5.5  Will the Rapture Come Before the Tribulation?

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Will the Rapture come before the tribulation? 

If you will read Revelation 13:1 - 14:20, you will see a short but incomplete answer to this question. In 13:1 you will see the beast, the Christian killer, who overcomes the saints (13:7), who is named 666 (13:18). Then you see 144,000 Jews converted to Christ in 14:1-5 (the 144,000 having been identified as Jews in 7:1-8). Then you see the Gospel preached (14:6-7), unbelievers warned (14:8-11), saints persevering and dying for their testimony (14:12-13), followed by the rapture (14:14-16) and Armageddon (14:17-20), with lots of blood (14:20).

It is easy to see that 666 (the beast) and his malicious persecutions and murders of countless Christians comes before the rapture. So, the answer is no. The rapture does not come before the tribulation. It comes after. If this prospect frightens you, click here to learn how to respond to suffering according to scripture... to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

As I said, this is a short but incomplete answer. Please read on for a more complete explanation. But please pray for understanding as you read...

(pause for prayer)

The Bible presents seven elements of the rapture and ten apocalyptic events which precede it. Do you know them? 

This page will present the seven elements first. Then the ten apocalyptic events.  The timing of the rapture is established by the seven and by the ten. 

"...we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

1 Thessalonians 4:17

This is the rapture... to be "caught up... in the clouds... to meet the Lord in the air. 

Seven elements of the rapture are presented in the scriptures. 

But, there is only one passage in the book of Revelation which is consistent with all seven elements. 

That passage is the key to understanding whether the rapture comes before or after the great tribulation.

Now is the time to pray for understanding. James 4:2 says "You don't have because you don't ask." So, whether you are a seminary professor or new Christian, I prayerfully admonish you to pray now. If you will not ask for understanding, trusting God to grant understanding, you should not expect to understand (James 1:5-7).

(pause for prayer)

The first four elements of the rapture are designated in the following verse by superscript numbers 1-4.

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel² and with the trumpet¹ call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds⁴ to meet the Lord in the air³. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

So, we see four elements of rapture prophecy in this passage:

1) Trumpet
2) Archangel speaks
3) Jesus is in the clouds
4) Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds

At the rapture, the trumpet will sound, the archangel will speak, Jesus will descend to the clouds and the living believers will ascend with the resurrected dead believers to meet Jesus "in the clouds". The scripture said, "the dead in Christ will rise first." So, the resurrection is part of the rapture. It is in the fourth element.

Another passage tells us that the resurrection occurs at the last trumpet:

"Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed."

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

The first element of the rapture which we observed from 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 was that the rapture will occur "with the trumpet call of God". Here in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 we see that the rapture occurs "at the last trumpet". So, I will amend our initial list of the first four elements to reflect that the rapture occurs at the last trumpet. Here are the amended first four elements:

1) Last Trumpet
2) Archangel speaks
3) Jesus is in the clouds
4) Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds

Now, please observe the fifth, sixth and seventh elements of the rapture, from the scriptures below:

5) Matthew 13:24-43 describes the harvest. At the harvest the sons of the kingdom are gathered into God's "barn" (13:30), but the son's of the evil one are bound "in bundles" to be burned later (13:30). This harvest (resurrection) occurs at the end of the age:

"The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels" 
Matthew 13:39

6) Another passage tells us that Jesus doesn't know when the end of the age will come. Only the Father knows:

Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only." 

Matthew 24:35-36

The context of Matthew 24:37-51 makes it clear that Jesus is talking about His second coming (24:42), a day that the disciples of the first century and we ourselves should be ready for (24:42-47), when the wicked are removed from the earth (24:36-41, 48-51), as reflected in Revelation 14:17-20, immediately after the rapture in Revelation 14:14-16. So, in the fifth element, Matthew 13:39, we are told that the rapture comes at the end of the age. And the sixth element, Matthew 24:35-36, tells us that Jesus doesn't know when the end of the age will come.

7) Other passages tell us that the resurrection occurs on the last day. Jesus said,

"This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day"  (John 6:40)

Jesus also said,

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day. "

(John 6:44)

See also John 6:39, 54 and 11:24 for other passages where Jesus repeatedly says that the resurrection comes on "the last day". Well, the rapture and the resurrection are the same event (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 above). So, the rapture and the resurrection occur on THE LAST DAY! 

Some say that the tribulation occurs after the rapture. But how can that be? The rapture occurs on "the last day", the last day of the current age. But, more on that later.

I have combined all of the above scriptures to organize the rapture prophecies into seven elements. I have changed the order to make them easier to explain. Here they are:

Seven Elements of Rapture Prophecy

• Last trumpet
• Jesus in the clouds

• Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds
• End of the age
  
• Voice of the archangel
  
• Only the Father knows the day
• The last day

These are the seven elements of the rapture prophecies that I see. Some of the seven elements have additional details attached to them by scripture. But it is easier to organize and understand if we view them as seven elements, with some elements having additional identifying details. 

In recent times, many have taught that the rapture comes before the great tribulation which was foretold in the book of Revelation. But is that what the scriptures teach? To answer that question, we must answer two questions: 

1) Is there is a passage in the book of Revelation which is consistent with all seven elements of the rapture prophecy? 

2) If Yes, does the rapture fulfillment passage occur before or after the tribulation?

The answer to the first question is yes. As to the second question, the rapture passage occurs after the tribulation. It is simple to see once you understand where the rapture occurs in the book of Revelation. Please prayerfully read on and you will see.

Revelation 14:14-16 is Consistent with All Seven Prophesies

Now is the time to pray. Keep praying as you read. Where ever you are, I have prayed that you will come into the intimate presence of your Lord right now... Please ask Him to open your ears to hear. Ask Him to open your eyes to see.

(Pause for Prayer)

(Pause for Prayer)

Now, if you have done as I asked, please continue in a state of prayer and prayerfully read on.

• I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud² one sitting like a son of man², having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. Another angel⁵ came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come⁶; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" He who sat on the cloud³ thrust his sickle on the earth³, and the earth was reaped⁴" (Revelation 14:14-16).

Please ask God to grant understanding as I show how this passage is consistent with all of the seven elements of the rapture prophecy... 1) Last trumpet, 2) Jesus in the clouds, 3) Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds, 4) End of the age, 5) Voice of the archangel, 6) Only the Father knows the day and 7) The last day.

The first six elements of the rapture prophecies are present in this one passage, Revelation 14:14-16:

1) Revelation 14:14-16 occurs in the last trumpet in the book of Revelation. That is the first element. (Click here to understand the rigid organizational structure of the book of Revelation as defined by express statements within the book its self. For example,10:7 tells us that the seventh trumpet extends to the end of the book.)

2) Jesus is the Son of Man. And therefore, it is Jesus who in sitting on the cloud. That meets the second element of the prophesy, Jesus in the clouds. 

3) Jesus swings his sickle to harvest the earth while he sits on the cloud. He doesn't set foot on the earth to harvest the earth. The harvest comes to Him while He is on the cloud. That is the third element... His gathering of the saints to Himself, Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds

4) The harvest is ripe and "is reaped". That is the forth element... the end of the age. We know from Matthew 13:39 that the harvest comes at the end of the age.

