This study will look at what the Word of God says about the rapture (catching up of the saints), as too many people speculate about the meaning of verses, while the Bible is very straight-forward about the sequence of events.
The 70th week of Daniel was fulfilled on time, after the 69th week, when Messiah confirmed the Everlasting New Covenant with His blood sacrifice. He and His disciples offered the Gospel to the Jews for 7 years, after which it was also offered to the Gentiles. So it can’t be a future 7-year tribulation period, which invalidates the concept of a pre-tribulation rapture. To read a Bible study that proves this, click on
70 Weeks Of Daniel Deception
In Matthew 28:18-20, Messiah said He would be with us unto the end of the world, not just until a pre-trib rapture.
“And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
In John 6:40, 44 and 54, Messiah repeatedly tells us that He will raise up the dead at the last day.
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
1 Thessalonians 5:2 says that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night to those who are in spiritual darkness.
“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
Then verses 4-6 say “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
If we are abiding in Messiah’s light, then we won’t be caught by surprise.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says that the dead shall rise at the last trumpet
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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”
The followers of Messiah who are alive when Jesus returns, will be changed AFTER the dead rise, at the END.
Revelation 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 tells us the rapture won’t be secret and that we’ll be ‘caught up’ after the dead rise first.
“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 (precede) them which are asleep. 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: 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.”
This is the same ‘not so secret’ event as Matthew 24:29-31, where the dead rise first, then the alive saints.
In John 16:33, Messiah told us we would have tribulation, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Paul tells us in I Thessalonians 5:9, to be sober in waiting for the return of Messiah, but we will not face His wrath.
“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So the Bible is telling us that people in the end of time will go through tribulation and will face the beast system. At the end, the dead will rise and then the living elect will be caught up in the air to meet Messiah.
Then His wrath will be poured out on the Earth to judge those who have rejected Him.
Messiah will come for His bride on the Feast of the Trumpets.
God gave the Israelites seven feasts to celebrate, all which pointed to the promised Messiah. Messiah has fulfilled four of the feasts, such as when He died as the Passover lamb, in exact detail at the precise time.
The next feast to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets, which represents Jesus return for His bride.
Knowing that Messiah is exact in His fulfillment of prophecy, and knowing that the Feast of Trumpets represents Jesus return for His bride, we know the context of Jesus return.
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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”
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
“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: 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 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Is it not logical that Messiah will return during the Feast of Trumpets?
10 days after the Feast of Trumpets is the Feast of Atonement, when Christ will judge His Church.
15 days after the Feast of Trumpets is the Feast of Tabernacles, when we will celebrate the wedding feast.
So you can clearly see that the judgment and wedding feast occur shortly after Messiah returns to gather His bride, not seven years beforehand.
To read more about the seven feasts and how they point to Jesus second coming, click on No One Knows The Day And Hour Of Jesus Return
The “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” is at the end, not 7 years before Messiah returns on His white horse.
Revelation 19:8-9 says that the bride is not ready until Revelation 19 and we are at the END of tribulation!
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
Then two sentences later in verse 11 we find the “Second Coming of Messiah”,
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”
As you can see, anyone who teaches that believers will be raptured, and will be at the wedding feast with Jesus, while everyone on Earth is enduring seven years of tribulation, is teaching contrary to the Word of Elohim.
Followers of Messiah have faced tribulation for the last 2,000 years, as it is part of our purification and testing.
Messiah’s disciples were persecuted and killed. Stephen the Apostle was stoned. Paul was beaten, stoned and persecuted. Millions of Christians have died at the hands of the Jews, the Romans and the Roman Catholic Church. Today, many Christians in other countries are being persecuted and killed for their faith.
Why would Elohim treat us any differently? Do we think that we are better than those who died for their faith?
Messiah told us in Revelation 3:14-16 that we are the Church of Laodicea, and He said that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. And because we are ‘lukewarm’, He will spit us out of His mouth, unless we repent of our ways.
Do you understand how effective Satan’s pre-tribulation rapture myth has been?
