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In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye!Commonly known as- THE RAPTURE! This subject has come up a couple times lately, so, by request, I have decided to put together what I know on the subject. Most of this I have been taught by my Pastor. (This new sub-section seemed like a good place to put it up.) First, the definition. "rapture (rap chúr) n.1. The state of being transported by a lofty emotion; ecstasy. 2. Often raptures. An expression of ecstatic feeling. 3. The transporting of a person from one place to another, especially to heaven." -The American Heritage Dictionary. Although the word "Rapture" isn't in the Bible, the DEFINITION is... 1Co 15:51 "Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and WE SHALL BE CHANGED." 1Th 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. 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: 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." The "Rapture" doesn't seem to be controversial with most "Christians." What seems to be a little more controversial, is- WHEN will the "catching away" (rapture) occur? Let's ask Jesus! Luk 17:26 "And AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOE, SO SHALL IT BE ALSO IN THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 LIKEWISE ALSO AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF LOT; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that LOT WENT OUT OF SODOM IT RAINED FIRE AND BRIMSTONE FROM HEAVEN, AND DESTROYED THEM ALL. 30 EVEN THUS SHALL IT BE IN THE DAY WHEN THE SON OF MAN IS REVEALED." Each of these events add substance to the prophecy. First Noah... 2Pe 3:3 "Knowing this first, that THERE SHALL COME in the last days SCOFFERS, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby THE WORLD THAT THEN WAS, BEING OVERFLOWED WITH WATER, PERISHED: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, BY THE SAME WORD ARE KEPT IN STORE, RESERVED UNTO FIRE AGAINST THE DAY OF JUDGMENT AND PERDITION OF UNGODLY MEN." Just as it was back then- they scoffed at Noah while he was preparing the ark, just as they scoff at us for "working out our salvation with fear and trembling". They ate, drank, and married as if nothing were going to happen to them. But God's people were, and are, busily preparing for the next great prophetic event- in our case, the "Catching Away" of the bride, the church, while the world scoffs, and goes merrily along their lives, willingly oblivious of the destruction to come. Now, if the world that then was perished with water, and the next coming is to be like that one, where do God's people appear in relation to the destruction? Heb 11:7 "BY FAITH NOAH, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, PREPARED AN ARK TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Noah, a fine example of faith, did not merely "accept the Lord as his saviour." Noah put his faith in WHAT HE HEARD FROM GOD into work. (The key is that He heard it from God. Noah could no more have thought to, let alone correctly have built the ark, except that God showed Him when, why, and how to do it! That was God's grace!) And for that Noah and his family were saved from the destruction that came on the world. We have a similar promise from Jesus... Rev 3:10 "BECAUSE thou hast kept the word of my patience, I ALSO WILL KEEP THEE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Remember that the quote from Jesus, above, is from a point AFTER they overcame. In other words, AFTER they "loved not their lives unto the death" Rev 12:11 Luk 17:26 "And AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOE, SO SHALL IT BE ALSO IN THE DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN. 27 ...NOE ENTERED INTO THE ARK, AND THE FLOOD CAME, and destroyed them all." Do you see how God's chosen one's rode safely aloft the destruction of the ungodly!? Any mid or post-trib idea would contradict the "types" of the coming of the end that Jesus gave us for examples. We find an explanation of why this is, in Abraham's plea for his nephew Lot, Jesus' other type of the coming events... Gen 18:23 "And Abraham drew near, and said, WILT THOU ALSO DESTROY THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." In fact, the Lord goes on to say... Gen 18:32 "...I WILL NOT DESTROY IT FOR TEN'S SAKE." Now, as to this destruction, Noah's world was destroyed by water, but the next great cleansing of the world will be by fire... 2Pe 3:6 "Whereby THE WORLD THAT THEN WAS, (in Noah's day) BEING OVERFLOWED WITH WATER, PERISHED: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, BY THE SAME WORD ARE KEPT IN STORE, **RESERVED UNTO FIRE** AGAINST THE DAY OF JUDGMENT AND PERDITION OF UNGODLY MEN." That word "letteth" means "to hold down." The world is only kept at bay (held down) from destroying itself by the Holy Spirit of God that is currently in the world- "until He be taken out of the way." Remember- the "word" is Jesus (John 1:1,14), and that very same Jesus is also the Spirit and the Word which is in us (Joh 14:18, 2Co 3:3). So that when "He", the Spirit, is taken "out of the way" His saints go with that Spirit that is within them. For He will never leave us, nor forsake us. 2Th 2:6 "AND NOW YE KNOW WHAT WITHHOLDETH that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only HE WHO NOW LETTETH WILL LET, UNTIL HE BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. 