What is the truth? Will believers be raptured (carried by angels into the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus at His second coming) before the great tribulation to escape all suffering, or like Noah, will they go through the global “flood” of destruction on earth as Jesus prophesied?[1] Does Jesus’ second coming occur before the Antichrist’s great tribulation or after it?
What Does Jesus Say?
Here are the exact words in the Bible on this topic. Jesus’ words are quoted from the gospels of Mark and Matthew. Since He is the one who comes back and raptures people, He is the ultimate expert on the topic. Paul’s words are in Thessalonians. Scripture quotes are in italics.
Mark 13:24-27 After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken . Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
The darkening of sun, moon, and stars is Old Testament (OT) symbolism for a time of great destruction (Isa 13:10-11; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Rev 6:12). “Elect” means chosen by God and refers to every believer in God across all nations and all time who is saved by Jesus (Romans 8:33-35; Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 5:9). Gathering Christians from the earth is called “the rapture.”
Matt 24:29-31, 37, 39-41 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . for the coming of the Son of Man . . . the coming of the Son of Man . . . Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.
His second coming is visible to the whole world. When the angels carry believers from earth into the sky to meet with Jesus at His second coming this is called “the rapture.”
Matt 24:9-13, 21-22 Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. . . . For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Jesus was talking to His disciples who would lead churches; this message was for all churches (aka “the elect”—those chosen by God for salvation, Eph 1:4).
1 Thess 4:14-17 God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.[2] For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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 shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [aka “the rapture” and the great gathering].
The second coming is loud and will wake up the world.
2 Thess 2:1-3 Regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.
The great “gathering” is when all believers from all nations and all ages meet with Jesus in the clouds as His second coming. His second coming is preceded by signs (the apostasy and the Antichrist come before Him). He says to keep looking for these signs: “When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door,” (Matt 24:33). When you see the Antichrist kill the two prophets in Jerusalem followed by a huge earthquake (Rev 11), then it will be two to three years before Jesus’ second coming (a spectacular arrival that is loud and visible to the whole earth).
If you simply believe at face value the clear and direct words of God written in these passages, then you can stop here. This means you believe like a child what God says (Matt 11:25) and you understand clearly the Bible facts on the rapture. We all need to believe God our heavenly Father like a small child: He says it. We believe it.
The Bible says explicitly that “after that tribulation” Jesus will return with a loud, visible, glorious second coming. He will bring all believers from heaven and send angels to gather all believers left on earth up into the clouds (the rapture) to gather with Him where the resurrection occurs before everyone descends to earth. There is only one second coming. It’s that simple. Every one of these points is supported by the literal words of Scripture.
The name of this doctrine is the post-tribulation rapture (aka post-trib). It means that the one-and-only second coming of Jesus occurs after (“post”) the great tribulation. “After the tribulation,” He brings all believers from heaven and raptures all believers from earth in the great gathering in the clouds with Him for the resurrection. Then He and everyone else returns to earth. However, that also means that just like Noah went through the flood, Christians will go through the great tribulation. Jesus said, “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah . . . for this reason, you must be ready,” (Matt 24:37, 44). Noah built an ark. Each of us must build our ark (a metaphorical “ark” needed for a metaphorical “flood” of devastation that is going to hit this planet little by little[3]).
If you simply believe what God says in the Bible, then feel free to stop here (because I am going to explore a popular opposing view that is not only very confusing—because most of its points are not found in Scripture—but very deceptive, dangerous, and will do great harm to the progeny of those who believe it).
There is another popular opposing view. It is called the pre-tribulation rapture (aka pre-trib). It is complicated. Most of its points are not in the Bible. It is taught by great religious authority figures (including some of our most beloved pastors), churches, and seminaries. It is held in place by the same dynamics that the Catholic Church used down through the centuries to cement doctrines on Mary, salvation by works, and bowing before idols. It directly contradicts the explicit words of Jesus. And I BELIEVED IT FOR YEARS.
It took me more years of reading my Bible and ALL the relevant passages on this topic over and over and over to realize some religious leaders I greatly admired (and still do, except I now disagree on this one issue) were contradicting the words of Jesus. I went into shock. I tried to shut out these Bible passages. It took time.
When we are overwhelmed with evidence contradicting a strong belief we hold, the unpleasant feeling is called “cognitive dissonance.” It is normal to be angry, upset, retreat, or fight when someone contradicts a strong belief we hold. It takes time to set everything aside and simply seek the truth—no matter where it leads or what the cost. As a one-on-one evangelist, I have worked hard over the years to learn to stay calm, loving, and patient with people from other religions who disagree with me; just as God was patient with me for years as I argued against the truth, before I finally gave my life to Jesus.
