12-12-2010, 08:17 PM
I caught Rick's challenge regarding the rapture the other day, as it were, at the eleventh hour. I really wanted to share my thoughts, but my boss was literally rushing me out the door. I thought on the topic, which I have written on before, collected my thoughts, and wrote 9 pages on it several hours on Saturday, and a few hours on it this evening. So, without further ado, I want to share it, and I don't mind if you care to lock this, Bro. William, becasue I am not trying to a board "rebel," just had to share what I labored over so fervently.
A Case For Late Tribulation Rapture: When Does the Rapture Happen?
There are several doors that have to be opened to understand the timing of the Rapture. The key to the first door opening unto us when the Rapture happens lies in understanding the First Resurrection. Paul wrote enough on the topic that we should be able to clearly see it IF we do not fall in to the trap of subjecting the scriptures to our topic instead of subjecting our topic to the scriptures.
The First Resurrection
Many people have risen from the dead as recorded in the Bible, but to avoid complicating our subject we will only be concentrating on the following two resurrections:
1. Christ, risen three days after his crucifixion.
2. The righteous dead, whose bodies lie in the grave awaiting his call.,
Now, let's examine Paul's list of the sequence of events at the First Resurrection:
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
On this we all agree and the foundation of our very hope is established, Christ is become the firstfruits of them that slept, and we now have hope of eternal life because he has triumphed over the grave. As we continue to examine this section of scripture, Paul will make the First Resurrection clear:
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Keeping with the order, or sequence, they that are Christ's will be resurrected, very importantly here, AT his coming. This is the first resurrection. Isaiah the prophet saw it and left us this record:
Isa 26:19 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.
In two different passages Paul clearly lays out the sequence of events:
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Th 4:15 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
To summerize the status of the righteous dead, those that sleep, in the verses we just looked at, those that are alive and remain WILL NOT go before the dead for they are raised first.
So we see that the First Resurrection is the raising of the dead bodies of those who have died in hope of resurrection, which was accomplished, in the victorious resurrection of Christ.
The Rapture
Looking again at 1 Corinthians 15, Paul lays the foundation for the "when" of the Rapture.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
Let's just make ourselves a working list of events in these this passage:
1. We shall be changed
2. It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
3. At the last trump
4. After the resurrection of them that slept,
5. We will be changed from our current state to an incorruptible state.
Because this must have been a topic of great interest and concern, Paul addresses it again in 1 Thessalonians:
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
Again, let's look at the events of this passage:
1. The Lord will descend,
2. With a shout, the voice of the archangel,
3. With the trump of God,
4. The dead rise first,
5. We, which are alive and remain, are caught up to the clouds where the Lord and the resurrected bodies of the righteous have been reunited with their soul and spirit.
It is important to note that there is only ONE First Resurrection. That may seem obvious, but if the first resurrection was split, one prior to the tribulation, and one after the resurrection, it would be clearly stated. However, it has become necessary to split the resurrection into TWO events. This is what I mean by stating that we must not fall into the trap of subjecting the scripture to our theory, but letting the scripture be the final record.
Let's return, now, to our original verses in 1 Corinthians 15 to understand the sequence of events surrounding the rapture.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
If we are going to let the scriptures speak to us and teach us good doctrine, then we will not wrestle with them or violate them at this important juncture. They that are Christ's will be resurrected AT his coming, THEN cometh the end. Since we all agree that the First Resurrection happens immediately before the Rapture, then we must place the Rapture wedged in between the First Resurrection and his official coming, not just to the clouds for the saints, but also to the Earth with the saints.
The Last Trump
Another Clarion call, showing us the Rapture is the Last Trump. Again, the apostle Paul gave us two separate passages to consider:
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
When the archangel comes forth from the throne of God he will give his shout and the trumpet blast will wake the bodies of those who rest in the grave. When studying any topic in the Bible, we always compare scripture with scripture. This is our best commentary. The other passage dealing with the last times regarding the trumpet is the Seven Trumpets of the Revelation. Paul said the Rapture would happen at the last trump. There is no logical sense calling a trumpet call the "last trump," if there are not trumpets prior to it thus making it the last one. Now, let's look at the Seventh or Last Trump of the Revelation:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God should be finished. Is there a "mystery" that is awaiting fulfillment? Yes, Paul mentioned it.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
When the last of the Gentile bride comes into the body of Christ, the mystery will be ended and the fulness of the body will be complete and it will be time to deal DIRECTLY with Israel and her repentance prior to their entering the Kingdom. Now let's look at the other account of the "last trumpet," of the Revelation:
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Up until this point, Satan has been the usurping "prince" of this world. At the blast of the seventh trumpet, Christ declares his rightful ownership and establishment of the Kingdom.
