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Which
is Next the Rapture or the Second Coming?
Lesson 38
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Two
men will be in the fields; one will be taken and
the other left. Two women will be grinding with a
hand mill; one will be taken and the other left
behind. Therefore keep watch, because you do not
know on what day your Lord will come.
Matthew 24:40-42
There are six apocalyptic
prophecies in the book of Daniel and they
stack on top of each other much like
the layers of a wedding cake. Each prophecy has a
beginning and ending point in time and each
prophecy contains an orderly sequence of events.
For example, Daniel 2 is the bottom layer or
foundation prophecy and its time span
reaches from 600 B.C. to the Second Coming. The
second apocalyptic prophecy (Daniel 7) stacks on
top of Daniel 2 and covers the same time span as
Daniel 2. The third prophecy or layer starts
around 538 B.C. and reaches to the Second Coming.
The fourth prophecy begins in about 457 B. C. and
ends with A.D.33. By layering the prophecies of
Daniel on top of each other, God eliminated
several problems before they even began! First,
when we examine these six layers, a large amount
of information unfolds that is otherwise unknown.
By linking the six layers together with prophetic
events, God says a great deal with the fewest
possible words. This is an important
consideration because books of the Old Testament
were duplicated by hand for almost 3,000 years.
Second, by layering the prophecies on top of each
other, God implemented a process which scholars
call repetition and enlargement. It allows the
Bible student to confidently arrange and define
all the prophetic elements within each prophecy.
As each layer of prophecy is added to the
stack, the underlying layers have to
be correctly interpreted and chronologically
arranged or the next layer will not make sense.
Last, by layering the prophecies, God hid the
meaning of these prophecies in the book of Daniel
until the time of the end would arrive. (Daniel
12:4,9) I believe God did this so the last
generation on Earth could quickly understand the
fulfillment of 26 centuries of prophecy. In other
words, an ordinary person can now understand the
sweeping prophetic progression of 26 centuries
with just a few hours study. Now that the
layering of the prophecies has been discovered,
people can determine which elements of
apocalyptic prophecy are in the past and which
are forthcoming! A brief discussion about the six
layers in Daniel has been presented because of
this statement: The six prophecies of
Daniel do not support the idea of a
pre-tribulation or mid-tribulation rapture of the
saints.
There are twelve
apocalyptic prophecies in the book of Revelation
and these also stack on top of each
other just like the six layers do in the book of
Daniel. Even more, the twelve layers of
Revelation harmoniously align with the six
apocalyptic prophecies in Daniel. When all
eighteen prophecies are view together, there is
one marvelous prophetic story that unfolds in
chronological order. All eighteen prophecies are
interconnected. Each layer has a starting point
in time and an ending point in time, and the
events in each prophecy (or layer) occur in the
chronological order given. When a person
understands how past fulfillments of prophecy
conform to this well defined architecture, it is
possible to determine with some certainty the
chronological timing within Gods prophetic
plans. It is important to understand that the
chronological layers of Daniel and Revelation do
not support a pre-tribulation or mid-tribulation
rapture.
When the eighteen layers
of apocalyptic prophecy are arranged correctly,
the progressive fulfillment of prophecy is
confirmed by recorded history. This occurs
because apocalyptic prophecy produces a
chronological timeline showing past,
present and future events. Knowledge of this
time-line prevents a misapplication of end-time
statements that occur throughout the Bible. For
example, the opening text for this chapter
(Matthew 24:40-42) is often used by proponents of
the pre-tribulation rapture to justify a sudden
snatching away of people from Earth. There are
two problems with this assertion. First, the
chronological order of Daniel and Revelation does
not support a pre-tribulation rapture and second,
the context itself does not support a
pre-tribulation rapture. If a person has the
notion of a pre-tribulation rapture already in
mind, Matthew 24:40-42 can be presented in a way
that makes it appear to support a pre-tribulation
rapture. Before a sincere Bible student draws a
conclusion, efforts should be made to reconcile
many texts that are not in harmony with the
pre-tribulation rapture. We need to ask, can we
pick and choose texts that only favor
our notions and ignore those we do not understand
or like? Truth is found in the harmony that comes
from the sum of all the parts. There is an
explanation for Matthew 24:40-42 that
harmoniously aligns with the chronological order
given in Daniel and Revelation, as well as all
the other texts that do not harmonize with the
doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture.
New World Order
The world stands at the
door of a great transition. The nations of Earth
as we currently know them, are about to undergo a
radical change. I am not describing another world
order based on political realignment. Political
realignment has been an ongoing process ever
since the nations came into existence. Instead, I
am describing the destruction of earthy nations
and the creation of a new world whose order God
will establish. The Bible is the only source of
truth on this subject and it is the only book
that contains a comprehensive roadmap of soon
coming events. The Bible is the only authority
that speaks for God on this matter. For these
reasons, people should carefully consider the
prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. The people
of Earth need to understand that the Most High
God is about to bring this world of sin to an
end.
Many people sense that
something big is about to happen and indeed,
something very big is about to happen. Jesus is
going to startle billions of people with an
enormous demonstration of divine authority.