5) The angel told Jesus in a loud voice that, "the hour to reap has come". That is consistent with the fifth element... the voice of the archangel. 

6) The angel telling Jesus that it is time to reap is also consistent with the sixth element... Only the Father knows the day. Since Jesus doesn't know the day, either the Father must personally tell the Son when to reap, or the Father must send the message to Jesus through another. The message came to Jesus through an angel.

The one "like a son of man" is a prophetic phrase which refers to Christ (Revelation 1:12-18 for example). So, we see Christ, on a cloud, harvesting the earth. His being on a cloud fits the rapture, since the rapture prophecies say that God's children meet Him "in the clouds" and "in the air".  Click here to see that Revelation 14:14-16 occurs within the seventh and last trumpet, which is presented in Revelation 11:15-14:20. 

The Seventh Element: The Last Day

You just saw how Revelation 14:14-16 includes the first six elements of the rapture prophecies. The seventh element is that the resurrection (and the rapture) occur on "the last day", which is the end of the age. Well, Revelation 14:14-16 is followed by Armageddon (Revelation 14:17-20) and the millennial kingdom. In my understanding, Everyone who is not raptured in 14:14-16 will be killed in 14:17-20 and 19:17-21... So, to my understanding, the rapture in 14:17-20 is "the last day". While I don't have an express statement of scripture to that effect, I do have express statements of scripture which reveal how the book of Revelation is organized, which you may read by clicking here.  According to that organizational structure, the seventh trumpet and seventh bowl revelations of Armageddon occur together and are presented in 14:17-20 and 19:17-21, respectively. The rapture (14:14-16) is followed by Armageddon (14:17-20, 19:17-21), the millennial kingdom (20:1-9), the judgement (20:10-15) and then the eternal state of the new Jerusalem (21:1-22:5). As I wrote before, it appears that Everyone who is not raptured in 14:14-16 will be killed in 14:17-20 and 19:17-21... the last day, the end of the age. The seventh trumpet and seventh bowl revelations of Armageddon are presented in 14:17-20 and 19:17-21, respectively. To see why 14:17-20 and 19:17-21 both address the same period of time, click here to read the subchapter titled, "Chronology and Organizational Structure in the Book of Revelation".

What is the Last Day? 

• "This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40)
• "He who rejects me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).
  

From those two scriptures we can see that the rapture and a judgement occur on "the last day". The phrase "last day" is used six times in the gospel of John. It represents a major event in history. Five times its use is similar to that in John 6:40 above, a resurrection to life for Christians (John 6:39,44,54 and 11:24). The sixth time is John 12:48, shown above. John 12:48 is a judgement on the last day. John 5:28-29 tells us that there is a resurrection to life for some and a resurrection to judgement for others. So, there is a resurrection to life and a judgement on "the last day". But, as you will see below, I don't believe that the resurrection to life occurs on the same day as the resurrection to judgement. The judgement on the last day is not the great white throne judgement which occurs after the resurrection to judgement. My theory is that the judgement on the last day occurs on the day of Armageddon... It is the binding into bundles for a time, to be burned later. It will become clear as you prayerfully read on.

The last day is the resurrection of the children of God and judgement of those who reject Christ (John 6:40 and 12:48 above). 

This judgement is a judgement which results in the physical death of the living unbelievers at Armageddon, and also possibly words of judgement spoken to the spirits of the unbelieving dead who died before Armageddon (to fulfill John 12:48, "the word that I spoke will judge him in the last day"). Jesus has done this before. He spoke to the spirits of the dead at His first coming (1 Peter 3:18-19). Perhaps He will also do this at His second coming. 

John 12:48 indicates words of judgement on the last day, the last day being the last day of the current age. But the current age is followed by the Millennial Age, which is followed by the Great White Throne Judgement. If words of judgement are spoken to the spirits of the unbelieving dead who died before Armageddon, then the John 12:48 prophecy of judgement on the last day of the current age would not need to refer to the Great White Throne Judgement... Then the Great White Throne Judgement can occur after the 1000 year age of the Millennium, as Revelation 20 indicates. 

So, the last day of the current age appears to be separated from the Great White Throne Judgement by the Millennial Age, 1000 years. In other words, I believe that the Great White Throne judgement which results in the spirits of the unbelieving being thrown into the lake of fire will come a thousand years later, after the Millennium. Remember Matthew 13:24-43. At the harvest, the end of the age, the sons of the kingdom are gathered into God's "barn" (13:30), but the son's of the evil one are bound "in bundles" to be burned later (13:30). They are not sent directly into the fire. 

In summary, the difficulties of the end time passages appear to be removed if the words of judgement of John 12:48 and the binding into bundles of the wicked in Matthew 13:30 occur before the millennial age, but the actual burning occurs 1000 years later, after the millennial age. This burning is the Great White Throne Judgement.

When is The Last Day?

We have no express statement of scripture that defines when it occurs, so we must be humble in our opinions. So, I will present what I believe is the best way to understand the relevant passages. This view avoids the contradictions I have seen with other interpretations and rises out of the scriptures in a clear and simple way. I spent many decades searching and asking for such a way.

The last day is the last day of the current age before the next age, the next age being the 1000 year reign of Christ (the millennium). Remember, the fourth element of the rapture is... that the rapture comes at "the end of the age" (Matthew 13:39). Possibly the last day is the last day of what Jesus called "this generation" in Matthew 24:34, as he defined that phrase in Matthew 23:29-36. Click here to see how Jesus defined "this generation" as the generation of Satan which spans thousands of years when He said "this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished" (Matthew 24:34). It appears that the last day is the last day of the current age AND ALSO the last day of "this generation" before the millennium (Revelation 20:1-3, 6). And perhaps the snapshot in 20:4-6 is the resurrection of all saints on "the last day" (John 6:40), saints being symbolized as "those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God", "beheaded" being symbolic of the universal persecution of the saints (2 Timothy 3:12). The resurrected saints in 20:4-6 also included those who did not worship the beast or take his mark. These resurrected saints rule during the millennium (20:6), after which, the snapshots of 20:7-10 and 20:11-15 may occur simultaneously, in the resurrection to judgement* of the sons of Satan (20:13-15), their post resurrection rebellion (20:7-9) and their entrance into the flames of their eternal destruction (20:9,10,14).

* See John 5:28-29 on the two resurrections, one to life and one to judgement.

Possibly, Perhaps, It Appears

In the above paragraphs I wrote "possibly", "perhaps" and "it appears". I use these words to clarify that I am presenting a possible explanation for which I can not prove by an express statement of scripture, to show how express statements of scripture may be interpreted so they don't contradict each other. Scripture doesn't contradict scripture but interpretations do. I need express statements of scripture to establish a doctrine of God. 

Now, let me provide some hints to help you to understand the above passages.