So if you are where I was and believe that Jesus will come before the tribulation to rapture all believers so they will not suffer, then I strongly encourage you to continue reading. Please read to the end where the dangers that you and your family will face by following this doctrine will be presented.
End-Time Deception
The worst end-time deception for believers will come not from the Antichrist or Satan but from NOT believing Jesus’ clear, exact words on what is going to happen and what to do about it. Every falsehood weakens. Every truth strengthens. The church will be so weak, so far from the truth that she will be in apostasy (2 Thess 2:1-3). What does Jesus say about His second coming and the rapture?
Summary of Post- and Pre-tribulation Rapture Views
The post-tribulation rapture view (aka post-trib) says that Jesus’ one-and-only second coming takes place—according to His exact words in two gospels–“after that tribulation.” At His return to earth, He sends out His angels to carry Christians up from earth into the clouds to be with Him. This is called the rapture.[4] His second coming is loud, visible, and glorious to the whole world.[5] Both the rapture and the resurrection occur at His return to earth.[6] The great tribulation is executed by the beast of Revelation (the Antichrist) against all believers in every nation on earth. Numerous Bible verses clearly and directly support each of these points in this view and will be written out for you to peruse.
The pre-tribulation rapture view (aka pre-trib) says that there are two parts to the second coming of Jesus. That means Jesus comes twice; once to the clouds of earth and years later down to the ground of earth.
In the first part, Jesus comes for the Christians on earth to rapture them before the tribulation. In the first part, His coming is invisible, silent, and hidden as He raptures Christians from earth to take them back to heaven. The world is left in total confusion having no idea what has happened. Hollywood captured this view in the popular Left Behind series. Then God executes His wrath through the great tribulation against unbelievers.
However, there is no secret, silent, invisible first coming of Jesus for the rapture in the Bible. This first-part idea contradicts numerous clear verses.
In the second part of Jesus’ two-part second coming, the pre-trib view says He comes with all the believers from heaven to earth. This second part in the pre-trib view is loud, visible, glorious, and known to the world. These ideas have scriptural support (and were used in the post-trib view).[7] However, the rapture has been separated from this loud, visible, glorious and spectacular second coming, which directly contradicts Scripture, especially 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Mark 13:24-27, and Matthew 24:29-31.[8]
The post-tribulation rapture view follows simple, direct facts from the Bible. Few to no assumptions are added. The view is simple and supported by Scripture. Even a child could read or listen to the verses and end believing the post-trib view (Matt 11:25).
The pre-tribulation rapture view has no biblical support for a two-part coming with a secret, silent, invisible first part for the rapture. It uses some of the post-trib verses for the second part, but contradicts Scripture on the timing of the rapture. It leaves out the two parallel gospel passages (Mark 13:24-27 and Matt 24:29-31) that clearly and directly state Jesus is seen by all the tribes on earth as He comes back in the clouds “after the tribulation” and raptures all believers left on earth.
The extremely creative and complex explanations believed by pre-trib theologians to not only negate these post-trib verses found in two gospels for Christians–but to change Jesus’ word of “after” into “before”–absolutely stagger the imagination, befuddle normal hermeneutics, and is beyond the scope of this paper. To cut to the chase, simply ask a pretrib expert (pastor or professor) one simple question: Can you please show me one clear, direct verse that describes the secret coming in the pretribulation rapture view?
Not Even ONE?
When I asked one brilliant elder-teacher (who has memorized hundreds of verses, dozens of which roll off his tongue every week as he teaches) can you please show me one clear verse supporting the pre-trib view? He stated, “Well, that’s the problem; there isn’t one.” Yet, he believed it and taught it. “There isn’t ONE!”
I have written paper after paper against the quagmire of complex theological explanations used to defend the pre-trib view (since there is no secret, silent, first-part coming in the Bible) and sent them to beloved and highly respected pastors and elders.
Yes, pre-trib theologians use verses—but their verses do not mention the great end-time tribulation anywhere in the context or chapter. They use vague, out-of-context passages, often change commonly understood definitions, and add many assumptions to support the pre-trib view. Their support passages do not talk about the second coming, two parts to a second coming, a secret second coming, much less the rapture! (Revelation 3:7-13 is a favorite; the past historical church of Philadelphia becomes an allegorical future end-time church without evidence or support—only conjecture that all end-time churches will be raptured.) Sometimes they use Romans (a book on soteriology, not eschatology or end-time doctrine) to indirectly, vaguely, and obscurely support the pre-trib end-time view.
R. C. Sproul once asked “a good friend” who was a “national Christian speaker” (a description that fits John MacArthur who is a strong pre-trib advocate), “Can you please show me a verse that supports the pretribulation doctrine?” The friend answered, “There isn’t one.” R.C. then asked, “Then why do you teach it?” The friend replied, “Because that is what I was always taught in Sunday school when I was growing up.” Later, R.C. lectured about the great dangers of believing church teaching that contradicted the Bible.