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:" So, in both the examples that Jesus said to look for, the sequence of events was that God's people were always taken out of the way, to safety, BEFORE judgment and destruction came upon the ungodly. Furthermore, Jesus says this event will come by surprise... Mar 13:32 "But OF THAT DAY AND THAT HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for YE KNOW NOT WHEN THE TIME IS. 34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." Mat 24:37 "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 THEN SHALL TWO BE IN THE FIELD; THE ONE SHALL BE TAKEN, AND THE OTHER LEFT. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 WATCH THEREFORE: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME." 2Pe 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." Peter here summarizes the events of "the day of the Lord" of which the "catching away" is just the first event. All the other events, from that point on, are given a chronological order. (By the way, the "day of the Lord" does not mean either Saturday or Sunday in scripture. It means the time period of Jesus' the Lord's reign in the world, known as the millennia, which begins at the time of the Rapture. Look at the following verses, and see if these events happen every weekend! Isa 13:6 "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty." 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." If you are interested, look up some more, or ask me and I'll look some more up for you. The point is- these things don't happen every week! Therefore, the day of the Lord is NOT a day of the weekend!) The Chronological order can be found in both the book of Revelations, and the book of Daniel. The pattern, or layout, of the book of Revelation must first be understood. I'm not going to go into all the "rooms" in the layout here, any more than just to briefly outline them... Room 1- Introduction of Jesus Christ. Chapter 1 Room 2- The 7 types of churches, typified from 7 actual period churches, listed in order of their chronological appearance and influence in church history. Chapters 2 & 3. Room 3- The "Rapture" and the view of the tribulation and judgment as seen from HEAVEN'S vantage point. Chapters 4 through 11. Room 4- The "Rapture" and the view of the tribulation and judgment as seen from EARTH'S vantage point. Chapters 12 through Room 5- The identification and judgment of the whore, Babylon. Chapter 18. Room 6- The great gathering of Jesus, and His saints. Chapter 19 Room 7- The fate of Satan, and the great white throne judgment. Chapter 20. Room 8- The New Jerusalem, and it's inhabitants. Chapters 21 and 22. Without an understanding of this blueprint for Revelation, anyone who enters, and reads the book, will be at a loss to understand it's pages. The importance of these rooms in this study on the rapture has specifically to do with chapters 4 and 12 of Revelation, since they are both relating the same Rapture scene from different vantage points. Rev 4:1 "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, COME UP HITHER, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." After this = after the "church age" had finished, as told just prior, in Rev. Chap's 2 & 3. Come up hither = John "typifies" the church here in being called, and "caught up" (raptured) to heaven... Rev 4:2 "AND IMMEDIATELY I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." AND IMMEDIATELY = "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye"! 1Co 15:52 Rev 4:3 "And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. Chapter 4 speaks of the worship given to Jesus, the only King, seated on the throne in heaven. Chapter 5 speaks of Jesus' qualifications as Saviour of the world. Chapter 6 begins the hour of tribulation. What is noteworthy in our study here, from chapter 6, is the location of the "Tribulation saints" Rev 6:10 "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, UNTIL THEIR FELLOWSERVANTS ALSO AND THEIR BRETHREN, THAT SHOULD BE **KILLED AS THEY WERE**, should be fulfilled." We aren't guessing that these are Tribulation saints, because the Bible tells us they are... Rev 7:13 "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, THESE ARE THEY WHICH CAME OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION" Apparently there's going to be a lot of converting going on after the Rapture! For these souls didn't make the rapture, but were saved during the great tribulation period. And the only way to be saved at that period, is to die for Christ. Rev 7:9 "AFTER THIS (after the Rapture, after the following persecutions, AND, AT OR DIRECTLY AFTER, the sealing of the 144,000) I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb... 13 ... What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 ...These are they which came out of great tribulation..." Remember, the tribulation saints were giving their lives BEFORE the 144,000 were sealed. While the persecutions are going on, those who have died wait for their brethren under the