Hint 1: 

The resurrection of Revelation 20:4-6 is not restricted to those who were killed for their testimony because Jesus said that those who believe in Him will be raised "at the last day" (John 6:40). There is not one resurrection for martyred saints and a second resurrection for non-martyred saints, since all who believe are resurrected "at the last day". The "beheaded" saints which John saw in 20:4 must be understood figuratively, rather than literally, because the book of Revelation has explicitly instructed us to understand the book figuratively in its first sentence" "he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John" (1:1, ASV). The beast and the mark of the beast in Revelation 20:4 is figurative. Figuratively speaking, all of God's children, over thousands of years, have not taken the mark of the beast, or worshiped the beast. That the book of Revelation communicates figuratively instead of literally is thoroughly explained in subchapter 5.6 titled, "Signs of What Must Occur Quickly: To Reveal Jesus". Click here to read the section titled "Revelation Through Signs" in that subchapter. In John 6:22-71 Jesus was speaking to a multitude (6:24). Five times he spoke to the multitude of the resurrection to life (John 6:39,40,44,54). He was speaking to His disciples, who were martyred. He was also speaking to many who were not martyred. But, to those who would be martyred and to those who would not be martyred, He said that they would be raised on "THE LAST DAY". 

So, in my understanding there is one resurrection to life. 

And the scriptures say that it's on "the last day".

I cannot over emphasize: 

We must not take as literal what God has said is figurative. For a full explanation, click here and read the section titled, "Revelation Through Signs". We should beware of taking the words "beheaded", "beast" and "mark of the beast" as literal. To cut off ones head is a well known figure of speech which most any one reading this page has used many times... with no intention of communicating a literal beheading. The word "beast" is also a well known figure of speech. 

Hint 2

In Revelation 19:17-21, I believe that "all men" on the planet are killed in judgement (19:18) because only unbelievers remain on the earth at that time (after the rapture). Only those who missed the rapture are remaining on the earth. The millennial kingdom then occurs (20:1-7), after which Satan gathers the nations to attack the saints, "the beloved city" (20:7-9). Well, where did these unbelievers come from? All unbelievers in the world were killed in 19:18. Resurrected saints do not marry (Matthew 22:30), and presumably, do not have children. So, if all unbelievers are killed in 19:18 and the resurrected and raptured saints don't have children (Matthew 22:30), then where do the unbelievers come from to attack the saints in "the beloved city"? One answer: Revelation 20:13 presents another resurrection, a resurrection of the dead, a post millennium resurrection, which I believe are the spiritually dead, which can not include Christians since Christians were all resurrected on "the last day". Then the spiritually dead attack the saints (20:7-9), and fire from heaven devours them (20:9) in what appears to be a "lake of fire" (20:14-15). 

Wheat and Tares

This explanation is consistent with the prophecy of the harvest in the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30. In this prophecy, the tares, translated as weeds or darnel in some versions, represent unbelievers at the rapture. Matthew 13:30 states "First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." So, while the saints are meeting with Christ in the clouds (the rapture in Revelation 14:14-16), those who were not raptured (tares) are killed in Armageddon (Revelation 14:17-20, 19:18). Death at Armageddon represents "bind them in bundles". In this perspective, the tares are gathered first. They remain bound in bundles through the millennium (Revelation 20:1-7) until the resurrection of the unbelievers (Revelation 20:13), when they attack the saints, "the beloved city" (Revelation 20:7-9). In other words, while the saints are in the clouds with Christ, the tares are taken from the earth and bundled for future judgement. Then, secondly, the saints (wheat) are placed in God's barn (ruling during the millennium on the earth (Revelation 20:4-6). 

Matthew 24:36-47

My explanation is also consistent with the Jesus' description of end times in Matthew 24:36-47. People will be in the field, at the mill, at weddings, and eating and drinking when Christ comes. The saints in rapture (in resurrection) will rise  into the clouds to meet Christ. From the clouds they will watch as Christ removes the wicked from the earth, ("as in the days of Noah" in verse 37... when the flood took the wicked away in verse 39... wicked "taken" in verses 40 and 41). Then the saints will return to the earth to rule for 1000 years while the wicked wait for their resurrection to the judgement of the spiritually dead.

Reconciliation

As you can see, many passages about the rapture must be reconciled. As I have reconciled them above, it appears that the resurrection of the righteous occurs before the resurrection of the wicked, but the wicked are removed from the earth first ("tares" in Matthew 13:30), as they are murdering Christians (Revelation chapters 13-14).

Does the Last Day Occur Before or After the Tribulation?

John 6:40, "I will raise him up at the last day", appears sufficient to prove that the rapture does not occur at the beginning or middle of the great tribulation, because the rapture occurs on THE LAST DAY. 

How for example, can pre-tribulation rapture theory be correct? It places the rapture BEFORE a seven year tribulation wherein Christians are massacred by 666, and that massacre is FOLLOWED BY Armageddon. Rapture, seven horrible years of tribulation, then Armageddon. But the scriptures say that the rapture occurred on "the last day". So, Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory has a seven year tribulation and Armageddon occurring AFTER the last day... So, even though nearly everyone I worship with believes in Pre-Tribulation Rapture, I can not currently see that it is consistent with scripture. 

Quick Recap

The rapture is when God's children ascend into the clouds, to meet Christ in the air at the last trumpet, on the last day as prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and John 6:40. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 makes it clear that this is the second "coming". The fulfillment of the prophesy of the rapture is clearly presented in Revelation 14:14-16, which occurs in the seventh and final trumpet in the book of Revelation.  

At the top of this page I raised two questions:

1) Is there is a passage in the book of Revelation which symbolizes the fulfillment of all seven elements of the rapture prophecy. 

2) If Yes, does the rapture fulfillment passage occur before or after the tribulation?

Well, I believe that I have shown that the answer to the first question is yes. There is a passage in the book of Revelation which is consistent with all seven elements of the rapture prophecy. That passage is Revelation 14:14-16. 

Now we will answer the second question:  Does the rapture fulfillment passage occur before or after the tribulation?

Does Revelation 14:14-16 Occur Before or After the Tribulation?

It occurs after the tribulation. The beast is killing Christians in Revelation 13:7,10,15 and 17. Then the beast is identified by the number 666 in 13:18.  Saints are still being killed for their testimony in 14:12-13. The rapture occurs in 14:14-16 and Armageddon in 14:17-20. We will see all of this in greater detail farther down the page.

So, we have answered both questions. There is a passage in the book of Revelation which clearly identifies the rapture. And the timing of the rapture is after the tribulation.

Alternatives to Revelation 14:14-16

Are there any other verses in the book of Revelation which could also represent the point of the rapture? Various people have proposed Revelation 4:1, 6:2 and 12:5. Well, do any of those three passages meet all seven elements of the rapture prophecies which were presented in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and John 6:40? Here are those seven elements:

• Last trumpet
• Jesus in the clouds

• Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds
• End of the age
  
• Voice of the archangel
  
• Only the Father knows the day
• The last day

Please prayerfully read Revelation 4:1, 6:2 and 12:5. I will be surprised if you see that any of the seven elements of the rapture prophecies are met in any of those three verses, with one exception. Some see Revelation 12:5 as a part the first element, the seventh trumpet. But Revelation 12:5 does not appear to reflect any of the other six elements of rapture prophecy.

