For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord... We will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
-- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 --
Definitions
It's always a good practice to define various words and phrases up front before presenting arguments for and/or against some point of view.
Eschatology - the Biblical study of the End Times.
The Church - the bride and body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18, 24).
Israel - God's chosen people with whom He promised land and an everlasting king from the line of David to rule over them (Genesis 15:17–21; 17:8; 1 Chronicles 17:11–14; Psalm 135:4).
The Millennial - literally the 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth after His physical and glorious return (Matthew 24:29-31; 25:31; Revelation 19:11-14; 20:1-7).
Amillennialism - The thousand year reign of Christ on earth is a spiritual kingdom, not a literal earthly kingdom. This spiritual kingdom was inaugurated during the first advent of Christ a little over 2000 years ago and will be consummated when He returns. This view teaches that the church fulfills the promises that God made to Israel in the Old Testament.
Post-millennialism - The second coming of Christ will occur after a "millennium," a golden age of Christian prosperity and dominance. The "millennium" is not a literal 1000 year period of time; there is no defined limit on how long the millennium will last. This view teaches that Christians, not Christ Himself, will establish the kingdom on earth thereby preparing the world for the return of Christ.
Pre-millennialism - the eschatological view that Christ will literally return to earth prior to establishing His kingdom on the earth. The church and Israel are separate entities.
The Rapture - you will not find this word in the Bible. It comes from the phrase "caught up" which is translated rapturo in Latin. It literally means to snatch away or seize. God will literally snatch away all believers, whether deceased or alive, to be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We will be gathered “together to Him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1). Jesus said, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).
The Tribulation Period - the final seven years, known as the 70th week of Daniel, decreed for Israel and Jerusalem, not the church (Daniel 9:24, 27). Israel will go through a time of intense judgment and chastisement that will lead to their salvation (Romans 11:26-27). The archangel Michael described this period as “a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” (Daniel 12:1). Jeremiah called it “the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will saved from it” (Jeremiah 30:7).
The Antichrist - the preposition anti means against, in opposition to. The Antichrist will be someone who is against Christ. He will oppose and exalt “himself above every so-called God or object of worship” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). The word antichrist is mentioned five times in four passages: 1 John 2:18, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 4:3, and 2 John 7. 1 John 2:18 is the only text that points to the coming antichrist. He is the little horn (Daniel 7:8), the prince who is to come (Daniel 9:26), the willful king (Daniel 11:36), the man of lawlessness and the son of destruction (1 Thessalonians 2:3), the lawless one (2 Thessalonians 2:8), the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15), and the beast (Revelation 11:7; Revelation 13-17; 19-20).
One Week - a period of sevens (days, months, years). In the context of this post, one week is a period of seven years (Genesis 29:27-28; Daniel 9:24-27). The length of each year is 360 days, each month being 30 days longs. Each half of the Tribulation Period will be 3-1/2 years (42 months, 1260 days).
The Timing of the Rapture
Theologians have defined five main views of when the rapture will occur in relation to the seven year Tribulation Period.
Partial Rapture View - only faithful and deserving believers will be raptured. The remaining believers will endure trials and persecution before they are taken up to heaven later.
Mid-tribulation Rapture View - the rapture will occur near or at the end of the first half of the Tribulation Period because the wrath of God will not be poured out until the second half of this period.
Post-tribulation Rapture View - the church will go through the entire seven year Tribulation Period thus enduring the outpouring of God’s divine wrath before being raptured.
Pre-tribulation Rapture View - this view teaches that the rapture will occur prior to the start of the seven year Tribulation Period. The church will be rescued from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Pre-wrath Rapture View - the church will endure the wrath that is poured out during the breaking of the first five seals and will be raptured after the sixth seal is broken (Revelation 6:1-17). Thus the church will go through most of the Tribulation Period.
My Position
I firmly believe that the rapture will occur prior to the start of the seven year Tribulation Period. I also believe that the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, will physically and gloriously return at the end of the Tribulation Period with His angels (Matthew 24:29-31) and His bride, the church (Revelation 19:7-8, 11-14).
There are many prophecies throughout the Old and New Testaments that point to the events of the end times, the return of the Son of Man, and the establishment of His kingdom on earth. There isn't a single prophecy that points to when the rapture will occur. The last prophecy to be fulfilled was the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in A.D. 70 by Roman legions. This event was prophesied by Daniel and Jesus (Daniel 9:26; Matthew 24:1-2; Luke 19:41-44).
Isn't the gathering of the elect by His angels (Matthew 24:31) and the rapture the same event?
No. The gathering of the elect by this angels occurs "immediately after the tribulation of those days" (Matthew 24:29) where "those days" refers back to Matthew 24:15-28 (see v. 22 - "unless those days had been cut short"). Additionally, "the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). After Jesus was taken up to heaven in a cloud, two angels said to those who were gazing into the sky, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11). Jesus will literally return to the earth when He comes again. "His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east" (Zechariah 14:4). He will enter His "house by the way of the gate facing toward the east." His house is the place of His throne and the soles of His feet, where He "will dwell among the sons of Israel forever" (Ezekiel 43:4-7). When Jesus returns, He will sit on His glorious throne and judge all the peoples of the nations that are gathered before Him (Matthew 25:31-32).
During the rapture, Jesus will descend from heaven but not all the way to the earth. We will meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Isn't the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5-6) and the rapture the same event?
No. This resurrection occurs after the Tribulation Period. The participants in the first resurrection are “those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand.” They will come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). This resurrection will be the fulfillment of Daniel 12:2 - “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life (the first resurrection), but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt (the second resurrection).” The noun resurrection [Greek anastasis] literally means physically coming alive from death. Everyone in Christ, those asleep in the graves and those who are alive, will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). Thus, the rapture and the first resurrection are separate events.
