End Times
The Rapture
Some people claim the bible doesn't mention the rapture.
1 Thes 4:17 - some English translations don't use the actual word rapture. But use "To catch up or to snatch up means" for rapture.
1 Thes 4:16
1 Cor 15:40,44; 1 Cor 15:42-43
Every Christian will disappear. Millions will be gone.
Matthew 5:13
Some believe it will come before the tribulation, this is called the pre-tribulation rapture.
Some believe it will occur in the middle of the tribulation. This is called the mid-tribulation rapture.
Still others believe it will happen at the end of the tribulation when Jesus physically returns to earth. This is called post tribulation rapture.
Whatever position you hold has nothing to do with your salvation.
The bible says if you declare Jesus is lord and believe in your heart, he rose from dead you will be saved (Romans 10 :9)
However, we believe that the rapture will occur before the tribulation.
Why I say this?
The tribulation judgments are not for Christians.
1 Thes 5:9 - God chose to save us through Jesus not to pour out his anger.
Romans 5:9 - God will save you from his condemnation.
1 Thes 1:10 - he will rescue you from the terrors of the coming judgement.
Does this mean you will avoid suffering?
No, Jesus said those who follow him will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33)
Math 16:24 - he said to follow him. You must be willing to pick up your cross.
1 Thes 3:3 - Paul said Christians are destined for such troubles.
No doubt if you follow Jesus you will suffer. But Christians suffering is from God’s wrath. God anger only falls on those who disobey him (Eph 5:6).
Ex: Noah’s family from flood, lot’s family from fire
2 Thes 2:7 - the antichrist will only be revealed when the “restrainer” is taken out of the way.
This means the church will be gone when the antichrist comes to power.
The holy spirit working through the church is the “restrainer”, and the holy spirit lives in the heart of everyone who follow Jesus (1 Cor 3:16).
Ex:
No, does this mean Christians don't exist during the tribulation?
No, Christians from the current church age won't be on the earth during the tribulation. But many people will become Christians during the tribulation. They will know what happened to all the missing. Others will see the fulfilment of other end times prophecies and devote their lives to Jesus. The tribulation will be the time of great worldwide spiritual revival (Rev 7:9-14), and many Christians will pay with their lives (Rev 20:4). However, these are all people who will become Christians during the tribulation. The rapture will take all other Christians beforehand.
Jesus said the sheep are the righteous and the goat are the unrighteous (Matt 25:31-46)
If Christians are raptured when Jesus returns, who are the sheep in the sheep and goat judgement? If the rapture occurs at the end of the tribulation as some people claim, then who will populate the earth during the millennium kingdom? These questions answer themselves. Neither event can happen unless Christians remain on the earth. If the rapture takes place after the tribulation, Christians won't be around for These events. Once again, the idea of post-tribulation rapture conflicts with scripture.
No one knows when Jesus will come back for his followers.
It would happen in the next minute, year from now or well into the future.
This is called “immense. “
It's the belief Jesus could return at any moment, and it's been the blessed hope of Christians throughout history.
Ex: through parables
Matthew 24:50
Matthew 25:13; Matthew 24:42-44; Matthew 24:37-39
No one will suspect a major event like the rapture is about to happen.
However, this cannot be true during or after the tribulation.
Remember each of the following events will take place during tribulation time.
Throughout the bible Jesus tells us to be alert and ready for this event. Why? Because it can happen at any moment. Jesus said he will come when least expected (Matt 24:44), so keep watch (Matt 24:42). Once again if you think the rapture takes place during or after the tribulation why would you keep watch? If you knew the tribulation had to come first, would you eagerly await the return of Jesus?
No. You wouldn't look for Jesus at all. Instead, you would look for the events of the tribulation. But the bible doesn't say to fix your eyes on a times events. It doesn't say to eagerly await the coming of the antichrist, the mark of the beast, are the global government. The bible says to keep your eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). It says to eagerly await his return (Phil 3:20)
Is this what you do? Do you eagerly await his return? Are you fearful of what the future holds? If you believe in Jesus, you have no reason to fear future events. You have no reason to fear the present. Even if you enter the tribulation and face persecution, you have nothing to fear. God is with you. Jesus said “fear not who can destroy your body, but he who can destroy your soul” (Luke 12:4-5; Matt 10:28). Of course, that's if you know Jesus. What if you don't?