It has caused us to not prepare for hardship, as the financial system collapses.
You need to be prepared, so that during times of tribulation, you can protect yourself and your family. If you don’t, then every day will be spent trying to survive, instead of being spent helping those around you. When the world is suffering in the last days, people will be more desperate than ever for the Good News of Messiah .
It has caused us to not be prepared spiritually and unable to discern the truth about Satan’s end time plans.
You need to be alert, so that you’re not deceived by false prophets who tell you that the rapture has happened, or that the Messiah has come. You need to be strong with the full armor of Elohim protecting you.
Satan will make the world desperate for a savior who can provide for them and give them peace.
With the pending financial collapse; worldwide shortages of food and water; increases in wars and violence; and then the appearance of a false messiah… the world will be ripe to accept the mark of the beast.
Revelation 12:12,17 says “woe to the ones dwelling on the Earth, because the devil came down to you having great anger, knowing that he has a little time!”, “he is enraged and will make war with those having the testimony of Christ.”
You need be prepared to give an answer for your faith, so that you don’t submit to the beast system and deny Messiah.
Antichrist is not just one man in the end, but a system that has been working since the time of Messiah.
Satan’s deception has caused Christians to look only to an end-time antichrist, instead of looking to all the institutions that have been antichrist for thousands of years, and are working against Christians, such as Babylonian Judaism and the Jesuits who control the Roman Catholic Church.
To read a Bible study about the ‘Little Horn of Daniel’ and the ‘Beast of Revelation’, click on The Beasts of Daniel and Revelation
Truth be told, nowhere in the Bible does it say there will be a 7 year tribulation
If you doubt that, ask your pastor where in the Bible it says that there will be a 7-year tribulation.
There will be great tribulation to be sure, but the pre-tribulation rapture myth is built around the concept of a 7-year tribulation, a futuristic 70th week of Daniel, that is not supported by the Bible.
Click here to see how a 70th Week of Daniel Antichrist and 7 Year Tribulation are NOT Biblical
Click here to learn that the 70th Week Of Daniel Prince is NOT an End Times Antichrist
Click here to see why an End Times Fulfillment of the 70th Week of Daniel is Illogical
Click here for a one-page PDF summary of this page.
Thank you for allowing me to read your discourse. It was highly informative. I enjoyed it and learned from it.
Thank you for your comment Katy! I’m blessed to know that the studies have helped you. 🙂
I read your article on the 7 churches. It was a different look at history for sure. I am still reading some of your other articles. I read some of the pre-trib rapture. Could you please explain Isaiah 57:1?
Thank you for your comment Robin! I’ve not studied Isaiah 57:1 enough to comment, but here’s Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible on Isaiah 57:1
The righteous perisheth – הצדק אבד hatstsadik abad. There is an emphasis here which seems intended to point out a particular person. See below. Perisheth – As the root אבד abad signifies the straying of cattle, their passing away from one pasture to another, I feel inclined to follow the grammatical meaning of the word “perish,” pereo. So the Vulgate, justus periit, from per, By or Through, and eo, to Go. In his death the righteous man may be said to have passed through life, and to have passed by men, i.e., gone or passed before them into the eternal world. A similar mode of speech is used by our Saxon ancestors to express death: he went out of sight; and he went away; and to fare forth, to die.
There are very few places in Isaiah where Jesus Christ is not intended; and I am inclined to think that He is intended here, That Just One; and perhaps Stephen had this place in view, when he thus charged the Jews, “Ye denied τον αγιον και δικαιον , that Holy and Just One,” Ac 3:14. That his death was not laid to heart by the wicked Jewish people, needs no proof.
Merciful men – If the first refers to Christ, this may well refer to the apostles. and to others of the primitive Christians, who were taken away, some by death and martyrdom, and others by a providential escape from the city that they knew was devoted to destruction.
The evil to come – That destruction which was to come upon this disobedient people by the Romans.
And here’s Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible
The blessed death of the righteous not duly lamented by the Jews; who also commit idolatry, and trusted in man: they are threatened, Isa 57:1-12; Evangelical promises to the penitent, Isa 57:13-19. No peace to the wicked, Isa 57:20-21.
