Lesson Four
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Prophetic Symbols of Daniel

Lesson Four- The Rapture And Second Coming of Christ

 

There is great debate as to when the rapture of the church will take place. Much of the confusion we believe centers on misunderstandings between the rapture FOR THE CHURCH and the SECOND ADVENT of CHRIST that is Christ’s coming to Earth WITH THE CHURCH. The first part of this lesson is 20 simply stated contrasts between the rapture and Second Advent. Many of them fall into the category of common sense if one studies their Bible. Some are a little more detailed. There are scriptures listed at the end of each one to clarify these contrasts.

 

Twenty Contrasts Between The Rapture And The Second Advent

 

1.     The rapture is a going up to heaven of all saved men of all past ages (Jn. 14:1-3; Col. 3:4; Jas. 5:7-8; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:1-10), whereas the second advent is a coming down from heaven to earth of the same people (Rev. 19:11-21; Jude 14-15; 2 Th. 1:7-10; Mt. 16:27; 24:29-31; 25:31-46; Zech. 14:1-9).

 

2.     The rapture is a coming of Christ from heaven to the clouds (not to the earth) for the saints—both dead (who will be resurrected) and alive—to take them to heaven (1 Th. 4:16), while the second advent is a coming from heaven with the previously raptured saints to set up a kingdom and rule eternally (Zech. 14:1-9; Jude 14-15; Rev. 11:15; 19:11-21; 22:4-5; 2 Th. 1:7-10; Mt. 25:31-46; Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:9-15, 18, 22, 27; Lk. 1:32-36).

 

3.     Our goal in the rapture is heaven to live with Christ in our mansions (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Th. 2:19-26; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:1-11, 23; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:1-10; Col. 3:4; Jas. 5:7-8), while the goal in the second advent is to leave heaven for the earth to reign forever (Zech. 14; Jude 14-15; Rev. 11:15; 19:11 - 20:10).

 

4.     At the rapture Christ does not come to destroy the Antichrist or any other wicked man but to remove the hinderer of lawlessness (the church, Chapter 10, Proof 1), so that the Antichrist can come (2 Th. 2:7-8), while at the second advent Christ comes back to the earth with all saints of all ages to destroy Antichrist and multitudes of wicked men (2 Th. 2:7-8; Dan. 7:11; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-21; see also Mt. 24:37-42; 25:31-46; Ezek. 38-39; Zech. 14).

 

5.     At the rapture Christ comes from heaven to the clouds only (not to the earth) to take the good from among the bad (Jn. 5:28-29; Jn. 14:1-3; Lk. 21:34-36; 1 Cor. 15:23, 51-54; Phil. 3:21; Col. 3:4; 1 Th. 4:16-18; Jas. 5:7-8), while at the second advent—years later—He comes to the earth with His raptured saints to take the bad from among the good (Mt. 13:30, 39-43, 49-50; 24:29-31, 37-42; Jude 14-15; Ezek. 38-39; Zech. 14; Rev. 19:11-21).

 

6.     At the rapture only those qualified for heaven will be raptured (Jn. 14:1-3; Lk. 21:34-36; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Th. 4:16; Rev. 20:4-6); only those who are born again will be changed from mortality to immortality and go to heaven. At the second advent, on the other hand, any and all men qualified to live on the earth as citizens will be permitted to continue as natural people into the next age, without any change from mortality to immortality (Mt. 25:31-46; Zech. 8:23; 14:1-21; Isa. 2:2-4; 66:19-21; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:9-14; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 2:27-28; 11:15; 20:4-6).

 

7.     At the rapture there will be no battle of Armageddon (Jn. 14:1-3; Lk. 21:34-36; 1 Cor. 15:23, 51-54; 1 Th. 4:16), while at the second advent Armageddon will be fought (Zech. 14; 2 Th. 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev. 16:13-16; 19:11-21; Ezek. 38-39).

