Dear Bob, I have a question about Hebrews 10:25. What does it mean: "exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching". Is there any way to know what "day" this is talking about? Can you please help me understand?

Answer: yes, I believe the Bible has an answer for this question. "The day" in Heb 10:25 is "articular" in the Greek, meaning that the Greek word for "day" is preceded by the article "THE". This unusual construction emphasizes "THE day" as a "special day", an "event", that has already been mentioned and "THE Day", in the Church Age, that is "approaching", that we, the Church ("ekklesia", the "called out ones") should already know about. If we were Koine Greek speaking people, we would already know what "Day" Paul is referring to, from just simply reading our Greek Bibles.

I believe the key here is the Greek word for our "gathering together" in Heb 10:25, which is the Greek word "episunagoge" ("epi-soon-ago-gay"). This word is only used in one other context, in 2 Thess 2:1-2, where it speaks of, "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him". 2 Thess 2:1-2 also contains both the Greek word "episunagoge" AND the articular "THE DAY", just as Heb 10:25 does. Since there is no other context in the New Testament that contains "episunagoge" and "THE DAY", Heb 10:25 must be referring to 2 Thess 2:1-2.

First, we need to look at this Greek word, "episunagoge". "Sunagoge", without the prefix "epi" is the common word for the Jewish "synagogue" and the Jewish worship services in the synagogue. "Sunagoge" eventually became a word for Christian gatherings and worship services also, as in Acts 13:42, and James 2:2.

Now, in Heb 10:25 and 2 Thess 2:1, the prefix "epi" means "over and above" the regularly scheduled "gatherings" of the Church. Heb 10:25 is exhorting us to meet and fellowship together "over and above" or "in addition to", the regularly scheduled Church services. No Christian can get all the teaching and Christian fellowship they need to "grow up", or as Ephesians 4:13 states "come in the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (mature) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ", two or three times a week in regular scheduled Church services. "Episunagoge" states that we also need rich Bible study, and fellowship with a network of like minded Christians "over and above" regular Church services.

Heb 10:25 goes on to state: "Not forsaking the assembling (Episunagoge) of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, indicating that it will become commonplace for many to be content with just attending regular Church services. But, we are to exhort one another: (Outside the regular Church services) and so much the more, (Indicating that the need will INCREASE in the "end times") as ye see THE DAY approaching.

2 Thess 2:1, the only other context in the New Testament, where "episunagoge" occurs, states: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together ("Episunagoge") unto him". That is DEFINITELY a "gathering" of the Church over and above the regularly scheduled Church services!

2 Thess 2:1 sets the "context" for all of 2 Thess chapter two, where Paul is telling the "called out ones" at Thessalonica that they have not missed the "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ", and "our gathering together ("Episunagoge") unto him". Someone had apparently written a letter to them stating that they had missed the Rapture and were now in the Tribulation, and signed it "Paul". In 2 Thess 2:2, Paul states "be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that THE day (again, "Articular") of Christ is at hand". "At hand" here is in the Greek "perfect tense", meaning "has already happened". So, Paul is saying "don't let anyone tell you that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together ("Episunagoge") unto him has already happened". Paul proves his point by stating that cannot be true, until the Church is removed and the Antichrist is revealed.

In 2 Thess 2:5, Paul says "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?"

Heb 10:25 tells us that we will see "THE day" approaching, and we must "Episunagoge", "so much the more", "as ye see THE DAY ("Articular") approaching".

What are the "signs" that we will see, of the approaching "Day of Christ" and our "gathering together unto Him"?

1. In the Books of Daniel, and Revelation, we see a dramatic increase in "One Worldism", and calls for a "single world currency" and a "world economic system". When the Church is removed, one man will begin to rule the whole world, who, in the beginning, is a "benevolent dictator", and, who controls a single world currency.

a. In Revelation 13:17, we see this man has gained control of a single monetary system, and he states that "no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name".

2. We will hear great swelling talk of "peace", and see a "Seven Year Peace Plan" being negotiated between Israel and her Arab neighbors:

a. Dan 9:27 "And he (Antichrist) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (seven years): and in the midst of the week (3 1/2 year point) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, (breaks the peace pact) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate". In Matt 24:15-21, Jesus spoke of this point in time, where the Antichrist breaks the peace pact. The world will see 3 1/2 years of pseudo peace, and then 3 1/2 years of "Hell on earth".

b. Daniel 8:25 "And through his policy (Antichrist's) also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."

c. Daniel 11:21 "And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, (Antichrist) to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries."

d. Daniel 11:24 "He (Antichrist) shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places (the places with the most oil) of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time".

e. 1 Thess 5:3 "For when they (the unbelieving world) shall say, (present tense - "they" shall be saying) Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; (escalating anguish in the second 3 1/2 years) and they shall not escape".

f. In Rev 6:1, The LAMB (Jesus) is opening the seals, and the rider of the "white" horse has a "bow" but no arrow - peaceful power - just as Antichrist enters "peaceably" in Daniel. THEN, in ver 4 "PEACE IS TAKEN FROM THE EARTH", and the rest of the Book of Revelation, through chapter 19, describes the second 3 1/2 years of "Hell on earth".

3. In 2 Thess 2:11-13, God will cause the world to "explain away" our "removal", and they will not recognize it as THE Day of Christ, and our gathering together unto Him:

a. 2 Thess 2:11 "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation ("soteria", "deliverance", "safety") through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth".

b. In 1 Thess 4:17, We are going to be "caught up" by Jesus, "in the air". The Greek word for "caught up", is "harpadzo", which means "to seize by force", and "in the air", means "the atmosphere below the highest mountaintop". I believe the world is being "set up" for this "delusion" by all the "abduction" stories, "UFO" sightings, and "Close Encounters", and "Body Snatcher" movies.

4. In Rev 3:17, the last Church, in the last period of the Church Age, is characterized as saying "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing", but they do not know that they are really "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked".

I see many Christians today, so busy being "religious" and "prosperous", that they do not see these "signs of the times" all around us.

Jesus chided the Pharisees and Sadducees of His day, because they were blind to "the signs of the times all around them":

Matt 16:1-4 "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?"

The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted Jesus to "show them a sign", but they had the signs of the First Advent of Christ all around them, and over 300 Old Testament prophesies, of that great "event" on God's calendar, the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The next great "event" on God's calendar, is the "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ", and "our gathering together ("Episunagoge") unto him", and the signs of the times are all around us!

We do not know if America will fall, before "our gathering together unto Him, but, we DO know that we are to exhort one another, more than just in Church, and so much the more, as we see THE day approaching.

We must walk, and grow, in the "Light" of God's Word, and pray, vote, and "Episunagoge" together, and so much more, as we see THE DAY approaching.

"Even so come Lord Jesus",

Bob