I checked out MacArthur’s Commentary on Matthew covering chapter 24:29-31 where Jesus says explicitly that He comes “after that tribulation” and in the parallel passage of Mark 13:24-27 says He raptures the church (angels gather the elect from the earth and carry them into the clouds) at His visible-to-the-world second coming. Here’s what MacArthur did with this clear “after-the-tribulation” second coming and rapture passage: HE COMPLETELY AVOIDED ALL THE FACTS OF THE PASSAGE AND GAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR ANY OF THESE WORDS OF JESUS. INSTEAD, HE DESCRIBED THE PRE-TRIBULATION DOCTRINE WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE TO THE PASSAGE. I remember him giving a reference (in the spot where he was supposed to be explaining Matthew 24:29-31); it was something like 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (which makes no mention of the tribulation), but he did not quote it or explain it either. The deflection was absolutely astonishing.
Why do these wonderful, often brilliant pastors teach a doctrine that is not taught in the Bible? That’s what they were taught by religious authority figures in childhood, by their home churches, by their seminary, and/or by their families. They would lose their jobs as pastors in pre-trib churches, if they started quoting Jesus’ words and simply let Jesus speak for Himself. The price of truth would be too high.
Pre-Trib Sounds Good
The most frequent argument for the pre-trib view that I have heard from Christians is that God will not allow us to suffer in the great tribulation, so He raptures us before it starts. Who wants to suffer? Not me! Sounds good. Sounds great! It’s a happy doctrine. It is the epitome of deception.
The Greatest End-Time Deception for Believers
“The serpent deceived me.” The tree looked “good for food and was a delight to the eyes” but it was evil for “the day that you eat from it you shall surely die,” (Gen 3:6, 13; 2:17). It was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The key word is “and.” Mixing good and evil is confusing. Those who stop listening to God (or stop checking out the Bible) are easily deceived—they choose a lesser good and unleash a greater evil.
The pre-trib view promising the end-time escape from the worst tribulation in the history of humankind really sounds good. But Jesus says His second coming and the rapture of believers from earth is “after that tribulation.” To disbelieve the words of Jesus will lead to evil. In the pre-trib view we choose a lesser good that will eventually unleash a greater evil.
Peter wanted Jesus to live; sounds good—life sounds good! Jesus rebuked him; it was evil. “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s,” (Mark 8:33). Peter saw the little picture with man’s eyes. Jesus saw the big picture with God’s eyes.
Believers without number will go through the great tribulation and lose their lives in martyrdom in the great tribulation but rise again in great victory in Christ (“a great number which no one could count . . . come out of the great tribulation . . .are in heaven rejoicing and praising God, Rev 7:9, 14-17; 20:4).
So Jesus says that He is coming back after the tribulation and we must get ready just like Noah did. Believing the post-tribulation rapture view encourages us to get ready, prepare, and build our “arks” because we will be going through a great world-wide “flood” of devastation before He returns. (“Ark” and “flood” are metaphorical. See Chapter 15 for how to prepare.)
Believing the pre-tribulation rapture view mocks at the tribulation and does no preparation. “They did not understand until the flood came and took them all away,” (Matt 24:39). If we believe in false safety, we are dancing on the Titanic instead of building our arks. The total lack of preparation makes the pre-trib view the greatest end-time deception for believers.
Theological Glue
In order to merge all these pre-trib ideas together (some ideas that are not found in the Bible, some ideas that are found, and the rest of the ideas that contradict the Bible on the topic), not only are a lot of man-made explanations added, but huge church doctrines have been created as a complex “glue.” This glue includes the separation of the Church and Israel with a different plan of salvation (not needing Jesus) for Jews (which progressive dispensationalists now refute), the negation of huge portions of Scripture (Sermon on the Mount, Olivet Discourse, and most of Revelation to get rid of post-trib Bible verses) as totally unnecessary and unneeded by Christians, and a variety of other verses taken completely out of context breaking numerous sound hermeneutical rules.
Because it has no direct support in the Bible, the pre-trib view is based on complex, conflicting, convoluted, confusing, erroneous theological explanations that befuddle the average Christian. It is impossible for a grass-roots Christian to find this view in Scripture (because it is not there), so it must be taught to them by beloved authorities in high places (“the wise and intelligent” in Matt 11:25). This teaching is replete with hundreds of unsubstantiated assumptions, contradictions to Scripture, an underpinning of labyrinthine doctrines that break every major rule of hermeneutics, as well as contradicting sound doctrine and beliefs (like saying huge portions of Matthew and Revelation are not meant for Christians, only for Jews, and that Jews can be saved without Jesus).