 

8.     At the rapture there will be no change of home lands on earth among the nations (Jn. 14:1-3), while at the second advent there will be a general separation of nations back to their original home lands, including Israel (Isa. 11:11-12; Dt. 32:8; Ezek. 37; Mt. 24:31; Acts 17:26).

 

9.     At the rapture no man will be sent to hell, but all saints will be taken to heaven (Jn. 14:1-3; Lk. 21:34-36; 1 Th. 4:16; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:1-10), while at the second advent millions of men will be sent to hell and none taken to heaven (Mt. 13:30, 43-50; 25:31-46; Isa. 14:9-15; Rev. 14:9-11; 19:20; 20:10).

 

10. At the rapture all saints will “escape all these things that shall come to pass” during the tribulation, and will “stand before the Son of man” (Lk. 21:34-36; Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Th. 4:16; 5:1-11; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:1-10; see Chapter 10), whereas at the second advent no man who is subject to punishment will escape (Rev. 19:1-21; Mt. 24:29-31; 25:31-46; 2 Th. 1:7-10).

 

11. The rapture will take place before the revelation of the Antichrist (2 Th. 2:7-8) and before the tribulation and fulfillment of Rev. 4:1 - 22:21, while the Second Advent will take place after these events (Mt. 24:29-31; 2 Th. 2:7-8; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:11-21). See Chapter 10.

 

12. At the rapture there will be a resurrection of all the righteous dead (1 Th. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:23, 51-54; Phil. 3:21), while at the second advent there will be no resurrection of any righteous man, for the first resurrection will then be over (Rev. 20:4-6).

 

13. At the time of the rapture no man on earth will know who the Antichrist is (2 Th. 2:7-8), whereas at the Second Advent all men on earth in the civilized parts will know who he is (Rev. 13:16-18).

 

14. At the rapture the church and all others who are redeemed saints at that time will be presented to God in heaven (Eph. 5:27; 1 Th. 3:13; 5:23), while at the second advent all raptured saints will be presented to men on earth as their new rulers (Rev. 2:27; 5:10; 20:4-6; Dan. 7:9-27).

 

15. Before the rapture there will be no marriage supper of the Lamb, whereas just before the second advent there will be such a supper of Christ with all the redeemed of all ages past (Rev. 19:1-21)

 

16. There will be a seven-year period of tribulation after the rapture (2 Th. 2:7-8; Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6:1 - 19:21), whereas there will be no tribulation at all after the second advent, for the second coming of Christ ends all tribulation (Mt. 24:29-31; 25:31-46; Rev. 19-20).

 

17. There will be no end of the world (age) at the time of the rapture, while the age will definitely end at the time of the second advent of Christ to the earth (Mt. 24:1-3, 29-31; 25:31-46; 2 Th. 2:7-8; Rev. 19:1 - 20:10).

 

18. The rapture is an event that can take place any day without any prophecy being fulfilled or any sign coming to pass (1 Cor. 1:7; Phil. 3:21; Tit. 2:13; 1 Th. 1:10), while the second advent cannot take place until all of the predictions in Mt. 24-25; Mk 13; Lk. 21:1-11, 25-33; 2 Th. 2:7-8; and Rev. 4:1 - 19:10 have been fulfilled.

 

19. There will be no reign of the Antichrist before the rapture, but there will be such a reign before the second advent (Dan. 9:27; 2 Th. 2:7-8; Rev. 6:1 - 19:21).

 

     20.          There will be no martyrdoms of saints after the second advent, while there will be multitudes of martyrs after the rapture and between the time of the rapture and the second advent (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 13:7; 14:9-13; 15:1-4; 17:6; 18:24; 20:4-6).

 

          We conclude then, that if the church and all other raptured saints are to eat a marriage supper with Christ in heaven (as in Rev. 19:1-10), which happens just before the second advent begins (as in Rev. 19:11-21), then the church cannot remain on earth through the tribulation period. It must arrive in heaven prior to the time of the Second Advent. Furthermore, if the saints are to leave with Christ at the Second Advent they must already be up in heaven before that time so as to be able to return with Him.

