Rapture Reasons

I know many have ruled out the rapture. But I think the rapture is something that can only be revealed through a close examination of the scriptures. Much the same way that the first and second coming are revealed. The Jews only saw the first coming in the scriptures and it led them to a terrible mistake. They are still waiting for the "one" coming of their Messiah.

So I've compiled a list of clues that I think present some compelling evidence.

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Revelation 13:7

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Daniel 7:25

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Daniel 12:6-7

And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

3 1/2 years of tribulation under the dragon.

He will not prevail against the church, but in this time he will "wear out the saints", "overcome them", and "scatter the power of the holy people."

Luke 21:34-36

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Matthew 24:44

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

The day will come suddenly, like a thief. A peaceful time, in which we are warned we might get carried away with the pleasures of this world. It would hardly be peaceful if half the population of the world had just died and a third of the streams and rivers were undrinkable.

Luke 17:26-31

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

Matthew 24:15-21

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Now we are given more information. This day comes when the abomination of desolation is set up. Notice both passages tell the person "in the field" to not "return back".

Let's look at that Daniel Prophecy.

Daniel 9:27

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Ah, we see this day that comes without warning in the middle of a "week".

The word for "week" is:

shabuwa (#07620)

literal, sevened, i.e. a week (specifically, of years)

This midst of the week flight of the people coincides with:

Revelation 12:6-9

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 12:13-14

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child . And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

I see the remnant of Israel being protected. She flies to "her" place and stays there for 3 1/2 years.

And this comes out of the blue in the midst of a "week".

It sounds like things are going to be nice for 3 1/2 years, and then the Antichrist is going to get nasty for 3 1/2 years.

Let's look for more confirmation.

Revelation 6:12-13

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Could these "stars" possibly be the angels being cast out of heaven, for in the next chapter we read.

Revelation 8:2-4

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Once again. Satan coming to Earth and Israel recieving protection at that time.

Then the trumpet judgements begin.

Revelation 8:13

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Revelation 11:2-3

But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Revelation 13:5

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Sounds like the witnesses and the antichrist are concurrent while Israel is in her "place prepared of God" and the 144,000 are being protected by a seal.

All this is occuring during the trumpet judgements.

Revelation 11:7-10

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Revelation 11:11-14

And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The second woe is past; and , behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

See, the last 3 trumpets are described as woe's. And the witnesses finish there testimony with only 1 trumpet to go.

For more confirmation that the witnesses coincide with the trumpet judgements, look at the first couple of trumpet judgements and compare them with the powers the two witnesses are given.

I see the remnant of Israel being protected while the witnesses testify. Why not us?

1 Thessalonian 5:9-11

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

What of this promise:

John 14:1-3

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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.

And it's fulfillment:

1 Thessalonians 4:16

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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Some say the Lord will preserve us through the Tribulation, they quote the verse:

Revelation 3:10

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

I don't know how they interpret "from" as "through". Then they refer to Noah, how he never left the Earth, but was preserved through the flood.

Luke 17:26

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Noah wasn't martyred. This analogy breaks down if the Church is still here during the Tribulation. The Antichrist is going to wear out the saints.

Oh, I agree there's a post tribulation resurrection. But who's it for?

Daniel 12:12-13

Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be : for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

This points to a resurrection of old testament saints at the "end of the days" and could possibly coincide with the resurrection of the two witnesses and the tribulation saints.

Could Daniel himself possibly be rising from the grave at the same time as these two witnesses? Earthquakes usually accompany resurrections. See Matthew 27:50-53.

The parable of the 10 virgins:

Matthew 25:10-13

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

They were all virgins. If the Lord were returning to Earth at this time, they wouldn't be so upset with him for not opening the door. He'd be with them in 5 minutes when he touched down on the Mount of Olives.

And if he were returning at that time, he would be greeting his bride while rushing into battle. Hardly romantic.

Wise Virgins?

Revelation 3:10

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Foolish Virgins?

Revelation 3:16

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

A contradiction if the Church is still here:

Mark 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.

If Satan's going to rule for 42 months then we'd know the exact day of Jesus' return. All we'd have to do is mark when the two witnesses are killed and start a countdown from there.

The Restrainer

2 Thessalonians 2:7-9

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let , until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him , whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

What is this retrainer. We know the Holy Spirit will still be on Earth saving people during the trib. Could this be a reference to the removal of the Church, making it possible for the anti christ to be revealed.

Matthew 5:13

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Salt is a preservative. It "restrains" corruption.

Who populates the Millenium?

If all the righteous are translated at the end of the tribulation and all the wicked are burned up in judgement. Who's left to populate the Earth.