throne. Then they are seen in heaven, before (and out from under) the throne, DIRECTLY AFTER the sealing. This is noteworthy, because there is an alotted time that is given for the tribulation saints of 3-1/2 years. This 3-1/2 year period PRECEDES Daniel's 70th week! This is a missing link in almost all interpreters of Revelations. The key is found in the blueprints designating the "Room" of Revelation chapter 12, which is the same whole story, starting from the rapture, FROM EARTH'S VANTAGE POINT... Rev 12:1 "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered." This "woman" is the current "whole" church. We see here a picture of the false church system resisting and rejecting the true church [much like we see the liberal, (and non-Holy Ghost filled) and conservative (and Holy Ghost filled) factions of Christianity resisting each other today whenever they interact]. As the "man-child" signifies, the true church is a small, inner portion of the whole "body" of Christ. It is in the church, and it is part of the church, but then again, it is NOT part of the church, and soon will be completely separated from the woman. Rev 12:3 "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born." Verse 9 tells us that this "dragon" is Satan. He is still seen in heaven, right up to the time of the "Rapture," but NEVER afterward. Just as the NT saints, after the sealing of the 144,000 are ALWAYS found in heaven, hanging around with Jesus, and worshipping Him. (This point is contradictory of any mid or post-trib rapture. Since, how can He come back with the thousands upon thousands of His saints, if they hadn't already left the earth? Rev 19:14 "And THE ARMIES WHICH WERE IN HEAVEN FOLLOWED HIM upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean... 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." We had already been told that these that are arrayed in the fine white linen are the redeemed saints- Rev 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: FOR THE FINE LINEN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF SAINTS." So that is who is signified in the "ten thousands of His saints... Jud 1:14 "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, THE LORD COMETH WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF HIS SAINTS, 15 TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT UPON ALL, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Back to Rev 12... Rev 12:5 "And she (the church) brought forth A MAN CHILD, WHO WAS TO RULE ALL NATIONS with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne." Here we go! "CAUGHT UP unto God" That is the scriptural terminology for what has been dubbed "the Rapture." This man-child is the redeemed, the BODY OF JESUS CHRIST, standing together here in Revelation, as ONE MAN! Rom 8:22 "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." NOT "our BODIES" but- "our body," for... 1Co 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." Daniel told us this also in his vision- Dan 7:13 "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, **ONE LIKE** (like means similar, but not the very same one) THE SON of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given **him** (a reference to the "man-child" in Revelations- key words- "rule all nations") dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Here is Daniel's CLEARLY EXPLAINED INTERPRETATION OF THIS... Dan 7:18 "But THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL TAKE THE KINGDOM, AND POSSESS THE KINGDOM for ever, even for ever and ever... And again it is reiterated... Dan 7:22 "Until the Ancient of days came, and JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE SAINTS of the most High; and the time came that THE SAINTS POSSESSED THE KINGDOM." And again it is reiterated... Dan 7:27 "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of THE KINGDOM UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH, WHOSE KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND ALL DOMINIONS SHALL SERVE AND OBEY HIM." This was one of Jesus' very same promises to overcomers... Rev 2:26 "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father." To be this singular, one mind and accord, man-child is the purpose, and the goal, and the culmination of the church age! Eph 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO **A** PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" So, what happens to the non-overcomers? Let's get back to Revelations... Rev 12:6 "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." This is what happens to the five foolish virgins! Mat 25:1 "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: (not staying prayed up in the Holy Ghost!) 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and THEY THAT WERE READY WENT IN WITH HIM TO THE MARRIAGE: AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT. 11 AFTERWARD CAME ALSO THE OTHER VIRGINS, SAYING, LORD, LORD, OPEN TO US. 12 BUT HE ANSWERED AND SAID, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, I KNOW YOU NOT. 13 WATCH THEREFORE, FOR YE KNOW NEITHER THE DAY NOR THE HOUR WHEREIN THE SON OF MAN COMETH." "Ye know neither the day nor the hour" are key words for the Rapture. For, as we shall see, ALL OTHER EVENTS have chronological dates attached to them from a time after the initial, mysterious event. Rev 12:7 "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, :8 And prevailed not; NEITHER WAS THEIR PLACE FOUND ANY MORE IN HEAVEN. