1Thess 4:14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. {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. {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: {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

For those who have never heard of the term ‘rapture’, this term usually refers to the interpretation of end-time scriptures where God removes Christians from this earth, supposedly before any of the end-time calamities start (refer to previous posts 3.9 to 3.11). The term ‘rapture’ is not found in the bible, but was introduced relatively recently as an alternative translation of the Greek word harpazo, meaning “snatched up”.  God rescues His people by ‘plucking’ them out of this world into heaven, seemingly before His end-time judgement is poured out on this earth.

The question many Christians currently ask is whether this ‘early rapture’ or ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ teaching is consistent with scripture or not. Should we decide it is not, then the next question we face is whether there will be a ‘post-tribulation’ or later rapture, or whether there is, perhaps, no rapture at all?

As we will demonstrate, there will be a ‘rapture’. However, this ‘plucking out of Gods people’ occurs after, and not before the period of Tribulation. It occurs at the time of the 2nd Coming of Jesus. We are raptured to meet Him in the air as He returns to earth, in person, to become our one and only Righteous Ruler.

Jesus was very specific about the “gathering together” of His people, that is us, His children. In Matt 24 Jesus first describes a great persecution, coinciding with wars, famine, pestilence, false prophets and Christs. He said that the “gathering together” would happen after the tribulation, events all occurring before He returns in person, after these events, to deliver His own from that inferno of testing:

• {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:
• {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.
  {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. Matt 24:29-31

This is the clear instruction from Jesus. The gathering of the elect, the rapture, is after the tribulation. There is no disputing who the elect is. Of all of the many references to the ‘elect’ in the New Testament the verdict is clear: They are the saved believers in Jesus Christ. Similarly no honest believer can entertain more than  one rapture. That would be stretching the truth to fit a theory. Hence there is no possible way to get around these three verses. That is why pre-tribulation rapture teachers never quote v29 all the way to v31 in its entirety.

Paul’s Letters to the Thessalonians:

When comparing Paul’s teaching on end times with the teaching of Christ to His disciples in Matthew 24* we see a great parallel. Paul’s teaching concerning the Rapture precisely parallels the issues the disciples questioned Christ about: “What will be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

To sum up the instructions of Jesus and of Paul;

• Both accounts describe the rapture the saints at the second coming of Christ. (Matt. 24:3, 27, 29-31, 37, 39;  1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Thess. 2:1, 8)
• Both accounts describe specific events which must precede the second coming (Matt 24:4-30; 2Thess 2:3-12)
• Both accounts mention the coming of Christ is on the clouds and with trumpet sound (Matt. 24: 29-31;  1 Th 4:15-16)
• Both accounts begin with a severe warning to Christians about false ‘saviours’ and false teachers (Matt. 24:4; 2 Thess. 2:3).
• Both accounts warn that great signs and wonders will accompany the deception. (Matt 24:24; 2 Thess 2:9).
• Both accounts make reference to an apostasy, a falling away that occurs before the Antichrist is revealed, demanding the world’s worship. (Matt. 24:9–15; 2 Thess. 2:3–4,8)
• Both accounts refer to the revealing of Antichrist, which will occur in the temple, in the holy place (Matt. 24:15 (ref. Dan 9); 2 Thess. 2:3-4,8).
• Both accounts teach that when the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:30-32) begins, God’s elect, His saints, will be gathered together (Matt. 24:29-31; 1 Thess. 4:17–5:2; 2 Thess. 2:1)
• Both accounts teach that at Christ’s second coming the day of the Lord’s wrath will begin (Matt. 24:29–30, 36–39; 1 Thess. 5:1–2; 2 Thess. 2:1–2; cf. v. 8).
• Both accounts are the direct instruction of Christ (Matt. 24:3–4a; 1 Thess. 4:15).

For more on ‘the Day of the Lord” and Jesus’ teaching in *Matthew 24 refer to posts 7.0 and 3.3.

COMPARATIVE ACCOUNTS

The Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24) and the Books of I & II Thessalonians may be summarised in the following format:

---

 Christ’s (Matthew 24)  &  Pauls 1 (Thess. 4) teaching.

