Rapture
Just Like the Days of Noah explores the teaching of Christ in Matthew 24-25 regarding latter days. Jesus tells us to prepare for all that precipitates His return in order to avoid deception and fear. This study does not take a dogmatic stand on the timing of the rapture. You are free to decide that for yourself. However, after personally researching the Scriptures over the last two decades, my conclusion is that the probability of the Church enduring the great tribulation is extremely high. If true, then those who have dismissed that possibility will be caught off guard and at a disadvantage. Please understand that my heart is for you, not against you.
We should not be afraid to face anything God asks of us.
Prior to my study of Matthew 24, a good friend asked, "Do you believe in the pre-tribulation rapture?" I replied, "Yes, of course." I knew the Scriptures speak of being “caught up” but honestly had never personally studied the timing myself. Then, after God directed me to Matthew 24, I began to cross reference the Scriptures, only to be led in a different direction from what I had always been taught. After years of inductive style research and analysis, allowing the Scriptures to interpret themselves, I began to check online for the origin of the “pre-tribulation” teaching. It was then that I became aware that the "pre-tribulation" rapture teaching is rooted in theological Dispensational theory. It is not a clear concept revealed by any OT or NT author, or even the Son of God Himself and depends heavily upon difficult passages of Scripture for its construction. Most of us are unaware of this void of clear Scriptural support and do not realize that God’s covenant promises speak instead of God's saints being one congregation redeemed by the blood of one Messiah and identified by their endurance to the end. 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 litany of books, most of which are tributaries streaming from a theoretical Dispensational pool of thought. Take time before God to pray and honestly search the Scriptures for clear truth. Honestly. Humbly. With a determination to “accurately handle the Word of God.” (2 Tim. 2:15) Don't look only for verses that could support a view of preference while ignoring those that clearly don’t.
Start reading through the New Testament and note every reference to the coming of the Lord and responsibilities of God’s saints to endure to the end. I started with the timeline of Christ in Matthew 24 and began cross-referencing Scriptures from both Old and New Testaments. It was an amazing journey! I discovered that when we utilize the timeline of Christ as a spine of prophetic events, the rest of Scripture adheres to it like muscle and meat. We have the “timeline” of Christ and the “revelation” of Christ. They fit together like hand in glove. Do your own study. How will your faith stand up if asked by God to endure the greatest time of testing this earth has ever seen? (Mt. 24:21, Dan. 12:1), Especially if you don't expect to! At least become acquainted with the signs Christ provides us with in Matthew 24, which is accomplished in this study.
ln 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, the resurrection takes place BEFORE the saints are “caught up.” So, when does that take place? According to 1 Corinthians 15:52, the righteous resurrection occurs at God's LAST TRUMPET. Seven trumpets are revealed in Revelation prior to seven bowls of wrath. Could the 7th trumpet in Revelation 11:15 be that last trumpet? It certainly could. Where else in Scripture do we see a series of trumpets when the “mystery of God is finished” and the Kingdom is acquired by Jesus? (Revelation 11:7, 15). We look at this in detail in Just Like the Days of Noah.
We should be able to agree that the saints will NOT be on earth for God’s wrath. Nahum 1:2 and Daniel 12:1-3 make that clear. So do other Scriptures such as 1 Thessalonians 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.” In this study, you will look at Scriptures that pinpoint the timing of God’s wrath. Let the Word of God speak!
Early Christian Doctrine
What did the early Church fathers teach, whose writings are not part of the Bible? It has been suggested that Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, held a “pre-tribulation” eschatological view. Irenaeus wrote, “Therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, ‘There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be. For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome, they are crowned with incorruption.’” He mentions being suddenly “caught up.” But he also says the tribulation is the last contest of the righteous, in which they overcome and are crowned with incorruption. If we’re going to draw from extraneous writings for doctrine, then we should also consider the book of Enoch, a patriarch mentioned in Genesis 5 and Jude 14. The book of Enoch opens with, “The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed.”
If a pre-tribulation rapture is what God has planned, then why wouldn’t the Old or New Testament writers reveal that? They don’t. Paul is the only writer to even mention being “caught up” when Jesus comes and his purpose is to remind the Thessalonians that they would see their deceased loved ones again. Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. The context is one of enduring tribulation, not escaping - being encouraged by Paul of a reunion with their lost loved ones. In fact, Paul taught the same church in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 that the Antichrist would come before the day of the Lord and His return.
