The Rapture study II - nicholighkunの日記

Notes: (1) The sun is darkened (2) the moon does not give her light (3) the stars fall (4) The powers of heaven are shaken.

Last time we saw how the rapture most likely occurs at the seventh trump of revelation, since it is the last trump mentioned in the Bible’s end time description, and since Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15: 51- 53 that it would occur at the last trump. This time however, I want to focus more on when the rapture doesn’t occur. Many Christians subscribe to the notion that we will be raptured before the events of the tribulation, which is a term for the destructive events of Revelations prophecies. This is called the pre-tribulation rapture, and it supposedly occurs at Revelation 4:1 when John is called into heaven. The fact that the church is not mentioned after this point is another of the evidences that some will give for the pre-trib rapture. However, this is pure conjecture, and it also explicitly contradicts Scripture. Like I have stated again and again, it cannot occur before the seventh, or last trump, of Revelation 11:15-19 or else Paul has lied to us in I Corinthians 15:51-53.

First let’s read Revelation 6:12-17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and (1) the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and (2) the moon became as blood; And (3) the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when (4) she is shaken of a mighty wind. (Isaiah 34: 4) And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; (Isaiah 34: 4) and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (Isaiah 34: 3)

Now I want you to see Mark 13:24-27. “But in those days, after that tribulation, (1) the sun shall be darkened, and (2) the moon shall not give her light, and (3) the stars of heaven shall fall, and (4) the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. THEN shall they see the Son of Man (Jesus) coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And THEN shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the utter most part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” This only tells us that Jesus returns after these events to rapture His bride, but that doesn’t mean that there are no events between these stellar catastrophies and the rapture, because there are. For instance, if I give you part one and part seven of a story, and I tell you that part one happens first, does that mean that there are no parts in between? No it doesn’t, because parts 2-6 occur between part 1 and 7. The same is true here. Jesus is not saying that His return for His bride immediately follows these events, but simply that it does follow after, which allows us to logically conclude that it does not occur before these events. The "supposed" pre-trib rapture does come before these events.

Therefore, since these events happen after the supposed pre-tribulation rapture, yet Jesus Himself says that they will happen before the actual rapture, we can easily see that the pre-trib rapture is completely antithetical to the claims of the Bible.

The following is a time line to show the linear order of these events. Remember, God’s elect are gathered after the 6th seal events, meaning that this gathering cannot occur before the 6th seal events.

Supposed pre-trib rapture Rev 4:1 / 6th seal events Rev 6:12-14 & Mark 13:24-27 / actual rapture

Again I say; don’t let this discourage you. We will be here for all but the final destruction and judgment, which is known as the seven bowls of God’s wrath, but those who will be faithful to Jesus will be supernaturally taken care of. For instance, if you take all of the events of revelation that have seven parts, i.e. the seven letter to the seven churches, the seven seals, the seven trumps, and the seven bowls of God’s Wrath, you can see striking similarities between the like numbers. Example: The third seal describes a shortage of food, the third trump describes a shortage of water, and the third bowl of wrath (which we will be gone for) describes all of the water being made undrinkable. But, in the third letter to the third church Jesus says that those who remain faithful will be eating of the hidden manna, which is the angel’s food (Psalm 78:24-25) from heaven that the Israelites ate in the wilderness (Exodus 16:15). God is good and we are made for a purpose. Those who are alive in those days, which I believe is very near, will have been made for that hour, and God will sustain them, if they remain faithful to Him.

Final

I Corinthians 15:51-56 at the *LAST* trump the *DEAD* will be raised incorruptible, and we will put on incorruption. I Thessalonians 4:16 the *DEAD* in Christ rise first. Rev 10:7 in the days of the *VOICE* of the *LAST* angel (which is the trump, see I Thessalonians 4:16) the mystery told to the *PROPHETS* will be fulfilled. Revelation 11:15-19 (the seventh trump) and the time of the *DEAD* that they should be raised, and thou should give rewards to the *PROPHETS*.

Hope this helps. : ]