---

• 24:31 THERE IS A  GATHERING (RAPTURE) OF GOD’S ELECT I Th 4:15-17 II Th 2:1
• 24:4-30; SPECIFIC EVENTS MUST PRECEDE THE SECOND COMING 2Th 2:3-12
• Matt. 24: 29-31 THE SECOND COMING IS ON THE CLOUDS WITH TRUMPET SOUND  1 Th 4:15-16
• 24:4b :  THE WARNING REGARDING EXTENSIVE DECEPTION: II Th 2:3
• 24:24; THE WARNING REGARDING  GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS 2 Th 2:9).
• 24:9-15; THE WARNING REGARDING THE GREAT APOSTASY 2 Th 2:3–4,8).
• 24:15 ANTICHRIST’S TEMPLE DESECRATION II Th 2:4b
• 24:9, 21 PERSECTION (OPPOSITION) BY ANTICHRIST II Th 2:3-4a
• 24:3, 27-37, 39  CHRIST’S 2nd COMING AND THE RAPTURE I Th 4:15 II Th 2:3 II Th 2:8
• 24:3, 29-30 24:37-39 CHRIST’S 2nd COMING INITIATES GOD’S JUDGMENT I Th 5:1-3 II Th 2:1-2
• 24:14, 37-39 THE WRATH OF GOD (THE DAY OF THE LORD) I Th 5:1-3
• 24:3-4a : THE SOURCE OF THE INSTRUCTION IS CHRIST:  I Th 4:15

The account in Matthew tells us who does the gathering: “His [Christ’s] angels” (Matt. 24:31); Paul’s first account tells us where and to whom we will be gathered: “in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17); and Paul’s second letter tells us when : “at the appearance of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:8); and all three passages connect this great event—the rapture of the church—with another awesome event, the Day of the Lord (Matt. 24:3, 29, 37–39; 1 Thess. 5:1–3; 2 Thess.

Summing Up Both Letters:

The primary Thessalonian theme: Correcting deception regarding the second coming of Christ.

The First Letter

We see that the critical part of Paul’s teaching in his first letter to the Thessalonians concerns the coming of Christ, when the saints “shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air,”.  The interrelationship of His coming to rapture His saints to the Day of the Lord is made clear. We also see that Paul’s teaching concerning the Rapture precisely parallels the same two issues the disciples questioned Christ about: “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world”. Paul begins his instruction by telling the Thessalonians that he speaks “by the word of the Lord”. Paul’s teaching parallels the teaching of Christ, and the Olivet Discourse is a reference to the same Rapture, and not to the battle of Armageddon.

The Second Letter. (cit.: a reformatted/edited citation of Robert van Kampen’s book:  “The Rapture Question Answered”)

Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian church thoroughly substantiates the sequence of events given by Christ in Matt 24. Events which must occur before the coming of Christ, when Christ will gather the departed elect and rescue the remaining saints from Antichrist’s persecution.

The Context

A short time after the apostle wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians, a crisis arose in their church, one that touched directly on the teaching in his first letter. False teachers had come into the congregation and had taught the Thessalonians, who were then undergoing severe persecution, that the Day of the Lord was already in process. Whether these false teachers were implying that there would be no deliverance (i.e., rapture), or whether they were simply implying that the Thessalonians were not genuinely saved and therefore had missed the Rapture altogether, is not clear from the text. Either way, their teaching was false, and if the Thessalonian church had remembered Paul’s teaching in his first letter, the problem could have been avoided.

The false teaching to which they had been exposed directly contradicted the apostle’s earlier instruction to them that God has not destined them (us) for wrath, but for obtaining salvation ” (1 Thess. 5:9). Also that they would be “caught up together . . . to meet the Lord in the air” (4:17) before the wrath of God was poured out upon the wicked world that remains at the Day of the Lord (5:1–2). Wanting to encourage them, the apostle said,

So that we ourselves glory in you, In the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: {1:5}  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: {1:6} Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; {1:7} And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {1:8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {1:9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; {1:10} When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.. ( 2 THESS. 1:4–8, 11 , emphasis added).