NOTE: Occam’s Razor (a principle for finding truth) can be applied for interpretations in theology. An interpretation founded on the greatest number of facts (from the Bible) and the least number of assumptions (from men) is most often the simplest and the most accurate interpretation. To the contrary, an interpretation founded on few facts and many assumptions is most often the most complex and least accurate.
The post-trib view maximizes biblical facts and minimizes man-made assumptions.
The pre-trib view minimizes biblical facts and maximizes man-made assumptions.
The Process of Indoctrination
How does the pretrib doctrine take such hold of American churches? First, it has been taught by well-known and respected seminaries like Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. (Seminaries I heartily agree with in their core doctrines, but not on this issue.) It has been taught from pulpits and written in books.
Second, the underpinnings and foundation of the pretrib view are so confusing, complex, and convoluted that average Christians cannot understand them (because they cannot find them in the Bible).
Third, these seminaries would persecute (expel, fire, blackball, and/or ostracize students studying for the pastorate from denominations where they might find pastoral jobs) any student who refused to agree with the pretrib view. (Some of this persecution softened later, but not the pre-trib view has already spread, taken root, and holds firm.) The persecution might continue down into some churches: those who disagreed would not be allowed to teach or preach, might be called a nonchristian, and if the person continued to quote Jesus (“after the tribulation”) such anger might cause a church split, loss of donations and financial hardship, or a coup d’pastor.
In other words, these seminaries and their churches could not prove the pre-trib view through clear, direct verses in the Bible on the subject because there were none, so they created complex doctrines the average person could not follow and used fear and coercion against reformers. Once the masses believed it, an inertia cemented the view. The persecution stopped in some places and the few doubters were simply side-lined from ministries. The inertia of the masses will stabilize the doctrine.
As an exception, in the last church (Baptist) where I fought the battle for Jesus’ words (“after the tribulation”), I wrote papers to the pastors and elders against the pre-trib view found in the church’s statement of faith, making sure not to disturb the congregation. Since these men could not find any supporting verses in the Bible for the pre-trib view, they photocopied the pre-trib arguments of renowned religious authority figures—like Charles Ryrie who was behind the Ryrie Study Bible and taught at DTS–whom I highly respect and agree with on other issues. I carefully analyzed every argument Ryrie presented on pre-trib and pointed out how he broke about 18 sound hermeneutical rules; rules which he himself wrote about in his seminary textbook that he taught to students. Paper after paper continued. It took three months. Finally, one elder-teacher went to his Dr. Dr. Rev. Pastor and said he could no longer teach that Jesus would come back “before the tribulation.”However, this Bible teacher was still afraid to quote Jesus’ “after the tribulation” second-coming words. This was one of the better churches. This elder could still keep teaching—as long as he did not teach what Jesus clearly stated on the issue (Mark 13:24-27 and Matt 24:29-31). (Try to understand the weakening of character and conscience that such a church rule inflicts in this member.)
Who Darkens Understanding? (Job 38:2)
How do pre-trib teachers get around the clear words of Jesus in Mark 13:24-27 and Matthew 24:29-31 in the Olivet Discourse? First, the classical dispensationalists teach Christians that the Olivet Discourse (and other large portions of Scripture) are not meant for Christians; they only apply to Jews.
To the contrary, there is a command of God given in the beginning, middle, and end of the Bible that states, “You shall not add to nor take away from (God’s words in the Bible).” (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Eccl 3:14; Rev 22:18-19). When a person takes away words from Scripture, either by destroying the paper or by destroying understanding through darkening knowledge (such as teaching that these books and passages in the Bible are not important for Christians–and are for all intents and purposes useless and unnecessary for Christians–but only apply to Jews), they are in a sin that God explicitly curses (Rev 22:18-19). This is serious.
“Man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3). And “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable” for every person (2 Tim 3:16).
Second, some say the Olivet Discourse only applied to first century Christians. This is partly true. Christians who believed Jesus’ words written in the Olivet Discourse fled from Jerusalem before her fall in 70 A. D. and were saved. Over a million Jews died. Prophecy can have two fulfillments—one lesser fulfillment leaving out details and the other greater fulfillment using all or most of the relevant details in the final fulfillment. The prophecy of Jesus’ birth had a dual fulfillment (Isa 7:14 and Matt 1:23). However, Jesus coming in the clouds (Mark 13:24-27 and Matt 24:29-31) is definitely referring to His second coming. There is no other explanation for these passages without a severe breech in normal hermeneutics.