The Scriptures and parables of Christ encourage us to “be alert” to the times and “ready” for the day of the Lord when He returns - we are never taught to be ready for a “pre-tribulation” rapture. Daniel was the first Old Testament prophet to write of the Son of Man coming in GLORY and acquiring His Kingdom. It is important to note that Jesus quoted Daniel’s reference to His coming in Revelation 1:7 as He stood in the midst of seven golden candlesticks which represented His churches. He quoted Daniel 7:13. Why is that important? Because Jesus is divulging a GLORIOUS coming to the churches, not partial, stealthy return. Paul told Titus that we are NOW LOOKING for “the blessed hope and appearing of the GLORY of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). Only a GLORIOUS return of Christ is described and depicted in Scripture as His second coming. No Scripture speaks to a third partial rescue return.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8 says that we are “awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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. In Matthew 24:39-41, Jesus puts one being taken and one left at the end of His timeline, not at the beginning. God maintains His light during times of oppressive darkness so that His gospel continues to be proclaimed while opportunity for repentance exists. 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?" Perhaps we should ask... "Why wouldn't He?" The tribulation is a time of testing, not God’s wrath. We examine that in Just Like the Days of Noah.
Israel Awakened
God’s emphasis is definitely on Israel during the tribulation period because the fullness of the Gentiles will have “come in.” (Romans 11:25) And God’s promises to the physical nation of Israel must be fulfilled. Does that mean Gentile believers will be removed from the earth? Or simply that God begins His "regrafting" of Israel in order to complete the Church body 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 of Christ’s congregation in Scripture exists. In Joshua 1:12-16, the three tribes who had already received their inheritance beyond the Jordan were required to enter Canaan with their brethren in “battle array,” to fight with and for them. Then they would enter into a “rest” together.
Moses asked Hobab the Midianite to go with Israel through the wilderness as their "eyes" on the way to Canaan. (Numbers 10:29-31) Certainly the Gentiles who have footings in the New Testament Covenant teachings will be eyes, ears, and hands 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, including Israel, proclaiming His grace. Together we will welcome Jesus Christ as His bride when He returns! As a union of ONE!
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 is the passage that refers 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 passage actually connects the rapture or being “caught up” to the parousia or glorious coming of the Lord. The Greek word parousia refers to the second coming when the Son of Man returns as a conquering King. 1 Corinthians 15:20-24 tells us that the righteous dead are resurrected when Christ returns (parousia). The resurrection has to take place before the rapture according to the Paul in the passage above. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 reveals that the day of the Lord and coming (parousia) of Christ will not occur until after the Abomination of Desolation occurs. Paul is writing to the same congregation (Thessalonians) he spoke to regarding the rapture.
James 5:7-8 says to be patient until the coming (parousia) of the Lord. These are just a few of the Scriptures that we look at in Just Like the Days of Noah.
TWO Raptures? TWO Returns?
1 Thessalonians 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 that passage, the dead in Christ are raised BEFORE those who remain are “caught up" or raptured. So, when is the righteous resurrection? Jesus taught that it would happen on the “last day” (John 6:39,40,44, 54). Before Lazarus was raised from the dead (whose body remained corruptible), Mary testified that he would rise again IN THE RESURRECTION on the “last day.” (John 11:24)
Daniel 12:1-3 depicts the resurrection and rescue of Daniel's people from unparalleled distress during the great tribulation. God’s elect at that time were predominately Jewish because they had not yet been broken off for rejecting the Messiah - Jesus. (Romans 11) Daniel’s resurrection of the righteous must be the same event Paul mentions in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:22- 24 - unless there is more than one resurrection of the righteous planned. God can do whatever He wants but He has only revealed one resurrection of the righteous (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:5-6) and one resurrection of the unrighteous (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15).
Everyone 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 Corinthians 15:23-24), which He receives at the sound of the seventh and last trumpet. (Revelation 11:15) The righteous are resurrection when Jesus returns. The unrighteous will be resurrected after the 1,000-year reign and stand before the Great White Throne of God (Revelation 20:11-15).
Additionally, 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, “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.” The dead being “raised" is what both Daniel 12:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 both reveal.
