The Church will not go through the Tribulation. There is a distinct difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming. Some may disagree with me, and that is perfectly okay. Whether you and I, do or do not agree about the

Rapture, it will have no effect on our salvation in Jesus Christ. However, for those who disagree, I strongly believe that rather than my being sorely disappointed, you will be pleasantly surprised.

There are many differences in these two events as shown here:

·        Rapture: Jesus comes FOR His Church.

·        2nd Coming: Jesus comes back WITH His Church.

·        Rapture: Jesus waits in the air for His Church.

·        2nd Coming: Jesus comes to the earth.

·        Rapture: Church removed and unbelievers left behind.

·        2nd Coming: Unbelievers removed but Tribulation saints left behind.

·        Rapture: He comes to present His bride to the Father.

·        2nd Coming: He comes to judge and set up His kingdom.

·        Rapture: The marriage of the Lamb in Heaven follows the Rapture.

·        2nd Coming: The marriage is followed by war on earth.

·        Rapture: It happens in the twinkling of an eye.

·        2nd Coming: Will be a steady view of His return.

·        Rapture: Only the Church will see Him.

·        2nd Coming: Every eye will see Him.

·        Rapture: Jesus descends with a shout.

·        2nd Coming: No shout is mentioned.

·        Rapture: A resurrection takes place.

·        2nd Coming: No resurrection is mentioned.

·        Rapture: It can happen at any time.

·        2nd Coming: Can only happen at the end of the Tribulation.

·        Rapture: Angels are not sent. Jesus comes Himself.

·        2nd Coming: Angels are sent to gather people for judgment.

·        Rapture: Earthly bodies are changed to Heavenly bodies.

·        2nd Coming: The Church returns with Heavenly bodies.

·        Rapture: Jesus does not return on a white horse.

·        2nd Coming: Jesus does return on a white horse.

·        Rapture: Jesus’ return is for His Church (His bride).

·        2nd Coming: Jesus returns for redeemed Israel and Tribulation saints.

·        Rapture: It is a message of hope and comfort.

·        2nd Coming: It is a message of judgment.

I’m sure this is not an exhaustive listing, but with it we can see that the Rapture and the Second Coming are not one and the same.

The seven year period of Tribulation on earth will be a time of God’s wrath on earth like never before. He will judge the nations and through this self-same judgment bring Israel back in faith believing. “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17) But concerning His bride, the Church, He says, “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10) He promised again in Revelation 3:10, “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.” (Revelation 3:10)

Also, some see Revelation chapter four verse one as a clear reference to the Church being raptured. On the other hand, some do not, even though they believe in the Rapture. Personally, it is very clear to me that this passage is most definitely referring to the Church being taken up to Heaven via the Rapture. This verse is shown below in four reliable English translations.

“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.” (KJV)

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” (NKJV)

“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” (ESV)

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” (NASB)

Note that in every instance verse one begins with the word “after” and ends the same. In chapter one of Revelation we see Jesus revealed (revelation) in His glory. In chapters two and three Jesus is speaking to the church. He then transfers the Apostle John to Heaven in chapter four verse one to continue the prophecy. In chapter one, we see the eternal “I Am.” In chapters two and three, we see the present day and age of the church period. Then beginning at chapter four, verse one He immediately takes us past the church age to the future.

If I go to see a play and there are three acts to the play, I will see one act after the other, not all three at once. Neither do they overlap in any way. If I attend a concert, I will listen to one song after the other, not all at one time. Neither do they overlap in any way. Neither do the church age and the Tribulation period co-exist or overlap in any way. One follows the other. As in a play, Act 1 comes BEFORE Act 2. Act 2 comes AFTER Act 1 and BEFORE Act 3. Act 3 comes AFTER Act 2. The Apostle John is shown the church age, and then he is raptured up to Heaven to see what follows the end of the church age. To me, you just can’t get any clearer than that. After means after.

Some say that the word “Rapture” is not in the Bible. That is true, and neither are the words “Bible” or “Trinity” found in the Bible, but they are just as true as the Rapture.

The word “Rapture” is derived from the Latin translation of “caught up” in

1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught uptogether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” The Latin translation uses the word “rapturo,” and this is where the word “rapture” is derived. The Greek word is “harpazo,” and it means:

1.     To seize, carry off by force

2.     To seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly

3.     To snatch out or away

A few other verses where “harpazo” is used are:

Acts 8:39, “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lordcaught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

Acts 23:10, “And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.”

2 Corinthians 12:2-4, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.”

So there is no doubt that Jesus will come in the clouds and eagerly claim His bride the Church for Himself, by seizing her and snatching her away by force to Heaven at the end of the church age. The next act will be the Tribulation,AFTER the Rapture.