1 Thes 4:17 - some English translations don't use the actual word rapture. But use "To catch up or to snatch up means" for rapture.
1 Thes 4:16
- The rapture is a future event Paul revealed to the early church.
- One day Jesus will come down from heaven with a loud shout.
- Those believers who are still alive will also receive glorious bodies.
- In this way on who believe in Jesus will take part in the rapture. (1 Cor 15:23)
- Together they will be caught up in the clouds where they we'll be united with Jesus and live with him forever (1 Thes 4:17);
1 Cor 15:40,44; 1 Cor 15:42-43
- Jesus was real, more than a ghost or a spirit (Luke 24:39)
- He ate food (Luke 24:42,43)
- Thomas touched him (John 20:27)
- He was the first fruit of the resurrection paving the way for you and me (1 Cor 15:20)
- He could appear anywhere he wanted (John 20 :26)
- He could fly in the air (Acts 1:9)
- You were mortal body will become immortal and death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15 :53 -55)
- What will happen on earth?
Every Christian will disappear. Millions will be gone.
Matthew 5:13
- You are the salt of the earth.
- Salt is a preservative, it kept food from spoiling. Christians has the same function in society.
- What will happen to end people when pastors, teaches, and mentors disappear?
- the rapture will create an epidemic of anxiety and depression.
- Entire families will disappear.
- When does the rapture occur?
Some believe it will come before the tribulation, this is called the pre-tribulation rapture.
Some believe it will occur in the middle of the tribulation. This is called the mid-tribulation rapture.
Still others believe it will happen at the end of the tribulation when Jesus physically returns to earth. This is called post tribulation rapture.
Whatever position you hold has nothing to do with your salvation.
The bible says if you declare Jesus is lord and believe in your heart, he rose from dead you will be saved (Romans 10 :9)
However, we believe that the rapture will occur before the tribulation.
Why I say this?
- A promise from Jesus – Rev3:10 - the time of testing will come upon the whole world. The tribulation is the only time of testing the bible describes as coming up on the whole world. So, Jesus is saying his faithful followers will avoid the tribulation. This is only possible if the rapture takes place before the tribulation.
- God’s wrath is not for Christians - the tribulation is clear outpouring off God wrath (Zeph 1:15).
The tribulation judgments are not for Christians.
1 Thes 5:9 - God chose to save us through Jesus not to pour out his anger.
Romans 5:9 - God will save you from his condemnation.
1 Thes 1:10 - he will rescue you from the terrors of the coming judgement.
Does this mean you will avoid suffering?
No, Jesus said those who follow him will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33)
Math 16:24 - he said to follow him. You must be willing to pick up your cross.
1 Thes 3:3 - Paul said Christians are destined for such troubles.
No doubt if you follow Jesus you will suffer. But Christians suffering is from God’s wrath. God anger only falls on those who disobey him (Eph 5:6).
Ex: Noah’s family from flood, lot’s family from fire
- There is “restrainer” will be removed before the tribulation.
2 Thes 2:7 - the antichrist will only be revealed when the “restrainer” is taken out of the way.
This means the church will be gone when the antichrist comes to power.
The holy spirit working through the church is the “restrainer”, and the holy spirit lives in the heart of everyone who follow Jesus (1 Cor 3:16).
- Descriptions of the rapture and the second coming or different.
Ex:
- Thes 4:17 - at rapture believers meet Jesus in the air.
- At the rapture believers get knew glorified bodies and go to heaven (1 Cor 15:51-54).