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Here is where that part from 2 Thessalonians takes place... 2Th 2:6 "AND NOW YE KNOW WHAT WITHHOLDETH that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only HE WHO NOW LETTETH WILL LET, UNTIL HE BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WAY. 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:" Satan is cast down out of heaven, and his place in heaven is found no more. At the same moment, the Spirit is taken out of the earth, and with it the saints who are full of the Spirit. Rev 12:10 "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, NOW IS COME SALVATION, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for THE ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN IS CAST DOWN, which accused them before our God day and night. 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. 12 THEREFORE REJOICE, YE HEAVENS, AND YE THAT DWELL IN THEM. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! FOR THE DEVIL IS COME DOWN UNTO YOU, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Don't forget what verse 5 had said- Rev 12:5 "And she (the church) brought forth a man child, WHO WAS TO RULE ALL NATIONS with a rod of iron: and HER CHILD was CAUGHT UP UNTO GOD, and to his throne." This shows that the casting down of Satan, and the catching up of the church are simultaneous events. Back to the progression... Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 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." Here is the key that many interpreters seem to miss. The 3-1/2 year period IN BETWEEN the casting down of Satan, and the sealing of the 144,000 Hebrews which begins Daniel's 70th week! The Tribulation is 3-1/2 years. It is the JUDGMENT period that is 7 years! In Revelation chapter 13, the anti-Christ rises to power in the earth, and persecutes the "Tribulation Saints" Rev 13:1 "And I... saw a beast rise up out of the sea (peoples)... 2 ...and the dragon (Satan) gave him his power... 5 ...and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months... 7 And IT WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." Just as we saw earlier, in Rev chapters 6 and 7, the 144,000 aren't sealed and seen in the world, until AFTER this period of persecution of the church/woman... Rev 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." 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. 26 BUT THE JUDGMENT SHALL SIT (WAIT), and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. Then the judgment period begins, AFTER THE TRIBULATION saints have given their lives, and the 144,000 are sealed... Rev 14:6 "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven... 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT IS COME..." Thus begins Daniel's 70th week. After which, the main events are dated in 3-1/2 year increments. 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. 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." Since everything is dated from the point of the casting down of Satan onward, how can the Rapture possibly be said to be mid-or post tribulation? For this comes in an instant, and as a surprise! It wouldn't be a surprise during or after tribulation, it would be most longed for and desired! Mat 24:40 THEN SHALL TWO BE IN THE FIELD; THE ONE SHALL BE TAKEN, AND THE OTHER LEFT. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 WATCH THEREFORE: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME." 2Pe 3:10 "But THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT..." One thought that might lend to the idea of a post-trib rapture (for those who don't know the whole scriptures, anyway) could be what is talked about in scripture as the "gathering together" at the end of the judgment period. But this event is not specifically the Rapture, but the gathering together of God's people to be at the battle of Armageddon, and the chaining up of Satan for the thousand years, when Jesus comes with 10,000's of His saints. Mar 13:4 "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?... Mar 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,... Mar 13:27 And THEN SHALL HE SEND HIS ANGELS, AND SHALL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." This is merely the gathering together, in Israel, that has been prophesied of, looked for and longed for, for thousands of years, and DOES NOT signify, nor specify the Rapture by any means... Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, AND GATHER TOGETHER THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH. We saw in Revelations chapter 7, when the Jews were sealed. And we have no reason to believe they aren't still scattered out in the world at that point... Rev 7:1 "And after these things I SAW FOUR ANGELS STANDING ON THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH, HOLDING THE FOUR WINDS of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel." Well, that's about all I have on that... for the moment. God Bless! |