Most who espouse premillenial eschatology would agree that after the Rapture, the believers will go to the Bema Seat Judgment, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Notice what John said is happening after the seventh trumpet:
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
1. The nations were angry because the time of wrath is come,
2. The time for the judgment of the dead has come that they should be judged,
3. This judgment is a time when rewards are given to the servants, prophets, saints, and them that fear His name.
4. The destruction of them which destroy the earth, this is the third woe.
Again, I appeal for you to consider that the last trump/trumpet (1 Cor. 15:51,52 and 1 Thess. 4:16,17,) is the seventh/last trumpet of the Revelation. Both happen prior to the pouring out of God's wrath of destruction on earth, the establishment of the Kingdom, and the judgment of the saints. We must guard ourselves from denying the possibility that these are all the same trumpets just because this is NOT the teaching we have embraced up to this point.
What about the Trumpet for the Elect in Matthew 24?
If the elect of Matthew 24 is Israel, then what is this trumpet:
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in Heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.
When the battle of Armageddon is over, the armies of the earth are destroyed, and Jesus makes his official 2nd coming to the earth with his saints, the repentant Jews will be gathered into their 1,000 year tabernacle of rest, the Kingdom. This is in perfect harmony with the gathering for atonement prior to the feast of tabernacles as laid down in Leviticus:
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
The Seventh Trumpet of the Rapture is the same Trumpet of gathering to 30 days of atonement for Israel before they are ushered into the Kingdom.
What is God doing to the Elect at this point?
To understand this, let's go back to the point where Christ comes in the clouds.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
When Israel sees Christ, they are going to realize that 2,000 years ago, they murdered their Messiah. The waves of grief will strike them with such intensity, that they will spend the following days afflicting their souls. Again, let's look to the prophet Zechariah:
Zec 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
As the nations gather around Jerusalem for the great conflagration, the repentant of Israel will be breaking their hearts over their Messiah whose blood, shed for their New Covenant, was trodden under foot. As they weep for this one, the Firstborn, the Lord pours upon them the spirit of grace and supplications. Paul spoke of this very day.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
When the last of the Gentile bride comes in, at the First Resurrection and Rapture, the Lord will remove the scales from their eyes at his coming in the clouds and removes their ungodliness. How did they know what the truth is?
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made Heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
From their hiding place behind the walled gates of Petra in Moab, Israel will watch as the Lord comes out of glory, with the Saints, to usher Israel into their 1,000 year Tabernacle of Rest with the King of kings.
The Thirty Days
To put the placement of the Rapture in perspective with the events here at "the end," let's look at Isaiah's prophecy again:
Isa 26:19 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.
Isa 26:20 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.
Isa 26:21 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.
We might be tempted here to include New Testament saints in this passage, but we would be assuming this, though spiritually, rapture into his presence would be being hidden with him while he pours out his indignation upon the wicked who have gathered around Jerusalem. To take this passage as literal as we can, then we are talking about Israel in this passage. We will look at God's dealings with them in a moment, but let's focus on the phrase, "...a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."
There are many different thoughts on Daniel's 70th Week, and we can get bogged down looking at them, but we do have a definite period of time as described in the Revelation known as the "last 1260 days," of life on Earth, as we know it.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
This last 1260 days of Earth, which is the same as 42 month, which is a 1-1/2 years based on the 360 Jewish Sabbatical year. This might have something to do with the verse in Daniel, which states:
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
There are many theories, but we know the scripture calls it 1260 days. If we compare this with Daniel's account we have a slight difference:
Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
The difference between Daniel's vision of the last days, and John's is that of 30 days.
1290-1260=30
Do we have a verse describing what could be happening in the 30 days in question? Yes! Let's go to the prophet Zechariah:
Zec 11:8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
So, who are these three shepherds that the Lord will cut off in one month that he loathes, and that abhor him?