Ver. 1. The righteous; just and holy men, who are the pillars of the place and state in which they live; yea, as the Jews call them, the pillars of the world.
No man; few or none of the people. So he showeth that the corruption was general, in the people no less than in the priests.
Layeth it to heart; is duly affected with this severe stroke and sad sign of God’s displeasure.
Merciful; or, godly; the same whom he now called righteous, whose duty and practice it is to exercise both mercy or kindness, and justice.
From the evil to come; from those dreadful calamities which are coming upon the nation.
I am a student of history and you have a lot of great information and obviously have put a lot of time and effort into everything you have written.
I am not disagreeing with anything you have said as I have research many of the things you have said and they match up with what you have said as far as history is concerned.
I believe that all things central around Israel. What do you think of the marriage of the Jews. I have read it and it lines up perfectly with a 7 year period. Remember that when a Jew chose to get married he went to the father of the bride and made an agreement of what the price would be for the bride and then went and started building their home, and the bridegroom did not know when he could go get his bride until his father told him it was time.
will be interested to know your take on this event
Mitchell, I’ve not studied the Jews marriage traditions yet.
The concept of a futuristic 70th week of Daniel is a deception from the enemy, to fool the end times saints. It was fulfilled on time, after the 69th week; when Messiah and His disciples confirmed with the Jews (for seven years) that He is the promised Messiah who ratified the everlasting covenant with His blood, as the Passover Lamb.
The seven years ended after the Jewish leaders stoned Stephen to death, marking their final rejection of their promised Messiah. Then the book of Acts clearly shows a dramatic shift, as the Gospel was also preached to the Gentile nations.
http://70thweekofdaniel.com
David you said…”You need be prepared to give an answer for your faith, so that you don’t submit to the beast system and deny Messiah, and lose your salvation” I’m sorry David, but salvation can’t be lost otherwise it wasn’t salvation. The very word “saved” implies that it’s a done deal. God saves us… we don’t save ourself by “resisting the beast system.” Sorry, you are wrong.
God Bless…
Point taken Brad, I changed the wording to “You need be prepared to give an answer for your faith, so that you don’t submit to the beast system and deny Messiah.”
Salvation is salvation only as long as we accept it and overcome, otherwise we can indeed lose it.
Rev. 3:5 ” The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life.” Indicating there may be those whose names are blotted out.
We are warned in Matt. 24 that many will fall away, betray and hate one another; further that the love of many will grow cold.
1 Tim. 4: The [Holy] Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith …
2 Thess. 2:3 says the Day of the Lord will not come until the falling away comes, some translations: apostasy.
Why are we who are grafted in, warned by the Apostle that God did not spare the natural branches and He WILL NOT spare us? Rom. 11:21. Why that warning if we are saved once for all regardless of what we do or say?
If salvation cannot be lost, then why are we to work out our salvation with trembling and fear Phil. 2:12? Again, why the admonition if our salvation is is assured no matter what we do or say?
You are all false teachers. Explain this mystery instead: how there could be so many different views of prophecy of end times? Ah, but you know what IS comforting, that none of you fear God. It’s easy to find wolves since they are always moving, and sheep are mostly still.
Revelation 22:18
For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
That is what all of you are doing. Adding to and removing from prophecy. I pray God will keep you from His wrath, because all this noise is certainly grieving God.
The shame is on you pharisees.
How could there be so many different views of prophecy? Because the enemy has been very effective at causing confusion. The irony is that you can’t see the truth about prophecy fulfillment, so you too are a false prophet. I’m done approving your attacking posts. The shame is on you, because you could have learned something on this website, but all you do is criticize.
David, You are correct in stating that Bible (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) Scripture shows there is NO pre-trib rapture.
You just keep on telling the truth.
It is the carnal mind and arrogance of humans that want to believe in an escape route. They cannot, or will not, understand that as Jesus suffered,
all those who truly follow Him will also suffer.
