THE RAPTURE
1Th 4:16 -18 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.
1 Cor 15:51, 52 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
There are no unfulfilled prophecies that are prerequisite to the rapture of the Church. Everything that needed to take place before the rapture of the Church has taken place. We, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, could literally be gone at any moment. His return for the Church is imminent. It could happen in the next hour, day, week, month, year, decade, or score but I believe it is extremely likely to happen very very soon.
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God , and to his throne.
G. H. Pember suggests that the “man child” in Revelation 12:5 is a reference to the Church. The one who gave birth to the Church was the Jews - a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars . It does seem to fit because Jesus is the head of the Church and the first one born into the Church. We are the Body of Christ adopted into the family of God through Jesus and we execute the will of the Lord Jesus on the earth and we will one day rule with Him over the earth. We will be caught up unto God at the Rapture!
The coming of the Lord, also known as the Second Advent, is not the same as when the Lord comes to rapture His Church. At the coming of the Lord, Jesus will touch down on the Mount of Olives and begin the Day of the Lord, a one thousand year reign of peace on earth, also called The Millennial Reign of Christ. The rapture, however, is a different event in which He will not touch the earth but will shout from heaven with the voice of the archangel and call His saints up in the air to be with Him forever. Following the rapture will be the Tribulation and Great Tribulation of Israel which will end with the coming of the Lord in great power and glory:
1Thess 4:16, 17 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.
But when the Lord comes in glory, with all His saints (1 Thess 3:13), He will touch down on the earth:
Act 1:9 - 12 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet , which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
Jesus left from the Mount of Olives and will return in like manner to touch down on the Mount of Olives . The coming of Lord is when He comes with all His saints to judge the earth and He will literally land on the earth.
The time of Tribulation is considered a time of God's judgment for all sinners on the earth. However, we the Church know we are not condemned with sinners. We will not have to face God's wrath ever. Therefore, a rapture before the judgment of God is the most logical conclusion and is consistent with God's character in Scriptures.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus , who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him .
1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come .
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath , but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
So if the Tribulation is the wrath of God, then it must follow, after reading the above verses that we, the Church, are not going to be around for the Tribulation.
Also consider that during the time of Tribulation, as mentioned in Revelation chapters 4 through 19, the Church is NOT MENTIONED AT ALL AS BEING ON THE EARTH. The fact that the most important group of all time, the Bride of Christ, is not mentioned at all during the Tribulation is very significant. The only groups mentioned being on earth during the tribulation are the nations and the Jews (1 Cor 10:32).
I cannot be dogmatic about a pre-tribulation rapture. Like I said, the things of the future are written in “dark speeches” so they are not clear to understand. However, what we do have in Scripture about God's promise to keep us, the Church, from wrath makes the pre-tribulation rapture the most likely scenario.
Another possible proof that the saints will be taken early is as follows:
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (withholds) will let (withhold), until he be taken out of the way.
We, the Church filled with the Holy Spirit, are the only ones that have the spiritual authority to prevent the anti-christ from manifesting himself fully. We are the one being spoken of in this verse as, “he who now letteth (withholds)”. When we leave, the anti-christ will have no opposition and will rise to great power and start the Tribulation time period as described in Revelation 6: 1, 2.
Revelation 3:7-12 is often cited as absolute proof that the church will be raptured before tribulation due to the phrase, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” It is said that the seven churches at the beginning of the book of Revelation represent seven ages of the Church historically and this one called the Philadelphia church represents the current Church. Therefore, these verses are really talking to the present-day Church and they will be raptured according to this Scripture. I have a problem with that because it breaks the law of literal interpretation of the Scriptures. They are making symbolism out of something that is not obviously symbolic. The letters to the Churches were actual letters to the churches at the time of the writing. That is why it is under the category of Revelation, “things which are” present tense in the time of John, not future for us.
That is not to say there is no credence to this concept of seven Church ages but to base an entire doctrine dogmatically on this verse is a Bible interpretation no-no. If that were true, then the next church listed is the Laodicean church which is known for being lukewarm, saying they are rich, saying they need nothing, but in reality the are judged by God as wretched, miserable, and poor. Since the previous Church age's Church was raptured then this, being the last Church age, must be the tribulation saints. I find it hard to believe that these tribulation saints who are going to believe in Jesus to the point of terrible persecution, torture, witnessing their family's deaths, and martyrdom are going to be considered “lukewarm” by the Lord Jesus or “rich” in their own eyes. I do believe the Lord's coming is imminent and the rapture will happen very early probably before the tribulation starts but to use Revelation 3 to dogmatically explain the rapture of present-days saints is simply erroneous. Revelation 3 should be ignored when dealing with the present-day Church and other Scriptures, such as the ones I mentioned, would provide the best proof of a pre-tribulation rapture.
Other Scriptures on the rapture:
Joh 14:2,3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1Jo 2:28 , 29; 3:1 - 3 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Joh 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ
Job 19:25 - 27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body , yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Phi 3:20, 21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Isa 26:19-21 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Note: There are four different beliefs about when the rapture will take place. They are:
1) Pre-Tribulation , which is the belief I hold and described above, where Jesus will come before the 70 th week of Daniel, also known as the seven years of Tribulation. After the seven years of Tribulation, the Lord will return to the earth in the Second Advent with all His saints in Glory.
2) Mid-Tribulation , is about the same as the Pre-Tribulation rapture belief except that the rapture occurs half-way through the Tribulation at the 3 ½ year mark. Also, instead of describing the Two Witnesses in Revelation as actual people, they are described as Israel and the Church; after their absence or death, their will be no more witnessing. During the first half of the Tribulation, the Church will experience the anti-christ's wrath but then be raptured. The last half of the Tribulation will be God's wrath on those remaining.
3) Post-Tribulation , says that the Church will endure the entire Tribulation. The Rapture takes place at the same time as the Second Advent, the Judgment Seat of Christ, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
4) Pre-Wrath , is similar to Mid-Trib except that the main tribulation is actually only the last half of Daniel's 70 th week = 3 ½ years. That time is divided between the anti-christ's wrath, which the Church will endure, and God's wrath. So somewhere in the last 3 ½ years, before God's wrath is poured out on mankind, the Church will leave in the Rapture. This is a very new belief and few hold to this doctrine.
Part 1 - Jews, Nations, and the Church of God
Part 4 - The Tribulation Time Period
Part 6 - The Coming of the Lord
Part 7 - The Millennial Reign of Christ Time Period
Part 8 - The Great White Throne Judgment and a New Beginning