Ready for Rapture

iv. The Relationship Between the Rapture and Second Coming

What relationship exists between the rapture and prophetic signs?

NONE. Are you shocked?

The rapture is only an evacuation of the believers before the great judgment of the tribulation hour. It is a meeting in the heavenlies and NOT CHRIST's return to earth. Since HIS first coming was to earth, HIS second coming must ALSO BE TO EARTH. The rapture then, is not a coming to earth, but a meeting in the clouds. Seven years later we return with HIM, and all the signs point to this coming when HE returns to earth.

Watch the simplicity of this next statement unfold. Take two Bibles and place them side by side. Open one to the book of Revelation, chapter 6, where the signs begin. Then open the other to Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, or Luke 21. Compare the signs in these chapters with those found in the book of Revelation.

The inescapable conclusion? They are identical! The texts are practically the same.

The church is raptured in chapter 4, verse 1, and believers--represented by the 24 elders in verses 10 and 11--are placing crowns at the SAVIOUR's feet before the signs and judgments of the Tribulation hour begin in chapters 6 through 18. The signs, then, are post-rapture and pre-revelational. In other words, they are fulfilled after the rapture and before the revelation--after CHRIST calls HIS saints home to heaven and before HE returns with them to earth. Not one sign needs to be fulfilled prior to the rapture, because all signs point to the revelation, or the revealing of CHRIST to the earth.

Thus, there is a period of seven years following the rapture during which every sign can be adequately fulfilled.

This of course is the tribulation hour, after the Christians have been raptured.

(Insight from Dr. Jack VanImpe)

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The Great Deal of Confusion

There is a great deal of confusion about end times events. Many argue against pre-tribulation rapture, but they do this because they are not clear on what tribulation actually is. Many believe that rapture is mid- to post-tribulation but this is because they cannot see that we are not in tribulation now. Events in the world now are birth pain events leading up to the rapture. Tribulation will NOT start until the Antichrist is revealed and the Restrainer is taken out of the way-until then, there is no tribulation. The Restrainer (2 Thes. 2:7) is the HOLY SPIRIT within the true church-the five FULL oil lamp virgins (Matthew 25). When that group is removed in rapture then the Antichrist can be revealed, NOT before. The HOLY SPIRIT is still in the world post rapture because HE is Omnipresent, but the FULL OIL LAMPS stepped through the door with JESUS and the DOOR WAS SHUT BEHIND THEM (Matthew 25).

At the moment the Antichrist is revealed (and the church is gone) then-and only then DOES TRIBULATION BEGIN-with the 21 judgments starting with the first seal judgment in Revelation 6:1-2 the White Horse Rider who is the Antichrist. The 21 Judgments which are 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets and 7 Bowls (vials) then begin and this is Tribulation which starts ONLY after the church steps through the doorway with JESUS and leaves the five partially filled oil lamp bridesmaids behind, making the whole event PRE-TRIBULATION....