The Tribulation period is a time of intense judgment by God. What groom would beat the living daylights out of his bride and then say, “Okay, now let’s go get married.” It ain’t going to happen.

Some say that the Church has suffered persecution down through the years, so why would she not suffer during the Tribulation? The reason is quite simple. “Persecution” has come from evil men who carry out the deeds of their father, the Devil. Judgment comes from God. The Tribulation, as I have already stated, is not persecution. It is judgment. God is not going to judge those who He has already promised will be protected from His wrath to come. (See verses above.) Conclusion; the Church will not go through any part whatsoever of the Tribulation. She will be raptured (LT-rapturo), snatched up (GK-harpazo), BEFORE the Tribulation, and the Tribulation will commence AFTER the Rapture.

 

Grant Phillips

On rare occasions I will get an email from some nameless sore tail that can’t stand hearing about the Rapture (or anything else that is Christ related for that matter). They say they don’t believe it, that I and others like me are religious nuts, and the world would be better off without us. One fellow recently stated, “To spend an eternity in your so-called heaven with religious nuts would be my idea of hell.” If they don’t believe in the Rapture, etc., then why does it make them so angry and hostile? Think about that. The only way it could possibly make one mad is knowing that they may be wrong. Otherwise, it makes no sense.

If I believe that mud pies are edible, I am obviously wrong, but how could that anger anyone? (Unless you’re stupid enough to try eating one.) If I believe that two plus two equals four, I am obviously correct, but how could that anger anyone? So what I believe really isn’t the issue is it? The fact that I may be right, in what you do not believe, is the real issue.

Often these poor souls will state that Christian beliefs infringe on their rights. Let us take a look:

·        A Christian believes he/she can be saved and given Heaven through Jesus Christ. You can too.

·        A Christian believes that God loves him/her. He loves you too.

·        Christianity is all about the love of God. That’s a problem?

·        A Christian believes in law and order. You don’t?

·        A Christian believes that Jesus will Rapture them from the earth prior to the Tribulation. You can be raptured too, if you put your faith in Jesus as we have.

·        A Christian believes in morality. Don’t you?

·        A Christian knows that there is one true God and His Son is Jesus Christ, the Savior of those who will come to Him in faith believing. How does my believing this hurt you? You think I’m wrong anyway.

This is a very small sampling, but enough to realize that those who hate Christianity actually love their sins and hate anything associated with God. They want to pick and choose their indulgences with no repercussions. They do not want to accept responsibility for their actions, which God requires.

If one is angered over the mention of the Rapture then there can only be one reason; i.e. the Rapture speaks of judgment upon those who are left behind to experience the Tribulation which follows. By the same token, the same is true of the Tribulation and especially the White Throne judgment which follows later.

To believe in the Rapture, the Tribulation, or any Christ related matters, would mean that a person would have to face the fact of judgment. There is no need for judgment if there is no sin. Therefore since there is judgment, there is sin. To believe in the Rapture, etc. would mean that to avoid judgment, one would have to forsake the sins they so covet. So what does all this mean? One would have to acknowledge that:

·        they are a sinner

·        they are bound for hell and not worthy to be saved

·        Jesus Christ is God

·        their only hope is in Jesus Christ

·        only faith in Jesus saves, apart from any works

·        only Jesus can forgive sins and wash us clean

It’s all about humility versus a proud spirit. The humble can be saved, the proud, never. Only a fool who is eaten up with his/her own pride could be angered by Christian beliefs.

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” (Psalms 14:1)

Concerning the Rapture and the Tribulation, does it mean that only those who believe in the Rapture, etc. are Christians? Of course not. Christians can and will have different views on end-time events, but a Christian is not going to spew hatred toward those who believe differently concerning the Rapture. A Christian is not going to classify those who believe in the Rapture as religious nuts that would make heaven their idea of hell.

The only qualification of being born again by the way (becoming a Christian), is putting ones faith in Jesus as our personal Savior, not on our belief in the sequence of end-time events. A Christian is sealed by the Holy Spirit and thereby has the love of God within him/her. Love, not hate, must be the norm for a Christian.

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:14-15)

Here is where some hit a wall. Their own sins judge them, so they lash out in anger at the ones who represent the God of judgment they fear. If they could just see that those who are His have no fear.

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:18-19)

True, legitimate Christianity never forces itself upon anyone. A true follower of Jesus Christ no more forces their beliefs on another than does God. The facts from the Holy Word of God, the Bible, are clearly presented in love, but no force is involved. Jesus knocks at the door (Revelation 3:20). He doesn’t bang on it or kick it in.

As a Christian, I will continue to proclaim what Jesus lays on my heart, whether it concern the Rapture or something else. You don’t have to listen, but I hope you do. The very best for your welfare, is all that is desired.

 

Grant Phillips