In my view, only Revelation 14:14-16 conforms to all seven elements of rapture prophecy. 

In particular, Revelation 14:14-16 mentions the word "cloud" four times. One time was sufficient for communication of the basic message of that text. God evidently wanted to be sure that we saw the word cloud. Well, "cloud" is a critical part of the rapture prophecies. 

Revelation 14:14-16 conforms to all seven elements of the rapture prophecies.

I know of no other verse which conforms to all seven elements.

Second Coming of Christ, Resurrection, Rapture

"For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 near the top of this page, we saw the first four elements of the rapture. In this quote from 1 Thessalonians, I have added verse 15 so that you can see that the second coming of Christ occurs at the same time as the rapture. The phrase "the coming of the Lord" tells us that this is the second coming of Christ. At the second coming, the trumpet will sound, the archangel will speak, Jesus will descend to the clouds and the living believers will ascend with the resurrected dead believers to meet Jesus "in the clouds". The second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the righteous and the rapture occur at this time, when Jesus comes "down from heaven". If you teach or have been taught otherwise, then I have prayed that you will set aside the false doctrine of man and accept the clear express statement of scripture. Now is not the time to refer to your end times system, if you have one. Now is the time to pray. The second coming, resurrection and rapture of the righteous occur at the same time. 

Some teach the false doctrine that the rapture comes before the tribulation... so that Christians are removed from the earth before the tribulation. They order the end time events as:

• Rapture 
• Tribulation
• Second Coming

But how can that be? As we have just seen, the rapture occurs at the second coming of Christ. This is just one more proof that pre-tribulation rapture theory contradicts scripture. Here is the order of events that I see:

• Tribulation
• Second Coming (Rapture, Armageddon, Millennial Kingdom)
• Resurrected Wicked are Cast into the Lake of Fire (20:7-15)

In the second coming the wicked will be removed from the earth (Matthew 24:36-44). Matthew 24:39 reveals that it is the wicked, not the righteous who will be removed. So, while the raptured righteous are briefly in the clouds, they observe the removal of the wicked from the earth during Armageddon and then return to earth to rule in the Millennial Kingdom. If the events seen in the vision of Revelation 20:11-15 occur at the same time as 20:7-10, then the wicked are resurrected in 20:13, attack the saints in 20:7-9 and are thrown into the lake of fire forever (20:14-15, 10).

That is the best way to reconcile the scriptures that I am aware of. But scripture appears to be clear on the timing of the rapture. The tribulation occurs before the rapture. The rapture occurs at the second coming of Christ!

Rapture is "Immediately After the Tribulation"

"²⁸ For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together. ²⁹ But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken and ³⁰ then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. 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. ³¹ He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" (Matthew 24:28-31).

The persecution and martyrdom of Christians of the great tribulation in the book of Revelation could be represented by 24:28. Notice that the rapture and resurrection (24:30-31) occur "immediately AFTER the suffering", after the suffering of 24:28. The word "suffering" is an English translation of the Greek word thlipsis, Strong's 2347, the same word used in Revelation 7:14 for the great tribulation. You may see an exegesis of Matthew 24 by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page. On that page, you may see how the contents of this page integrate with Matthew 24. 

But it is absolutely clear that the rapture which is represented by Matthew 24:30-31, comes after the suffering (tribulation) mentioned in 24:28, because 24:28 says that it occurs "immediately after the suffering of those days". 

Ten Events Precede the Rapture

In the following text from Matthew 24:28-31 there are eight events which precede the rapture. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9 lists two other events which also precede the rapture. First, we will focus on the text from Matthew 24. Then we will look at 2 Thessalonians. The eight apocalyptic events from Matthew 24 are identified by subscript numbers which I have inserted into the text.

"For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together. But immediately after the suffering of those days₁, the sun will be darkened₂, the moon will not give its light₃, the stars will fall from the sky₄, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken₅ and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky₆. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn₇, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds⁶ of the sky with power and great glory. ³¹ He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet₈, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" (Matthew 24:28-31).

"Gather together his chosen ones from the four winds", at the end of the above passage, is the rapture. It is clear from the text above that all eight apocalyptic events come before the rapture, not after. These events occur AFTER the deaths mentioned in the first sentence of the above passage which reads, "For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together". 

Eight Events Precede the Rapture

Below I have listed the eight events which precede the rapture which you just read in the passage from Matthew. All of these apocalyptic events are found in the book of Revelation. A reference from the book of Revelation for each event is shown below.

1) After the tribulation / suffering 13:1-14:13)

2) Sun will be darkened (8:12, 9:2)
3) Moon will not give its light (8:12)
4) Stars will fall from the sky (6:13)
5) Powers of the heavens will be shaken (16:17, See Ephesians 2:2)

6) Sign of the Son of Man in the sky (6:14-17, 14:6-7, 14-16)
7) All the tribes of the earth will mourn (6:14-17)
8) Angels with a great sound of a trumpet (11:5)

Since Matthew 24:28-31 above says that all of these apocalyptic events must occur before the rapture, how do some say that the tribulation comes after the rapture? Those events are part of the tribulation in the book of Revelation. Each of these events precede the rapture which occurs in Revelation 14:14-16. After all eight events, then God will "gather together his chosen ones from the four winds". This gathering is the rapture. 

With all of these verses... speaking directly about the rapture... all saying that the tribulation precedes the rapture... why do some say that the rapture precedes the tribulation? When someone says that the rapture precedes the tribulation, ask:

What scripture says that?

Two Events from 2 Thessalonians:

"Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you ²not to be quickly shaken in your mind, and not be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion comes first₉, and the man of sin₁₀ is revealed, the son of destruction..." (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)

We see that the rapture ("gathering together to him") comes after the rebellion and after the man of sin is revealed. 

9) Rebellion

10) Man of sin is revealed

Now you see the ten events which precede the rapture. The word "rebellion" is an English translation of the Greek word apostasia, which means defection, revolt or fall away. The word is often applied to the apostacy of the church. Some translations render it as "apostacy" in this verse. Apostacy is clearly present in the sixth trumpet judgement in Revelation 9:20-21. In spite of the painful and deadly judgements of the fifth and sixth trumpets, no one in all the world would repent, neither Christian or non-Christian. So, it appears that apostacy has occurred in the sixth trumpet, which is before the seventh and last trumpet, during which the rapture occurs in Revelation 14:14-16.

Regarding the man of sin, many connect him to the beast of Revelation, called 666. I have not been able to prove from scripture that the man of sin is also 666. But if he is, then he appears in Revelation 13:1-18 as the beast, before the rapture in 14:14-16.

 

Are You Ready for His Coming?

Jesus said... 

• "44 Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don't expect, the Son of Man will come. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes. 47 Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has" (Matthew 24:44-47).

"Food" in the above verse means spiritual food. We should be giving spiritual food to the household of God when Christ returns. In other words, we should be making disciples when Jesus returns. For a clear explanation of this passage and how you can be ready for the return of Christ, click here. Jesus said that it is easy and it is. If you will click the above link and read prayerfully, you will see. 

