Rature Timeline

At the day of Doom men shall be judged according to their fruits. It will not be said then, did you believe? But, were you doers or talkers only?
- John Bunyan

Rapture Timeline (Pre, Mid or Post Tribulation)

Unsurprisingly, given the proliferation of Christian denominations and errant doctrines, not to mention ubiquitous yet escalating levels of temptation and deception, Me-ism and sin, there is a growing amount of disinformation concerning one of the most important events discussed in Scripture. Namely the Rapture or Second Coming of Christ.

As with all Christian doctrines, pieces of the puzzle are contributed by various Biblical authors. In this case there are Old and New Testament references, the latter including Jesus, Paul and John. As far as a timeline is concerned, the Scriptures clearly agree as to at what point in future history the Rapture will occur. Unfortunately the recent Pre-Tribulation theory is clearly not taught in the Bible. For a clear and concise timeline click here.

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him... Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

-2 Thessalonians 2:2,3-4 NIV

Understandably it is hard for Christians in First World "Christian" Nations to conceive of living through a time of Great Tribulation as the New Testament describes. Particularly in the U.S. believers have so long enjoyed phenomenal blessings and prosperity that to image unprecedented death and destruction seems to do violence to the goodness of God.

Billions of Third World Christians along with their brothers throughout history have lived and died under no such delusion.

While it is true that the Church is "not appointed unto wrath" the question that begs asking is "who's wrath?" Clearly the Scripture teaches not God's but what of man's and the Devil's?

The fact that the so many of the Bible's major contributors suffered and died by the hands of men answers the question. John's Revelation also predicts a time of time of Great Tribulation when the Devil and his angels will be cast out of Heaven onto the Earth. John points out that Satan will have great wrath knowing the time left his is short. He immediately raises up the Anti-Christ to make war against the people of God who do not overcome him by being Raptured but "by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and not loving their lives unto death."

This is a far cry to the comforting but false doctrine being taught to hundreds of millions today. Millions who are light years from being prepared to endure hardship like soldiers or to be persecuted and killed as martyrs.

Great Tribulation then Clouds of Glory

The Bible is clear that Christ will return to Earth in glory and gather His elect from the four corners of Earth. In Matthew 24 Jesus explains the timeline for this fantastic so event clear and succinctly that no knowledge of original Biblical language is needed. In fact, if you understand simple words and phrases like "then, after that and immediately after" there's no mistaking that the Rapture comes following the rise of the Anti-Christ, the False Prophet and the Mark of the Beast.

In this passage Jesus explains that immediately after the days of tribulation "Then shall the sign of the Son of Man appear in heaven...and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."

While Christ's coming will be glorious, unfortunately Jesus, Paul and John all agree it will be after a time of unparalleled suffering. Along with clear instruction as to the Rapture's timeline, Jesus speaks of a "great trumpet," Paul mentions "the Last Trumpet" and John places Christ's return between the last of Revelation's seven trumpets but BEFORE the final Seven Bowls of God's wrath:

"Then the scene changed, and I saw a white cloud and someone sitting on it who looked like Jesus, who was called “The Son of Man,” with a crown of solid gold upon his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then an angel came from the temple and called out to him, “Begin to use the sickle, for the time has come for you to reap; the harvest is ripe on the earth.” So the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the harvest was gathered in." Revelation 14:14-16 TLB

" After that another angel came from the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Just then the angel who has power to destroy the world with fire, shouted to the angel with the sickle, “Use your sickle now to cut off the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are fully ripe for judgment.” Revelation 14:17-18 TLB

"So the angel swung his sickle on the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. And the grapes were trodden in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out in a stream 200 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle.." Revelation 14:19-20 TLB

Revelation's Timeline

There are sixty events foretold by John in the Revelation (for highlights click here). At the point of the verse quoted above just two of these have already taken the lives of half of mankind! Additionally all the grass on Earth has been burned along with a third of the trees. A flaming mountain or asteroid has crashed into the sea turning a third of the sea into blood while destroying a third of it's fish and ships. Also a third of the sunlight has been dimmed and a third of fresh water poisoned!

This will certainly be a time of Great Tribulation and yet the Bible agrees that Christ's glorious return to Rapture His church comes during this period. A tremendous and terrifying time marked by the first and last angelic war in heaven and the casting of Satan and angels to Earth! After which the Antichrist will come to power, install his False Prophet and introduce the Mark of the Beast!