Third, reinterpret the passage. The last complex, confusing interpretation by pre-trib professors at Dallas that I read for these two passages in the Olivet Discourse was that it referred to Armageddon. The “wise and intelligent” can lead us down long, winding theological paths that no simple Christian could find on her or his own (because it isn’t there).
When the Protestants took us out of the darkness of Catholic doctrines (which could only be interpreted and taught by popes, bishops, and church leaders), these reformers taught the “perspicuity of Scripture.” That meant that God had inspired the writers of the Bible to lay down His words in a simple, clear fashion that most believers would be able to understand. Even Revelation—if you know the Old Testament language and its symbols—is fairly easy. Example: If someone had the face of an eagle, it meant they led a great army across a vast distance (the eagle is a powerful predator that could fly far; this symbolism was found in Ezek 1:10; 10:14; 17:3-7, 12 and illuminated Rev 4:7).
Instead of the Protestant view that the Bible is the highest and final authority, beloved and respected religious leaders become the highest authority. Hundreds of years of church history showed how Catholics who trusted popes and bishops more than the Bible were gradually misled into idolatry (kneeling before idols and praying to Mary who is considered omnipresent—an attribute of God) and blasphemy (including Mary in salvation since Jesus was not enough). When people do not go back to the very words of God in the Bible as their highest authority, the chances of deception rise exponentially.
The Clear, Simple Truth
Simply put according to the clear words of Scripture, Jesus will come again after the tribulation. At that time, angels will gather all believers from heaven and carry up all believers still alive on earth so every believer throughout history across all nations will meet Jesus in the clouds. Jesus’ one-and-only second coming happens in one loud, visible-to-the-world, glorious event. All the believers from heaven and from earth gather with Him in the clouds for the rapture and the resurrection and then come back down to earth with Him. That’s what the Bible literally says. That’s what will happen.
Some of the signs and prophecies which must occur before Jesus returns are the following:
- The gospel must be preached to all the nations.(Matt 24:14)
- The apostasy of the church comes before the appearance of the Antichrist. (2 Thess 2:1-7)
- The two Jewish-Christian witnesses in Jerusalem preach and do great plagues for 3½ years like the plagues done by Moses and Elijah to unbelieving nations. (Rev 11:3-7)
- The Antichrist (beast, Abomination of Desolation, man of lawlessness, man of destruction etc.) first appears on earth and he alone is the only one who can and does kill the two witnesses. (2 Thess 2:1-7; Matt 24:15-21)
- The Antichrist brings the great tribulation upon the saints (the remnant of the church left after the apostasy) and the Jews. (Matt 24:9-12, 15, 21-22, 24, 29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Dan 7:21, 25; Rev 12:12-13, 17)
- Jesus will only return after the Antichrist (aka beast of Revelation, man of lawlessness, son of destruction) has had years to take over the earth and try to annihilate God’s people (believers in Christ from every nation) through the great tribulation.
A summary of the two views (post- and pretrib rapture views) follows. The most important aspect of this summary is that all of the major, relevant Bible verses will be written out. Therefore, readers can check out these verses themselves. The Bible is always the highest and final authority.
The Pre-Tribulation Return and the Rapture
The Pre-trib View
Summary: There are two (2) parts to Jesus’ second coming. In the first part, Jesus comes before the great tribulation so no believers will suffer. He does not come back to earth, only to the clouds. His coming is secret, silent, invisible, and unknown. He raptures all of the believers left on earth and takes them all back to heaven with Him. Then the great tribulation occurs against all unbelievers. In the second part, Jesus’s coming is visible, loud, and known to all the earth. He brings all the believers with Him from heaven and comes back to the clouds of earth where the resurrection occurs. Then He and all resurrected saints descend to earth.
1. Jesus comes back before the tribulation. (no direct supporting verses in the Bible)
Pre-trib says that He comes to the clouds, but not to earth, before the tribulation.
2. Jesus raptures the saints before the tribulation. (no direct supporting verses in the Bible)
When He comes to the clouds, He raptures the Christians, and returns to heaven.
3. The tribulation is caused by the wrath of God on nonbelievers. This idea displays a confusion of verses between Romans and Revelation. The wrath of God in Romans refers to God’s wrath in hell for all unbelievers, not the end-time great tribulation with His bowls of wrath on the land, oceans, waters, and skies (Rev 16).
The pre-trib view reasons from Romans 5:9 which says, “Having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
The great, end-time tribulation is not mentioned in this verse, chapter, or book.
Romans 5:9, in the context of the surrounding verses, chapter, and book is describing salvation verses condemnation (the wrath of God in hell) for any unbeliever in any generation.
4. The Jews (Israel) are completely and eternally separated from the Christians (the Church) and many parts of the Bible are only for Jews, not Christians.