Those of us who live until His return will go through the times of the beast (666). Scripture prepares us to suffer for Him. Those who die before that time will close our eyes in death and open them to the second coming ( soul sleep). In either case, scripture states that He will come quickly and we must be ready. Click the links in this paragraph for more information.

Now, lets return to the subject of the rapture...

Dig Deeper

If you wish to dig deeper into the details... to see more proof of what I have presented, then please prayerfully read on. First, we will prayerfully digest Revelation 14:14-16. Then we will do the same with 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.  Please prayerfully read on...

Cloud, Cloud, Cloud, Cloud

• "14 I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" 16 He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" (Revelation 14:14-16).

Did you notice how many times God put the word "cloud" into this passage?  One time is all that was necessary to describe the scene. But the word "cloud" was used four times in Revelation 14:14-16. That is significant because prophesies state the Jesus will come with the clouds in His second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52). It is also significant because the book of Revelation tells how Jesus will come in one of the very first sentences of the book:

• "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen" (Revelation 1:7).  

Since God used the word "cloud" four times in Revelation 14:14-16, do you think that God wanted to make sure that we noticed the word "cloud"? Seems pretty obvious that He did. This clear evidence that God wanted us to know that 14:14-16 is the rapture and the coming of Christ. The same prophetic language about coming in the clouds is used to describe the coming of Jesus to rule the earth in Daniel 7:13-14. Daniel 7:27 reveals that dominion of the earth will be granted to the saints.

As I said, God used the word "cloud" four times in Revelation 14:14-16. And "cloud" was also used in 1:7 above in reference to His coming. The word "cloud" is only used two other times in the book of Revelation. In 10:1 an angel came down out of heaven clothed with a cloud. In 11:12 the two witnesses who were dead and resurrected went up into heaven in a cloud. Both uses of the word "cloud" had to do with someone coming coming down from or going up into heaven. That is what happens in the rapture. Christ comes down from heaven and Christians go up to heaven. This is more evidence that 14:14-16 is the rapture.

To summarize the seven uses of the word "cloud" in the book of Revelation... Two relate to going up into or down from heaven. Revelation 1:7 says that Christ will come "with the clouds". The four remaining uses of the word "cloud" are focused, in overt repetition, in Revelation 14:14-16 when Christ comes in the cloud "for the harvest of the earth". No other passage in all of scripture fits the prophesies of the coming of Christ and the rapture. Revelation 14:14-16 is the rapture and the coming of Christ.

That is really enough evidence that Revelation 14:11-16 is the rapture. But for the doubters, lets take a deeper look.

A Short Simple Read Identifies the Rapture

First please prayerfully read Revelation 13:1-18. Observe that the beast is represented by the number 666 (13:18) and kills Christians (13:7,10,15,17). If you will then read Revelation 13:18 through 14:20 and observe my general commentary as you read below, the rapture will be obvious.

Please begin reading at 13:18.

In 13:18 you see the beast (666), the Christian killer. Then you see 144,000 Jews converted to Christ in 14:1-5 (the 144,000 having been identified as Jews in 7:1-8), the Gospel preached (14:6-7), unbelievers warned (14:8-11), saints persevering and dying for their testimony (14:12-13), followed by the rapture (14:14-16) and Armageddon (14:17-20), with lots of blood (14:20). 

Note: Just in case you read ahead into chapter 15: 

The bowl judgement presentation begins with 15:1. The seven bowls don't occur after the seventh trumpet which we just read from but occur with each of the trumpets as pairs, as explained in "Chronology and Organizational Structure in the Book of Revelation". Click here to read. After you understand the organizational structure of Revelation, you will see that the millennial kingdom occurs in the seventh bowl, with the seventh trumpet, and after the Armageddon of Revelation 14:17-20.

"On" the Earth to Christ: "Into" the Earth for Wrath

Please prayerfully read Revelation 14:14-20 again.

In Revelation 14:14-16 and Revelation 14:17-20 we see two individuals, each having a sickle. The first is the Son of Man in 14-16, Jesus on a cloud, who swung His sickle "on" (Greek word epi) the earth and the result was a "harvest". The second individual is an angel in 17-20, who swung his sickle "into" (Greek word eis) the earth and the result was God's wrath, with lots of blood. 

The harvest of Christ (14:14-16) is good fruit, the children of God. We know this because it is called a "harvest". The result of the angel's reaping (14:17-20) is also clear. In 14:19 the angel swung his sickle and threw them into the "great wine press of the wrath of God" . This phrase was already defined just ten verses earlier:

• "... If anyone worships the beast... he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God... He will be tormented in fire and sulfur... forever and ever..." (Revelation 14:9-11

Revelation 19:15 uses the similar "wine press of the wrath of God" language in the seventh bowl when Christ defeats those who assemble an army against God (19:11-21). So, it is obvious that Christ reaps the children of God, but the angel reaps the children of Satan. 

Let me Review:

In Revelation 14:14-16 and Revelation 14:17-20 we see two individuals, each having a sickle. The first is the Son of Man, Jesus on a cloud, who swung His sickle "on" (Greek word epi) the earth and the result was a "harvest" (v 15). The second individual is an angel, who swung his sickle "into" (Greek word eis) the earth and the result was God's wrath, with lots of blood. 

Reap from a Sitting Position?

We have talked about what was obvious about the passage. What may not be obvious about the harvest of Christ and the reaping of the angel is the difference in where each swung their sickle. The holy words of scripture did not use the same word. Christ swung His sickle "on" the earth. The angel swung his sickle "into" the earth. Even though your translation may be different from mine, they are all translating the Greek words epi and eis. A difference was communicated by the Holy Spirit. God used epi when Christ swung a sickle to harvest God's children.  But He used the word eis when the angel swung his sickle to reap Satan's children. 

Epi from a Greek dictionary means on, to, against.

Eis from a Greek dictionary means into, in, among.

The most likely meaning is shown first above: "on" for epi and "into" for eis. Look at the range of meanings for the two words and observe the difference. Epi is on the perimeter. Eis is within.

Please try to visualize:

Imagine that you are standing next to Jesus, who is sitting on a cloud. You are both looking down at the earth. Then picture Jesus, who while remaining seated on a cloud, swings a sickle to harvest a group of people who were on a house. Then picture the angel, immediately thereafter, swinging his sickle from a standing position to reap people who were inside the house. Doesn't that look like the people whom Jesus harvested were rising "to meet Him in the air", just like the prophesy of the rapture from 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.  Jesus didn't even stand up. He does harvest the earth while sitting down on a cloud, as if the people are already near the cloud, at the same elevation as Christ as He is seated on the cloud. 

One can't swing down while sitting. Any farmer knows this. One can only swing out. He just reaches out with His sickle and pulls them to Himself. So, the use of the word "epi" as Christ swings His sickle "on" the earth is additional evidence that the harvest of Christ from the cloud is the rapture.