As the enemy as accused you of ‘being a false prophet’, that person has done exactly what you were accused of: adding to, taking away of Scripture.
By speaking the truth of No pre-trib rapture, you have acted as a watchman on the wall; and done well. Ignore the darts of the evil one, by using the shield of faith.
It may seem too simple but I like simple. I believe what Paul calls the last trumpet in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 and what is described as the seventh trumpet in Revelation Chapter 11 are the same event.
In Revelation 11:18, it is not speaking of the great white throne judgment but a judgment for rewards of God’s people and since the time of the dead is apparently the time of the resurrection of the dead then this is “the dead in Christ that rise first”.
1 Thessalonians 4:16New International Version (NIV)
16 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.
The resurrection is the time for rewards.
Luke 14:13-14New International Version (NIV)
13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Since the resurrection is the time of reward, and since all who are saved are saved through Jesus Christ.
If Revelation Chapter 11 and 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 and 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 is speaking of the resurrection of the same people, then the Rapture could not occur before the seventh trumpet because Paul says the dead in Christ will rise first.
I agree the Rapture does not occur pre-Tribulation. I believe the scripture tells us exactly when it is.
It may seem too simple but I like simple. I believe what Paul calls the last trumpet in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 and what is described as the seventh trumpet in Revelation Chapter 11 are the same event.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53New International Version (NIV)
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 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. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
Revelation 11:15-19New King James Version (NKJV)
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms[a] of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,[b]
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant[c] was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
In Revelation 11:18, it is not speaking of the great white throne judgment but a judgment for rewards of God’s people and since the time of the dead is apparently the time of the resurrection of the dead then this is “the dead in Christ that rise first”.
1 Thessalonians 4:16New International Version (NIV)
16 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.
The resurrection is the time for rewards.
Luke 14:13-14New International Version (NIV)
13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Since the resurrection is the time of reward, and since all who are saved are saved through Jesus Christ.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Then I think we can conclude that these are the same people that Paul describes as the dead in Christ in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18New International Version (NIV)
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
If Revelation Chapter 11 and 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 and 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 is speaking of the resurrection of the same people, then the Rapture could not occur before the seventh trumpet because Paul says the dead in Christ will rise first.
God Bless:
I agree, the Rapture does not happen pre-Tribulation. I believe the scripture tells us exactly when it happens.
It would be safer to believe that we will have to endure Tribulation and that turnout not to be the case than the other way around.
In Revelation Chapter 6:9-11, it speaks of those that are slain because of the word of God and their testimony they had maintained. If the faithful had already been raptured, who are these people?
Revelation 6:9-11New International Version (NIV)
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[a] were killed just as they had been.
It is true that those that are faithful are promised to be saved from the wrath of God.
Romans 5:9Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
However, the wrath of God and the Tribulation are not the same thing. Although the time of trouble (Tribulation) is a horrible and scary time that none want to endure, I believe it is a time of testing and not God’s wrath. Others have been tested and we are not promised to be saved from being testing.
Genesis 22:1New International Version (NIV)
Abraham Tested
22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Deuteronomy 8:2New International Version (NIV)
2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
Jeremiah 9:7New International Version (NIV)
7 Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says:
“See, I will refine and test them,
for what else can I do
because of the sin of my people?
Matthew 4:1New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil.
When Jesus was about to be crucified and prayed for His disciples He did not ask that they never face tribulation.
John 17:15-17New International Version (NIV)
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[a] the truth; your word is truth.
John 16:33New International Version (NIV)
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Again reading
Revelation 6:9New International Version (NIV)
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.
Many people believe that the Rapture comes before any of the Tribulation. Dr. David Jeremiah has gone as far as to promise such based on these scriptures: Rev. 3:10, 2 Peter 2:9, Romans 8:1 and Romans 5:9. We have already looked at Romans 5:9. The only other one that seems to apply specifically to the Tribulation is Rev. 3:10.
Revelation 3:10New International Version (NIV)
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
The most common translations state “keep you from” but some other translations say: deliver you from, keep you safe during, protect you from, keep you safe in and protect you from. So you can see the possibilities.