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
The Beast, the False Prophet, and the Dragon will be defeated at the battle of Armageddon at the close of the thirty days. These thirty days is the culmination of the Vial judgments being poured out. It is what Isaiah called, the little moment of God's indignation. He describes this same event in chapter 13:
Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Isa 13:10 For the stars of Heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
It must be noted; this is not a time of punishment for God's children, but for the wicked. The punishment for sin was meted out on the cross and God's children are not appointed to wrath, neither are they recipients of it. To claim that God would not let his children go into or through the tribulation is to ignore the tribulation they have endured, by his grace, throughout the entire church age.
1Th 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
Just as the Lord supernaturally protected his own during the plagues of Egypt, those who are saved will have supernatural power to overcome during the Tribulation:
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
God has shortened this last period for the sake of the repentant of Israel.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
The Rapture in the Revelation
If you will read it objectively, you can clearly see the Rapture in the book of the Revelation. John described it as first of two harvests. Consider:
Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
This first harvest is parallel with the events Paul described in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4.
1. The Son of man in the clouds,
2. An angel crying with a loud voice,
3. A harvesting of the ripe fruit.
The ripe fruit here is differentiated from the fruit of the harvest to follow. This is because they are two different fruits, with two different destinies.
Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in Heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
If you will take notice, the second harvest was described as being, "...cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God." This is because the first harvest is the Rapture. Once they are secured at, perhaps, the Judgment Seat of Christ and/or the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the second harvest is gathered. These are they who the prophets and apostles described as those who would be the recipients of God's indignation or wrath. This is not just the judgments of God, poured out during the Tribulation, that have a show of God's wrath FOR the wicked of the Earth, but this is the wrath of the Lamb, which is far more intense. The closing Seal describes it clearly:
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of Heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
I have heard a lot and read a lot on this topic; one thing that is repeated is that those who are caught up in a pretribulation rapture will miss the antichrist and the tribulation. However, Paul made clear, regarding the "gathering unto him [Christ]"
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
We can see the falling away happening everyday, all around us, in modern Christendom. However, we must remember that the gathering unto Christ will NOT happen until the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. According to this text, those alive at the end WILL see him revealed. This revelation will not be his unsuspected socio-political role in Earth's events, but will be as Paul describes it as follows:
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
That is abomination that maketh desolate. There are 1260 days left when this happens. If the pretribulation rapture theory is true, you have nothing to worry about, however, if it is not, then you had better begin preparing you and your loved ones for the possibility of being alive in what is going to be, the Earth's greatest hour, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in glory!
A Case For Late Tribulation Rapture: When Does the Rapture Happen?
There are several doors that have to be opened to understand the timing of the Rapture. The key to the first door opening unto us when the Rapture happens lies in understanding the First Resurrection. Paul wrote enough on the topic that we should be able to clearly see it IF we do not fall in to the trap of subjecting the scriptures to our topic instead of subjecting our topic to the scriptures.
The First Resurrection
Many people have risen from the dead as recorded in the Bible, but to avoid complicating our subject we will only be concentrating on the following two resurrections:
1. Christ, risen three days after his crucifixion.
2. The righteous dead, whose bodies lie in the grave awaiting his call.,
Now, let's examine Paul's list of the sequence of events at the First Resurrection:
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
On this we all agree and the foundation of our very hope is established, Christ is become the firstfruits of them that slept, and we now have hope of eternal life because he has triumphed over the grave. As we continue to examine this section of scripture, Paul will make the First Resurrection clear:
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Keeping with the order, or sequence, they that are Christ's will be resurrected, very importantly here, AT his coming. This is the first resurrection. Isaiah the prophet saw it and left us this record:
Isa 26:19 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.
In two different passages Paul clearly lays out the sequence of events:
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Th 4:15 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
To summerize the status of the righteous dead, those that sleep, in the verses we just looked at, those that are alive and remain WILL NOT go before the dead for they are raised first.
So we see that the First Resurrection is the raising of the dead bodies of those who have died in hope of resurrection, which was accomplished, in the victorious resurrection of Christ.
The Rapture
Looking again at 1 Corinthians 15, Paul lays the foundation for the "when" of the Rapture.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
Let's just make ourselves a working list of events in these this passage:
1. We shall be changed
2. It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
3. At the last trump
4. After the resurrection of them that slept,
5. We will be changed from our current state to an incorruptible state.
Because this must have been a topic of great interest and concern, Paul addresses it again in 1 Thessalonians:
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
Again, let's look at the events of this passage:
1. The Lord will descend,
2. With a shout, the voice of the archangel,
3. With the trump of God,
4. The dead rise first,
5. We, which are alive and remain, are caught up to the clouds where the Lord and the resurrected bodies of the righteous have been reunited with their soul and spirit.