 

           And since the rapture can take place at any moment (as taught in 1 Cor. 15:51-54; Phil. 3:21 and Tit. 2:13)—since it could have happened even in Paul’s day according to these passages of Scripture—then we can be certain that the rapture will not take place at a specified time as in the case of the second advent which is predicted to happen at a particular time—that is, at the end of the tribulation period (Mt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-21). This, to us, is truly conclusive proof that the rapture of the church and O.T. saints will take place before the tribulation begins.

 

The Fact and Manner of the Rapture

 

          There are about 50 scriptures in the N.T. and some related ones in the O.T. that reveal the fact and manner of the rapture. They also reveal when the rapture will take place, in connection with various end-time events. The following quotations are not all the scriptures pertaining to a definite rapture separate and distinct from the second advent, but they are enough to prove the doctrine of a rapture beyond doubt.

 

“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk. 21:36).

 

          “All these things” that worthy saints will escape are the events of all the signs of the Second Advent listed in Lk. 21:4-11, 25-33; Mt. 24:4-28; Mk. 13:4-27; 2 Th. 2:1-12; and Rev. 4:1 - 19:21. (See Chapter 10.) This means that “all these things” which saints escape by being raptured to stand before the Son of man will all take place after they are raptured to the place where the Son of man is. First they will meet with Him in the air (1 Th. 4:13-18), and then go to heaven to meet with the Father in heaven itself (Col. 4:4; 1 Th. 3:13; 5:23; Jas. 5:7-8; Rev. 5:8-10; 19:1-10).

 

“In my Father’s house [i.e., the Holy City in heaven where He lives] are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3)

 

          If we are going to be received by Christ to Himself; if we are going to be received into the Father’s house to live in mansions so that where He lives we may live also; and if all of this takes place at the time Christ comes from heaven to take us up to heaven, then there is truly going to be a rapture before the second advent. It is absolutely necessary in order for us to eat a supper—the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 19:1-21)—before the Second Advent begins, before we are predicted to come back with Him at the time of His second advent.

 

“But every man in his own order [company or rank]: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward [at the next general rapture] they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23).

 

          This shows us that there are different orders or ranks and companies of resurrected people, and means that every man who belongs to Christ will go in his own company.

 

“Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead [in Christ, 1 Th. 4:16] shall be raised incorruptible, and we [the living in Christ, also 1 Th. 4:16] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:51-56).

 

          When this scripture is fulfilled the saints will be raptured to meet the Lord in the air (1 Th. 4:13-18), and then they will be taken on to heaven to be presented before God (1 Th. 2:19-20; 3:13; 5:23; Jas. 5:7-8; Col. 3:4). For a study on the “last” trump not being the same as the seventh trumpet that will sound in the tribulation period, see Fallacy 10, Chapter 9.

 

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

 

          This refers to the personal visible meeting of Christ and His saints in the air, at the time when He comes to take them to heaven to their mansions, as stated above in the discussion on Jn. 14:2-3.

 

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep [have died] in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them, which are asleep [dead]. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God [not the trump of one of the seven trumpet angels of Revelation]: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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” (1 Th. 4:13-18, emphasis added).

 

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [hinders] will let [hinder lawlessness and hold back the coming of Antichrist], until he [the hinderer of lawlessness] be taken out of the way. And then [and not before] shall that Wicked [the lawless one, the Antichrist] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” (2 Th. 2:7-8, emphasis added).

 

          This says plainly that the one who hinders lawlessness and the revelation of the Antichrist will continue to hinder until he is taken out of the way to hinder no more; then and only then will the man of sin be revealed. This refers to the rapture of the church before the revelation of Antichrist.

 

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4).

