Rapture
Just Like the Days of Noah explores the teaching of Christ in Matthew 24-25 regarding end times. Jesus tells us to prepare for all that precipitates His return - to be alert but not afraid. This study DOES NOT take a dogmatic stand on the timing of the rapture. You are free to decide that for yourself. However, I do personally believe that the Church will walk through the tribulation, catching those off guard who have dismissed this possibility. Therefore, I have supplemented the study with this section of the website to address the rapture. Please understand that my heart is for you, not against you. We should not be afraid to walk through anything God asks of us.
Prior to my study of Matthew 24, a close friend asked me, "Do you believe in the pre-tribulation rapture?" I replied, "Of course." I knew that the Scriptures speak to the rapture but honestly had never personally studied the timing. Then, after God directed me to Matthew 24, I began to do the research and realized that the "pre-tribulation" rapture theory is not a clear concept and depends on vague passages of Scripture for biblical support. Most of us are unaware of this void of scriptural support and even more unaware that the Bible speaks primarily instead to God's saints enduring to the end, in and through the tribulation period. That may surprise you. I know it stunned and shocked me.
I challenge you to pick up the Word of God and put down the library of books, most of which are tributaries streaming from a common pool of thought. Take time before God to pray and honestly search the Scriptures for His truth. Don't look only for verses that would support your view of preference, while ignoring the rest. Start reading through the New Testament and note every reference to the coming of the Lord and responsibilities of the Church to endure to the end. Do your own study and then come to a conclusion. How will your faith stand up if you are asked by God to endure the greatest time of testing this earth has ever seen? Especially if you don't expect to!
According to 1 Cor. 15:52, the rapture occurs at God's last trumpet. In the Book of Revelation, we read of 7 trumpets prior to 7 bowls of wrath. Is the 7th trumpet in Revelation 11:15 that last trumpet when the Church is raptured? Those who believe otherwise are primarily of the pre-tribulation persuasion. The 7th trumpet occurs at the end of the tribulation, immediately before the 7 bowls of God's wrath.
What we can assert with confidence is this - the Church of Jesus Christ will NOT be on earth during the 7 bowls of wrath. Nahum 1:2 and Daniel 12:1-3 make that clear. So do many other Scriptures including 1 Thess. 1:10 which says, wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. The trumpets are similar to the signs and wonders displayed in Egypt during the time of Moses. God's people were there for that. The wrath of God is in the bowls, not the trumpets.
Early Church Doctrine
Prior to the "pre-tribulation" teaching that emerged in the 1800s, early Church fathers understood and taught that Christians would endure the great tribulation period. Noah and his family entered the ark right before it began to rain. Lot and family were rescued just before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Would the Church be rescued seven years prior to the bowls of wrath being poured out? God maintains His light during times of oppressive darkness so that His gospel continues to be made known and the opportunity to repent is extended. Matthew 24:14 says, And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.
Instead of asking, "Why would God take us through the tribulation?" We should ask... "Why wouldn't He?" The tribulation is a time of testing, not wrath.
Reference: The Blessed Hope by George Ladd
Israel Awakened
Scriptural emphasis is placed on Israel being awakened during the tribulation period because the fullness of the Gentiles is complete. This does not mean that Gentile believers are removed from the earth however. It simply means that God turns His attention to Israel and begins a "regrafting" process that completes the salvation of all believers. To divide Jew from Gentile is to divide the body of Jesus Christ into the Church of the Gentile and the Church of the Jew. No basis for such a division in Scripture exists.
Moses asked Hobab the Midianite to go with Israel through the wilderness as their "eyes" on the way to Canaan. (Num. 10:29-31) Certainly the Gentiles who have footings in the New Testament Covenant teachings will be "eyes" for the Jewish brethren during the tribulation. The Jews carried the laws of God to prepare the way for Christ. The Gentiles are now carrying the gospel message of good news to every nation, proclaiming His grace. Together we will welcome Jesus Christ as His bride when He comes! As a union of ONE!
"parousia"
The second "coming" or parousia of Jesus Christ refers to the Son of Man coming as a conquering King. (Strong's Concordance)
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 is the primary passage referring to the rapture: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming (parousia) of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
This Scripture is frequently taught to teach a "pre-tribulation" rapture because it is the rapture passage. However, the timing actually places the rapture at the parousia or glorious coming of the Lord.
Two Raptures? Two Returns?
Daniel 12:1-3 describes the resurrection of the dead and rescue of Daniel's people from unparalleled distress. Here the Jewish people are referred to because the Church was not yet born. However, the dead are raised just as they are in 1 Cor. 15:22- 24 in reference to the Church.
