March 3rd, 2023 – Blog
Introduction
If you have been going to church for any length of time, there is a good chance you have heard a Pastor say Jesus can return at any moment and it could be by the end of this service. This idea derives from a Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine that is widely accepted as truth across Christian denominations. Most Christians including myself believe we are living in the end times. We also agree that we are approaching a period prophesied in the bible called the tribulation which will result in suffering to the extent the world has never seen, nor will see. Furthermore, it is also commonly agreed upon that at some point during the end times, Jesus will appear in the clouds to rescue those that are his. This event is known as the rapture.
A major disagreement among Christians is when we should start looking for Jesus. Some believe we should be looking now and before this dreaded period referred to as the tribulation. Others, including myself, believe this event occurs after the tribulation which means we will still be here when things get really bad on earth. That unfortunately means would have to first endure suffering before Jesus takes us home. The Pre-Tribulation stance is the more popular position because it gives people hope. However, it is a false hope. This is not about believing what we hope to be true, but what the bible actually teaches. Early in my Christian walk I was deceived and for a time expected Jesus to return at any moment.
What is the Rapture Exactly?
Briefly, let’s make sure we understand the event of the rapture. The word rapture is known to mean “caught up” and although the word rapture is not in the bible, the concept is. This is an event where Jesus appears in the clouds visible for everyone to see. Those both dead (body in the ground but soul in Heaven), and those still alive (who are believers in Christ) will have their bodies transformed into a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – 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
We humans are tempted to wonder how this is possible, especially when considering those who passed on and who have left behind a body that is completely decayed by now. The bible addresses this and points out the body must first die.
1 Corinthians 15:35-36 – 35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
skipping to vs 50
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1 Thessalonians 4: 14-17 – 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.
Something important to understand doctrinally is when we die our body goes to the ground but our spirit immediately goes to Heaven. Prior to Jesus appearing in the clouds the spirit of those in the grave will already be with Jesus. The dead in Christ refers to the body “or whatever is left, if anything”.
We just saw in 1 Thessalonians 4:14 Jesus bringing the spirit of the person from Heaven, but what’s left of the body in the ground will be converted into a new spiritual body for that person. Let’s remember the bible points out in vs 51 that this is a mystery. It may be hard to grasp.
Can Jesus Return at any Moment?
There is no clear verse in the bible that teaches Jesus can return at any moment. That alone goes a long way in disproving this position. If we take a strong stand on any doctrine, shouldn’t we have at least one clear verse to back it up?
When I believed it early on, I was relying on people who have read the bible for many years so even when verses they presented didn’t seem right, I trusted their judgement over my own. I almost had to as I haven’t read the bible cover to cover even one time at that point yet.
Eventually, I became attached to the doctrine and later had a hard time letting it go because I really wanted it to be true. The idea of being gone before all Hell breaks loose on earth was easy to buy in to. Tack on to that the excitement of thinking at any moment the Heavens could open revealing God himself descending on earth. We humans like to use our imagination so there was a lot of fascination dreaming about what this would all be like.
When the time came for me to really search the scriptures for this teaching, I found it just wasn’t there. I then had to go through a period where I was depressed now knowing it wasn’t true. That then meant I had to accept there is a chance I could be on earth during the tribulation if it truly was upon us.
In my opinion these are the most powerful verses one can use if attempting to make the argument of Jesus returning at any moment.
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Matthew 24:36 – 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
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1 Thessalonians 5: 1-2 – 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
The problem is, these verses do not say he can come at any moment, and the bible teaches certain events need to happen first.
What Events Must Happen First?
Let’s say I was your relative and I lived in a far country. What if I said, once these COVID lockdowns end, I plan to visit your home, but I never tell you the day or hour? You wouldn’t even start looking for me until the COVID restrictions end.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 – 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,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.