 

          This “glory” refers to heaven itself, not to the earth. So if we go to heaven at that point, we are ascending to glory rather than descending from heaven with Christ to the earth as we are predicted to be doing at the Second Advent. Glory indicates the presence of God (Ezek. 10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23; 43:2-5; 44:4). Glory is a heavenly place (1 Pet. 5:10; 2 Pet. 1:17; Jude 24). Glory is also a substance (Rev. 15:8; 18:1; 21:23; Lk. 2:9; 9:32; Jn. 12:41; Acts 7:55; 22:11; 1 Cor. 2:8; Col. 3:4).

 

          God is called the King of glory (Ps. 24:8-10). Saints are to go to glory (Ps. 73:24; Col. 3:4). Both God and Christ will appear in glory (Ps. 102:16; Col. 3:4). Raptured saints are to go to heaven and be there for several years before leaving that glory for the earth with Christ at His second advent (Rev. 19:1-21).

 

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath [the tribulation wrath of God of 1 Th. 5:1-11; Rev. 6:17 - 16:21; 19:15], but to obtain salvation [deliverance from that wrath by rapture] by our Lord Jesus Christ; who died for us, that whether we wake [live in the body] or sleep [die], we should live [be resurrected in body] together with him” (1 Th. 5:9-10).

 

     If God will thus deliver us from the coming wrath, He will do so by the rapture, taking us to heaven and fulfilling all the scriptures.

 

“Behold, the husbandman [the Father, Jn. 15:1-8] waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain” (Jas. 5:7-8).

 

          When will He do this? When Christ comes “to receive us unto” Himself, as He promised in Jn. 14:1-3. Saints will thus be taken to heaven to be presented to the Father before coming back to the earth with Christ (1 Th. 3:13; 5:23). As stated before, there are about 50 scriptures—around 40 besides the above—that teach the rapture of all saints to heaven in the first resurrection (1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 3:10-11, 21; 1 Th. 1:10; 2:19-20; 3:13; 5:23; 2 Th. 2:1-12; 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 11:10-16; 12:22-23; 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:5, 7, 9, 11, 13; 4:13; 5:1-8; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 24; 1 Jn. 2:28; 3:2; Rev. 5:8-10; 11:7-12; 12:5; 14:1-5; 15:1-4; 19:1-10; 20:4-8; Dan. 12:1; Isa. 66:7-8; Ps. 73:24; 23:6; 102:16; Rom. 8:18).

 

          Let it be remembered that in the fulfillment of the things that must be after the churches of Rev. 4:1 - 22:5, there are several companies of raptured saints seen in heaven by John, such as those in Rev. 5:8-10; 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 12:5; 14:1-5; 15:14; 20:4-6 and the two witnesses of Rev. 11:7-12. In Rev. 19:1-10 all these companies of raptured saints are seen in heaven eating a marriage supper with Christ just before the Second Advent begins (Rev. 19:11-21). They are the ones who will come with Christ all the way between heaven and earth (Zech. 14:5; Rev. 19:14).

 

The Rapture an “Out-Resurrection” From the Dead

 

          In Phil. 3:11 the rapture is called “the resurrection of the dead,” or literally, “the out-resurrection,” meaning the resurrection of some of the dead from among the dead. A general resurrection of all the dead at one time without a time between the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust seems to be taught in Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; Acts 24:18; but in the final revelation on the subject we learn that there will actually be one thousand years between the first resurrection of the just, and the second resurrection of the unjust (Rev. 20:11-15). We can now, at the present time, have a choice regarding which resurrection to be in—whether we want to be saved and in the first, or lost and in the second (Mk. 26:15-16; Jn. 3:16). This is what Paul had in mind when he wanted to be in the “out-resurrection” from among the wicked dead (Phil. 3:11).

