Katya Kabanova Review Rattle And Majeski Capture The Rapture And Chaos Of Janeks Turbulent Love Story
Barbican, LondonUnder Rattle, the LSO are on ravishing form, perfectly blending the lyricism and intensity of the score, while Majeski gives a truly great performance
The London Symphony Orchestras concert performances of s Katya Kabanova with Simon Rattle form an effective sequel to their 2019 production, directed by Peter Sellars, of the composers very different Cunning Little Vixen. Admirable though that was, Katya strikes me as being in every way the greater achievement, probingly conducted by Rattle he is at his best here and for the most part wonderfully well sung, with a truly great performance from Amanda Majeski in the title role.
Orchestrally, this was exceptional. Rattles interpretation blends tension with lyricism. Katyas reminiscences, tinged with mysticism, of childhood experiences in church sounded ravishing, and a deep sensuality burned in the garden scene, in which she yields to her feelings for Boris. But the contrasting terror and emotional violence were shockingly realised as well, from the lacerating phrases and hammering monotones with which Janáek closes Act 1, to the storm, both physical and psychological, that finally pushes Katya over the edge. Nowhere was the combination of beauty and tragic intensity more overwhelming than in the brief moment of rapture in the final scene that brings the lovers back together only to confront the realisation that they must part.
Katya Kabanova is at the Barbican, London, until 13 January.
Reason : The Rapture Is A Signless Event
Unlike the Second Coming, no signs will precede the Rapture. This is called the doctrine of imminencythat is, the Rapture is imminent it could happen at any moment. Specifically, nothing in Gods prophetic program must take place as a prerequisite to the Rapture. Things may happen but nothing must happen. That means we dont know when it could happen. It could be today or years from today.
Without any warning, Jesus Christ will return to rapture His saints and take them to heaven. Christians must live prepared lives, ready to meet their Savior at any moment.
Will Jesus Come Like A Thief In The Night
The Bible says, The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up . But does this mean that He will come secretly and snatch away the saved, leaving the wicked behind? No. This very text that says Jesus will come like a thief in the night, also says that the heavens will pass away with a great noise. That wont be secret!
So what does it mean for Jesus to come like a thief in the night? The apostle Paul says, But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober . Jesus coming will be unexpected by those who are not watching and waiting for Him. It will come upon them like a thief in the night. But His peoplewho are not of the night nor of darknesswill be looking for Him. They will be aware of the signs of His coming and will know that it is near. Jesus coming will not overtake them like the unexpected appearance of a thief. Thats what the Bible means by saying that Jesus coming will be like a thief in the nightit will be unexpected to those who are not watching for Him.
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The Redemption Of Our Body
In the book of Romans, Paul speaks to us as the ones which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, waiting for the adoption and the redemption of our body.
What will that be like? We will be given bodies as Christ when He resurrected. He was able to disappear and reappear and even eat. His physical features were recognizable although not immediately sometimes, but it seems Jesus was in control of that. Our new bodies will be indestructible, Incredible, and Infinite.
Paul finished his teaching to the Thessalonians with comfort one another with these words .
Do Christians Reign Over The Wicked For 1000 Years
There is a common misconception that after the Second Coming the Christians will reign over the wicked on earth for 1000 years. We have seen however that this cannot be correct, because all the wicked are destroyed with the brightness of the Coming of Jesus and also the earth is destroyed and melts away with fervent heat. It is only after the 1000 years that God Creates the New Heaven and New Earth that are so often spoken of in the Bible. See 1000 year millennial reign of Christ for more.
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Has Gods Wrath Already Been Poured Out
You might be thinking, Well, Ive gone through quite a bit of suffering. So it sure seems God is pouring out His wrath on the righteous already.
The suffering youve experienced is not Gods wrath. We are in the age of grace. God is not pouring out His wrath. Hes holding it back until the tribulation.
What you are experiencing today is the same thing Lot experienced before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. When you are surrounded by people consumed with evil, youre going to have some challenges to deal with!
The suffering weve experienced leading up to the tribulation will look like childs play in comparison to Gods wrath being poured out during the tribulation.
A mid-tribulation rapture just doesnt line up with the character of God. So, I believe the mid-tribulation viewpoint falls flat.
What Does The Bible Say Will Happen At The Rapture
When the rapture does occur, what will happen? In Matthew 24, Jesus simply tells us that we will be gathered by his angels. But Pauls writing gives us a little more detail. Both 1 Corinthians 15:52 and Thessalonians 4:16-17 tell us that the rapture is not just of those who are living at the time, but that those believers who have already died will be resurrected and together we will meet our Lord.