It is important to note that there is only ONE First Resurrection. That may seem obvious, but if the first resurrection was split, one prior to the tribulation, and one after the resurrection, it would be clearly stated. However, it has become necessary to split the resurrection into TWO events. This is what I mean by stating that we must not fall into the trap of subjecting the scripture to our theory, but letting the scripture be the final record.
Let's return, now, to our original verses in 1 Corinthians 15 to understand the sequence of events surrounding the rapture.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
If we are going to let the scriptures speak to us and teach us good doctrine, then we will not wrestle with them or violate them at this important juncture. They that are Christ's will be resurrected AT his coming, THEN cometh the end. Since we all agree that the First Resurrection happens immediately before the Rapture, then we must place the Rapture wedged in between the First Resurrection and his official coming, not just to the clouds for the saints, but also to the Earth with the saints.
The Last Trump
Another Clarion call, showing us the Rapture is the Last Trump. Again, the apostle Paul gave us two separate passages to consider:
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 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.
When the archangel comes forth from the throne of God he will give his shout and the trumpet blast will wake the bodies of those who rest in the grave. When studying any topic in the Bible, we always compare scripture with scripture. This is our best commentary. The other passage dealing with the last times regarding the trumpet is the Seven Trumpets of the Revelation. Paul said the Rapture would happen at the last trump. There is no logical sense calling a trumpet call the "last trump," if there are not trumpets prior to it thus making it the last one. Now, let's look at the Seventh or Last Trump of the Revelation:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God should be finished. Is there a "mystery" that is awaiting fulfillment? Yes, Paul mentioned it.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
When the last of the Gentile bride comes into the body of Christ, the mystery will be ended and the fulness of the body will be complete and it will be time to deal DIRECTLY with Israel and her repentance prior to their entering the Kingdom. Now let's look at the other account of the "last trumpet," of the Revelation:
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Up until this point, Satan has been the usurping "prince" of this world. At the blast of the seventh trumpet, Christ declares his rightful ownership and establishment of the Kingdom.
Most who espouse premillenial eschatology would agree that after the Rapture, the believers will go to the Bema Seat Judgment, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Notice what John said is happening after the seventh trumpet:
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
1. The nations were angry because the time of wrath is come,
2. The time for the judgment of the dead has come that they should be judged,
3. This judgment is a time when rewards are given to the servants, prophets, saints, and them that fear His name.
4. The destruction of them which destroy the earth, this is the third woe.
Again, I appeal for you to consider that the last trump/trumpet (1 Cor. 15:51,52 and 1 Thess. 4:16,17,) is the seventh/last trumpet of the Revelation. Both happen prior to the pouring out of God's wrath of destruction on earth, the establishment of the Kingdom, and the judgment of the saints. We must guard ourselves from denying the possibility that these are all the same trumpets just because this is NOT the teaching we have embraced up to this point.
What about the Trumpet for the Elect in Matthew 24?
If the elect of Matthew 24 is Israel, then what is this trumpet:
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from Heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in Heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.
When the battle of Armageddon is over, the armies of the earth are destroyed, and Jesus makes his official 2nd coming to the earth with his saints, the repentant Jews will be gathered into their 1,000 year tabernacle of rest, the Kingdom. This is in perfect harmony with the gathering for atonement prior to the feast of tabernacles as laid down in Leviticus:
Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Lev 23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
The Seventh Trumpet of the Rapture is the same Trumpet of gathering to 30 days of atonement for Israel before they are ushered into the Kingdom.
What is God doing to the Elect at this point?
To understand this, let's go back to the point where Christ comes in the clouds.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
When Israel sees Christ, they are going to realize that 2,000 years ago, they murdered their Messiah. The waves of grief will strike them with such intensity, that they will spend the following days afflicting their souls. Again, let's look to the prophet Zechariah:
Zec 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
As the nations gather around Jerusalem for the great conflagration, the repentant of Israel will be breaking their hearts over their Messiah whose blood, shed for their New Covenant, was trodden under foot. As they weep for this one, the Firstborn, the Lord pours upon them the spirit of grace and supplications. Paul spoke of this very day.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
When the last of the Gentile bride comes in, at the First Resurrection and Rapture, the Lord will remove the scales from their eyes at his coming in the clouds and removes their ungodliness. How did they know what the truth is?