Confusion, mayhem and extreme suffering will be
everywhere and a trustworthy roadmap explaining
the forthcoming actions of Jesus will be
indispensable. Although the roadmap of Bible
prophecy does not reveal a pretty picture for the
immediate future, it does provide light of
eternal hope shining through a short, but very
dark tunnel. For this reason, the information
contained in this Bible should receive our
highest attention. After investigating Bible
prophecy for many years, I am convinced that
whether we agree or disagree with the events
described in the Bible prophecy, mans
opinion do not affect God or His actions. He will
do what He said He would do. What we believe
about God has nothing to do with Gods
behavior-all that He has predicted will come to
pass. Therefore, it is imperative that we
approach Bible prophecy from an honest
perspective for the purpose of understanding the
ways of God. The Father has put Jesus in control
of closing events. With this thought in mind, let
us consider what the Bible has to say about the
Second Coming and the concept of a
pre-tribulation rapture.
Views on the Rapture
Protestants basically
support one of four views about the gathering of
the saints. Many Protestants believe in a
pre-tribulation rapture. A smaller, but
significant number, believes in a mid-tribulation
rapture (Christians are taken to Heaven midway
through the seventieth week of seven years). A
third group of Protestants believe in a pre-wrath
rapture (Christians are taken to Heaven just
before the outpouring of the seven last plagues).
Last, a minority of Protestants believes in a
post-tribulation gathering of the saints at the
Second Coming. The concept of a rapture
(regardless of timing) is a complicated study
because so many ideas are involved. In fact, the
study of Bible prophecy is a lot like weaving a
potholder out of many pieces of colored yarn.
Small pieces of yarn are not very strong or
important by themselves. However, if a person
weaves the yarn together just right, the result
can be an attractive and durable potholder. The
same is true with the study of prophecy.
Eventually, every student of prophecy ends up
creating his or her own prophetic
potholder out of yarn given to him or her!
(Sorry about the pun.) As so often happens, many
rush out to assure others about the superiority
of their potholder and the weakness of all
others. (If this topic were no so serious, I
would find this process, which includes my work,
to be amusing.) The object of owning a potholder
is to keep from getting burned and a parallel can
be drawn for a prophetic potholder as well.
(Again, sorry for the pun.) There are a lot of
people out there that say Im totally wrong
about my prophetic potholder could not possibly
come from a logical study of Gods Word. My
standard response (defense?) is that the
arrangement of the yarn makes the difference! Be
assured, time will confirm all that God has said.
Nothing but the passage of time can confirm how
close or how far we are from rightly interpreting
Gods Word.
With that said, however,
I want you to know right up front that even when
I put the chronological order of Daniel and
Revelation aside for a moment, there are numerous
scriptural reasons why I cannot accept the
doctrine of pre-tribulation rapture. Let me
address a few of these issues:
Just One Gathering of the
Saints!
Some Christians say the
righteous dead do not participate in the
pre-tribulation rapture and others say the
righteous dead are included. What the Bible says?
When are the righteous dead resurrected? Jesus
said, And this is the will of him who sent
me, that I shall lose none of all that he has
given me, but raise them up at the last day. For
my Fathers will is that everyone who looks
to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal
life, and I will raise him up at the last
day. (John 6:39,40) When does the
last day occur? Does it occur at the
beginning of the 70th week (of seven
years)? No! Paul wrote, According to the
Lords own word, we tell you that we who are
still alive, who are left till the coming of the
Lord, will certainly not precede those who have
fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come
down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the
voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call
of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left
will be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we
will be with the Lord forever. (1
Thessalonians 4:15-17) These verses contain four
important points:
a.
The livings do not precede the dead to Heaven.
b.
Jesus Himself will come down from Heaven.
c.
He will call the righteous dead to life with a
loud command.
d.
As the dead ascend, the living will joins with
them to meet Jesus in the air.
Look again at the text.
Paul says, After that [resurrection of the
righteous], we who are still alive and left will
be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
Some people distort Pauls words to mean,
After that [the rapture], we who are still
alive and left [behind] will be caught up to meet
the Lord in the air [later on at the Second
Coming]
But this is not the
meanings of Pauls remarks. Consider
verse 15 again: According to the
Lords own word, we tell you that we who are
still alive, who are left till the coming of the:
Lord, will certainly not precede those who have
fallen asleep. Paul states two things:
First, the living will not precedes the dead to
Heaven. The two groups meet the Lord at the same
time. Second, Paul refers to individuals who are
alive when the Lord appears will unite with the
dead to meet Jesus in the air. Pauls idea
is quite different from being left behind
after the rapture. Review verses 15-17 and
notice Pauls use of the pronoun
we. Why does Paul use the inclusive
pronoun we in these texts? Paul
thought that he, with other living believers
(we), would live to see Christ appear
in the clouds and the dead raised from their
graves without experiencing death themselves. (1
Corinthians 7:29,30) Paul did not believe in or
teach a pre-Second Coming rapture.
Paul has more to say
about the resurrection of the righteous. Notice
this text which was written a few years after 1
Thessalonians: Listen, I tell you a
mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all
be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and
we will be changed. (1 Corinthians
15:51,52) Did you notice that the Apostle Paul
uses the inclusive pronoun we because
he believed that he would live to see Jesus
return. Of course, Paul had no idea time would
last 2,000 more years.
On the basis of what we
have read, the Bible teaches there is one
gathering of the saints, both the dead and the
living, at the last day. This fact proves the
rapture doctrine to be deficient because it
requires two gatherings of the saints, one
gathering at the beginning of the 70th
week and one gathering at the Second Coming.
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