 

Forty Purposes of the Rapture

 

     1.  For Christ to receive the saints of all past ages to Himself (Jn. 14:1-3)

     2.  To take all raptured saints to heaven (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Th. 3:13; 4:13-18)

     3.  To meet the saints in the air (1 Th. 4:13-18)

     4.  To settle the saints in their mansions (Jn. 14:1-3; Heb. 11:10-16; 12:22-23; 13:14)

     5.  To bring great joy to soul winners (1 Th. 2:19-20; 2 Cor. 1:14)

     6.  To present the saints to God in heaven (1 Th. 3:13)

     7.  To make the saints whole in body, soul, and spirit (1 Th. 5:23)

     8.  To judge the saints at the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil. 3:10-11; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8)

     9.  To confirm saints blameless (1 Cor. 1:8; 1 Th. 3:13; 5:23)

     10.          To assign positions as kings and priests to rule all creations (1 Cor. 6:1-3; Lk. 22:30; Rev. 1:5; 2:26-27; 5:10; Dan. 7:1-27)

     11.          To resurrect all saints of the N.T. and O.T. times (1 Cor. 15:23, 35-44; 2 Cor. 4:14; Phil. 3:11; Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:4-6)

     12.          To change saints from mortality to immortality (1 Cor. 15:51-56; Phil. 3:21)

     13.          To reward saints with different glories (1 Cor. 15:23, 35-44)

     14.          To give saints victory over death, hell, and the grave (1 Cor. 15:51-56)

     15.          To give saints everlasting life (Gal. 6:7-9)

     16.          To show saints God’s eternal riches and grace (Eph. 2:7, 3:11)

     17.          To give saints their inherited kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 5:5-6; Gal. 5:19-21)

     18.          To present the church to Himself (Eph. 5:27)

     19.          To complete the work started in saints (Phil. 1:6)

     20.          To change the vile bodies of saints (Phil. 3:21)

     21.          To appear with saints in glory (Col. 3:4)

     22.          To permit the coming of the man of sin (2 Th. 2:7-8)

     23.          To give saints a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8)

     24.          To give saints the reality of the blessed hope (Tit. 2:13)

     25.          To take saints to the New Jerusalem to live (Heb. 11:10-16; 12:22-23; 13:14; Jn. 14:1-3)

     26.          To receive the fruit of the early and latter rain (Jas. 5:7-8)

     27.          To give saints final salvation and grace (1 Pet. 1:5, 7, 9, 13)

     28.          To give saints a reckoning day (1 Pet. 4:5-6)

     29.          To reveal the glory of God and Christ to saints (1 Pet. 4:13)

     30.          To give saints an abundant entrance into the kingdom (2 Pet. 1:11)

     31.          To make saints confident and unashamed (1 Jn. 2:28)

     32.          To make saints like Christ (1 Jn. 3:2)

     33.          To reveal Christ to saints as He actually is (1 Jn. 3:2)

     34.          To fulfill with saints all the promises to believers (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-27; 3:5, 11-12, 21; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 1:20)

     35.          To take saints out of the earth for the duration of the tribulation (Lk. 21:34-36)

     36.          To end the church age and make it possible for God to deal more exclusively with Israel to fulfill with them the latter-day prophecies (Dan. 9:27; 11:4-45; Zech. 12:1 - 14:15; Mt. 24-25; Lk. 21:1-11, 25-33; 2 Th. 2; Rev. 1:19; 4:1; see chapter 10)

     37.          To free saints from the coming wrath of God (1 Th. 5:1-11)

     38.          To take the hinderer of lawlessness out of the world (2 Th. 2:7-8)

     39.          To give church saints at least seven years to live in heaven, to become acquainted with the future life, and prepare for earth rulership. (Jn. 14:1-3; Dan. 9:27; Eph. 2:7; 3:11)

     40.          To have the saints in heaven to partake of the marriage supper and to accompany Christ back to earth to fight at Armageddon (Rev. 19:1-21; Zech. 14:1-5; Mt. 24:29-31; 2 Th. 1:7-10; 2:7-8; Jude 14-15). If there would be no rapture until the Second Advent, then all of these purposes would be canceled.

