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First let's see the verse in bigger context:

The first word for links the decision made by the Jerusalem Council to the task of Judas and Silas. The letter states that the decision has been made by the Holy Spirit and by the assembly. It reveals that the apostles, the elders, and the church were fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct them. The Spirit revealed what the leaders of the church should say and do.

Guided by the Holy Spirit, the assembly is free to say that the Gentile Christians need not be burdened with various nonessential requirements. Notice, then, that the letter is silent about the matter of circumcision, which occasioned the convening of the council (verses 1, 5). Nothing is said about the ceremonial laws which Jewish Christians continued to observe. The essential part for their salvation is their faith in God.

The letter specifies that Gentile Christians should comply with four regulations that are expressed in negative form: to abstain from sacrificial food offered to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality, these four stipulations, however, have not been given as a universal law applicable to all Christians of all times. Rather, the prohibitions should be seen in the light of the council’s desire to maintain unity and harmony between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile believers.

Clearly, no Christian, whether Jew or Gentile, objects to the first stipulation if it relates to his allegiance to Jesus Christ. Next, the Christian who seeks to live in accordance with God’s law instinctively abstains from sexual immorality. And last, the prescriptions not to eat meat from strangled animals and not to consume blood are general hygienic rules that the Jews for countless centuries have observed to safeguard their own physical well-being.

By observing these rules, the Gentile Christians should not think that they are able to earn their salvation. God grants salvation by grace alone.

This text has nothing to do with "blood transfusions." It is in relation to the ceremonial law that certain Jewish Christians were holding over the head of Gentile Christians. They were simply not to eat or cook the meat of a slaughtered animal with its own blood due to obvious health issues.

Hope this helps!

I think it’s worth emphasizing that eschatology, the branch of theology that deals with future things, is more enveloped in mystery than any other theological discipline. This is true by God’s own design. Remember that even Christ, while on earth, said neither He Himself nor the angels in heaven knew the timing of the Second Coming: “Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:32-33).

So with that said this question could literally be answered in a multiple of ways based upon your opinion as to how the end times will pan out. Since we do not take a primary stance on eschatology as a church, I can only answer this according to how I believe the latter days will develop. This is not the belief of everyone on staff nor in our church. And let it be said I will not die on this hill!

With that said, it is my belief that 1 Thessalonians is referring to the rapture of the church. This taking place seven years previous to what is referred to as the Great White throne judgment. Those who have died previous to the rapture will rise first and then we who are alive will join them as we meet Christ together for the marriage supper of the Lamb. When Christ comes back with us to usher in His Millennial reign Satan is imprisoned and we will rule and reign with Him as He takes His seat as King ruling a physical earth. After which Satan will be released for a final showdown against Christ and then he and death and Hades will be cast into the lake of fire forever.

In verse 11 of Revelation 20, "I saw a great white throne and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them." This is God sitting on His throne in ultimate judgment. Christ is there as well because all judgment is committed unto Him. He sits in the Father's throne, from earlier in Revelation, and we know that as well from the Gospel of John.

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God." "Small and great" means insignificant and significant.

God is just, and God will not judge a person without manifesting the objective criteria for that judgment. So there is no question in the mind of anyone. God has kept the records. He knows every thought, and every word, and every deed ever done by every human being who ever lived, and it is all down so that judgment is on the basis of their works. He'll have the record and He will also have the Book of Life.

"And the dead were judged out of those things written in the books, according to their works." Works are the objective criteria which God uses.

"And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; death and Hades delivered up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."

"And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Now, I believe that this is a judgment of unbelievers. I do not believe that we see here believing people. The question then comes, "Then, why is the Book of Life here?" Simply because that is another criteria by which God judges. One, He will open all the books, which give all the records of all the deeds of all the ungodly. And then He will open up the Book of Life, and not only will all their deeds manifest their ungodliness, but their absence in the Book of Life will be the subjective criteria added to the objective of the list of the works of their life, that will condemn them forever.

Now the reason that I don't see believers here is because believers have already been judged, by this time. The judgment of works, that we know as the "Bema Judgment" (2 Corinthians 5, Romans 14:10-11). That judgment has already occurred before the Millennial period began: 1,000 years prior to this. But this is the resurrection of the ungodly of all time. So now you say, "Does that mean that it is a literal resurrection?" Yes, John 5, Jesus said that there will be a resurrection, not only for those who will be raised to life, but those who will be raised to death as well. All people who have ever lived will be resurrected. They will receive a new body. Ours will be fit for heaven and God's eternal kingdom; theirs will be fit for hell.

I believe that this is the judgment of those unrighteous dead who will all be gathered at one moment in time, in the Great White Throne, and the record will be laid out and they will not have the works to make it, and they will not be in the Book of Life. If you are not in the Book of Life the only way you could get in is to have a perfect works record. And nobody can do that, "For by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified."

So, again, this is my opinion. Many believe these statements are figurative and not literal. Many believe there is no distinction between the rapture and the second coming. These things are shrouded in mystery and often times that is where we need to leave them!

The short answer is due to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD by the Romans. The Jews had consolidated all animal sacrifices to and in the temple. So when the temple was destroyed there was no place to offer the sacrifices. The Jews determined at that time (some argue this began during the Babylonian captivity hundreds of years earlier) that personal prayer was their means of "sacrifice".

To reinstate the practice the the temple has to be rebuilt!

Some things remain a mystery to us since Scripture does not reveal the answers. This is such a case. We simply do not know.