In 1 Corinthians 15:45-54, Paul gives us some additional information about this rapture. When the Lord returns for us, we will be changed. The bodies we have now are not suitable for an eternal existence in the presence of God. This perishable and mortal body will be changed into one that is imperishable and immortal. Just what it will look like though is unknown. Earlier in this fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul expressed that what is sown often bears little resemblance to what is raised. So it will likely be with our bodies. At the resurrection/rapture our bodies will go through a radical transformation and may or may not resemble what they do now.
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Christians Need To Be Ready
Christians need to be ready for the end time events Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
We must be prepared to stand up even to death for the faith of Jesus. Many will lose their earthly lives, but will inherit eternal life. Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
What Is Wrong With The Rapture
Is there a Bible basis for the “Rapture” doctrine? No! Will there ever be such a thing as the “Rapture?” Absolutely not! Is there a conflict between “Rapture” teaching and the plain teaching of the Bible? Absolutely! Please notice some of the things wrong with the teaching of the “Rapture.”
How does all this fit with Bible teaching? The answer is, not at all. The Bible says that when Jesus comes he will execute judgment “upon all,” not some now and some later, but all at one time. His coming will not be in stages with years between the comings. “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” .
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Three Ways The Rapture Can Impact Our Life Today
The Rapture can change our life it is a source of personal comfort and hope. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about it to ease their concerns about their departed loved ones. Death is not final. The resurrection of believers who have died will reverse the effects of death. All who have lost loved ones to the sting of death can be comforted in the knowledge that they will see them again. But it is also a source of strength. Jesus promised His disciples, on the night He was arrested, that He would return for them .
It is no wonder that Paul told the Thessalonians to comfort themselves with the truth concerning the Rapture . The Rapture can impact our life now, in three ways, while we wait for it to happen.
When Is The Last Day
Paul clearly shows us that the last day occurs when Jesus returns and the resurrection of the Saints takes place. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
There can be no dispute then that the Second Coming of Jesus and the Last Day are the same timeframe. As well as that Jesus says that He will receive us to Him when He comes again. As we have just established that He comes again at the last day then the only logical conclusion is that the Church rapture occurs at the time of His Second Coming at the Last Day.
There is no room for confusion here. If we believe what Jesus said and we believe what Paul said, then it is impossible for there to be a secret rapture of the Church prior to the Second Coming of Christ.
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Snatched Up Into The Clouds
The rapture refers to the rising of the church to meet the Lord Jesus in the air at his second coming. So here is a description of it in 1 Thessalonians 4:1617: The Lord himself will descend from heaven this is the second coming with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ so all your dead friends who are believers will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. That is what is referred to as the rapture, the word rapture meaning to be snatched up, or snatched up into the clouds.
So my first thought about the rapture is that it is true and wonderful and encouraging. In fact, Paul concludes that paragraph in 1 Thessalonians 4 with these words: Therefore encourage one another with these words . Encourage one another with these words. Jesus is coming. You are going to be caught up to meet him both the dead and the living. You wont miss out if you have died and you wont miss out if you are alive. You will be caught up and meet him in the air. Just like he ascended on the clouds, you will rise to meet him in the clouds. He is coming. And whether we are alive or dead, we will live and rise and meet him. So be encouraged. We are going to be a great assembly of worshippers.
The First Antichrist Beast
There are two main beasts spoken of in Revelation, the First Beast of Revelation 13:1-8 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
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Rapture Of The Church Bible Verses
Here are some of the core Bible verses that describe the event known as the rapture:
30 Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matthew 24:30-31
32 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
13 while we wait for the blessed hopethe appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13
More Bible verses related to the rapture can be viewed here.
The Rapture Of The Church
Brian Thomas: So, the Day of Pentecost is when the Church Age began, and were looking at about 2,000 years now that the Church Age has been in existence. What brings the Church Age to a close, or is there even a close to the Church Age?
Nathan Jones: Yes, the Church Age does have an ending and that is the Rapture of the Church. We can read about it in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. That passage, along with a number of other passages like 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, tell about the return of Jesus for the Church.
What happens at the Rapture is that Jesus comes back in the clouds. Theres a loud trumpet sound and the archangel calls to all the believers who are alive in Christ. The dead in Christ who have already died during the Church Age will be resurrected. Those of us who are saved and alive will be raised just after them, and we will be taken up to Jesus in the clouds and be with the Lord forever. We will get our new glorified bodies. The rest of the people who have disbelieved in Jesus and rejected His salvation will be left behind.
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