If you carefully trace the sequence of events in the passage quoted above, you will quickly realize that it again parallels the sequence that Christ taught His disciples in His Olivet Discourse. First, the persecution—“in all your persecutions.” Then, cutting short that time of persecution by the deliverance or rescue of the elect (the Rapture)—“to you who are troubled rest with us,” Followed by the fiery wrath of God—“when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God.” Clearly and precisely, Paul tells them again what he had taught them in his first letter.

Paul reminds them that God will “ recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” (2 Thess. 1:6). In other words, God’s wrath will not be poured out upon “you”—the church at Thessalonica—but upon those who are tormenting “you”! To those of you who have been afflicted, he will give relief.

The New Problem

Paul then deals more specifically with the problem at hand. The church at Thessalonica had obviously forgotten the things that were to happen before those two back-to-back events—the Rapture and God’s wrath—could take place at Christ’s coming. Had they remembered the Olivet Discourse (which I believe they were familiar with) or had they remembered Paul’s previous personal instruction to them (which obviously they hadn’t) they would never have believed the false teachers. Good doctrine, when rightly understood and rightly applied, always prevents problems. As it was, Paul had to instruct them again. Follow carefully what the apostle says:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, {2:2} That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be
troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. {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; ( 2 THESS. 2:1–3 , emphasis added).

Paul makes it clear that this false teaching—that the Day of the Lord was already in process—had not originated from him. They were not to accept “that the day of Christ is at hand” (v. 2). That ‘already in process’ teaching directly contradicted what Paul had taught them previously.

The Sequence of End Time Events

Just as Christ had done some twenty years earlier for His disciples, Paul now carefully outlines the sequence of events that must occur prior to the coming  of Christ, when the saints will be gathered together to Him and the wrath of God will descend upon those who remain.  To begin with, Paul tells them not to be deceived by these false teachers. Before the Day of the Lord can commence, certain other events have to occur. First, they must see the apostasy, and then, the revealing of the man of lawlessness (v. 3), who will take his seat in the temple, displaying himself as being God (v. 4b).

The Apostasy Comes First

It is obvious from the context that the Thessalonians had not seen either of these events happen, because Paul is telling them that the persecution they are undergoing cannot be, by definition, the Day of the Lord, “for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first.” When comparing Scripture with Scripture, we find that “ the apostasy” referred to here must be the same apostasy that Christ warned His disciples about in the Olivet Discourse:

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. {24:10} And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. {24:11} And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. {24:12} And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  (Matt. 24:9–12).

The only apostasy directly referred to in the Bible that occurs simultaneously with Antichrist’s spectacular rise to power at the midpoint of the tribulation period, is the “falling away” that Christ describes in the Olivet Discourse. For many to be offended and the love of many to wax cold is describing the end time ‘church. This is what apostasy means, a “falling away”. However, some people have tried to tie the apostasy referred to here by Paul, to the general apostasy of the world described in 2 Timothy 3:1–5, that comes in the last days before the specific apostasy of the church in general, which Christ associates with Antichrist’s persecution. If that is the case, they argue, then Christ’s coming could still occur before the tribulation period ever begins. Which apostasy Paul is referring to, the general or the specific, really makes no difference to his argument as to the sequence of events that must occur prior to Christ’s coming at the Day of the Lord. Either way, the man of sin must be revealed, taking his seat in the temple and demanding the worship of the world, before the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him” (2 Thess. 2:1) can occur.

However, I do not think that the general apostasy referred to in 2 Timothy is the same apostasy discussed in 2 Thessalonians—for at least two reasons. First, the apostasy referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is the apostasy (a definite article before “apostasy”), indicating a very specific apostasy the Thessalonians already knew about. And the only apostasy they could have known about was the apostasy that Christ directly associated with His coming in the Olivet Discourse. Therefore, it doesn’t take any stretch of the imagination to see that the falling away described in the Olivet Discourse is the apostasy (which, remember, means “a falling away”) described in 2 Thessalonians, especially in light of the fact that Paul spoke concerning end time events “by the word of the Lord”!

Second, and equally important, Paul’s second letter to Timothy, which describes the general apostasy of the world that comes in the last days, was written about fifteen years after Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. Therefore, it’s hard to refer to something that has meaning to the readers, if that something isn’t revealed until fifteen years later.