In Christ, all will be raised from the dead. But each in his own order; Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming (parousia), then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father... (1 Cor. 15:23-24).
In addition, 1 Cor. 15:52 says that, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. This dead "being raised" is what Daniel 12:1-3 and 1 Thess. 4:16 mentions.
1 Thess. 4:14-18 says, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive, and remain until the coming (parousia) of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
As you can see from these Scriptures, the dead in Christ are raised prior to the rapture. And when are the dead in Christ raised? At the parousia of Christ who said, I will raise him up on the last day (Jn. 6:44, 54).
Before Lazarus was raised from the dead, Mary said to Jesus, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day (Jn. 11:24). On the LAST DAY! As you read above in 1 Thess. 4:14-18, the rapture doesn't happen until after the resurrection. On the LAST DAY! Would the last day be seven years before God's wrath is poured out? No. the last day would be the LAST DAY of opportunity for repentance and salvation.
Obviously, to believe in a rapture before the (parousia), means there has to be an additional resurrection of the dead and a third coming of Christ. The Scriptures simply do not support or teach that. One has to scramble and stretch the Word of God to manage two raptures and three comings.
So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him (Heb. 9:28).
Get Ready!
Gospel of Grace
Prior to the age of grace initiated through Jesus Christ, the world was under the judgment and penalties of the Law. The laws of God came through Israel, a nation chosen to separate themselves unto God and proclaim His righteousness. After the death and resurrection of Christ, His body or "Church" was birthed to be comprised of anyone from any nation willing to separate unto God as a holy people.
Romans 11 refers to our present age of grace as a time for God to graft in the Gentile nations. God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed of faith which is Jesus Christ. When God completes this miraculous grafting, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. (Mark 13:10) Then Israel will join the Gentiles as one.
Suffering unites us with common bonds of affliction. Remember the destruction of the Twin Towers on 9/11/2001? Americans were united (though temporarily) through that event. God is One and it is uppermost in His mind that we be united in and with Him. I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one (Jn. 17:20-21).
In Jesus Christ, Jew and Gentile are sealed as ONE by His Spirit! As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight (Ps. 16:3). The saints are His "holy ones," born again by His Spirit, cleansed by His blood. We are not the Gentile saints or Jewish saints. All of God's people are His saints!
At the appropriate time during the great tribulation which comes upon the earth for the testing of men, Jesus returns, rescues and raptures His saints, His elect (Mt. 24:22), I will arise, says the LORD; i will set him in the safety for which he longs (Ps. 12:5).
The Glory of God
God purposed that Israel be present in Egypt for His signs and wonders to unfold before He delivered them. He hardened the Pharaoh's heart so that both Egypt and Israel could see His wonderous glory. The glory of God that we will see during the tribulation period, goes with us as a visual into eternity. We will see the power of God just as Israel saw it in Egypt. Will there be suffering? Yes, and martyrdom will be a premium according to the 5th seal in Revelation 6:9-11. But our testimonies of faith will speak loudly of the gospel in a day of distress and darkness (Luke 21:13). Though we are not promised to be spared the persecution, we are promised to be "kept" in His name (Jn. 17:12-14). I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to "keep" them from the evil one (Jn. 17:15) .
Revelation 3:10 also says, Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing (temptation), that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. Jesus will "keep" and protect us from temptation.
We should understand the necessity to endure the lesser fires we walk through now and the importance of persevering in our present distresses. These smaller fires that we walk through today, though they may seem intense, are preparing us for a coming tribulation many times hotter than these.
Anger
It is difficult to discuss eschatology without encountering attitudes of anger and hostility. We draw swords and spar which could not possibly be God's intentions regarding the mysterious matters of prophecy. We should not be so quick to reject one another for differing views but rather pray for, love and support one another. Be angry but sin not. (Eph. 4:26) As our gracious Lord has forgiven us, so we must also forgive and love one another.
Regarding the timing of the rapture, a wise scholar notably advised, "Hope for the best and prepare for the worst." You should give some consideration to the impact upon your faith if God does ask us to walk through the tribulation. At least count the cost of carrying the cross of Christ as worthy of all earthly loss and commit to His righteous ways.
If I have angered you, then please forgive me. It is not the intent of Just Like the Days of Noah to cause dissention. Some of my favorite preachers and teachers today presently take a "pre" or "mid" tribulation stand. Others take a "post" tribulation stand but all are conscientious in handling the Word of God accurately. All are being greatly used in the Kingdom of God for His glory. Let us not contend against one another but continue to teach and minister with a focus on extending God's gracious gospel of forgiveness while there is opportunity. And...
Get Ready!