(An Old Testament (OT) principle of the separation of Israel from the godless nations is misapplied to the New Testament (NT) by separating Israel from God’s church and contradicts many verses.)
God has two different plans, two different purposes, two different methods of salvation for the Jews and the Gentiles. This is classical dispensationalism. Newer, progressive dispensationists are refuting this idea. However, its faulty ramifications are the underpinnings of the pre-trib view. They say that many parts of the Bible are useless and unimportant for Christians since they only apply to Jews. This negates the Sermon on the Mount and the Olivet Discourse in the gospels of Matthew and Mark and most of Revelation. (These are major places that support the post-tribulation rapture at the second coming as taught by Jesus.)
5. Jesus can come back to earth at any moment (the imminent return of Christ).
The pre-trib view reasons from verses that urge Christians to be ready for Christ’s return. We must always strive to be ready, but that does not mean that Jesus will return at any moment.
This view falsely holds that no end-time signs remain to be fulfilled before Jesus returns.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.”
To the contrary, Christians should not be naked or asleep, but instead “when you see all these things [these signs], recognize that He is near, right at the door,” (Matt 24:33).
6. The second coming has two (2) parts. (no direct, supporting Bible verses)
7. The first part of the second coming is secret. (no direct, supporting Bible verses)
8. The first part of the second coming is silent. (no direct, supporting Bible verses)
9. The first part of the second coming is invisible. (no direct, supporting Bible verses)
10. In the first part Jesus comes to the clouds (not to the land on earth), goes back to heaven, waits a few years, comes back to the clouds, then descends to earth. (Only the last part–the second part of coming back to the clouds then to the land–is found in the Bible.)
The Post-Tribulation Return and the Rapture
The Post-trib View
1. Jesus says clearly that He will come back to earth after the tribulation.
Mark 13:24-27 After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken . Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
The darkening of sun, moon, and stars is Old Testament (OT) symbolism for a time of great destruction (Isa 13:10-11; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Rev 6:12).
Who are the elect?
Romans 8:33-35 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? The “elect” are chosen by God to believe in Him through Jesus: they are Christians from every nation as well as believing Jews before Jesus’ first coming (Eph 1:4; Rev 5:9).
Matt 24:29-31, 37, 39-41 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . for the coming of the Son of Man . . . the coming of the Son of Man . . . Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.
2. Jesus raptures the saints after the tribulation.
Mark 13:24-27 After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven. Angels gathering up Christians from the farthest ends of the earth at the second coming of Jesus is the rapture.
Matt 24:29-31, 37, 39-41 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other . . . for the coming of the Son of Man . . . the coming of the Son of Man . . . Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Angels have gathered believers from everyone in heaven and on earth (“the four winds” is symbolic for “everywhere”) and they are flying in from all directions in the sky as they come together to be with Jesus. This is called the great gathering.
2 Thess 2:1-3 Regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.
1 Thess 4:14-17 God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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 shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
3. The tribulation is caused by the wrath of Satan (not by God).
Rev 12:12-13,17 The devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. . . . The dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
4. The tribulation is against God’s people.
God’s people include those by flesh and those by faith: the Jews (believers and unbelievers) and the Gentile believers in Christ. There are the Jews and Gentiles from every nation. The “saints,” the “elect,” the “chosen” are believers in Jesus Christ across all nations and all time.
Matt 24:9-13, 21-22 Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. . . . For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Mark 13:19-20 For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now, and never shall. Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the days.
Eph 1:4, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.
Dan 7:21-22 I kept looking, and that horn [under the beast] was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
Rev 7:9,14-15 Behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, . . . These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God [in heaven]; and they serve Him day and night.
They were suffering in the tribulation before they could come out of the tribulation.
Rev 20:4 “The souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image.”
Rev 13:15 “As many as do not worship the image of the best [will] be killed.”
5. In Christ, there is no separation between Jew and Gentile and the whole Bible is for every believer from every nation across time.
Jews who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior are spiritual Christians and equal as members with the Gentiles (believers from every other nation, tongue, and tribe) in the church. There is no division, distinction, or separation between Jews and other nationalities in the church. And believing Christians of any nationality are “sons of Abraham,” “descendants of Abraham,” part of “the commonwealth of Israel,” partakers in “the covenants of promise,” “one new man,” “fellow members of the body,” “fellow citizens,” “fellow heirs,” “fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus,” members “of God’s household,” “a holy temple,” “built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit,” and “God’s people.”
Rom 10:12 There is no distinction between Jew and Greek [example of a Gentile]; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.
Gal 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
Col 3:11 There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
Rom 11:17 You [the Gentiles], being a wild olive, were grafted in among them [the Jews] and [Gentiles] became partaker with them [Jews] of the rich root of the olive tree.