 

Ten Qualifications for the Rapture

 

     1.  One must be in Christ: “the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive [in Christ] and remain shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Th. 4:16-17). To be “in Christ” means that we are “a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself” (2 Cor. 5:17-18).

     2.  One must belong to Christ: “But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23). To belong to Christ means that we “have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).

     3.  One must do good (OBEY): “ . . . all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (Jn. 5:28-29). That word good there I believe is simply “obey.” There is none that doeth good in our own effort. Obedience however is what we must do to inherit eternal life!

     4.  One must be blessed and holy: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ” (Rev. 20:6; cf. Heb. 12:14).

     5.  One must be worthy: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things [of Lk. 21:6-11, 25-33; Mt. 24-25; Rev. 4:1 - 18:24; 2 Th. 2; 1 Th. 5; etc.] that shall come to pass [in the tribulation], and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk. 21:36).

     6.  One must be in the church: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles” (1 Cor. 12:13, 27; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24).

     7.  One must be pure: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:2-3).

     8.  One must be without spot, wrinkle, or blemish: “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

     9.  One must live and walk in the Spirit: “ . . . ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh,” (Gal. 5:16). “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like . . . they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21)—and will not go up in the rapture.

     10.          One must walk in the light: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7; Col. 2:6-7).

 

The Rapture Is Not a Part of the Second Advent

 

          The common theory that the second coming of Christ is in two parts and that it will take place in two stages, or in two phases, and that there is only one coming of Christ out of heaven, is completely false and unscriptural. There are two definite comings of Jesus Christ out of heaven and not two parts of one coming. The rapture is the coming of Christ from heaven to the clouds surrounding the earth, but He does not come to the earth at that time. He simply resurrects the righteous dead and catches them up to Himself in the clouds and then takes them on into heaven with Him to remain there during the tribulation period after which He and the resurrected righteous ones will return to the earth and land on the earth at the second advent.

 

          At His first coming He literally landed on earth to live here and die for men. At His second coming He will also literally land on the earth again, and live here to reign (Zech. 14:4). The rapture, then, could never be the second coming, and it should never be called the second coming of Christ. Furthermore, no one will be raptured at the second coming.

 

          The rapture is a complete round trip for Jesus—from heaven to the clouds around the earth, and back again to heaven. It is the time when He comes for the saints in the air, and when they are caught up to the clouds with Him. He then returns with them to heaven to live there at least seven years before the second advent begins. All raptures will be completed before the second advent begins. They will take all the saints to heaven whereas the second advent will bring them all back from heaven to the earth to set up a kingdom to be ruled by Christ, His angels, and the raptured saints.

 

 

The Time of the Rapture

 

          The time of the rapture, like that of the second advent, is not definitely known as to the day or the hour, but we do know that it will take place before the tribulation, before the reign of Antichrist, before the fulfillment of Mt. 24-25; Rev. 4:1 - 22:5, and before the fulfillment of many other prophecies.

 

          There are a number of scriptures in the Bible that make it crystal clear that the rapture will take place before the tribulation. Here are a few examples from Christ and the N.T. writers.

 

          First, Jesus Christ plainly urged us to “watch . . . and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things [i.e., things of the tribulation of Lk. 21:1-11, 25-33] that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk. 21:36).

 

          It would be a false promise of Christ to His disciples of this whole church age if no “worthy” saints were to escape the last day events of the tribulation. It would be truly needless and give a false hope for anyone to pray to escape “all these things” if nobody is to escape them. The promise is clear here that all worthy ones will escape going through all these things and will literally be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air and “to stand before the Son of man.” Saints could not possibly stand before the Son of man until the time when He comes to receive us to Himself (Jn. 14:1-3), and to “meet the Lord in the air,” which will be at the time of the rapture (1 Th. 4:13-16).

