The Rapture Part 3
Notes
Transcript
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 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.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The PRE -Tribulational Rapture
The PRE -Tribulational Rapture
- The Rapture will take place prior to the beginning of the 7 year Tribulation.
Note: This is what I believe to be the correct Biblical position - Yates.
This view preserves the Eight truths denied by Posttribulationalism (some of which are also denied by Midtribulationalism).
Imminent Return
Imminent Return
- the perpetual expectancy of Christ's any moment return to rapture His saints.
One argument often used against Pretribulationalism is the argument that it was not invented until the 1800's. While this is true of fully developed systematic pretribulationalism, it is also true of any form of fully developed systematic Midtribulationalism or Posttribulationalism, which were both developed even later.
It is true that elements of Posttribulationalism, such as the failure to distinguish between the Rapture and the Second Coming, have dominated in much of Church History. This was primarily the result of the reign of amillennialism and the allegorical approach to interpreting prophecy. Once the literal approach was applied, premillennialism and pretribulationalism came in domination almost instantly.
However, the central tenant of Pretribulationalism, the doctrine of imminency, can be clearly demonstrated as the view of both the Early Church and the Scriptures. Clearly Pretribulational statements have now been found in the writings of the Early Church.
Imminence was the view of the Early Church.
Clement's 1st Epistle to the Corinthians (AD 95):
"... Soon and suddenly shall His will be accomplished, as the Scriptures also bear witness, saying 'Speedily will He come and will not tarry'; and 'The Lord shall suddenly come... '.. .Let us every hour expect the kingdom of God.. .because we know not the day of the Lord's appearing."
The Didache (AD 120):
"Watch... Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh."
Cyprian (AD 250):
"It were a self-contradicting... thing for us, who pray that the kingdom of God may quickly come, to be looking for a long life here below."
Imminence is the view of Scripture.
1] We are commanded to be:
1] We are commanded to be:
Waiting for Jesus. (1 Cor 1:7; 4:5; 1 Thess 1:10)
Waiting for Jesus. (1 Cor 1:7; 4:5; 1 Thess 1:10)
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Watching for Jesus. (Mt 24:42; 1 Thess 5:6)
Watching for Jesus. (Mt 24:42; 1 Thess 5:6)
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Ready for Jesus. (Mt 24:44; Lk 12:35-40)
Ready for Jesus. (Mt 24:44; Lk 12:35-40)
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Looking for Jesus. (Phil 3:20; Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28)
Looking for Jesus. (Phil 3:20; Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28)
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
* Note:
No one expectantly WAITS, WATCHES, or LOOKS for someone who they know won't come for 3 1/2 or 7 years.
Doctrine of Prophecy
Doctrine of Prophecy
* Note:
If the Tribulation, even the first half, preceded the Rapture, we would be looking for the Antichrist instead of Christ.
Christ is said to be:"At hand". (Phil 4:5)
Standing at the door. (James 5:9)
Coming "as a thief in the night". (1 Thess 5:2)
Coming in an hour that ye think not. (Mt 24:44; Lk 12:35-40)
His coming is said to be continually drawing nigh (James 5:7-8)
Jesus is repeatedly said to be coming "quickly" (Rev 3:11; 22:7,12,20).
This either meant that Jesus was coming soon (in the first centuries of the Church) and was a false prophecy.
It means His arrival is continually imminent!
The church is promised to escape WRATH (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:9-10; 5:9)
The church is promised to escape WRATH (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:9-10; 5:9)
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
and therefore
We cannot enter the TRIBULATION which is "the great day of His wrath" (Rev 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10,19; 15:1,7;16:1,19; 19:15).
We cannot enter the TRIBULATION which is "the great day of His wrath" (Rev 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:10,19; 15:1,7;16:1,19; 19:15).
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
• No passage in the Old or New Testament concerning the Tribulation ever mentions the Church.
For example, the Church is never mentioned in Revelation 4-18.
Though the Church is mentioned 19 times in Revelation 1-3, it disappears from earth after Revelation 4:1, where John is told to "come up hither" (a probable picture of the Rapture) for the entire Tribulation period.
The Church does not reappear until the Second Coming in Revelation 19.