But the reaping of the angel unto eternal fire is different. He swings his sickle "into" the earth. This communicates a downward, deeper thrust than we observed when Christ harvested the earth. This is because those who don't know God were not raptured. Therefore, they were not up in the cloud with Jesus. They are still on the earth.

Only One Possibility!

The harvest of Christ in Revelation 14:14-16 does not fit the judgement of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:31-46. Revelation14:14-16 also does not fit the Great White Throne judgement from Revelation 20:11-15. In both of those judgements, the judge is sitting on a throne (Matthew 25:31, Revelation 20:11). Revelation 14:14-16 has Jesus SITTING ON A CLOUD... just like the rapture prophesy "caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). If the harvest of Christ in Revelation 14:14-16 is not the judgement of the sheep and goats from Matthew 25... and if it is not the Great White Throne Judgement from Revelation 20, then what else can it be besides the rapture? There really are no other options. The harvest of Christ in 14:14-16 is the rapture!  

And it is clear that the rapture occurs after the beast has been killing the saints in the great tribulation. Just read Revelation 13:15 - 14:20 and you will see. But, if you have been taught that the rapture comes before the tribulation, ask your teacher this question: Where does the Bible say that? 

If anyone actually shows you a scripture which says that the rapture comes before the tribulation, please go to the discussion page and let me know. Please send me the reference. But before you send it to me, check to see if the reference is consistent with the seven elements of the rapture prophecies

• Last trumpet
  
• Jesus in the clouds
  
• Ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds
  
• End of the age
  
• Voice of the archangel
  
• Only the Father knows the day
  
• The last day
  

I am confident that there is no scripture that is consistent with those seven elements which will indicate a pre-tribulation rapture... I am also confident that there is no scripture that is consistent with those seven elements except Revelation 14:14-16.

But for those of you who would like more evidence, please prayerfully read on...

Will Christians Go Through the Tribulation?

You may have heard some say that the tribulation passages in the book of Revelation begin in chapter 6 and the church is not mentioned after chapter 3... Therefore, they claim that the rapture must occur before chapter 6, the result being that Christians do not go through the tribulation. That is misleading in many ways: 

• Just because the word "church" is not used in chapters 6-21 does not mean that the church is not mentioned in those chapters. It is mentioned repeatedly by words other than "church". More on that later.
  
• The word "church" is actually used in 22:16, so it is clearly inaccurate to say that the word "church" is not mentioned after chapter 3. 
• The chapters prior to chapter 4 contain seven lengthy, individual messages to seven specific churches, so the word "church" is used repeatedly prior to chapter 4. After the chapter 3, the seven individual messages to those seven individual churches cease. But visions are presented which clearly include the church, in the tribulation. It is inaccurate to say that the church is absent in the chapters relevant to the tribulation. All you need to do is read the book and it will be clear. Do not think that you can understand the book without reading the book... And you must read prayerfully.

Note that this presumed absence of "the church" during the tribulation is not based on a scripture which expressly states that the church is absent during that time. This claimed absence of "the church" is a conclusion based on human reasoning. And God says...

"The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless" (1 Corinthians 3:20).

WORTHLESS

Such is much doctrine in the modern day church. Instead of teaching the express teachings of scripture, human conclusions based on reasoning from scripture are presented as doctrines of God.

WORTHLESS

The failure to mention someone does not mean that they are not present. The word "God" is never used in the Old Testament historical book of Esther... so should we conclude that God did not exist during that time? No. The word "church" is never mentioned in 1 John, 2 John, 1 Peter, 2 Peter and Jude. Since the word "church" was not used in those books, should we conclude that the church did not exist at the time those New Testament books were written? Since the word "church" was not used in those books, should we claim the rapture had already occurred at the time those books were written? Absolutely not! The non-existence of an entity is not proved by failure to mention that entity. This is simple, elementary logic. 

What is the church? It is the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22, 23), which is the total of it's individual members. The "church" is comprised of those "who are enrolled in Heaven" (Hebrews 12:23). These members are mentioned repeatedly in the book of Revelation in the very passages that describe the tribulation. They are referred to as "saints", "the dead who die in the Lord", 'those who hold Jesus' testimony" and etc. I will present these scriptures farther down this page. 

The word "church" in the Bible is one of the English translations of the Greek word ekkleesia. Ekkleesia is an assembly. Ekkleesia is actually used for the assembly of Israel in the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant (Acts 7:38). It is also used for the assemblies of unbelievers (Acts 19:32, 39, 41). So, the word "ekkleesia" does not only refer to a group of New Covenant believers. It is an assembly. The word ekkleesia is used one-hundred and fourteen times in the New Testament. Not one time is it used in connection with the rapture. Not once. 

In the very last verse of Revelation 12, those who testify of Jesus are being persecuted: 

• "The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God's commandments and hold Jesus' testimony." (Revelation 12:17). 

It is clear that those who testify of Jesus and keep God's commandments are attacked. 

Then the very next verse, 13:1, introduces us to the beast, 666. His identification by the number 666 is not revealed until 13:18. But, Revelation 13:7 tells us what the beast does: 

• "and it was given to him (the beast) to make war with the saints and to overcome them" (Revelation 13:7). 

There is more: 

• "All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:8-10).

Verse 8 tells us that those whose names were not written in the book of life will worship the beast. Verse 10 speaks of the perseverance (endurance) of the saints. That's because the saints are present when the beast is persecuting the saints (verse 7). How can the beast persecute the saints if the saints are not present? If saints are present, then the church is present. Revelation 13:15 tells us that those who refuse to worship the beast will be killed. The second beast from Revelation 13:11 will: "cause as many as wouldn't worship the Image of the beast to be killed" (Revelation 13:15). So, the saints, who were specifically mentioned in 13:10 are being killed for refusal to worship the image of the beast in 13:15. But there is much more: 

• "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on" (Revelation 14:13).

So it is abundantly and obviously clear, that the saints are present on the earth in Revelation 14:13. Then, the next few verses, Revelation 14:14-20, show that the saints are raptured in Revelation 14:14-16... and those who were left behind on the earth are reaped in 14:17-20 and thrown into the "great wine press of the wrath of God" (14:19). Let's look at those passages again. 

• "14 I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" 16 He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" (Revelation 14:14-16).

In these three verses, the saints are taken up to Christ. And it's a good thing… Because those who remained on the earth after the harvest by the Son of Man in  14–16, are the subject of the reaping by an angel in verses 17-20, and are thrown into the wine press of the wrath of God. 

• "17 Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. 18 Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Send your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth's grapes are fully ripe!" 19 The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia*" (Revelation 14:17–20). 

* 296 kilometers or 184 miles

The saints are raptured in verses 14-16. The "wrath of God'" comes to those who remain in verses 17-20. So, the saints did not incur the "wrath of God".

The Wrath of God

You may have heard that Christians do not incur the wrath of God and therefore Christians will not be present during the great tribulation. However, you just saw in the scriptures above that Christians are present during the great tribulation. I say... look... see... they are there. They are as obvious as a mountain. The incorrect presumption here is that presence during wrath is the same as incurring wrath. Israel was present during the ten plagues which God sent on Egypt. But Egypt, not Israel was destroyed by those plagues.