         

          Second, Paul said that the church—the hinderer of lawlessness—would be removed before the revelation of the Antichrist (2 Th. 2:5-10).

         

          Third, John was definitely told by Christ to “come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter,” that is, after the churches (Rev. 4:1).

Four Future Exclusive Raptures Before the Second Advent
 
There will be no rapture or resurrection of any man at the Second Advent. No one, dead or alive, will be raptured at this point. By this time, when Christ leaves heaven through the open door of Rev. 19:11, all raptures will have taken place and the first resurrection will be completed.
 
Though there will be multitudes of people on earth who will be classed as “the good,” “the righteous,” “the just,” “the holy,” “the elect,” and “brethren” of Christ—people who have been born again—not one of them will be raptured at His second advent. The marriage supper will have taken place before the second advent and every person having a part in the first resurrection will have been raptured and will have shared in the supper just before the second advent begins.  Those “in Christ” on earth at this point will simply go into the eternal earthly kingdom as natural people to be subjects of Christ and the raptured saints who will become rulers of the kingdom (1 Cor. 6; Rev. 1:5; 5:10; 20:4-6; 22:4-5). There will be four exclusive raptures of four exclusive companies of saints between now and the second coming of Christ, as follows.
 

  • The First Future Exclusive Rapture
     
    This will be that of the church and the O.T. saints of Rev. 5:8-10. Among the first 12 scenes John saw in heaven—scenes that, as he was told, must be after the churches (Rev. 4:1 - 22:5)—one was the first company of exclusive saints to be raptured to heaven. John was told to “Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter” (Rev. 4:1), and immediately he was raptured from the Isle of Patmos to heaven where he saw the first things which must be after the churches.
     
    He saw God, the Lamb, the seven lamps of fire, the 24 elders, the four living creatures, the sea of glass, the book with seven seals, the various companies of creatures in worship to God and the Lamb, and finally the first raptured saints in heaven—all of these being events which must be after the churches. These saints are referred to as being redeemed by the blood of the Lamb from “every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” and as being already made “kings” and “priests” to God to reign on the earth (Rev. 5:8-10).
     
    Every scene in Rev. 4-5 pictures these saints as being already raptured and present in heaven when the Lamb took the seven-sealed book out of the hand of God so as to break the seals. They were in heaven to witness every time one of the seals was broken and the contents revealed, and they continued in heaven while every one of the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, and all the other events of Rev. 4:1 - 19:10 were being fulfilled before the second advent of Rev. 19:11-21, at which time the marriage supper would be over and the second advent begun.
     
     

  • The Second Future Exclusive Rapture
     
    The 144,000 Jews are the second exclusive company of saints to be raptured from the earth to go to heaven to live until the second advent begins, which will be after the marriage supper pictured in Rev. 19:1-21. This will be a rapture 31/2 years after the church and O.T. saints are raptured (Rev. 5:8-10) and 31/2 years before the Second Advent (Rev. 19:11-21). In Rev. 7:1-8 we see that the 144,000 are sealed to be protected from the plagues of the seven trumpet judgments.
     
     It was said to the first four trumpet judgment angels, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Rev. 7:3). And, the fifth and sixth trumpet judgment angels were told to hurt only those men that have not the seal of God (God’s name) in their foreheads (Rev. 9:4; 14:1-5). The 144,000 will be raptured to “God and to his throne” as the man-child of Rev. 12:5, and they are next seen in heaven singing an exclusive song that no man can sing but them—the 144,000 Jews of all these scriptures.
     
    The 144,000 Jews of Rev. 7:1-8; 9:4; 12:5; 14:1-5 are referred to in other prophecies concerning Israel and the man-child. In fact, Isa. 66:7-8 speaks of the nation of Israel bringing forth the man-child at the time of her great travail or tribulation, saying: “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child . . . for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” Verse 8 of this passage refers to Israel being born again as a nation, and verse 7 says “before” this travail of Israel to bring forth she brought forth a manchild. That is, before she travails for her own birth in the Spirit as a nation, she will be delivered of a manchild. That Israel will be born again by the Spirit at the second advent of Christ is plainly revealed in Zech. 12:10 - 13:1; Rom 11:25-29.
     