Adding to this argument, the Church is pictured in Heaven in Revelation 4 and 5.
The Church is promised deliverance
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.
"from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (Rev 3:10)
When Christ comes to receive His Church, He takes them to
heaven, not back to earth as in posttribulationalism. (Jn:1-3)
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 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:
The Holy Spirit as the - “restrainer" ("He who letteth") must be removed before the ANTICHRIST: can be revealed. (2 Thess 2:6-8)
The Spirit cannot be removed unless the Church is also removed at the same time, since the Spirit and New Testament believers are sealed together permanently (Jn 14:16; Eph 4:30; 1:13).
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
The Antichrist is identified on the first day of the Tribulation by the signing of a 7 year peace treaty with Israel (Dan 9:27)
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.
...The Rapture and Removal therefore must occur before the first day of the 7 year Tribulation.
Much confusion has resulted from misunderstanding the Removal of the Spirit at the Rapture.
Since people are saved during the Tribulation and since no one can be saved without the conviction of the Spirit, some conclude that the Rapture cannot occur until the Tribulation has ended.
This misunderstands the Removal of the Spirit, Who as omnipresent God, is still on Earth after the Rapture.
The Spirit is removed at the Rapture in the same sense that He came on PENTECOST His New Testament ministry and His Restraining ministry end.
His Old Testament type ministry begins again as He turns from the Removed Church back to the Jews.
People were saved in the Old Testament and will likewise be saved after the Rapture as the Spirit accompanies the preached word.
An interval between the Rapture and Second Coming is necessary for the following events to occur: Judgment Seat of Christ.
a) The 24 elders have already been crowned by Revelation 4:4.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Since the crowning of believers occurs at the Judgment Seat after the Rapture and since Revelation 4:4 occurs at the very beginning of the Tribulation, the Rapture must occur before the Tribulation begins.
The martyrs of Revelation 6:9-11 have already been robed. These robes are the righteousness of the saints (Rev 19:8) which are bestowed at the Judgment Seat (as opposed to the righteousness of Christ bestowed at salvation) and believers are apparently judged at death after this time.
Since these believers are robed by the 5th Seal, the Rapture must have occurred prior to this time. The believers who return to earth with Christ at the Second Coming are also said to have been robed. (Rev 19:8)
The Marriage Feast of the Lamb.
The Marriage Feast of the Lamb.
This event has already occurred by the Second Coming as indicated by [the Greek tense used in] Revelation 19:7.
7 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.
"His wife [not His bride] hath made herself ready" and "the marriage of the Lamb is come [a completed past event]." (Rev 19:7)
If the Rapture occurred at the end of the Tribulation, there would be no one left to enter the Millennium in Physical Bodies, for all believers would have been raptured and glorified (1 Cor 15:51-52)
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 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.
and no unbelievers are allowed to enter the kingdom (Jn 3:3,5).
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Yet Scripture indicates an earth fully populated by saved survivors of the Tribulation and their children all in earthly physical bodies.
Even if unbelievers were allowed to enter the Kingdom (which they are not), it is absolutely inconceivable that Only unbelievers would enter the Millennium.
The Judgement, dividing the saved and the lost at the end of tribubulation (the Sheep-Goat Judgment of the Gentiles and the Judgment of the Jews - Matt 25) which cast the lost into Hell and send the saved into the Kingdom could not occur if all the saved had been raptured.
The phrase, "a falling away" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3,
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
if translated literally, reads "the apostasia" or “abandonment” and could be an explicit statement that rapture must occur before the Tribulation begins and the Antichrist is revealed.
* Note: This interpretation in no way lessens the teaching that there will be a great final apostasy, for this is explicitly stated and described elsewhere in Scripture. The only question is which of these two Scriptural events is referred to in this passage.
The Promise of the Rapture would hardly be a “COMFORT” (1 Thess 4:18) to believers
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
or a "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13)
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
if we had to suffer through the tribulation first.
Many other arguments in favor of a Pretribulational Rapture could be offered.
In fact, Dwight Pentecost lists 28 in his monumental work, Things to Come and John Walvoord lists 50 in The Rapture Question.