I suggest that you prayerfully read the book of Revelation. Unless God reveals its contents directly to your mind, you will not know what is in the book unless you read it. And if you read the book, it will be readily apparent that Christians will be present during the tribulation, will not suffer the wrath of God, but will suffer the wrath of Satan, the beast and their followers. The rapture occurred in Revelation 14:14-16. Armageddon occurred in the next three verses, 14:17-20. Because of the rapture in verses 14-16, the Christians observed, but did not receive the wrath of God which we see in the next three verses, 17-20.

Church at Philadelphia

Some have asserted that Revelation 3:10, addressed to the church at Philadelphia, indicates a pre-tribulation rapture.

Here is the passage: 

"Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10).

What is the meaning of "I also will keep you from the hour of testing"? 

Instead of a blessing for general application to all of God's people in all ages, as seen in 3:12 in the phrase "the one overcoming", God's use of the word "you" must apply to the members of the particular Philadelphian church, to whom that letter was directed. This was a promise applicable to those particular people in that city, to whom the original book of Revelation was delivered in the first century AD, who had met a particular condition, translated in the WEB as "kept my command to endure". The hour of "testing" is a translation of the Greek word peirasmos, explained in Strong's 3986, which most often is translated as a temptation and other places as a test or trial. The word does not occur again in Revelation. A different Greek word, thlipsis, Strong's 2347, meaning "tribulation", is used for the great tribulation (Revelation 7:14). An hour of testing must have occurred in the first century.

To say that the Philadelphian church missed the great seven year tribulation because of their obedience, and also maintain that all seven churches missed the great seven year tribulation because that tribulation hasn't occurred yet renders the promise to the Philadelphian church meaningless. Why promise that they will miss the tribulation because they have been obedient when those who were not obedient will miss it as well?

There is nothing in 3:10 to indicate that the rapture is the means of keeping them from the "hour of testing". The means could be death or something else. World War 1 and 2 were global tribulations, from which some were exempt for various reasons, Switzerland for example. Revelation 14:13 states, "... blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." The context of 14:13, from preceding verses, does indicate death as a means of cessation of suffering.

Revelation 3:10 does not mention any of the seven elements of the rapture: Last trumpet, Jesus in the clouds, ascent of saints to Jesus in the clouds, end of the age, voice of the archangel, only the Father knows the day, the last day. Regarding  the voice of the archangel, an angel is speaking to the Philadelphian church, but then an angel is speaking to each of the seven churches, all of which are not exempted from the hour of testing mentioned in 3:10. Click here for more on the seven angels or seven spirits.

Seven churches are presented in the first three chapters of Revelation, one of which is the Philadelphian church. The seven churches, in addition to being specific, individual churches, may be a sign (subchapter 5.6) of types of churches existing through time. They may also represent a geographical or other type of dominion of the seven angels of the seven churches (click here for more information). Certain types of churches could be exempted from the great tribulation because they die before the great tribulation. This death could occur by martyrdom or other ways.

For the above reasons, Revelation 3:10 does not establish a pre-tribulation rapture doctrine.

We have now examined three additional claims about the timing of the rapture in the book of Revelation. So, we see that these three claims about the book of Revelation are NOT TRUE:

CLAIM 1

The church is not mentioned in the book of Revelation after chapter 3 and therefore Christians do not go through the tribulation which is presented after chapter 3. This claim is untrue!

CLAIM 2

Christians do not incur the wrath of God and therefore Christians will not be present during the great tribulation. The second half of this sentence is untrue! 

CLAIM 3

All Christians will be raptured before the great tribulation because the first century church at Philadelphia was promised to be kept from an hour of testing as a result of their past obedience. This conclusion does not follow from the passage.

From the scriptural evidence above, saints are mentioned many times after chapter 3. They are enduring the wrath of the beast, so the church is in fact mentioned repeatedly as being in the tribulation. Saints (Christians) are raptured before the wrath of God in Revelation 14:14-16. So, it is true that saints do not incur the wrath of God because they are raptured in Revelation 14:14-16, before the wrath of God in Revelation 14:17-20.  But the scriptures above clearly show that this rapture occurs after Christians are starved and killed by the beast. The promise to the local church at Philadelphia in Revelation 3:10 does not create a pre-tribulation rapture doctrine.

So, it is clear that the rapture occurs after the beast has been killing the saints in the great tribulation. But, if you have been taught that the rapture comes before the tribulation, ask your teacher this question: Where does the Bible say that? 

Say "What verse in the Bible says that we will not go through the tribulation"?

I have asked experts who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture and no one has ever provided me a scripture that comes remotely close to proving their position.

If anyone actually shows you a scripture which says that the rapture comes before the tribulation, please go to the discussion page and let me know. Send me the reference.

For additional clear and convincing proof, from the scriptures, that Revelation 14:14–16 is the rapture, see the next section!

Lets Review and Plunge Deeper

Please prayerfully and briefly set aside what some theologians have taught and prayerfully consider what the scriptures actually say... so that you may be ready (Matthew 24:44). Some of the following will be repetitive, but this is necessary to connect all of the parts. After a short review, I will present additional proof that Revelation 14:14-16 is the rapture:

• "13 I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them." 14 I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" 16 He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" (Revelation 14:13-16).

Verses 14 through 16 come immediately after verse 13 and immediately before verses 17-20. Verse 13 clearly establishes that Christians are present. Verse 13 says "Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord from now on". So, Christians are present in the harvest of verses 14-16. Immediately after the rapture of 14–16 comes the reaping of those who were not raptured. They are reaped into the wine press of God's wrath (verse 19) with blood to horses and bridles for 200 miles, (Armageddon). For further details about Armageddon and the consummation of God's wrath , see the seventh bowl, Revelation 17:1-20:15, as the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl occur as pairs. So, Christians must be raptured in verses 14-16 or else they would be reaped into the wrath of God, including Armageddon. We know that only those who take the mark of the beast will drink of this wrath of God (Revelation 14:9-10) and will be tormented forever (Revelation 14:11). This is enough proof to establish that Revelation 14:14-16 is the rapture. 

Please consider again Revelation 14:14–16. 

• "14 I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" 16 He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" (Revelation 14:14-16).

Please prayerfully observe the facts presented in 14-16. The "one like a son of man" is Christ. We know that this is Christ because he clearly refers to himself in this way, as the son of man. For example: Matthew 8:20, 9:6, 10:23, 11:19, 12:8, 12:40, 13:37, etc., etc., etc. Furthermore, he is described in this way in Revelation 1:13. So the one sitting on the cloud is Christ. Note that Christ does not set foot on the earth, but remains on the cloud. This is not the second coming of judgement since he does not set foot on the earth, but remains on the cloud and reaps from the cloud. That he is on the cloud is very significant. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 reveals that, in the rapture, both the living and dead saints will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord Christ in the air. 