    Daniel also predicted that every one born again in Israel at the time “Michael stands up” to cast Satan and his angels out of heaven, every Jew who has his name in the book of life will be raptured or delivered (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 7:1-8; 12:7-12). Rev. 7:1-8 and Rev. 14:1-5 tell us how many will have their names in the book of life at the time the man-child is raptured—144,000 of them. Both Daniel (Dan. 12:1-7) and Revelation (Rev. 12:1-17) speak of the man-child—the 144,000 Jews—as being raptured 1,260 days before the Second Advent begins after the marriage supper. This travail or great tribulation of Israel is referred to by Moses (Dt. 4:30); Jeremiah (Jer. 30:6-7); Daniel (Dan. 12:1); Jesus (Mt. 24:15-22); and John (Rev. 7:14), but not once is it referred to as happening to the church or Christians of this present age.
     
    Daniel 12:1
    And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
     
    Deut. 4:30
    When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
     
    Jeremiah 30:6-7
    Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? [7] Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
     
    Rev. 7:14
    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.
     
    The “great” tribulation of Jezebel’s followers, and the ten days of tribulation of the church at Smyrna (Rev. 2:10, 22) were local tribulations and are now already in the past, but the “great tribulation” yet to come, as referred to in the above scriptures, will be fulfilled only in Daniel’s 70th week, as explained in Chapter 2. We must, therefore, conclude that the 144,000 will be raptured as an exclusive company of saints, not as a part of the church or any other company of raptured saints.
     
     

  • The Third Future Exclusive Rapture
     
    The tribulation saints will make up the third distinct company who will be saved and raptured out of the tribulation period as a group separate from the church (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 13:7; 14:12-13; 15:1-4; 17:7; 20:1-4). All these martyrs are to be saved after the church and O.T. saints have been raptured and are in heaven (Rev. 5:8-10). The first ones of this tribulation company of saints were told to wait until all who were to be martyred in the tribulation would be killed, and then their death would be avenged (Rev. 6:9-11). These, without exception, are martyrs of the future tribulation, and not one will be martyred during the church age. All the scriptures about them are found in Rev. 4:1 - 19:10, which must be fulfilled after the churches (See Proof 2, chapter 10). Most of these martyrs will be slain by the Antichrist (Rev. 7:14; 13:7; 14:12-13; 15:1-5; 20:1-4). The lesser part will be killed by the great whore of Rev. 17:6-7.
     
    That they will all be raptured as a separate and distinct company of martyrs of the tribulation period is clear from the fact that they are seen in heaven singing their own redemptive song, by themselves and toward the latter part of the tribulation (Rev. 15:1-4). These mainly will be the ones that will get “the victory over the beast [who reigns only the last 31/2 years of this age, Rev. 13:5], and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name” (Rev. 15:1-4). They are spoken of as being beheaded for Christ by the beast (Rev. 20:4-6).
     
     

  • The Fourth Future Exclusive Rapture
     
    The two witnesses of Rev. 11:2-12 will be the fourth and last of the exclusive raptures of the future. They will be partakers of a rapture all by themselves after they are martyred at the end of their 31/2-year ministry on earth. A great voice from heaven will say, “Come up hither,” and they will then ascend up to heaven (Rev. 11:7-12). See other scriptures about their ministry in Mal. 4:5-6; Zech. 4:14; Ezek. 20:33-44. All these separate raptures take place at different points in time—before and during Daniel’s 70th week, ending with the rapture of the two witnesses, and before the second advent of Christ to the earth with all the raptured saints and angels. We cannot, therefore, teach that there will be no rapture at all until at the time of the second advent, for the four future exclusive raptures mentioned above prove otherwise.