Matt. 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
But that isn’t the only place in scripture where God forewarned us of Christ’s return for his bride. Here are a few more scriptures:
1Thes. 4:16-17 “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 will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
Matt. 24:36-42 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”
1Thes. 5:2 “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.”
Luke 21:34-36 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
1Cor. 15:51-52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52in 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 will be changed.”
At that one moment, in the ”twinkling of an eye,” when millions of Christians disappear around the world at the same time, the world will experience some of the worst disasters ever witnessed by mankind to date.
What will the rest of the world say about the disappearances? Remember, there are many world leaders and government officials who are born-again Christians. They will disappear just like everyone else, so that leaves the non-Christian world leaders to explain away the disappearances. Some may say that it was the result of a brief encounter with an alternate universe. Others may say that aliens took them. Some others will say that it was the natural evolution of man and that the missing now exist on some other spiritual plain of human existence. Be assured, there will be plenty of theories to go around, but there will be only one answer: JESUS CHRIST CAME BACK FOR HIS OWN!
There will undoubtedly be all sorts of self-professed Christians insisting that the Rapture could not have taken place because they themselves have been left behind. Remember, anyone can call themselves a Christian, but having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and living your life for HIM is a sign of a truly committed Christian.
Matt. 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"
Are you prepared? Have you given control of your life over to God? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
Rapture will occur at the seventh(The last)trumpet as stated in 1 cor and 1 thess. It will fulfill the feast of trumpets leaving only 2 fall feasts left unfulfilled. It will occur after the tribulation. Matt 24:29
ReplyDeleteIt is true we dont know the day or hour but we are admonished to know the time and the seasons Lk 12:35,54; Matt 16:1-4.
My understanding is Believers in Christ will go thru the tribulation
Matt 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Other keys in the OT support rapture occurs after the 7th trumpet in Josh 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city,
See if you can find 666 hidden in the following verses 1 clue there are 6 instruments mentioned
Daniel 3:
3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
The Hebrews who refused to worship went thru tribulation (thrown in the fire) but were saved see how it corresponds with Matt 24:9-13
diggiddi, thank you for responding to this article. I have to disagree with your statement that the rapture happens at the seventh trumpet spoken of in Revelation 11:15. When the letter to the Corinthians was written, John's letter of "Revelation" wasn't yet written, so he Paul couldn't have been referring to the seventh trumpet spoken of in Revelation 11.
DeleteI believe that Matthew 24:9 refers to the tribulation we will have in this life. There are many Christians experiencing this now in countries in the Middle East and Africa. Many Christians who are experiencing tribulation. Just because the word "tribulation" is used in this portion of scripture doesn't mean it happens during THE Tribulation.
You are right when you say that it will fulfill the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), though. I believe that the resurrection will probably be at the last trump of Rosh Hashanah some time in the future.
You err in thinking that just because Revelation hadn't been written, Paul couldn't write about the last trumpet mentioned therein. It's called prophecy. And it is written at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not through the knowledge of man. None of the prophets had previous knowledge when the Holy Spirit had them write the prophecies. The prophecies were written for us to discern. The last trump reference given by Paul via the Holy Spirit was to be a marker, a neon sign pointing us to the place we would find in Revelation where it is again mentioned. It is so obvious that it is ridiculous that people can't see it. Read 11:15-18. The time for the dead to be judged and rewarded has come. The dead are dead until they are resurrected, so they aren't resurrected until now because it says they are still dead, and they have to be resurrected before the rewards are given out, so the resurrection must occur here, and if the resurrection, then also the rapture as it cannot precede the resurrection. Then the rewards, the Bema Seat Judgment occurs. Christ begins His reign.Rev. 11:15-17. He remains at the right hand of God in heaven (in other words, doesn't leave heaven for pre-trib, mid-trib, or pre-wrath rapture) until His foes become His footstool Acts 2:34-35 and the restoration of all things have come Acts 3:20-21, both which occur at the 7th trumpet. Those two things also occur when antichrist is destroyed 42 months after the abomination, when Christ destroys him with the brightness of His Coming. 2 Thess. 2:8. It is then that His reign begins (Rev. 11:17)and all things are restored to His ownership, and the time for God's wrath to be poured out has come. Rev. 11:18, Rev. Chap. 15-16. It is at the last trumpet, just as Paul prophesied and John confirmed, that these things take place. Also, the mystery of God which was not revealed in the O.T. which is the church, is finished at the last trumpet. Rev. 10:7. If the church is finished then, that is when the rapture occurs.