The Purpose of the Rapture.
The Purpose of the Rapture.
To Secure the Saints before the outpouring of God's Wrath. (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:9-10; 5:9)
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
2. To reward.
3. To judge the Church. (1 Cor 3:8-14; 2 Cor 5:10) the Spirit of God as the Restrainer of evil.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
During this present age, the Holy Spirit has been acting as a divine dam, holding back the great flood waters of evil in this world. At the Rapture of the saints, this blessed influence will be removed. This will allow two things to take place:
1) The unhindered Evil presence of the Antichrist who will now rise to world domination.
2) The unrestrained Evil practice of all mankind.
What unthinkable horrors must await those left behind after the fullness of evil is manifested on Earth. If the world has seen the genocidal tyrannies of Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot, the murderous insanity of Charles Manson and Ted Bundy, and the twisted perversions of the homosexual movement with the Restrainer active, what horrors will this world see when His restraining work on sin is completely removed at the Rapture? Truly it will be like the days of Noah when the hearts of men were upon evil continually!
The Mystery of the Rapture.
The Mystery of the Rapture.
In
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
, Paul declares, "Behold, I show you a mystery... "
What is this great secret of the Savior?
Suppose you began reading the Bible at Genesis 1 and read through1 Corinthians 14 and then stopped. You would have already learned many great lessons about Creation, Sin, Morality, Christ, Calvary, the Resurrection, Heaven, and Hell. But you would be forced to conclude that the only way for a Christian to get to Heaven was by the path of physical death.
You would know of two wonderful exceptions, Enoch (Gen 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11). But for all others it would be clear that the only way to Glory was the Grave! But now the great mystery is revealed. The secret is out.
Millions of Christians living on Earth will never die! This glorious truth that millions of Christians will never face death en route to heaven is a fact unrevealed in the Old Testament, but now made known unto us."Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed... " (1 Cor 15:51)
The Trumpet of the Rapture.
The Trumpet of the Rapture.
52 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.
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:
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
In addition to what we have already shared, the "trumpet of God" signifies the following:
To the Angels - It is a Call to Battle. (cf. Num 10:9)
To Believers An Alarm. (cf. Num 10:5-7)
A Call to Assemble. (cf. Num 10:2-4)
A Call to Move Out. (cf. Num 10:2)
A Call to Worship. (cf. Num 10:10)
The Old Testament Foreshadowing of the Rapture.
The Old Testament Foreshadowing of the Rapture.
Enoch - removed before- the Flood Judgment. (Gen 5:24)
Lot - removed before, the Fire Judgment. (Gen 19:22-24)
Enoch and Elijah - translated without death.
The Challenge of the Rapture.
The Challenge of the Rapture.
In light of this event, the believer should:
Attend Church Faithfully.
Attend Church Faithfully.
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Note that we are to attend both regularly and faithfully, not missing services weekly and not dropping out of Church ever, because Jesus is coming soon!
We are commanded to come with sincere hearts of worship, both holding fast to our own faith and serving as an active participant in ministering to, exhorting, and encouraging others to love and live for Christ.
Partake of the Lord's Supper - with the Rapture in mind.
Partake of the Lord's Supper - with the Rapture in mind.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Love believers and all men.
Love believers and all men.
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Be patient, persevere, and establish our heart.
Be patient, persevere, and establish our heart.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Live a Redeemed Life.
Live a Redeemed Life.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Preach the Word.
Preach the Word.
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Comfort the Bereaved.
Comfort the Bereaved.
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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Witness
Witness
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Be Focused on the Eternity
Be Focused on the Eternity
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
The Effect of the Rapture.
The Effect of the Rapture.
Mass Destruction, Confusion, Collapse, Panic and Terror.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
What will be the reaction of a sin-sick society when millions of people suddenly disappear? How much confusion, panic, chaos, rioting, and terror will come from the sudden and mysterious disappearance of millions of men, women, and children? Economies, governments, and civil order will collapse.
Mass Delusion, - as the world believes the lies of the Antichrist
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Mass Depravity with the removal of all restraint on evil.
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Pre-Tribulation focuses on Others
Mid-Tribulation focuses on Self Preservation.