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;4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Ironically, the bible warns us of people that will say Jesus can come at any moment, before revealing what must first happen. Isn’t that what it just said? Let it sink in. For argument’s sake, some may say the coming of the Lord is a different event, but this passage also brings up a gathering. No doubt this is the rapture. There is no 2nd secret rapture in scripture. There is only one rapture in scripture, and this is the event. The passage then goes on to say that day shall not come until the man of sin be revealed. We know that to be the Anti-Christ. Those who hold the Pre-Trib position would say the anti-Christ comes after Jesus and the rapture. The bible clearly just said the man of sin must come first, so that cannot be true!!
Matthew 24:15-21 – 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Skipping to vs 29
Matthew 24:29-31 – 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: 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.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.
Notice the chronology. Two key events are mentioned that must happen before the gathering in vs 30. The abomination of desolation is when an image is set up in the temple and everyone is commanded to worship it. The other is the great tribulation.
Those who believe Jesus could come back at any moment to rapture us believe it will be before the tribulation and before the abomination of desolation. Verse 21 describes this time as tribulation worse than we have ever seen or will see.
Post-Tribulation Pre-Wrath Position
What does the Bible really teach? The truth is the rapture “or the gathering” happens after the tribulation, but before Gods wrath. Those who believe Jesus will come before the tribulation like to remind us of this verse.
1 Thessalonians Ch 5:9 – For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ
The Pre-Trib crowd will translate this to mean we will be gone before anything bad happens. What they are not understanding is the tribulation and Gods wrath are 2 separate things. God is not the one who is doing the persecuting during the tribulation. Rather he is allowing the Devil to fulfill a purpose.
After this tribulation period but before God pours out his wrath is really when Jesus comes in the clouds for the rapture. Very shortly after “even the same day” God then begins to pour out his wrath.
During Gods wrath the world will see things like fire being rained down from the sky, locust type creatures coming out from Hell to torment those who took the mark of the beast, meteors falling from the sky and poisoning the waters, and fire breathing horses.
It is true that God hath not appointed us to his wrath. Gods wrath and wrath coming from those who hate God are two separate things. It has always been where believers had to suffer by those who oppose the cause of Christ which is what takes place during the tribulation except, although it will be more intense.
2 Timothy 3:12 – Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
CLOSING
Fascinating Bible Study
If you take me up on this bible study with an honest heart, I have no doubt you will walk away knowing Jesus cannot appear at any moment.
The next time you read the book of Revelation, approach it as you are really reading two books in one. Chapters 1-12 is one book. Chapters 13 – 22 is another. When you get to chapter 13 you will notice the prophetic clock reset. You will see the tribulation again, the 144,000, again, the rapture again, and finally Gods wrath again. All in the exact same chronological order, which also lines up perfectly with Matthew 24.
When you get to Revelation chapter 6, that is when you really want to start paying attention to chronology. When God begins to open the seals, you start to see tribulation events that you would see in Matthew 24 revealed “in the same exact order”. That is the anti-Christ arriving on the scene, wars, famine and pestilence. Remember, we just saw in Matthew 24 “after the tribulation” comes the gathering “or the rapture”. You will notice the same chronology occur in Revelation 6 and after that you find the rapture occur in Revelation 7.
Revelation 7: 9 After this 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; Skipping to vs 13
Revelation 7:13-14 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, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Lets take this a step further and consider our second book of Revelation, chapters 13-22. The same end time events are discussed again at a different angle to shed more light. Once again, the chronology is the same with the rapture happening after the tribulation but before Gods wrath. This is the rapture in our second book.
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Revelation 14:14-16 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
Gods Wrath
In Chapter 8 seven angels are given 7 trumpets. In chapter 15, the seven angels are given 7 vials. In your study compare the two side by side. When the first trumpet is sounding, the first vial is also being poured. Understand you are reading about the same judgement and being told two different ways.
1st Trumpet/Vile – Fire rained down, Sores
2nd Trumpet/Vile – Target the sea
3rd Trumpet/Vile – Target the rivers
4th Trumpet/Vile – Sun is effected
5th Trumpet/Vile – Locusts on earth, Pain
6th Trumpet/Vile – Euphrates effected
7th Trumpet/Vile – Christ’s Reign, Earthquakes
No way that is an accident. The proof is in the chronology!!