Obviously, to believe in a rapture before the (parousia), means there has to be an additional coming of Christ and an additional resurrection of the righteous. Again, God can do whatever He wants but the Scriptures simply do not reveal more than one righteous resurrection or more than one return.
“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” (Hebrews 9:28). Two comings - one for the sinner and the other for His saints. Thus, one return. Two resurrections - one for the righteous and one for the unrighteous. Thus, one righteous resurrection.
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Gospel of Grace
Prior to the age of grace initiated by Jesus Christ, the world was under judgment because of Adam and Eve’s sin. Righteous laws were given to Israel, a nation chosen to separate themselves as a holy people by keeping His laws and proclaiming His righteousness. They failed miserably. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, grace upon grace was extended to the world and many Gentiles have been chosen from all nations, appointed and anointed by the Spirit of God at Pentecost to share the gospel worldwide as united emissaries and ambassadors for Christ.
Romans 11 refers to our present age of grace as an official invitation and opportunity for Gentiles from every nation to be grafted into the vine. God’s covenant promise to Abraham was that all nations would be blessed through his seed of faith which is Jesus Christ. When God finishes this gracious grafting, the fullness of the Gentiles will peak and His promise to restore Israel be fulfilled. Thus, Israel is both the first and last nation to be called into the congregation of the Messiah. 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 horrific event. God is united and working to unite us 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; even as You Father are in Me and I in You that they also may be in Us” (John 17:20-21).
In God’s Son, we are all united 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” (Psalm 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 saints are His holy ones, His elect, in a union together with God!
At the appropriate time during the great tribulation which comes upon the earth for the testing of men, Jesus returns to resurrect, rapture and renew His saints. Be ready. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (John 3:16). Yet, “From His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Acknowledge and turn from your sins in order to receive His forgiveness and grace. Love Him. Live for Him. Yearn for His return because He is coming! The day of the Lord is coming - promised to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15. Opportunity for grace will be over and God’s judgment against sin and Satan will begin. Those marked by the blood of Jesus Christ will be rescued, exempt from His wrath. “I will arise, says the LORD; I will set him in the safety for which he longs (Psalm 12:5).
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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 Revelation 6:9-11; 12:11, 17; Daniel 7:21-22, and other passages of Scripture. But our testimonies of faith will speak loudly in that day of distress and darkness (Luke 21:13). Though we are not promised to be spared persecution, we are promised to be "kept" in His name (John 17:12-14). “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to "keep" them from the evil one” (John 17:15) . The word for “keep” is tereo, meaning to “guard, protect, watch over.”
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. He will “watch over” and “guard” those who are His.
We should understand the necessity to endure the lesser fires we walk through presently and the importance of persevering and enduring under these distresses. These much smaller fires that we are walking through today, though they may feel intense, are preparing us for a fire seven times hotter in the latter days. (Daniel 3:19-30) Don’t run from your trials. Walk through them with Jesus Christ and He will “keep” tereo you! To experience that today is to be prepared for tomorrow. “If Your law had not been my delight, then I woudl have perished in my affliction. i will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me. I am Yours. Save me” (Psalm 119:92-94).
It is difficult to discuss our views of eschatology without encountering differences and hostility. We tend to draw swords and spar which could not possibly be God's intentions regarding His prophetic revelations. Let’s not be so quick to reject one another when we have differing views but rather love and support one another. No one knows everything about God’s plan though we may think we do; our different perspectives could complement one another. God designed the body of Christ to have differences - different giftings to be used in different ministries and each with different effects. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
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 you 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 righteousness and perfect ways.
If I have angered you, then please forgive me. It is not the intent of Just Like the Days of Noah to cause any dissention or take an arrogant stand. Some of my favorite pastors and teachers today are Dispensationalists, utilizing a “Church Age” pre-tribulation lens of interpretation. Others Interpret latter day events through the lens of Covenant theology - meaning that God has revealed His plan through His covenant promises. I currently belong to that community because I would rather invest my hope in clear revelation rather than theological theory. We should all strive to handle the Word of God accurately and serve in the Kingdom of God for His glory, not ours. It is too easy for ministry to become about our promotion rather than promoting the gospel of Jesus Christ as His ambassadors in the world. Stay alert. Walk humbly. Resist the takeover of a prideful, arrogant heart that drifts towards wickedness. We are bond-servants and ambassadors for Christ; let us not contend against each other but love, support and encourage one another. And...