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WHEN WILL THE RAPTURE OCCUR?
By Bibleman
The Bible does give us a lot of undeniable clues and facts concerning the rapture so that no one should be deceived about the time of its occurrence. There are three popular views of when the rapture will occur. The most popular view is called the Pre-tribulational theory of the rapture. This theory suggests that the rapture will occur before the arrival of the antichrist and before the great tribulation begins. The second view is the Mid-tribulation rapture theory which suggests that the rapture will occur at about the middle of the tribulation period or 3 ½ years into the tribulation. The last rapture view is called the Post-tribulational view and it proclaims that the rapture will not occur until the second coming of Christ immediately after the tribulation. The rapture is term given for the catching up of the saints who are alive when Christ returns. The question is when will Christ return to rapture and resurrect His elect? Will it be before the tribulation, at the middle of the tribulation, or after the tribulation? For this answer we now turn to the word of God.
Jesus gave us a parable about the rapture, or gathering together of the elect, and the correct interpretation of it (Mt. 13:24-30; 37-43). This parable teaches that the rapture will occur at about the same time as the destruction of the wicked (Mt. 13:24-30). The parable talks about a field that has been sown with wheat (the Christian believers) which came up and bore fruit. In the same field, which is really the world, tares or weeds (children of the devil) were also planted along with the wheat. In the parable the field was left to grow until the harvest. The weeds were not plucked out of the wheat but both were left to grow until the harvest. At the time of harvest (the end of the world) the angels would be the reapers. They would gather up the wicked tares and put them in bundles to be burned and the righteous wheat would be gathered unto God. A Pre-trib view would have God pulling up the wheat long before harvest time and leaving only the weeds to grow. A Mid-trib view would also have the Lord plucking out the wheat before the harvest and allowing only the weeds to grow. Only a Post-trib view would allow the wheat and tares to grow until the harvest or end of the age when Christ returns to set up His kingdom. The wicked will be destroyed and cast into hell while the righteous are gathered up and saved unto God.
According to 1 Corinthians 15:52 the rapture takes place during the last trumpet. The last trumpet is found in the seventh seal. There are seven trumpets that sound under the seventh seal (Rev. 8-11). The last or seventh trumpet that sounds ushers in the second coming of Christ (Rev. 11:15). If the Pre-tribulational view was correct the rapture would have to take place before the first seal which is believed to be the arrival of the antichrist and before the first trumpet sounds. As the trumpets begin to sound the judgments begin to fall upon the earth. Mid-tribulationists would have the rapture occurring sometime after the first seal but not during the seventh seal or the last trumpet. The only view that is biblical here would be the Post-tribulation view which has the rapture and resurrection taking place at the last trumpet, under the seventh seal, when Christ comes to take over the earth.
The next question is when will Christ gather His elect in the rapture and resurrection. The Bible calls this the first resurrection but when will it take place? There are only two resurrections. The first resurrection for the righteous happens before the millennium and the other resurrection for the unrighteous happens after the 1000 year millennium. Pre-tribulation adherents have the first resurrection taking place both before the arrival of the antichrist and then again another resurrection and rapture at the second coming. With this view we have three resurrections. The Bible does not teach that there will be two resurrections for the righteous. Mid-tribulation proponents believe that the rapture and resurrection will take place sometime during the tribulation period. The Post-tribulation view lines up perfectly with Revelation chapter 20. The first resurrection takes place at the second coming of Christ, after the tribulation. The souls who were beheaded during the tribulation will be among those of the first resurrection and they will reign with Christ during the millennium. No mention is made about any Pre-tribulationally resurrected or raptured saints. If the first resurrection occurs during the tribulation then why would the tribulation martyrs have to be resurrected later when Christ comes to set up his kingdom?
The Bible is very clear that the rapture takes place at the last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52). Even those of the Pre-trib view who suggest it would have to be the first trumpet would still be wrong because the antichrist arrives long before the first trumpet. The antichrist arrives during the first seal but the trumpets don’t come until the seventh seal which is when severe judgments are falling upon the earth. A Mid-trib view also would not take place at the last trumpet but somewhere before that. The last trumpet Bible fact connects the rapture and first resurrection with no other view of the rapture except the Post-trib view which takes place at the second coming of Christ.
