Originally published in "The Lord's Coming Herald & Wesleyan Bible Prophecy Advocate," November Edition 2007
When Does The Rapture Happen?
Neither Jesus, Paul, Peter, or John ever indicate that the rapture of the Church is the up-front, or opening, event in the coming of the Day of the Lord. None of them ever mention the existence of a seven year end-time “time frame” in relation to which the rapture can be judged to be “pre.”
Rather, the New Testament consistently places the sudden and unexpected up-front opening event in the arrival of the day of the Lord--what happens first in the chronological lineup of prophetic end-time events--to be a scene of massive social judgment on earth--one that will be very similar to the flood that happened in Noah’s day--only this time the agent involve will not be water, but fire (Matthew 24:37ff.).
All the writers of the New Testament agree that the rapture of the Church happens at Christ’s revelation, and that that event, in turn, is what occurs “last”--as Jesus so plainly stated it: “at the last day” (John 6:39-40, 44, 54).
This means that no one will “miss” any so-called “pre-trib” rapture of the Church, nor will anyone have a second chance to get saved after the second coming of Jesus Christ. What Christians are to watch for and expect is not the happening of a noiseless vanishing act on the part of believers, but rather trends in the world that indicate the predicted conflagration is drawing near--knowing that upon the tail end of that awesome scene the Lord Himself indeed will come, just like He said.
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