- The rapture delivers the church from the tribulation (Rev 3:10). The second coming provides relief for believers who endured the tribulation (Mark13:27); Matthew 25:34
- No signs appear before the rapture (Matt 24:36)
- Add the rapture the church goes to heaven (1 Thes 4:17; Rev 4:1). Add the second coming Jesus comes to earth (Rev 11:15; 21:3)
- The rapture could happen at any moment (Matt24:42; 25:13; Rev 3:3). The second coming happens after the tribulation (2 Thes 2:8; Rev 19:11-21).
- The rapture will only impact believers (1 Thes 4:16-17). The second coming will impact all humanity (Mark 13:26).
- The rapture is a time of joy (1 Thes 4:18). The second coming is a time of mourning (Matt 24:30).
- The bible doesn't mention the church in the tribulation
No, does this mean Christians don't exist during the tribulation?
No, Christians from the current church age won't be on the earth during the tribulation. But many people will become Christians during the tribulation. They will know what happened to all the missing. Others will see the fulfilment of other end times prophecies and devote their lives to Jesus. The tribulation will be the time of great worldwide spiritual revival (Rev 7:9-14), and many Christians will pay with their lives (Rev 20:4). However, these are all people who will become Christians during the tribulation. The rapture will take all other Christians beforehand.
- The sheep and goat judgement
Jesus said the sheep are the righteous and the goat are the unrighteous (Matt 25:31-46)
If Christians are raptured when Jesus returns, who are the sheep in the sheep and goat judgement? If the rapture occurs at the end of the tribulation as some people claim, then who will populate the earth during the millennium kingdom? These questions answer themselves. Neither event can happen unless Christians remain on the earth. If the rapture takes place after the tribulation, Christians won't be around for These events. Once again, the idea of post-tribulation rapture conflicts with scripture.
- The rapture can happen at any moment
No one knows when Jesus will come back for his followers.
It would happen in the next minute, year from now or well into the future.
This is called “immense. “
It's the belief Jesus could return at any moment, and it's been the blessed hope of Christians throughout history.
Ex: through parables
Matthew 24:50
Matthew 25:13; Matthew 24:42-44; Matthew 24:37-39
No one will suspect a major event like the rapture is about to happen.
However, this cannot be true during or after the tribulation.
Remember each of the following events will take place during tribulation time.
- Global war (Rev 6:4)
- Global famine (Rev 6:6)
- Wide spread death (Rev 6:8)
- Starts falling to the earth (Rev 6:13)
- Rain of hail and fire mixed with blood (Rev 8:7)
- A five-month global plague of locusts (Rev 9:3-5)
- The death of 1/3 of the earth people (Rev 9:15)
- No rain for three and half years (Rev 11:6)
- Rivers and oceans turned to blood (Rev 11:6)
- Its global plague of sores (Rev 16:2)
- The death of everything in the sea (Rev 16:3)
- The transformation of all rivers and springs to blood (Rev 16:4)
- Scorching fire from the sun (Rev 16:8)
- Global darkness (Rev 16:10)
- Global earthquake so great islands and mountains disappear (Rev 16:20)
- A terrible hailstorm with 75-pound hail stones (Rev 16:21)
Throughout the bible Jesus tells us to be alert and ready for this event. Why? Because it can happen at any moment. Jesus said he will come when least expected (Matt 24:44), so keep watch (Matt 24:42). Once again if you think the rapture takes place during or after the tribulation why would you keep watch? If you knew the tribulation had to come first, would you eagerly await the return of Jesus?
No. You wouldn't look for Jesus at all. Instead, you would look for the events of the tribulation. But the bible doesn't say to fix your eyes on a times events. It doesn't say to eagerly await the coming of the antichrist, the mark of the beast, are the global government. The bible says to keep your eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). It says to eagerly await his return (Phil 3:20)
Is this what you do? Do you eagerly await his return? Are you fearful of what the future holds? If you believe in Jesus, you have no reason to fear future events. You have no reason to fear the present. Even if you enter the tribulation and face persecution, you have nothing to fear. God is with you. Jesus said “fear not who can destroy your body, but he who can destroy your soul” (Luke 12:4-5; Matt 10:28). Of course, that's if you know Jesus. What if you don't?