When does the marriage supper of the Lamb occur? The marriage supper is when Christ meets His bride the church. The Bible tells us that the marriage supper will take place at the midnight hour (Mt. 25:1-13). For many people midnight is when one day ends and another new day begins. What does midnight signify here? Pre-trib proponents would say it means that Christ’s people will be gathered together to meet Him before the arrival of the antichrist and the great tribulation. Mid-trib believers would say just before the wrath of God falls upon the earth His people will be gathered. Post-trib adherents would say it means the last and final hour…the end of this age and the beginning of a new age when Christ takes over the earth and sets up His kingdom. Revelation chapter 19 tells us when the midnight hour is! After the tribulation events are fulfilled the saints in heaven will accompany Christ to the earth at His second coming (Rev. 19:1-14). The midnight hour will end this wicked age of human barbarism and usher in a new age of righteousness under Christ! The righteous souls in heaven will come back with Christ to receive their new bodies at the resurrection and those Christians who are alive and remain will be raptured to meet Christ in the air (1 Thes. 4:14-18). This is the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Will the rapture occur before or after the arrival of the antichrist? Paul answers this question in 2 Thes. 2:1-4. Paul plainly tells us that the rapture or the gathering together of the saints will not take place until after the arrival of the antichrist. We must not let anyone deceive us into believing that Christ will come secretly before these events ( Mt. 24:26; Mk. 13:21). At the mid point of the time of antichrist we still do not find a rapture occurring. Instead God’s people and their innocent little Children are told to flee from the antichrist (Mt. 24:15-22; Mk. 13:14-20; Lk. 21:21-24). We do find Christ coming with power and great glory to gather together His elect after the tribulation (Mt. 24:29-31; Mk. 13:24-27; Lk. 21:25-28). The blessed hope is going to be a glorious and powerful event unlike a secret appearing of Christ where Christians mysteriously vanish from the earth while the others are left behind.
Where did the large number of white-robed, end-time, saints who were found in heaven come from in Rev. 7:9-17? Are they the Pre-trib saints who were raptured? The Bible says that these saints are those who were killed during the tribulation. There is no mention in the Bible of any large group of raptured Christians in heaven. When the fifth seal is opened the souls of those slain during the tribulation is revealed. They are seen in heaven wearing white robes and told that they should wait until their Christian brothers and sisters, who also would be killed during the tribulation, could join them. Why is it the will of God for His people to be martyred rather than raptured? I believe the answer is because the Lord chooses to try His people and those faithful to Him will be purified by their faith, even unto death (Rev. 7:14). Few Christians today would be worthy enough to be raptured. In this Laodicean era they need the purification that comes from persecution and martyrdom. The Lord knows what is best for His people. There was no rapture for other Christians in China, Russia, and Muslim countries who were killed for their faith in Christ. The Lord never promises to deliver His people from persecution or the tribulation period (Jn. 16:33). Jesus warns us that we must be prepared for such times when they come and be faithful even unto death (Rev. 2:10; 12:11).
When will the elect be gathered together or raptured? During the tribulation period there will be many scoffers who will say “Where is the promise of his coming?†(2 Pet. 3:4-14) They will say this because of they were taught a Pre or Mid-tribulation doctrine. They would not have any grounds to say that if millions of people had vanished from the earth due to a Pre or Mid-tribulation appearing of Christ. The Bible does, however, give us the answer to when the rapture or gathering together of the elect will occur. Jesus Himself said that the rapture of His elect would only take place after the tribulation (Mt. 24:29-31; Mk. 13:24-27). Pre-trib proponents theorize that the elect mentioned here are millions of people who become converted to Christ during the tribulation despite the absence of preachers, Christian believers, Bibles, churches, or the Holy Spirit. The Bible, however, tells us that the unsaved people during the tribulation will not come to repentance but will become hardened in their sins, having a hatred for God because of the judgments that are falling upon them (Rev. 9:20,21; 16:9,11). Instead of Christians being raptured before the tribulation we see some being imprisoned and put to death for their beliefs while others are fleeing to a place of protection (Mt. 24:9-22; Rev. 9:6-11; 12:6, 13-17; 13:15; 18:24). Christ said for the elects sake He would shorten the tribulation period (Mt. 24:22; Mk. 13:20). The Lord never promised to deliver His people from persecution but he does give them peace in the midst of their trials and tribulations. (Jn. 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12). Christians are certainly not appointed to the wrath of God but they must always be ready to suffer persecution from an evil world.