Other things to consider are that this promise was made to only one of the seven churches not all seven. Also many people believe that the seven churches represent seven eras of church history (I lean toward this understanding) and this promise is given appropriately to the sixth church era (or last era before the Tribulation in the seventh era) therefore this Philadelphia Church (because they kept His word, and have not denied His name) is promised the Tribulation will not happen in their era.
You may disagree but I believe the scriptures tell us very clearly when the Rapture will happen. It may seem too simple but I like simple. I believe what Paul calls the last trumpet in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 and what is described as the seventh trumpet in Revelation Chapter 11 are the same event.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53New International Version (NIV)
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 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. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
Revelation 11:15-19New King James Version (NKJV)
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms[a] of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,[b]
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant[c] was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
In Revelation 11:18, it is not speaking of the great white throne judgment but a judgment for rewards of God’s people and since the time of the dead is apparently the time of the resurrection of the dead then this is “the dead in Christ that rise first”.
1 Thessalonians 4:16New International Version (NIV)
16 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.
The resurrection is the time for rewards.
Luke 14:13-14New International Version (NIV)
13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Since the resurrection is the time of reward, and since all who are saved are saved through Jesus Christ.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Then I think we can conclude that these are the same people that Paul describes as the dead in Christ in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18New International Version (NIV)
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
If Revelation Chapter 11 and 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 and 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 is speaking of the resurrection of the same people, then the Rapture could not occur before the seventh trumpet because Paul says the dead in Christ will rise first.
Let’s also confirm the order of things in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23New King James Version (NKJV)
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
It seems clear that Christ does not resurrect the bodies of the dead and claim the redeemed living until “at his coming”. My thinking is that He may at some time come to earth as “a thief in the night” and organize things for the protection of the remnant of Jews and then His public coming stated in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “16 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. 17 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.” and I believe that is the same time as at the Seventh Trumpet in Revelation 11:15 when God begins to take power on earth and it is said “The kingdoms[a] of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”.
Matthew 24:29-31 describes these same events and my thinking is that this may be describing the end of the tribulation period because it says “Immediately after the distress of those days” to me distress means the same as tribulation, and then comes the Bowl Judgments.
Matthew 24:29-31New International Version (NIV)
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[a]
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[b] will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.[c] 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
“People of the earth will mourn” does not include God’s spiritual people who will be raptured in an instant. “From the four winds” may mean our bodies from all the earth and “from one the end of the heavens to the other” may mean our spirit and soul to be reunited with our resurrected bodies.
When does the wrath of God start? It seems apparent that the wrath starts after the seventh trumpet, with the bowl judgments, after the faithful gentiles are taken out of the way. I do not know if believing Jews are raptured or just protected from the bowl judgments.
Revelation 16:1New International Version (NIV)
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”
After the seventh trumpet, with the raptured out of the way, Revelation Chapters 12-18 seems to only deal with Jews and those under the power or influence of Satan. Revelation Chapter 19 deals with the victory and celebration. Revelation 20 is the Great White Throne Judgment. In Revelation 21 we have a new heaven and a new earth and a New Jerusalem. In Revelation 22, God reigns forever and ever.
God Bless:
You are reading off from corrupted versions of the Roman Catholic Church through its Jesuits. NIV? Stay away from it, as with the NewKJV. The Textus Receptus and the Septuagint are the most accurate. KJV, whether its the 1611 and the 1798 are approximately 95% accurate and ONLY modern English translations. ESV, ISV, NIV, stay away from them, they Jesuit corrupted books.
To see what world leaders have covered up in regard to Bible prophecy, check out this (non-pretrib) British site:
agree pretrib rap is false…raptured to the clouds = earth event
apparently disagree on the 42 month tribulation…seems to me there will be on daniel 11 revelation
apparently disagree on the temple …many types of animal sacrifice offerings besides atonement…temple will be used in new millenium….
yup death of stephen wrapped up the 70 weeks
correct.. the 70th week future event is total dung as is most modern day interpretations of the bible