Antichrist Revealed in the Temple

Now back to our text. Paul tells the confused Thessalonians that certain events must occur before the coming of Christ can initiate the great day of God’s wrath. The Day of the Lord can only occur after Antichrist, the man of lawlessness, has been revealed and has taken his seat in the temple at the midpoint of the final seven-year tribulation period, demanding the worship of the world (paralleling Matt. 24:15; cf. Rev. 13:4–8); and after the falling away—the apostasy—of many who profess the name of Christ (paralleling Matt. 24:9–12). Then Paul continues his instruction by asking, Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ( 2 THESS. 2:5 ). Obviously, he must have explained these events in a previous conversation not recorded in Scripture, because there is no mention of this specific sequence of events in his first letter. Most likely, as we saw when working through Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he’d had an earlier discussion with them about the Olivet Discourse of Christ. Now that a question had arisen as to when the Day of the Lord would actually begin, he refers again to this face-to-face conversation he had already had with them.

The Restrainer Removed

In the next two verses, Paul reminds the Thessalonians: (6) And you know what restrains him [Antichrist] now, so that in his time he [Antichrist] may be revealed. (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way ( 2 THESS 2:6–7 ). Here, Paul simply makes the point that all of these events that must occur before the Day of the Lord can begin cannot occur until the restrainer is first removed. Only then will Antichrist be revealed as the monster he really is, demanding the worship of the world from the temple in Jerusalem. When Paul says “you know,” he is again referring to the previous instruction he has given them, in this case instruction about “he who now restrains.” When it comes to the identity of the restrainer, we know only what is recorded here, which is not as much as we would like, and his identity has long been hotly debated—although who the restrainer is has little to do with the sequence of events Paul is giving here. Those who expect the church to be gone before Antichrist’s persecution begins (namely, the pretribulationists) do all that they can to make the restrainer someone or something that removes the church before the persecution at the hands of Antichrist begins. For that reason, before we continue with Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonians,

The restrainer

Let’s look briefly at the options that are given us as to the identity of the restrainer. I believe that when Scripture is compared to Scripture, certain possibilities can be quickly eliminated. However, we will also look at one possibility that I think every serious student of God’s Word should not dismiss so quickly. Who, then, is the restrainer to whom Paul refers? Is it the true church? The Holy Spirit? Human government? Who? The Thessalonian text does not say. But the Greek noun ekklēsía (“church”) is feminine, and “restrainer” in verse 7 is masculine, which rules out the church. More important, however, the context of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians is his instruction about what must happen before Christ comes to rapture His saints at the Day of the Lord (2 Thess. 2:1–2), making the true church of Christ an impossible candidate for the restrainer. You can’t make the removal of the saints a condition that must be met before the saints are removed and the Day of the Lord begins, can you? Somehow the logic of that circular reasoning escapes me.

Other pretribulationists will assert that the restrainer is the Holy Spirit, reasoning that because the Holy Spirit indwells the true believer, the removal of the restrainer is an indirect reference to the rapture of the saints. But again, the circular reasoning that makes the true church an impossible candidate for the restrainer also makes the Holy Spirit an impossible candidate. Furthermore, like the elect of God, the Holy Spirit will still be on earth after Antichrist begins his persecution of the elect (Mark 13:11; cf. Matt. 24:21–22, 31). Finally, some interpreters believe the restrainer is human government. But human government clearly continues under the rule of Antichrist after his true identity is revealed (Rev. 17:12), making that option also unacceptable. If Paul had been referring to the church, the Holy Spirit, or human government, why wouldn’t he have said precisely that?

Perhaps the reason is that the restrainer is indeed the restrainer referred to in the Old Testament. Which leads me to the candidate I believe is a real possibility. I think a strong case can be made for the restrainer being the archangel Michael. We learn from the prophet Daniel that Michael’s work is to “stand firmly against” or “restrain” the forces of evil (Dan. 10:21), and we are later told that Michael will “arise” or “stand still” (Dan. 12:1; the Hebrew verb amad can mean either) just prior to the great persecution of Antichrist. The idea in the Hebrew text is that Michael, “who stands guard over the sons of your people,” must remove his protection—arise, stand still—before “there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” (Dan. 12:1). That passage parallels the present 2 Thessalonians passage, where we are told that the restrainer “is taken out of the way” before “the lawless one” is revealed (2:7–8). Thus, Satan is not able to afflict Israel or the elect of God to the degree he desires until God removes the angelic protection of Michael. Only then can Antichrist have access to those who claim the name of Christ, to test the genuineness of their faith.