(JPS) Isaiah 65:20

There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man, that hath not filled his days; for the youngest shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.

(JPS) Isaiah 11:6

And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

(JPS) Isaiah 11:8

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den.

(JPS) Isaiah 2:2-4

And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

And many peoples shall go and say: 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

And He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

There's even a rebellion at the end of the Millenium by the descendants of these people:

(Twenty) Revelation 20:7-9

When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be let loose from his prison, and he will come out to deceive the nations that live in 'the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog.' He will come to gather them together for battle; and their number will be as great as the sand on the sea-shore.

They went up over the breadth of the whole earth, and surrounded the camp of Christ's People and the beloved city. Then fire fell from the heavens and consumed them;

What's it mean? It's means there's going to be a resurrection at the end of the Tribulation, but not a catching away of the living. Instead they will be allowed to enter into the Millenium to populate the Earth.

(Twenty) Matthew 25:31-34

When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory'; And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people--just as a shepherd separates sheep from goats- - Placing the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter upon possession of the Kingdom prepared for you ever since the beginning of the world.

(Twenty) Matthew 25:41

Then he will say to those on his left 'Go from my presence, accursed, into the 'aeonian fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.'

The Great Multitude

Revelation 7:9,14

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

...And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

That ain't the raptured church because the dead in christ aren't there.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-16

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. 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:

The dead in christ of ages long past are in the rapture and would not be described as those that came out of great tribulation. It was a little before their time.

Why does Satan go after Israel?

Revelation 12:13

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

If he's got the Church of the manchild to go after, then why go after Israel? They don't even believe in Jesus. In fact, Israel used to hate Christians. Paul stoned them before his conversion, and with the blessings of the Sanhedrin.

And after all the persecution Israel has recieved from the church in times past, I don't think they'd too upset if the antichrist went after them. So, why go after someone who isn't even against you?

The only reason he'd go after Israel is for lack of targets and if he were desperately trying to find something to take his wrath out on. If he can't get the Church, then go after it's relatives. But even then, he can't, because they recieve special protection.

The "man on the white cloud" and Matthew 24:31

Revelation 14:14,16

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

Notice what follows:

Revelation 14:18-19

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

We have the great multitude being "reaped" and then we have the grapes being gathered to the winepress.

In Chapter 16 we have some background on the gathering of the grapes:

Revelation 16:12,13-14

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Now notice this sequence:

Revelation 16:15

Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Revelation 16:16,18,20-21

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great

And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

It fits in nicely with the man on the white cloud reaping the earth just before the gathering of the grapes.

An allusion to the lord's coming for his saints and then the armies of the world being gathered to Armegeddon.

Need more proof.

Revelation 14:14,16

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head A GOLDEN CROWN, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Revelation 19:12

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.

Notice, when he comes to slay the armies of the Antichrist and tread the winepress he's wearning MANY crowns. When he's on the white could he's wearing only ONE crown. It's not the same event.

Further:

Revelation 19:6-8

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour 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.

And then after this:

Revelation 19:14-15

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Once again, a gathering before the winepress is trodden. What's interesting is that now we have the entire body of Christ being mentioned, not just the "great multitude". It's like the great multitude has completed the Bride. But as to when the bride got there, we do not know.

One things for sure, we know the rapture has already occured by this time because the "dead" in christ are there and we know they arrived in the same event as the living.

And now for Matthew 24:31

Matthew 24:29,31

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Notice, this gathering takes place after the sun and moon are darkened, and after the heavens are shaken. It is not the gathering of the "man on the white cloud".

Rather it's more like:

Isaiah 27:13

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Isaiah 11:10-12

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Which kinda give meaning to the verse:

Revelation 19:9

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

So the next time you hear someone preaching that Matthew 24:31 is the rapture feel free to use this proverb:

Proverbs 14:7

Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

For yet another bent on a possible pre-tribulation rapture see the article Jewish Wedding Customs. There are many interesting allusions in the bible and they come to light with this new perspective.

Things like John the Baptist said: (last of the Old Testament prophets)

(Twenty) John 3:27-29

John's answer was--"A man can gain nothing but what is given him from Heaven. You are yourselves witnesses that I said 'I am not the Christ,' but 'I have been sent before him as a Messenger.' It is the bridegroom who has the bride; but the bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens to him, is filled with joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This joy I have felt to the full.

And:

(Twenty) Luke 5:33-35

"John's disciples," they said to Jesus, "Often fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, while yours are eating and drinking!" But Jesus answered them. "Can you make the bridegroom's friends fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come--a time when the bridegroom will be parted from them; and they will fast then, when those days come."

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