2020 Update

The 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic, BLM rioting and looting, violence and murder have given Prophetic Christians ample opportunity to reevaluate the Times and Seasons in which we live. Some have understandable turned to Bible prophecy, and the Book of Revelation in particular. With the quantum nature of its rich literative and terrifying content, many have and continue to interpret much if not most of John’s message as metaphorical. Some do so attempting to distance themselves from Revelation’s clarion call to fear God, which is the beginning of wisdom, as well as the deep and abiding repentance necessary to endure Christianity’s ruthless final exam. Others, working through difficult truth and challenging allegory, plot the events and run the numbers. The global ruin and utter destruction seems unimaginable, thus arguing for a figurative template.

Never before has the spiritual and societal battle line been drawn so clearly. Even the genocide of abortion is largely unseen. More a religious and moral issue than a global seizure of emergency powers including economic and institutional shutdowns, shelter in place and social distancing ordinances. To say nothing of the Antifa and BLM's campaign of terror supplemented with the tearing down of monuments, while bestowing martyrdom and sainthood on felons. Again, with the approval of a majority of the most powerful individuals, corporations and organizations in the U.S., if not world.

All this as the specters of apocalyptic events appear looming on the horizon. Some, like Matt Walsh, a cultural and political commentator, pinpoint glaring lapses in judgment and common sense. Others forward more nefarious social and spiritual scenarios. As for a COVID-19 vaccine, there are a great many reasons for caution, up to and including genuine concerns in regards to efficacy and safety, not to mention medical professionals questioning plans to roll out genetic manipulation and even nano technology (if video link fails to play click here to download an important 20 min video).

Glaring lapses in judgment and common sense among world and church leaders abound. Others forward more nefarious social and spiritual scenarios, including the introduction of a final New World Order. Possibly even the ushering in of the long foretold Antichrist, as well as the Mark of the Beast. It's not hard to imagine a scenario where the primary, secondary and tertiary global effects of COVID-19 play a significant role in the beginning of sorrows warned of in the gospels, epistles and Revelation. Which again, according to Scripture and contrary to modern opinion, take place before rather than after the Rapture.

Some understandably question why Jesus references the pursuits of seeming ordinary life, like dining and marriage, while discussing the Great Tribulation. A main point often and mistakenly used to support the false Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory. The following points may be of assistance:

Matthew 24-25 are considered Christ’s Olivet Discourse.
From Matthew 24:1-13 Jesus offers insight into a variety of topics. These include the destruction of Jewish Temple, Times and Seasons (deceptions, wars, famines, plagues and earthquakes - the beginning of sorrows), Persecution, False Prophets, Lawlessness (love of many growing cold) all calling for the endurance of the saints while the gospel is preached to all nations before the end comes.
Matthew 24:15-22 may partially describe Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem while prophetically referencing the ruin at the coming of the Antichrist.
Matthew 24:23-26 warns of eschatological errors and offers insight regarding Christ’s Return.
Matthew 24:29-31 is a further reference to the Great Tribulation and Rapture. Matthew 24:32-35 uses the fig tree as metaphor for the entire period.
Matthew 24:36-39 explains only God the Father knows the day and hour, while using the days of Noah as a warning against being caught unaware, “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
Many have used this verse to introduce a secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture conveniently preceding the Great Tribulation (supposedly negating personal concerns). Others, noting Jesus, Paul and John all teach a Mid Tribulation Rapture, consider Christ’s literative use of the days of Noah suggest a metaphorical interpretation of the entire Book of Revelation.
More likely, like the Fig Tree and the remaining passages, Matthew 24:42-51, may simply be Jesus addressing the hardness of mankind’s heart throughout the last days, if not the whole of human history.
From a Biblical point of view, few things are more certain than man’s propensity to deception from sin above (fallen angels and demons), about (society) and within (fallen nature). A sad but frequent refrain, reaching its crescendo when even after the judgment and destruction of Revelation’s seven seals and six trumpets we are told, “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality (also a good fit for contraceptive abortion) or their thefts.”
The Olivet Discourse then concludes with Matthew 25’s account of Christs parables of the Ten Virgins, Talents and Sheep and Goats, interestingly placing ”eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” about Mid-Olivet Discourse.
BTW: The casualty counts of 1/4 of mankind in Revelation 6:7-8 and 1/3 of mankind in Revelation 9:13-19 present strong evidence for a largely literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation.

The Alive After The Fall video is a short but well produced overview of last day prophecies in light of recent events. It also offers a reasonable though fearful handling of America's apparent place in Biblical prophecy, along with resources to help equip individuals and families to survive what may well be coming. GB highly recommends watching the video, but if necessary you can click here to view the transcript.

God have mercy, Christ have mercy…

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