However, as already noted, the identity of the restrainer does not affect the sequence of events that must occur before Christ comes. We only know that he must be removed before Antichrist can be revealed, and that Antichrist must be revealed before the events described in verse 8 can occur. The Appearance of His Coming We are now ready to look at the most significant verse in this passage concerning the timing of Christ’s coming that initiates the Day of the Lord. In his first letter, Paul had already told the Thessalonians that God had promised that true believers would never undergo His wrath, that the rapture of the true children of God would occur just before the Day of the Lord began. So now, Paul reminds them that before God’s wrath will come, the church will undergo “ the apostasy,” when “the man of lawlessness is revealed . . . so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4). Summing it up, Paul tells them that

2:6} And now ye know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time. {2:7} For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now lets will let, until he be
taken out of the way. {2:8} And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming ( 2 THESS. 2:6–8).

Note carefully what this text is saying. It is vital to our determination of the precise timing of Christ’s coming, when He will gather together His elect and begin His wrath on those who remain. In the same manner that Christ taught His disciples He would “cut short” the persecution by Antichrist when those persecuted are delivered (i.e., raptured)—immediately following the two back-to-back signs that will be given in the heavens at His coming, so likewise Paul tells the confused Thessalonians that He will “bring to an end [the lawless one] by the appearance of Christ’s coming !” In both accounts, before Christ’s coming can occur, Antichrist must be on the scene, in his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God (2 Thess. 2:4; cf. Matt. 24:15). It will be the appearance of Christ’s coming that will initiate the Day of the Lord’s judgment upon Antichrist! It will be the appearance of Christ’s coming when the faithful will be gathered together to Christ. Therefore, the Thessalonian church need not be deceived concerning “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him . . . to the effect that the day of the Lord has come” (2 Thess. 2:1–2). It can’t occur until all of these other things happen first!

(END OF CITATION)

Do we escape the God’s wrath:  the trumpets and bowls?

Notice that Matt24:29-31 quoted above matches the sixth seal of Revelation 6. The sixth seal also has the sun darkened, signs in the moon and stars, the heavens shaken, and the unsaved mourning and wailing.

Earlier the v3-8 seals match Matt 24:7-8

Matt 24:7-8: For nation shall rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines,
and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these [are] the beginning of sorrows.

The fifth seal persecution matches Matt 24: 9-10:

Matt 24:9-10: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

The then the sixth seal, Rev 6:12-17 below, matches Matt 24:29-31 above:

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; {6:13} And the stars of heaven
fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs,
when she is shaken of a mighty wind. {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.
{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;
{6:16} And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us,
and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb: {6:17} For the great day of his wrath is come;
and who shall be able to stand?

So if the sixth seal matches Matt 24, then the sixth seal should be the rapture. The sixth seal rapture thus occurs before the subsequent wrath judgements, poured out on the unbelievers. All believers have been raptured. The remnant in Israel has escaped. (ref 7.3) There are only unbelievers left.

The seventh seal seems to contain the trumpets and bowls, to be poured out on the rebellious. Thus the seventh seal could be seen to initiate God’s wrath, now ready to be poured out after the rapture of the elect.

For more on the pre-wrath rapture, read post 3.9 where both the pre- and post wrath (both post-tribulational) options are discussed.

