine if the army in Rev. 19:20 can be saints! We know that angels are mentioned several places as returning with Christ. That means in Revelation 19:20 they ARE God's returning army! Even though this battle is AFTER the resurrection, that in no way means the resurrected saints RETURN with Christ and his angels because SAINTS are angels - NOT people - and people are NOT part of God's army.
Another good reason is that NOBODY sends anybody into battle without some training and some orientation. The Lord just can't throw resurrected believers into battle without some guidance, instruction, and training. IF there are saints, they are saints OTHER than the ones who were newly resurrected.
Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle."
2 Timothy 2:4 "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."
Christ and His army of angels return and will fight this battle as Christ comes to earth, He first appears in the clouds - raises the dead and living believers, then continues on to do battle.
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