I’m currently writing a major writing piece on the Rapture and the future coming of Christ which I plan to publish at a future date. I am attempting to answer some important questions in my writing piece which I think are relevant to gaining a solid understanding of the Rapture and the coming of Christ. I now offer you these questions as something for you to consider if you are studying the topic of the Rapture and Christ’s coming yourself and as something to give you a better idea of what issues I find particularly relevant when studying this topic:
1. What is the “last trump”?
Paul suggested that the “last trump” will sound just before the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
- 1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
- 1Co 15:52 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.
Some people believe the seventh trumpet, which is spotlighted in Revelation 11, represents the “last trump” while others believe that the “last trump” is not connected with the seventh trumpet.
2. Will Christ’s coming and the Rapture occur at the same time?
Some people believe these events will occur at the same time while others believe that the Rapture will come before Christ’s coming.
3. Who are the saints that the Antichrist will make war with during his 42 months of dominating the world?
The Antichrist will be allowed to persecute his enemies following his rise to power. The verses in the table below suggest that the Antichrist will be able to make war with the “saints” for a period of forty-two months or three and one-half years.
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 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.
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Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
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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.
Dan 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
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Some believe that the saints represent people who will turn to Christ following the Rapture. Many people who believe the Rapture won’t transpire until the latter part of the End Times believe that the saints represent Christians who will find it challenging to survive until the time of the Rapture.
4. How many Rapture type of events will transpire?
Many people believe that the Rapture will be the only evacuation of Christ believers that will take place in the future. However, I’ve read the thoughts of some people who think there could be more than one evacuation of Christ believers. For instance, I read someone who believes a large evacuation of believers will occur prior to Christ’s coming and that a secondary evacuation of believers will occur at Christ’s coming.
5. When will the wrath of God begin?
This is an important question to answer because the Bible is clear that Christ believers will not be harmed by the wrath of God “for God hath not appointed us to wrath”.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
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Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
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1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
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The general idea is that a person can approximate when the Rapture will take place in an End Times timeline by finding when the wrath of God will begin.
There are a wide variety of opinions about when the wrath of God will begin.
- Some believe the wrath of God will begin at the start of the seventieth week of Daniel.
- Some believe the wrath of God will begin after the breaking of the sixth seal
- Others believe that the wrath of God will begin after the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
People’s answers to these questions vary significantly, which is unsurprising since the Rapture is one of the most debated Bible prophecy topics today.
15 comments: (+add yours?)
Thanks for the summary of these issues about Rapture, I hope that "knowledge shall be increased" as you and others study Bible prophecy topics! This work is really important.
4th issue is quite new to me, I'm curious about on what Bible verses this viewpoint stands.
As for me, the biggest question mark is the "last trump". According to 1Thess 4:16, it is a "trump of God". According to 1Cor 15:52, it is a "last trump". According to Rev 8:2, the seven angels "are given" seven trumpets. We really don't know if these are the "trumps of God" or if the 7th trumpet is the "last trump". (I think the 7th trumpet may be parallelled with Psalms 47:5.)
Moreover, I'm not sure about how we have to translate "ἔσχατος" which is the attribute of that trump. It's not necessarily the "last" in time or in a row of events... The New Testament mentions this word in a lot of meanings, the most simple example is that in Rev 15:1 there are "seven last plagues" (seven "ἔσχατος" plagues), despite the fact that only the seventh plague can be "last" in time, on face value.
The person I read based a multiple Rapture scenario on the idea that a main evacuation would take place after the opening of the sixth seal and a smaller evacuation would take place just prior to the vial judgments (with the smaller evacuation recorded in Revelation 14's description of the first harvest). The smaller evacuation would theoretically remove people who become believers after the Rapture (main evacuation) and before the devastation of the vial judgments.
Without giving too much away, I don't rule out the possibility that there may be one more trumpet that sounds after the sounding of the seventh trumpet. I encountered some interesting verses in the Old Testament that may concern this...
since we are not appointed to wrath of GOD but that doesn't mean not get persecuted, the Rapture will not be before the tribulation the antichrist does. Rapture is from a Greek word that relates to people going out to meet a visiting dignitary or a returning king who had been on a trip, and escorting him back into the city. So to be with The Lord always after this uplift doesn't mean we leave earth altogether, just hover with Him while He rains wrath on the antichrist and his followers and unbelievers and evil, and then when that is done we descend with Him to earth to begin His reign on earth.
Now that reign is not for a thousand years, that milennium is only the time during which the devil is so bound that he cannot even whisper to anyone. After that time, the devil will be released to tempt the nations one more time, and there will be a revolt which will be put down, then the General Resurrection and judgement of all, then the new heavens and a new earth and the New Jerusalem. Of Christ's kingdom "there will be no end," as the Nicene Creed says.
