The Rapture – Day 22

Rise and shine, reader ☺! Pull up a chair and grab your cup of favorite beverage. Today’s picture was taken at Monticello, VA. A rain storm occurred while we were inside and when we come out, voila! 😲 It reminds me of Christ’s coming in the clouds to Rapture His Church! It is such an exciting thought, amen? I meditate on this event nearly every day and long to see Jesus and forever be with Him! Today’s post is a bit long but I promise a blessing (at least it was for me) when you read the part about the Jewish wedding❣

To truly understand the Pre-Tribulation Rapture viewpoint, one must understand that Christ’s next return occurs in two separate occasions, not just one. One appearance is in the clouds and the second is His return to earth in Israel. This is where other viewpoints get confused. They are not studying the Scriptures like good Bereans to make sure that what they are taught is in line with the Scriptures. The Bereans studied these things out for themselves: and so much more should we, Christian!

The Apostle Paul teaches us about the “mystery” of the Rapture. The word mystery is only found in the New Testament and it appears 22 times in the King James Version. We can be just as studious because we have those very Scriptures to study so we can learn about this mystery! What a blessing this is, especially in times like these. The world as we once knew it twenty years ago is now gone. In its place is a more evil world than we have ever seen. We are called to witness to others about the salvation of Christ. While we accomplish His task, we are to encourage one another about this wonderful and blessed topic of the Rapture.

What is the Apostle Paul saying here? He’s saying that the dead in Christ will get their new bodies as they are taken up into the air (their spirits went to be with Christ upon the death of their earthly body). Those which are living when the Rapture occurs will receive their immortal body. Why? The body, flesh and blood, dies (corrupts) and cannot go into eternity because the body cannot live forever. However, the new body that we all receive while we go up will be one that does not die or decay but will live forever! Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us. Just as we discussed on my last post where Lot was removed from Sodom and Gomorrah before its destruction and Noah and his family were saved, so will Jesus come for us and physically remove us from this earth before God’s wrath is released on the entire world.

The “hour of temptation” in Revelation 3:10 means “trial.” So believers will be kept from that trial which will come upon all the world! Scripture makes it clear there are two separate returns. The first coming of Christ (the Rapture) is clearly not to the earth but we will meet Him in the air. It is a time that no man knows the day or hour; it will come as a thief in the night. Anyone who has been robbed can tell you that they were not prepared for it. It happened quickly and at a time that was unknown to them.

This “day of the Lord” occurs in the air – in the clouds, not here on the earth. This is when He comes to get His Bride (the Church comprised of born-again believers) to take her to His Father’s house. When does it happen? It happens like a thief in the night.

The Second Coming of the Lord, however, is when He comes here to the earth, in Israel, and His bride will be with Him. Therefore, we have to already be in Heaven before this happens. When Christ comes to earth to wrap up the Tribulation period, He returns with us! On top of that, it is seen by all! It is not a mystery or a secret!

Only Christ’s blood can make us clean from sin, amen? The angels cannot be the ones comprising Christ’s army because they are not washed clean by the blood of Jesus. Revelation 19:8 says that it is the righteousness of the saints – the Church is made righteous by Jesus Christ, and Him only. Do you see why you have to read your Bible so you can be encouraged by the Scriptures??? So, therefore, the army here is the Bride of Christ, not angels. Those who claim this do not compare scripture with scripture and make sure there are no contradictions in their viewpoint.

Friend and reader, how can we be raptured at the end of the Tribulation, prepare ourselves, attend the marriage supper of the Lamb, then return to earth to fight with Christ? This makes no sense when viewing the Rapture occurring at the end of the Tribulation. Let’s look at the Jewish wedding in biblical times. The sequence of the wedding will give you an idea of the comparison with the Rapture and when it occurs.

There are seven phases from the betrothal to the actual marriage consummation!!! Doesn’t this bless you? As you know, the number seven symbolizes perfection. What a blessing! The phases are:

1. The father of the groom made the arrangements for the marriage and paid a price for the bride. The Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to pay for the bride with His blood. (1Co 6:20)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1Co 7:23)  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
2. The bridegroom goes back home to prepare a place for his bride. (Joh 14:2)  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (Joh 14:3)  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.
3. The father of the groom determined the timing of when the bridegroom would return to get his bride. The bridegroom did not know the exact time. (Mat 24:36)  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Mar 13:32)  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
4. The bride is consecrated and set apart. 1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
5. Once the father of the groom gave the go ahead, the bridegroom would go to where the bride was. The groom returns with a shout. (1 Th 4:16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. He then takes his bride to his home. (1 Th 4:15-17)  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 them which are asleep. (16)  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: (17)  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.
6. The bride and groom go to the wedding chamber. The bridge and groom stay in their chamber for seven days. Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.” Praise the Lord! Scripture tells us that a prophetic day can equal a year. Numbers 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities. The seven days the Jewish bride and groom spend in the wedding chamber appear to equate to seven years of Tribulation. Dan 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. The antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel in the middle of the seven-year Tribulation.
7. After seven days/years, the marriage feast occurs. Jesus returns to earth on a white horse with His Bride to have victory over the earth. Rev 19:11-14  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.  (12)  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  (13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
8. Lastly, after the Battle of Armageddon, Jesus reigns in Jerusalem for 1,000 years, known as the Feast of Tabernacles, where He “tabernacles” with man during the Millennial Kingdom!

Now that you have read about the Jewish wedding, do you not see that the Rapture cannot occur at the end, or even in the middle? The Groom and the Bride go into their wedding chamber for seven days/years (during the seven year Tribulation)!

The Rapture and the Tribulation are two separate events; make no mistake about it. No hope or consolation can be given to people who are about to go through the worse time in history!

Does this excite you, reader? It surely does me! But to the one who is not saved, it is a different story. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!