Rom 4:16-17 It is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law [Jews], but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham [Gentiles], who is the father of us all, (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”).
Gal 3:7-8 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”
Eph 2:11-22 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” [Jews], which is performed in the flesh by human hands–remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups [Jews and Gentiles] into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which isthe Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man [Jews and Gentiles into one new body], thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. . . . for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you [Gentiles] are no longer strangers and aliens, but you [Gentiles] are fellow citizens with the saints [believing Jews], and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Eph 3:3-6 There was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief . . . to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers [with the Jews] of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Zech 2:11 Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
Hos 2:23 I [God] will say to those who were not My people, “You are My people!”And they will say, “You are my God!”
Rom 9:24-26 He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not my people, ‘My people,’ and her who was not beloved, ‘Beloved.'” And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people, ” there they shall be called sons of the living God.”
Deut 8:3; Matt 4:4 Man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God [that is written down in the Bible].
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
7. Jesus will come back to earth again, only after all the signs are fulfilled. These signs include the massive apostasy of the church, two witnesses testifying for 3½ years in Jerusalem, the arrival of the Antichrist on earth–the only one who can and does kill the two witnesses/prophets, the earthquake in Jerusalem destroying a tenth of the city and killing 7,000 people.
The Antichrist is also called the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, the Abomination of Desolation, the beast of Revelation, the horn and beast of Daniel.[9] These are some of the specific signs that must happen before Jesus’ one-and-only second coming to earth. We must stay awake, alert, and sober looking for these signs. Jesus says, “When you see all these things, recognize that He [Jesus Himself] is near, right at the door,” (Matt 24:33). “Near” can be estimated: The two witnesses prophesy and do great miracles like Moses and Elijah for over 3 years (Rev 11:3). After that the beast (Antichrist) will rise from the abyss and kill the two witnesses then he will have 42 months—3 ½ years to do his worst (Rev 13:5). That is 6 years. However, during that time he gathers the nations against Jesus who has come back and is ruling in Jerusalem. So after the 2 prophets in Jerusalem arrive, the second coming will occur 3 to 5 years later. That is “near.”
1 Thess 5:2-6 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord [His second coming] will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all son of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
2 Thess 2:1-4 With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus and our gathering together to Him . . . Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [aka the beast of Revelation, the fourth beast of Daniel, the Antichrist of 1 John 2:18, 22]. Just as Jesus has many names, so the Antichrist has many names. Each name tells us something important about his character or mission.
Matt 24:14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.
Rev 11:7-13 When they [the two witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
6. There is only one second coming. (It does not have two parts or two future comings to earth.)
Matt 24:3 What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Matt 24:30 The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
Matt 24:37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
Mark 13:26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
Mark 14:62 Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Luke 21:27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
1 Thess 2:19 In the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
1 Thess 3:13 At the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
1 Thess 4:15-17 We who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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 shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Thess 5:23 May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thess 2:1-3 With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed.
2 Thess 2:8 The lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;
Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.
Matt 24:33 When you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.
Mark 13:29-30 When you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”
Heb 9:28 Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
7. The one-and-only second coming is known by and visible to the whole world.
Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.
Isa 53:5 He was pierced through for our transgressions.
Zech 12:10-12 They will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born. In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, . . . And the land will mourn, every family by itself.
8. The one-and-only second coming is loud and noisy.
1 Thess 4:16-17 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 shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
1 Cor 15:51-52 We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in 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 shall be changed.
Rev 11:15 The seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there arose loud voices in heaven [sky], saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
Rev 14:1-2 I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion . . . . And I heard a voice from heaven [the sky], like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.
In these two verses, the Lord Jesus with the 144,000 Jewish, Christian resurrected men (who will form His global central government located in Jerusalem) have just landed on earth during His second coming. The mass of people above are all the other saints who have just received their resurrected bodies and have had the joy of watching Him descend to Jerusalem, before they scatter to the four corners of the earth to serve Him and rule as His global web government (Rev 2:27; 5:10).
9. The one-and-only second coming of Jesus is glorious and spectacular.
“Glory” is a heavy weight of great authority, power, prestige, popularity, or privilege well-known to everyone (OT Hebrew). It is also a radiant awesome beauty (NT Greek). Glory is seen by others, never hidden, but wondrous, even spectacular.
Dan 7:13-14 Behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming. And He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.
Matt 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels.
Matt 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27 All the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
Matt 25:31 The Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him.
10. All the Jews convert to accept Christ at His second coming.
Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.
Zech 12:10-12 They will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born. In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, . . . And the land will mourn, every family by itself.
Zech 13:1-2 “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. And it will come about in that day,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the [false] prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.”