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made Heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
From their hiding place behind the walled gates of Petra in Moab, Israel will watch as the Lord comes out of glory, with the Saints, to usher Israel into their 1,000 year Tabernacle of Rest with the King of kings.
The Thirty Days
To put the placement of the Rapture in perspective with the events here at "the end," let's look at Isaiah's prophecy again:
Isa 26:19 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.
Isa 26:20 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.
Isa 26:21 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.
We might be tempted here to include New Testament saints in this passage, but we would be assuming this, though spiritually, rapture into his presence would be being hidden with him while he pours out his indignation upon the wicked who have gathered around Jerusalem. To take this passage as literal as we can, then we are talking about Israel in this passage. We will look at God's dealings with them in a moment, but let's focus on the phrase, "...a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."
There are many different thoughts on Daniel's 70th Week, and we can get bogged down looking at them, but we do have a definite period of time as described in the Revelation known as the "last 1260 days," of life on Earth, as we know it.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
This last 1260 days of Earth, which is the same as 42 month, which is a 1-1/2 years based on the 360 Jewish Sabbatical year. This might have something to do with the verse in Daniel, which states:
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
There are many theories, but we know the scripture calls it 1260 days. If we compare this with Daniel's account we have a slight difference:
Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
The difference between Daniel's vision of the last days, and John's is that of 30 days.
1290-1260=30
Do we have a verse describing what could be happening in the 30 days in question? Yes! Let's go to the prophet Zechariah:
Zec 11:8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
So, who are these three shepherds that the Lord will cut off in one month that he loathes, and that abhor him?
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
The Beast, the False Prophet, and the Dragon will be defeated at the battle of Armageddon at the close of the thirty days. These thirty days is the culmination of the Vial judgments being poured out. It is what Isaiah called, the little moment of God's indignation. He describes this same event in chapter 13:
Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Isa 13:10 For the stars of Heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
It must be noted; this is not a time of punishment for God's children, but for the wicked. The punishment for sin was meted out on the cross and God's children are not appointed to wrath, neither are they recipients of it. To claim that God would not let his children go into or through the tribulation is to ignore the tribulation they have endured, by his grace, throughout the entire church age.
1Th 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
Just as the Lord supernaturally protected his own during the plagues of Egypt, those who are saved will have supernatural power to overcome during the Tribulation:
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
God has shortened this last period for the sake of the repentant of Israel.
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
The Rapture in the Revelation
If you will read it objectively, you can clearly see the Rapture in the book of the Revelation. John described it as first of two harvests. Consider:
Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
This first harvest is parallel with the events Paul described in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4.
1. The Son of man in the clouds,
2. An angel crying with a loud voice,
3. A harvesting of the ripe fruit.
The ripe fruit here is differentiated from the fruit of the harvest to follow. This is because they are two different fruits, with two different destinies.
Rev 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in Heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Rev 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
If you will take notice, the second harvest was described as being, "...cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God." This is because the first harvest is the Rapture. Once they are secured at, perhaps, the Judgment Seat of Christ and/or the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the second harvest is gathered. These are they who the prophets and apostles described as those who would be the recipients of God's indignation or wrath. This is not just the judgments of God, poured out during the Tribulation, that have a show of God's wrath FOR the wicked of the Earth, but this is the wrath of the Lamb, which is far more intense. The closing Seal describes it clearly:
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of Heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the Heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
I have heard a lot and read a lot on this topic; one thing that is repeated is that those who are caught up in a pretribulation rapture will miss the antichrist and the tribulation. However, Paul made clear, regarding the "gathering unto him [Christ]"
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
We can see the falling away happening everyday, all around us, in modern Christendom. However, we must remember that the gathering unto Christ will NOT happen until the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. According to this text, those alive at the end WILL see him revealed. This revelation will not be his unsuspected socio-political role in Earth's events, but will be as Paul describes it as follows:
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
That is abomination that maketh desolate. There are 1260 days left when this happens. If the pretribulation rapture theory is true, you have nothing to worry about, however, if it is not, then you had better begin preparing you and your loved ones for the possibility of being alive in what is going to be, the Earth's greatest hour, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in glory!