Isn't the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52) the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:5)?
No. The last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52) is the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Its purpose is to announce that God is removing His saints from the earth to be with Him forever. The Lord will not physically and gloriously return to earth at this time. When the Son of Man returns at the end of the Tribulation period (Matthew 24:29-30), “He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matthew 24:31). He will sit on His glorious throne and judge the nations that “will be gathered before Him” (Matthew 25:31-32). The seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15) is the great trumpet of Matthew 24:31. The purpose of the seventh trumpet is to announce, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Thus, the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 is not the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15.
Why is the church of this present age not in the Tribulation Period?
The seven year Tribulation Period is the 70th week of the prophecy given to Daniel that is decreed for Israel and Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24), not the church of this present age. Because Israel rejected her promised Messiah, she will undergo "a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time" (Daniel 12:1). Hence, this will be a time of purging and restoration of Israel and Jerusalem.
It is widely accepted amongst the majority of theologians who hold to a literal interpretation of Scripture that the rapture will occur before the start of the seven year Tribulation Period.
God did not destine those in Christ for wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). We are “saved from the wrath of God” through Christ (Romans 5:9). He will rescue us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). The “day of wrath” is reserved for the stubborn and unrepentant (Romans 2:5), “to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath, and indignation” (Romans 2:8). “There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil” (Romans 2:9), “but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good” (Romans 2:10).
The problem with this view is that there isn’t a specific prophecy that points to when the rapture will happen with respect to the start of the seven year Tribulation Period. Some theologians point out that, because the church is not mentioned in Revelation chapters 4 to 21, it must have been raptured before the start of the Tribulation Period. They also point out that the twenty-four elders in Revelation 4:4 are part of the raptured church. The evidence that they are men, not angels, is that they are called elders, an office specific to the church. These elders are “clothed in white garments” and wear “golden crowns on their heads.” Angels wear white garments (John 20:12; Acts 1:10) but there is no specific evidence in Scripture that they wear crowns. Paul said that he will be awarded “the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8). The man who perseveres under trial will “receive the crown of life” (James 1:12). Elders will receive the “unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:1-4). Jesus told the angel of the church in Philadelphia to “hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Revelation 3:7, 11). The twenty-four elders will cast their crowns in worship before Him who sits on the throne (Revelation 4:10). This throne and the One sitting on it is in heaven (Revelation 4:2, 4). Jesus, our high priest, “has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).
Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). His Father’s house is in heaven, not on this earth. He is going to come again, in the rapture, to take us home to be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Paul uses the word ‘mystery’ when talking about the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. The tribulation events followed by the physical and glorious return of the Son of Man recorded in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 were not mysteries to Paul. This mystery was unknown until it was revealed to Paul by the Lord.
Although Scripture does not point to a specific timeline as to when the rapture will occur in reference to the start of the seven year Tribulation Period, the preponderous of evidence points to a Pre-tribulation rapture.
Timeline of Eschatological Events
The following timeline assumes a Pre-tribulation Rapture and a Pre-millennial return of Christ to earth.
The ascension of Christ to heaven and the establishment of the church at Pentecost (Acts 1:9-10; 2:1-47).
The Rapture of the church.
The Antichrist makes a firm one week covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27). This kicks off the start of the seven year Tribulation Period.
Sacrifices and grain offerings take place in the temple (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 11:1-2) for the first half of the Tribulation Period. The two witnesses prophecy during this period of time (Revelation 11:3-6). The 144,000, sealed from each of the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4-8), preach the gospel of the kingdom to all the earth (Matthew 24:14 ; Revelation 14:1-6).
The Antichrist breaks the firm covenant he made with Israel in the middle of the week - 3 1/2 years after making it (Daniel 9:27). This kicks of the second half of the seven year Tribulation Period.
The Antichrist takes "his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He kills the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7) and wages war against the saints who are on the earth and overcome them (Revelation 13:7). The dragon (Satan - see Revelation 12:9) will give his authority to the beast of 42 months to speak blasphemies against God, His name and His tabernacle - all those who dwell in heaven (Revelation 13:5-6). Everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb's book of life will worship the beast (Revelation 13:8). They will be given His mark on their right hand or forehead. No one will be able to buy or sell without this mark (Revelation 13:16-18).
The first six bowls of God's wrath are poured out on the earth (Revelation 16:1-12).
The kings of the whole world gather together for war against God at Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16).
The seventh bowl of God's wrath is poured on on the earth. Men blaspheme God because of the plague of extremely severe hail that falls from heaven (Revelation 16:17-21).
Christ returns on a white horse followed by the armies of heaven - the bride of Christ - riding white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. The armies gathered at Armageddon are completely destroyed (Revelation 19:7-8; 11-21). The beast and his false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). This marks the end of the seven year tribulation period.
Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss for a thousand years. Those who had been beheaded because of their testimony during the Tribulation Period, who had not worshipped the beast or received his mark, come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand year - this is the first resurrection (Revelation 20:1-6).
Satan is released from his prison at the end to the thousand years. He deceives the nations and gathers them for war against the saints at Gog and Magog. Satan is defeated and thrown into the lake of fire forever (Revelation 20:7-10).
Those who died without Christ are resurrected from the dead and judged before God at His great white throne. Because their names are not written in the book of life, they are thrown into the lake of fire - the second death (Revelation 20:11-15).
Jesus creates a new heaven and a new earth. The present heavens and earth pass away, probably destroyed by fire (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:7; Revelation 21:1).
The eternal state - God will dwell among us forever (Revelation 21:2-7)!
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