Other post tribulation scriptures:

(also watch Steven Anderson’s video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTmZHDb_sP8 )

1. 1st Corinthians 15:51-52: Behold, I tell you a mystery: not all of us will fall asleep , but all of us will be changed (52) in that moment of time, in the blink of an eye, at the final trumpet blast . For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise incorruptible, and we too  will be changed . Note that this passage clearly connects the rapture with the resurrection at the 2nd Coming.
2. Colossians 3:1-4: Therefore since you have been resurrected with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Think on the things above, and not the things on the earth. For you are already dead to all that, and your  life has been hidden away with Christ in God. When Christ – your true life – is revealed , then you too will be revealed in glory
   
3. 1st John 3:2: Beloved, we are already the children of God, but what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He is revealed, we will be like Him, that we shall see Him exactly like He is.
4. Philippians 3:20-21: For our [true] citizenship has a heavenly existence, and it is from there that we expectantly await our Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform this humble body of ours into one that matches His glorious body through His powerful ability to subordinate everything to Himself.
5. Romans 8:18-24: {8:18} For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {8:19} For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. {8:20} For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, {8:21} Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. {8:22} For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain
   together until now. {8:23} And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. {8:24} For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why doth he yet hope for?
   

Amillennialism

This doctrine is pervasive in most Reformed and Anglican circles. It is based on an interpretation of prophecy leaning towards figurative or symbolic interpretation, even though the intent is clearly literal. This doctrine also seems to discount that all prophecy already fulfilled by Jesus’ first coming was fulfilled literally.

When it comes to the end time prophesies, the adherents of a millennialism believe that there will be no literal millennial reign of Christ.  The prescript ‘A-‘ means no, that is the term for ‘No-millennialism’. It is very hard to understand how anyone can read Revelation 20:1:6 and still think that a figurative millennium is described here. Six times in six verses the rulership of Christ for a thousand years is mentioned.

It is unfortunate that theological colleges have adopted this viewpoint, and that Reformed and Anglican students really are not given another option to adopt. Once they have bought into the symbolic interpretation of virtually all prophecy of unfulfilled events, the word loses its power, and is reduced to ‘poetic and apocalyptic’ language which has no practical application.

In addition to the above, you may also want to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Were Shadrach, Meshag and Abednego saved from the fire or through the fire?
2. Was Daniel saved from the lion’s den or did he have to face the lions?
3. Was Noah saved from the flood, or  through it?
4. Was Israel protected from the harsh slavery under Pharaoh, or did God take them through it?
5. Was Israel protected from the harsh desert conditions during the Exodus, or did God take them through it?
6. Was Israel protected from having to face the enemy in Canaan, or did God take them through it?
7. Were Paul, Peter, James, and the other apostles protected from persecution and hardship, or did God take them through it?

The answer should be clear.

Summary:

I think you should get the picture by now. You may also suspect that there are just too many parables and warnings of Jesus (to be ready and alert) to condone a lackadaisical attitude towards His second coming. Why would Jesus warn us repeatedly if concern for end times was essentially ‘not-applicable’, due to a pre-tribulational rapture removing us so we wouldn’t have to endure the end times?  Is there really no direct application of these parables and warnings to one’s own life required, as implied by the pre-tribulational rapture?

My own reading of 1Cor 15:52, for example, is similarly and decisively against a pre-tribulational rapture:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– 52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Thess 4:14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. {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. {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: {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

For me the last Trumpet in scripture that believers will hear is the 1 Thess 4:16 trumpet at the second coming of Jesus (see passage above). At best this last trumpet may be considered concurrent with the sixth seal, after the sufferings of the first five seals. A simple reading of Matt 24:4-31 and Revelation 6 should confirm the timing of the last trumpet. It is after the cosmic disturbances of the preceding seals, but before the terror of the seven bowls. Yes, we probably do get spared the seven bowls, but clearly not the preceding seven seals. If there is a last trumpet after the sixth seal trump at the coming of Jesus, that would mean we would face even more time in the tribulation waiting for the eighth trumpet, not less.