I agree that not being appointed to the wrath of God does not mean that we are exempt from facing persecution.
The "rapture" is a horrible deception cast upon the world. It is a heresy that is no where in Scripture. It is a fallacy based on a lack of understanding. Much like the "once saved always saved" doctrine and many others which the evil one has set upon the people of the church so that many will be deceived and sit idly.
Thanks for seeking Truth. Interesting site.
I know it is your right to believe anything you want, and it is also Wayne's right to address your statement, this being his blog, but my question is, what exactly do you think the harpazo (catching up in the air) that is described in 1 Thess. 4:17 is? And for that matter it is also described in 1 Cor. 15:52, Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27, and Rev. 14:14-16. It says that the elect are changed in the twinkling of an eye to a glorified body, after the dead are resurrected, and caught up in the air with Christ. That's all the rapture is. How can you say it is nowhere in Scripture when clearly it is? 1 Cor. tells us that our body is changed. 1 Thess. clearly says we are caught up into the clouds, (not on the ground) and the other verses tell us that the angels will be gathering the elect from the four winds and reaping the harvest to join Christ in the air. It's pretty obvious what happens. If the word rapture bothers you, then say "harpazo" for it is the actual Greek term used in 1 Thess. and means the same thing. The term rapture came about from the following. According to Etymology of the English Language
by W.W.Skeat, Shakespeare coined the word “rapture” from the Latin term
“raptus” which meant “to be seized” or “transported,” (both of which
describe the event that the word “rapture” is used to describe today.)
Shakespeare used the word “rapture” to mean “to be transported by a
lofty emotion or ecstasy.” Since we will be transported to the clouds, transfigured to a new body, and most definitely be experiencing ecstasy, I think the word "rapture" is an apt description of the event, don't you? Now if you were to say that you don't believe in a PRE-TRIBULATION rapture, then I would agree with you, for I also believe that pre-trib is a deception, but you won't convince pre-tribbers of that. I've tried.
Thanks for your response Connie. I haven't had the time to formulate such a thorough response as you have written. Excellent response!
I will not speak about the rapture but regarding OSAS:
Jeremiah 32:40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts (indwelling of the Holy Spirit), that they may not turn from me.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Philemon 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
John 6:39-40 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Good to see such fruitful discussion. The Last Trumpet.
1. The Trumpet (symbolically) is God`s voice. (Rev.4:1)
2. Who is He speaking to The Body of Christ / Israel / The Nations
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3. The Body of Christ. God`s final (last) phrophetic voice (trumpet) to the Body of Christ on earth will be `Come up here.` (Rev.4:1) (John being representative)
4. The Mature Body of Christ (Eph. 4: 13 - 16) will then be `caught up` (1 Thess. 4: 17) to meet the Lord in the air, to escort Him to His own throne. (Rev. 3: 21) The Body of Christ will then be in its eternal setting (Rev. 4:4) & operating with Christ in judging the Nations & demonic angels. (1 Cor. 6: 2 & 3, Rev. 11: 16 & 17
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5. The 7 Trumpets of Revelation are to do with Israel They are the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets (Rev. 8: 2) where Israel has to repent before the Day of Atonement, when Christ delivers them from their enemies & awakens them to who He is. (Zech. 12: 10, Rev. 15:8)
I have a "new" theory concerning what the "last trump" is and when it will sound. I hope to be able to share it someday soon.
i totally agree with you, the rapture will be the only proof that will demonstrate to those remaining behind that Christians were not lying after allo, i cant wait to be raptured...
I may misunderstand you, but I don't think you caught the last few sentences I wrote. I don't believe in a pre-trib rapture. All of the other things (rebuilt temple, abomination, tribulation, the trumpet judgments) will prove we aren't lying to those who may believe during the 70th week. The rapture comes at the end (Rev. 14:14-16) after day 1260 at the end of the 2nd half of the 70th week, before God's wrath in the 7th trumpet. (Rev. 11:15-19 - days 1260-1290). By the time the rapture occurs, people will either know we weren't lying and believe or they will continue to reject God. The only ones left behind, by the time the rapture occurs, that will believe the truth are those of Israel that believe in God (but not yet Yeshua) whom God will bring into the millennium, and those few left in the nations who didn't take the mark. Few Christians will even make it to the rapture. Most will be killed during the tribulation. That's why it is the worst time since the beginning of the world.
Your views have helped me a lot in refining my own views on the Rapture over the past few months. I have an article completed on the Rapture which I hope to share sometime soon.
Can't wait. I love seeing how you view things.
The article is currently 33 pages so I might have to break it up into several pieces. I have some more work to do on other articles before I can share it. For now I can say that it appears there is a big connection between it and the end time siege of Jerusalem that I've been focused on.
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