By Bibleman
The Bible does give us a lot of undeniable clues and facts concerning the rapture so that no one should be deceived about the time of its occurrence. There are three popular views of when the rapture will occur. The most popular view is called the Pre-tribulational theory of the rapture. This theory suggests that the rapture will occur before the arrival of the antichrist and before the great tribulation begins. The second view is the Mid-tribulation rapture theory which suggests that the rapture will occur at about the middle of the tribulation period or 3 ½ years into the tribulation. The last rapture view is called the Post-tribulational view and it proclaims that the rapture will not occur until the second coming of Christ immediately after the tribulation. The rapture is term given for the catching up of the saints who are alive when Christ returns. The question is when will Christ return to rapture and resurrect His elect? Will it be before the tribulation, at the middle of the tribulation, or after the tribulation? For this answer we now turn to the word of God.
THE RAPTURE PARABLE
Jesus gave us a parable about the rapture, or gathering together of the elect, and the correct interpretation of it (Mt. 13:24-30; 37-43). This parable teaches that the rapture will occur at about the same time as the destruction of the wicked (Mt. 13:24-30). The parable talks about a field that has been sown with wheat (the Christian believers) which came up and bore fruit. In the same field, which is really the world, tares or weeds (children of the devil) were also planted along with the wheat. In the parable the field was left to grow until the harvest. The weeds were not plucked out of the wheat but both were left to grow until the harvest. At the time of harvest (the end of the world) the angels would be the reapers. They would gather up the wicked tares and put them in bundles to be burned and the righteous wheat would be gathered unto God. A Pre-trib view would have God pulling up the wheat long before harvest time and leaving only the weeds to grow. A Mid-trib view would also have the Lord plucking out the wheat before the harvest and allowing only the weeds to grow. Only a Post-trib view would allow the wheat and tares to grow until the harvest or end of the age when Christ returns to set up His kingdom. The wicked will be destroyed and cast into hell while the righteous are gathered up and saved unto God.
THE SEVENTH SEAL
According to 1 Corinthians 15:52 the rapture takes place during the last trumpet. The last trumpet is found in the seventh seal. There are seven trumpets that sound under the seventh seal (Rev. 8-11). The last or seventh trumpet that sounds ushers in the second coming of Christ (Rev. 11:15). If the Pre-tribulational view was correct the rapture would have to take place before the first seal which is believed to be the arrival of the antichrist and before the first trumpet sounds. As the trumpets begin to sound the judgments begin to fall upon the earth. Mid-tribulationists would have the rapture occurring sometime after the first seal but not during the seventh seal or the last trumpet. The only view that is biblical here would be the Post-tribulation view which has the rapture and resurrection taking place at the last trumpet, under the seventh seal, when Christ comes to take over the earth.
THE FIRST RESURRECTION
The next question is when will Christ gather His elect in the rapture and resurrection. The Bible calls this the first resurrection but when will it take place? There are only two resurrections. The first resurrection for the righteous happens before the millennium and the other resurrection for the unrighteous happens after the 1000 year millennium. Pre-tribulation adherents have the first resurrection taking place both before the arrival of the antichrist and then again another resurrection and rapture at the second coming. With this view we have three resurrections. The Bible does not teach that there will be two resurrections for the righteous. Mid-tribulation proponents believe that the rapture and resurrection will take place sometime during the tribulation period. The Post-tribulation view lines up perfectly with Revelation chapter 20. The first resurrection takes place at the second coming of Christ, after the tribulation. The souls who were beheaded during the tribulation will be among those of the first resurrection and they will reign with Christ during the millennium. No mention is made about any Pre-tribulationally resurrected or raptured saints. If the first resurrection occurs during the tribulation then why would the tribulation martyrs have to be resurrected later when Christ comes to set up his kingdom?
THE LAST TRUMPET
The Bible is very clear that the rapture takes place at the last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52). Even those of the Pre-trib view who suggest it would have to be the first trumpet would still be wrong because the antichrist arrives long before the first trumpet. The antichrist arrives during the first seal but the trumpets don’t come until the seventh seal which is when severe judgments are falling upon the earth. A Mid-trib view also would not take place at the last trumpet but somewhere before that. The last trumpet Bible fact connects the rapture and first resurrection with no other view of the rapture except the Post-trib view which takes place at the second coming of Christ.