Note that the ‘last trumpet’ (before the millennial feast of tabernacles) was sounded on the day of atonement, 10 days after the feast of trumpets. “Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land.” Leviticus 25:9

It is amazing what gymnastics are employed by some rapture teachers to get past the simple straightforward reading of scripture. There are some very clever explanations on the internet why the ‘last trumpet’ is not the last, if you would google ‘the last trumpet’. On their own they sound plausible, but when taken with the whole of scripture, they are clearly deceptions.  Another example, in Revelation 4, is falsely offered as proof of the early rapture. This heavenly vision of John, with saints before the throne, is offered as proof that the entire church is in heaven before the tribulation. They state that the rapture is thus after the Revelation 3 churches but before the Revelation 6 – 9 tribulation! That must surely be an inferior and contrived argument compared to the clear scriptures listed above. The early rapture teaching is a blatantly false teaching, one of the false teachings that Jesus warned us about. However, there are many men living godly lives who have a good testimony, but who support the pre-tribulation rapture. We should not judge them, because they have probably been fed this lie from childhood, and its difficult for them to think otherwise. Such was the experience of the well-known creationist, Kent Hovind, initially a pre-tribulationist who never questioned the doctrine he grew up with, but abandoning it with vigour once he looked into it.

Others, however, are precisely the end-time deceivers Jesus was referring to in Matt 24. Corrie Ten Boom, the well known holocaust survivor,  is very graphic about condemning the pre-tribulation rapture deception. Watch https://youtu.be/5-IqRi6lvrM.

Another deceptive argument, used by pre-tribulation advocates, is to use the a Jewish wedding ceremony as an example of the timing of the rapture. You may have heard this.  The deception is that the Jewish wedding is a custom, this ceremony is cultural, not Biblical!  What deceit, its nowhere in the Bible! The Jews got many things wrong in their traditions and ceremonies, as Jesus demonstrated to the pharisees. Would you be guided by customs or by the Word?

What now?

If  you have just realized  that by reading Matt 24, John 6:39-40, and the many other scriptures referenced below that Jesus was clearly talking about our rapture at the time of his second coming, you may be shaken to the core. It is not easy to admit that one has been wrong, believing in a pre-tribulation rapture all these years. Kent Hovind did, he never suspected it was false till he studied the scriptures and saw the falsehood.

Every person will have some form of blindness in some area of their lives. An area of darkness or deception is generally not a salvation issue, but is due a lie believed about ourselves or a false teaching affecting some area of our lives or thoughts. This is normal, and nothing to be surprised by. The question now is, do we verbally reject the lie, and then speak the truth over ourselves? The truth is that Jesus warned us to be prepared, and we need to repent from not taking these words seriously. There are some implications regarding our daily focus.

It is all important for us, the church of the final days, to be prepared. Our hearts will need to be released from all other affections. We need to be prepared to make some hard decisions. We are going to be asked to sacrifice all for Christ. We will be persecuted, dispossessed, hunted down. This is not a pleasant scenario.

Have you spent a lot of time building your investment portfolios? Are you enjoying thinking of your investment in property?  And your status, your career, your business, your skills?  We have to let go of the hold these things have on us, and the time is now.

That doesn’t mean we must not carry on with normal life at present, it means we need to tell ourselves that it is okay to lose all this stuff to obtain the “pearl of great price”, of being with Jesus for eternity. If we are lulled into the false hope of a pre-tribulation rapture, we will most certainly be sitting ducks for the antichrist’s marketing campaign. He will use all the media pressure, school, work and peer pressure he can muster. You will feel like a very bad parent for not giving your children the worldly future they perceive they need. Rehearse in your mind now that you we will release it all, let it all go. Let go of ‘my’ work, income, house, bank account, investments, healthcare, regular meals.

Prepare your heart now. Because when it comes, the pressure will be intense. We will be told to forego our faith in Jesus or face the consequences.

We will be hated. We will probably lose our lives. Martyred.

Fortunately the time of suffering for Gods people is short. The tribulation is less than 7 years, and the worst of it is probably only a couple of years.

What is the alternative? If we decide it’s too hard, and if we try and save our lives by giving in, what life will that be? Maybe a few years of holding on to our dear possessions, but then that will be gone too. If not in natural disasters, then all will be lost in the economic collapse that precedes the final war. That final rebellion, where all the proud will think they can battle the Almighty and succeed.

God’s mercy and grace has always been there. In his overflowing kindness he has always made room for a cry for help, for deathbed repentance, for anyone that reaches out to Him, for those who call on the name of the Lord.  But for the last days there is a clear warning, there is no return for those who fail the faith test and accept the mark of the antichrist, and thereby worship him above Father God.

Are our hearts ready?