• "16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, 17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Do you see it? Believers, both living and dead, rise up in the air, into the clouds in both 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and in Revelation 14:14-16.  From there, raptured saints watch as the angel reaps the earth into the wrath of God in Revelation 14:17-20, Armageddon. Now, please prayerfully examine Revelation 14:14-16 again to see how it fulfills 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. 

• "14 I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" 16 He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" (Revelation 14:14-16).

Christ is on the cloud. He reaps. He doesn't set foot on earth. The harvest  comes to Him. But there is more. Please note that an angel tells Christ in verse 15 to reap because the time has come. Apparently the angel is giving the Father's instruction to Christ to "harvest" the earth, as only the Father knows the time (Matthew 24:36). Please note that this harvesting of the Saints, Revelation 14:14–16, is occurring within the seventh and final trumpet. 

Only in the Seventh Trumpet

To understand the book of Revelation in general and the seventh trumpet in particular, one must understand the rigid organizational structure of the book of Revelation. You may receive this understanding if you click here to open the page titled, "Chronology and Organizational Structure in the Book of Revelation". The section titled "Organizational Rhythm" from that page is particularly helpful in understanding the rapture.

Here is a brief review of that section:

The seventh trumpet begins in Revelation 11:15, with a summary of the seventh trumpet in verses 15-19, with details of the seventh trumpet being presented in 11:20-14:20. The point is, that the harvesting of the Saints, Revelation 14:14-16, occurs in the seventh and final trumpet. In other words, 14:14-16 occurs within 11:20 - 14:20, within the seventh trumpet. This is significant since 1 Corinthians 15:52 tells us that the rapture will occur in the final trumpet: 

• "51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep (die), but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). 

This passage is a companion passage to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. In both passages you see the dead, the living, the trumpet and the rising of the living and the dead in the rapture. 

If you wonder if there may be a trumpet occurring after Revelation's seventh trumpet, consider the following: There is no eighth trumpet in the book of Revelation. But there is more... Revelation 10:7 says:

• "but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants, the prophets" (Revelation 10:7).  

The fulfillment of the revelation of the prophets about the rapture from both 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, which you read above, must occur "in the days" of the voice of the seventh angel, because "the mystery of God is finished" in those days, in the seventh trumpet. Furthermore, the rapture can not have occurred in the days of the first six trumpets, because those are not the "last trumpet" of 1 Corinthians 15:51. I have often heard someone write that the rapture may occur in this verse or that verse of the book of Revelation. But those verses were not in the seventh trumpet. So, they can not be the rapture.

Revelation 14:14-16 Stands Alone

There is even more proof that Revelation 14:14–16 is the rapture: There is no other passage in the book of Revelation which fulfills the prophesies of other books in the Bible regarding the rapture: Only Revelation 14:14-16 presents Christ, the son of man, on a cloud, harvesting the earth, remaining on the cloud at the blast of the last trumpet... creating the setting prophesied about the rapture so that the harvest may come to him, the ascending of the Saints into the air. If Christ were to harvest souls that were on the ground, He would be pictured as being on the ground. But since the prophesies say that the saints "will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air", Revelation 14:14-16 appropriately pictures Christ "on the cloud". The second angel (Revelation 14:17-20) is not pictured on the cloud. This second angel throws souls into the wine press of the wrath of God (Armageddon). Armageddon is the end of the tribulation period, not the beginning.  Now, it is even more clear that the rapture occurs after the tribulation. 

Here is the order of events that I see:

• Tribulation
• Second Coming (Rapture, Armageddon, Millennial Kingdom)
• Resurrected Wicked are Cast into the Lake of Fire (20:7-15)

But, if you have been taught that the rapture comes before the tribulation, ask your teacher this question: Where does the Bible say that? 

If anyone actually shows you a scripture which says that the rapture comes before the tribulation, please go to the discussion page and let me know. Send me the reference.

Be Ready!

The prosperity gospel fills pews and bank accounts, but it doesn't prepare you for suffering which has been promised to God's children (2 Timothy 3:12, Philippians 1:29). Child of God, open your eyes!...Our brothers and sisters are murdered all around the world every day because they profess Christ. This has been going on for two-thousand years. Take no comfort in the teaching of some who say that no believer living today will pass through the great tribulations of the book of Revelation. Please prayerfully consider the words of Christ:

Jesus said... 

• "44 Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don't expect, the Son of Man will come. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes. 47 Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has" (Matthew 24:44-47).

It is easy to give those in your sphere "food in due season". Jesus said that it is easy, as is presented, from the scriptures in the subchapter 2.3 titled, "The Easy Yoke of Christ".

Next time you hear someone say that "we won't be here" when the beast of Revelation begins to persecute the children of God... ask these three questions:

1. What verse says that the rapture comes before the tribulation?
2. Besides Revelation 14:14-16, what verse in the book of Revelation contains the first three elements of the two foundational prophecies describing the rapture, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52? Is there any other verse in the book of Revelation that reflects three of the seven elements? Can any verse meet that low threshold?
3. What verse in the book of Revelation reveals the timing of the rapture better than Revelation 14:14-16?
4. How can the tribulation and Armageddon come after the rapture since the rapture occurs on "the last day" (John 6:40)?
5. How can the end time order of events be Rapture, Tribulation, Second Coming; when the rapture occurs at the second coming?

I have never received a credible answer to any of those questions. 

How to Overcome:

"They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death" (Revelation 12:11).  In other words, they overcame by making disciples...   Click here to see that all Christians are supposed to make disciples. For a complete explanation of Revelation 12:11 above, click here.

Where Are We Now?

We may be living in the continuance of the first five seals... conquering, war, famine, death, martyrdom... until:

• Those who are to be martyred "complete their course" (Revelation 6:11)
• 144,000 bond servants of God are sealed (Revelation 7:1-4).

If we are living in the first five seals now, I don't contend that the fourth seal, death, is complete. In the fourth seal, one-fourth of the earth is killed by sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts. I can not prove that this has or has not happened. We only know what we can verify for ourselves... and for nearly all of us, we can verify very little. I expect the word "sword" can apply to any weapon of warfare. The book of Revelation is a book of SIGNS.

The sixth seal contains:

• 144,000 bond servants of God are sealed and then four angels bring harm to the earth, sea and trees (Revelation 7:1-4). 

• Earthquake, black sun, blood moon, falling stars (Revelation 6:12-13). All those remaining on earth (unbelievers) understand that irreversible judgement has come to them (Revelation 6:16-17). 
  
• Praise from saints of the great tribulation (Revelation 7:9-17, especially verse 14).
• Tribulation (7:14), rapture* and realization that judgement has come (6:15-17).

*Rapture is revealed in the sixth seal since 6:15-17 reveals that all the people of the earth (every slave and free person) see the face of the Father and Son (6:16) and are afraid because the the "great day of his wrath has come" (6:16,17). All people on earth at that time react with fear at the sight of God because the only people left on the earth after the rapture are those who know they have rejected God and will accordingly will receive God's wrath. 

If you want to understand the book of Revelation and be blessed in that understanding... please click the arrow at the top right of this page to read the next subchapter titled, "Signs of What Must Occur Quickly: To Reveal Jesus".