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts on the matter, Connie. I must politely disagree with you when you say, "The last trump reference given by Paul via the Holy Spirit was to be a marker, a neon sign pointing us to the place we would find in Revelation where it is again mentioned. It is so obvious that it is ridiculous that people can't see it."
DeleteI find that there is an abundance of scripture that points to a pre-Tribulation rapture of the Bride of Christ, therefore I believe that the last trump spoken of by Paul cannot be the seventh trumpet in Revelation, but signifies the last trump during the Feast of Trumpets.
As an example, the scripture mentioned above in the article, Matt. 24:36-42, gives us a huge clue as to whether or not the Rapture will be pre, mid or post Tribulation. Look at the scene. Everyone is living their normal lives, eating, drinking, marrying, working... just living life as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary is happening. If the Rapture is mid or post Tribulation, then the scene described by Jesus wouldn't be so idyllic. It would be a scene of suffering, persecution and tribulation. But it's not. Everyone is living their daily lives just as they did in the time of Noah, before the Great Flood. That's just one example as to why I believe in a pre-Tribulation rapture of the Body of Christ.
Please refer to other articles on this blog that I've written that will help you to understand my other reasons for believing in a pre-Tribulation rapture.
It's not my job to make you believe. It's just my job to point out the truth. They mystery of God (the Church) is finished at the last trumpet. Christ declares it. I believe it. You may believe as you want. God bless.
DeleteHey Connie. Thanks again for your comments. I would like to point out that truth can be subjective if the basis for that truth isn't scripturally sound. God bless to you as well, my sister.
DeleteKen,
ReplyDeleteThe key to understanding the new Testament lies in the Old testament, In Joshua the people WENT UP(into the city) after circling the city 7 times, and only after the 7 trumpets were blown (7 priests with 7 trumpets compare to Revelations 7 angels with 7 trumpets). The last trump,in Corinthians is when the rapture occurs and there is only one set of trumpets in the New testament (Revelation) which corresponds directly with trumpets in Joshua 6 in Verse 5 he speaks of ascension of the people
Josh 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Also please read Matthew 24.29 again he talks about a specific tribulation not a general one. i.e. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days"
Josh6
13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
The letters to the Corinthians and Thessalonians wrt the last Trump, were effectively confirming and revealing what had been hidden in the OT in Joshua and Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.
In short Matthew 6:31, Joshua 6, 1 Corinthians 15:52 & 1 Thessalonians 4:16 are all pointing to Revelation 11:15 God knew beforehand he would Reveal Jesus Christ in his Glory to end the Bible as the "cherry on top" so these previous verses were the foundation scriptures
The resurrection is the same event as the rapture
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Are the dead in Christ not resurrected at the rapture? This first resurrection takes place in the verse above not sooner nor later otherwise it could not be the first resurrection no?
The Feasts are God's timetable if you understand this then everything becomes clearer. It goes something like this (not in sequence) 1.Birth=Pentecost(not Christmas day), 2.Death= Passover, 3.Burial=Unleavened Bread, 4.Resurrection=First fruits, 5.Second Coming/Rapture= Trumpets 6.Judgement= Atonement, 7.Reign = Booths
At the time the letters to the Corinthians and Thessalonians were written, the "last trump" actually referred to the last trumpet blast of Rosh Hashanah.
DeleteAlthough the dead in Christ are raised during the Rapture, I don't believe that's considered (or even referred to as) the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead would not include those who are alive at the time.
Psalm 57.1
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to read this article and for responding. I'm not sure if you're referring to this verse as a reason to support the belief that the rapture is post-Tribulation or if you're referring to it as a good verse to stand on for those who will be left behind after the pre-Tribulation rapture... those who will become born again believers in Christ. If it's the former, then it's just an example of cherry picking scripture. If it's the latter, then that would indeed be a good verse to quote during their time of persecution and suffering.
DeleteCan you let me know how we can order tribulation packets? I am interested in one and would be interested in making a donation. Please advise as I can't find a place on your site.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the After Rapture Packets listed on my website because I don't sell them online. I hand them out locally. Here's a link to my blog article describing what's in the packet. They're easy to make and I'm sure you'll find other things to put in your packets that I never thought of including in mine. Everyone's is different, so be creative!
Delete