THE MARRIAGE SUPPER
When does the marriage supper of the Lamb occur? The marriage supper is when Christ meets His bride the church. The Bible tells us that the marriage supper will take place at the midnight hour (Mt. 25:1-13). For many people midnight is when one day ends and another new day begins. What does midnight signify here? Pre-trib proponents would say it means that Christ’s people will be gathered together to meet Him before the arrival of the antichrist and the great tribulation. Mid-trib believers would say just before the wrath of God falls upon the earth His people will be gathered. Post-trib adherents would say it means the last and final hour…the end of this age and the beginning of a new age when Christ takes over the earth and sets up His kingdom. Revelation chapter 19 tells us when the midnight hour is! After the tribulation events are fulfilled the saints in heaven will accompany Christ to the earth at His second coming (Rev. 19:1-14). The midnight hour will end this wicked age of human barbarism and usher in a new age of righteousness under Christ! The righteous souls in heaven will come back with Christ to receive their new bodies at the resurrection and those Christians who are alive and remain will be raptured to meet Christ in the air (1 Thes. 4:14-18). This is the marriage supper of the Lamb.
BEFORE OR AFTER ANTICHRIST?
Will the rapture occur before or after the arrival of the antichrist? Paul answers this question in 2 Thes. 2:1-4. Paul plainly tells us that the rapture or the gathering together of the saints will not take place until after the arrival of the antichrist. We must not let anyone deceive us into believing that Christ will come secretly before these events ( Mt. 24:26; Mk. 13:21). At the mid point of the time of antichrist we still do not find a rapture occurring. Instead God’s people and their innocent little Children are told to flee from the antichrist (Mt. 24:15-22; Mk. 13:14-20; Lk. 21:21-24). We do find Christ coming with power and great glory to gather together His elect after the tribulation (Mt. 24:29-31; Mk. 13:24-27; Lk. 21:25-28). The blessed hope is going to be a glorious and powerful event unlike a secret appearing of Christ where Christians mysteriously vanish from the earth while the others are left behind.
THE WHITE ROBED SAINTS IN HEAVEN
Where did the large number of white-robed, end-time, saints who were found in heaven come from in Rev. 7:9-17? Are they the Pre-trib saints who were raptured? The Bible says that these saints are those who were killed during the tribulation. There is no mention in the Bible of any large group of raptured Christians in heaven. When the fifth seal is opened the souls of those slain during the tribulation is revealed. They are seen in heaven wearing white robes and told that they should wait until their Christian brothers and sisters, who also would be killed during the tribulation, could join them. Why is it the will of God for His people to be martyred rather than raptured? I believe the answer is because the Lord chooses to try His people and those faithful to Him will be purified by their faith, even unto death (Rev. 7:14). Few Christians today would be worthy enough to be raptured. In this Laodicean era they need the purification that comes from persecution and martyrdom. The Lord knows what is best for His people. There was no rapture for other Christians in China, Russia, and Muslim countries who were killed for their faith in Christ. The Lord never promises to deliver His people from persecution or the tribulation period (Jn. 16:33). Jesus warns us that we must be prepared for such times when they come and be faithful even unto death (Rev. 2:10; 12:11).
GATHERING OF THE ELECT
When will the elect be gathered together or raptured? During the tribulation period there will be many scoffers who will say “Where is the promise of his coming?†(2 Pet. 3:4-14) They will say this because of they were taught a Pre or Mid-tribulation doctrine. They would not have any grounds to say that if millions of people had vanished from the earth due to a Pre or Mid-tribulation appearing of Christ. The Bible does, however, give us the answer to when the rapture or gathering together of the elect will occur. Jesus Himself said that the rapture of His elect would only take place after the tribulation (Mt. 24:29-31; Mk. 13:24-27). Pre-trib proponents theorize that the elect mentioned here are millions of people who become converted to Christ during the tribulation despite the absence of preachers, Christian believers, Bibles, churches, or the Holy Spirit. The Bible, however, tells us that the unsaved people during the tribulation will not come to repentance but will become hardened in their sins, having a hatred for God because of the judgments that are falling upon them (Rev. 9:20,21; 16:9,11). Instead of Christians being raptured before the tribulation we see some being imprisoned and put to death for their beliefs while others are fleeing to a place of protection (Mt. 24:9-22; Rev. 9:6-11; 12:6, 13-17; 13:15; 18:24). Christ said for the elects sake He would shorten the tribulation period (Mt. 24:22; Mk. 13:20). The Lord never promised to deliver His people from persecution but he does give them peace in the midst of their trials and tribulations. (Jn. 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12). Christians are certainly not appointed to the wrath of God but they must always be ready to suffer persecution from an evil world.
