The Rapture, when?

There are over eighteen hundred prophecies in the Word of God concerning the first and second coming of Jesus Christ, we all know about the first coming, let us spend some time examining the second coming.

"The world is in a terrible state, when is Jesus coming for the second time to sort this world out?"

It appears that God feels that we should be informed of the future events He has planned, He has given us these signs for a reason.
What do we mean by "signs"? Generally it means some event, place, object which is important in the coming plans of God. He has made it very easy to recognize and understand when the "sign" appears.

There have been many people who have made announcements concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ, some have even predicted dates when it will occur, but note what Jesus said in Matt. 24:36.

"36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

Even Jesus, in His human form, did not know when. However Jesus told us to keep our eyes open so that we will not be fooled by any man made predictions and announcements, and look towards Him more and more as the time gets closer, He has already won the battle.

Throughout the history of the church, scriptural prophecy has attracted many people to write books claiming that they know what the prophecy means. The material and teaching contained in the Scriptures was given by God through many different people and whose understanding of what they were told of the future days would mean very little to them. Even in modern times, television, telephones, mobile phones, the many types of vehicles and means of transport would mean very little to someone just one hundred years ago.
It is only as the various technology appear that we can see how things could be. For example:
Revelation 11:3-12.

"3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 And they of the people and kindred's and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them."

The whole world will be able to watch and be involved with this coming event, fifty years ago, before satellite communication, that would not be possible.

Signs.

An important prophecy fulfillment took place on May 14, 1948, under the leadership of David Ben-Gurion, secular Israel was born that day in fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy written over 2800 years ago,
Isaiah 66:8.

"8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. "

Jeremiah 32:37,38.

"37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: "

Ezekiel 39:27-29.

"27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD."

The story of the nation of Israel began in Genesis when God made a perpetual covenant with Abraham(Abram), as recorded in Genesis 12:1-3.

"1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

The Jewish nation grew and had a history of seeking God and being blessed as promised, or rejecting Him and suffering the consequences of this action, receiving many punishments by God. Yet despite their failures God has kept His covenant with Abraham, defending them against many enemies over the years.

Note that the covenant with Abraham was unconditional, it was not an agreement between equals, it was up to God only to ensure it was fulfilled. There was no way it could be altered or cancelled.

The land that was promised to Abraham was described with clear geographical borders. The strange thing is that Israel has never occupied anywhere near the promised land during its history. God has always brought Israel back to the land promised to Abraham and it is this land which is the core of the hatred by Middle East nations.
Note Deuteronomy 11:11,12.

"11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. "

As a result of the Jewish Nation being reformed other prophecies can now become active.

Zechariah 12:2,3 & 9,10.

"2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."

Jeremiah 32:37,38.

"37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: "

Luke 21:31,32

"31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. "

"28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD."

Rebirth of the Roman Empire.

In Daniel 2:1ff God gave Nebuchadnezzar a prophetic dream showing a great image made up of various metals which represented the various future kingdoms of the world. The two legs, made of iron, represented the future split Roman Empire. The feet were made of a mixture of iron and clay and ended in the ten toes. According to Daniel these toes represented another period of the Roman Empire which would consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. There is nothing in history which can correspond to a tenfold Roman coalition, apparently it is yet to appear.

In the time of Jesus, Israel and most of the known world was ruled by mighty Rome, and was involved with His death, resurrection and ultimate creation of the Christian church. See also Daniel 7:1ff.

The Roman Empire did not end suddenly, it gradually faded away. We must therefore assume some form of the Roman Empire will appear in the end times. In addition, Daniel said that in the days of these kings God will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.

Today, we can see this Roman Empire reappearing as the European Union.
In 1946, after the war in 1948, three nations, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium agreed to work together, they were joined in 1951 by West Germany, France, and Italy to form a trade market in coal and steel.
In 1957 The treaty of Rome was signed forming the Common Market and then in 1973 the UK, Ireland, and Denmark joined. Greece was added in 1981 making it a ten–nation confederation.
In 1986 Spain and Portugal joined and the E.E.C. decided to form a political union to which Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined in 1995.
Monetary union for these counties was introduced in 2002. Other surrounding countries now joined to form a union of 28 nations by 2013. The UK voted to exit this union in 2016.

Over the years the nations of Europe have recreated what is a copy of the Roman Empire, now a very powerful political union.

Now that the Jewish Nation is back in the Promised Land and the restored "Roman Empire" is reformed the world is ready for the next stage in God’s plan, the Rapture and the appearance of the AntiChrist. Note, there are now no prophecies to be fulfilled until after the Rapture.

The Rapture of the Church.

The word "rapture." means "to transport from one place to another."
So the next scheduled event prophesied by the Bible is to occur when the Lord Jesus comes in the air to call His own True Believers home. There are several passages which bring this out:

"15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

1 Cor. 15:51-53.

"51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."

This is the return of Jesus to call home all the true Believers, the following events and people are involved with this action:-
1 The sounding of a trumpet: In the Old Testament the trumpet was used for two things – to call the people to battle or to come to worship. Revelation 4:1. 1 The Lord Jesus himself.
2. The archangel, who gives a shout, possibly a call to other angels to prepare for a battle with the angels of Satan who could try to prevent the Believers entering heaven. This archangel could be Michael; see for references to this angel by name, Daniel 10:13, 21; Daniel 12:1; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7.
3. The changed bodies of the dead believers: "for this corruptible must put on incorruption."
4. The changed bodies of living believers: "and this mortal must put on immortality."

Why has God planned the event we call the Rapture?

To judge the True Believers life for Jesus and reward them for their faith.

2 Cor. 5:10

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

To remove the Spirit of God from the earth, and who is restraining Satan’s action.

2 Thess .2:7

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

It is believed that the "he" in this verse is referring to the Holy Spirit who has been controlling the actions of Satan, if the True Believers are taken to heaven, His presence is not now required to protect them and will permit the tribulation to commence.

The event of the Rapture is also the answer to the part of the plan of God, how were true believers to go to heaven without dying?
1 Cor 15:51.

"51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. "

Other teaching concerning the event called the "Rapture."

There are a number of different teaching concerning the event "the Rapture." The main teachings contrary to scripture are as below.

1. That the "Second Coming" and the "Rapture" are the same event.

False. Jesus comes in the air to get his church from the earth, while at the Second Coming Jesus comes with all the Believers to the earth.

See Jude 14,15.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Rev 19:11-16.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

2. That the rapture will include only True Christians who are "spiritual," any "carnal / worldly" True Christians will be left behind and have to endure the terrible tribulation. This teaching is destroyed by 1 Corinthians 15:51, where Paul says that "we shall all be changed."

3. That the rapture will not take place until after the first three and half years, at the middle of the tribulation, or at the end of the tribulation. This would mean that the church of true believers will have to go through the wrath of God.

Romans 5:9.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1 Thessalonians 5:9,10
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Revelation 3:10.
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.

1 Thess 1:10.
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The Church is the body and bride of Christ, if there was a split or time difference between parts of the Body of Christ then a part of the Body of Christ would be amputated from the rest.

The strongest proof of this later rapture is the fact that up to chapter 6 of Revelation the church is mentioned many times, but from chapter 6 to chapter 19, during the tribulation, the church being on earth is not mentioned.