Rom 11:26-27 All Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”
Rev 14:1 I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion [at the second coming].
The Worst End-Time Deception for Believers
The pre-tribulation rapture doctrine sounds good—no Christians will suffer through the great tribulation. But it’s not good, because it is false. It contradicts the explicit words of Jesus–the Chief Director of the rapture. Pre-trib gives a false sense of safety. This is deception. It is a ride on the Titanic.
“While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly,” (1 Thess 5:3).
“The imminent return of Christ” means Jesus can return at any second without having fulfilled any of the signs He said that would precede his second coming. So you do not have to get ready. You do not have to look for signs.
If Jesus can return at any minute and will never let us suffer the great tribulation, then eat, drink, and be merry because we will be raptured. No need to get ready. The pre-trib view keeps us dancing on the Titanic instead of building our “arks” (metaphorical).
This is false. Jesus told us to keep looking for the signs and be ready (Matt 24:33, “When you see these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”) According to the specific signs the Bible gives, that means once the two witnesses show up in Jerusalem–within 5 to 6 years Jesus will return to earth. Until they show up, the gospel must spread across the world, the first 4 trumpets are currently sounding loudly and the first 4 bowls are currently trickling out slowly as a strong warning to the world that eventually there will be a global collapse of civilization just as Jesus prophesied. In God’s mercy, this gives time for unbelievers to change their minds and follow Jesus and time for believers to wake up and build their arks.
Noah was forewarned of the coming global collapse of civilization and he picked up his hammer. If Noah had not built the ark, he and his family would have faced the flood like everyone else. But he listened to God’s words (not men’s) and obeyed by picking up his hammer. The greatest deception would have been to refuse to prepare.
Any time we go against Jesus’ clear, simple words, we are deceived and put ourselves and others in harm’s way. “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah . . . they were eating and drinking” and partying and happy! “Until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away,” (Matt 24:37-38). Noah had preached it to them (2 Pet 2:5). They knew. They did not believe. So they did not understand. They did not prepare. They did not build their own boats or even get onto Noah’s. The lesser good (of “no worries”) would open the floodgates to the greater evil (destruction and devastation).
The church is dancing on the Titanic today. Jesus says to build an “ark” (metaphorical for get ready both spiritually and practically) for yourself, your family, friends, church and any who will join you.
Matt 24:37-39, 44 “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. . . . They were eating and drinking . . . until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be, . . . For this reason you too must be ready.”
To see both the physical and spiritual preparations for the current disintegration of the earth’s land, oceans, waters, and skies slowly leading us toward global collapse please see Chapter 15 in this website.
Mortal danger is coming,
which ship do you choose–
the party or survival?
[1] “Flood” is symbolic for catastrophic devastation (Dan 9:26; Psa 69:2, 15). Jesus’ prophecies are in Mark 13:24-27 and Matthew 24:29-31.
[2] All believers in heaven will come with Jesus when He returns to earth. “Fallen asleep” is symbolic for physical death on earth. Christians are alive and awake in heaven with Jesus, the angels, and all other believers.
[3] “Flood” is metaphorical for great terror or devastation in the Old Testament (OT); Psa 69:2, 15; Prov 17:24; Dan 9:26, “After 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off . . . destroy the city . . . and its end will come with a flood . . . war and desolations are determined.”
[4] Mark 13:24-27. “After that tribulation, . . . then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.” Angels gathering Christians from earth and carrying them into the clouds to be with Jesus is called the “rapture.” C.f. Matt 24:29-31; 1 Thess 4:13-17.
[5] Visible (Mark 13:24-27; Matt 24:29-31; Rev 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of earth will mourn over Him.”) Loud (1 Thess 4:13-17, “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 shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain [on earth] shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [the rapture].”)
[6] The new resurrected body is given to all believers while in the clouds with Jesus at His second coming. 1 Cor 15:35-57; 2 Cor 4:14; Phil 3:21; 1 John 3:2.
[7] See footnotes 2 and 3.
[8] Mark 13:24-27; Matt 24:29-31; 1 Thess 4:14-17, “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 (dead bodies in graves but souls went to heaven and came back with Jesus) shall rise first. Then we who are alive [on earth] and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [the rapture].”
[9] The beast (Rev 13); the man of lawlessness and son of destruction (2 Thess 2:3); the Antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7); the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 11:31; 12:11; Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14). Dan 7:21, “I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them.” All of these are the same man with different names.
[10] Golden Clouds. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.
[11] A photo of the Titanic from Wikimedia Commons. The Ark by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay.
[12] “Iceberg below Water” on Wikimedia Commons. Storm Wave by Emillano Arana from Pexels. “Eye of the Storm from Outer Space,” by NASA from Pixabay and Pexels.
