Now let's see one final scripture which spells out very clearly the Second Coming of Christ. Paul wrote that the saints would be resurrected at the "LAST TRUMPET" (I Cor. 15:51-52). This is the trumpet which is blown when Christ returns for His saints. Does this trumpet announce a secret rapture?
Which trumpet is the "last" trumpet blast?
In the book of Revelation (which means a revealing, not a concealing of information), we read a prophetic outline of the future. According to this outline, the future is sealed with seven seals which will be opened consecutively (Revelation 5:1-9). Notice that the seventh seal will consist of "seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets" (Rev. 8:1-2). When each of these trumpets are sounded, various events will take place on the earth. The first angel sounds his trumpet, and plagues are poured on the earth. So it is for the next three angelic plagues, accompanied by trumpet blasts (Rev.8). When the fifth angel blows his trumpet, another plague -- a terrible war -- erupts on the earth (Rev.9:1-12). This is followed by the sixth angelic trumpet blast, and an army of 200,000,000 men from Asian nations attacks westward, killing one third of mankind (Rev.9:13-21).
But notice, now -- notice what happens when the SEVENTH, or LAST, trumpet will sound!
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, 0 Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the TIME OF THE DEAD, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give REWARD unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:15-19).
Here again, in more detail, is what will happen when the last trumpet blasts forth its shrill clarion call. Christ will return; the dead in Christ shall be raised; the saints will be judged and rewarded, every man according to His works; and, the wrath of God will be poured out upon a rebellious, defiant world.
How clear it is!
The theory or belief in a secret rapture, to rapture away the saints before the Great Tribulation, is unbiblical, unscriptural,
and unsound! It is unthinkable! Jesus did not prophesy it. The apostles did not teach it.
We have seen that Jesus pinpointed many specific events which MUST occur first, before His second coming in power and glory. He lists these events in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, in the Mount Olivet Prophecy. If we will believe His simple, straight-forward words, then it is obvious that Jesus will not and cannot come tonight, or tomorrow night, or any other night, until these signals -- these prophesied events -- these signs which point to His second coming -- are first fulfilled!
Many of them are in the process of being fulfilled right now. Others still remain to be fulfilled. And the way world events have speeded up, with attention focused on the Middle East, those prophecies still be fulfilled could begin to be fulfilled very rapidly.
Therefore, as Jesus said, we need to heed His admonition:
"Watch ye, therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning; lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, WATCH" (Mark 13:35-37).
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For like a snare shall it come on all of them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to ESCAPE all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:34-36).
"Here again, in more detail, is what will happen when the last trumpet blasts forth its shrill clarion call. Christ will return; the dead in Christ shall be raised; the saints will be judged and rewarded, every man according to His works; and, the wrath of God will be poured out upon a rebellious, defiant world.
How clear it is!"
Uh.. not really. You see.. the two witnesses are resurrected before the 7th Trump and later on during the vials, just before Armageddon, Jesus tells somebody that He is coming as a thief and to watch, to keep his garments lest he be naked and they see his shame.
"The rising of the two witnesses and the second advent of Christ co-incide as to timing. Both will appear at the 7th trump."
Except that in the order written, the two witnesses are resurrected, and in the same HOUR, not moment, but HOUR, there is an earthquake, a tenth of the city is destroyed, seven thousand men die, those left give glory to God, this second woe is past and THEN the seventh angel sounds the trumpet.
And what do you do with those in Rev 16:15? Jesus says, "behold, I come as a thief...." This is during the sixth vial, just prior to Armageddon, and yet before the seventh vial. How can the 7th Trumpet be the last trumpet that proves the resurrection of the saints and rapture of the Church takes place, when we these things are 'out of order'?
"Just remember, if you are in your flesh body, it is impossible for it to be Jesus. Whether He is on TV, in person, whATEVER. He is a fake."
This is getting to be so funny. I went to a post trib rapture site and was amazed. He has figured that the start of the trib will be in one of a few possible years the next being 2011. This is based on the number of full moons in the 7 year period. He then has the trib start at the Feast of the Trumpets (Jews blow them because they get to rebuild the Temple) and ends the right number of days later on the Day of Atonement. Now there will be a 30 day period in which to come around and get saved.
Then, I got to read on and on about what must happen first before the rapture can take place. That is that the dead must rise first. I read on and on and then he quotes Jesus as saying that he will raise up the believers on the last day. What he didn't realize is that the end of the trib is not the last day.:goofball: The end of the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth is the last day.:rocknroll:
The "last day" is the end of the Tribulation and not the end of the Millennial Kingdom. That is the intended meaning in scripture. I think you are trying to impose your private interpretation as to the meaning.
When are all the Christians who died prior to Christ's return going to be resurrected? After the Tribulation at the 2nd Coming of Christ or after the Millennial reign is over?
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again AT THE LAST DAY.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up AT THE LAST DAY.
Above we see the the Apostles are promised to be raised at THE LAST DAY.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up AT THE LAST DAY.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up AT THE LAST DAY.
John 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection AT THE LAST DAY.
In each case above, Jesus stated clearly that the Apostles and the rest of the Christians would be resurrected "AT THE LAST DAY". This prohibits any possibility of there being a future resurrection prior to THE LAST DAY, if so then it could not be last.
In 1 Thess. 4: 16 Paul clearly stated that the "Dead in Christ" will be resurrected PRIOR to the Rapture.
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:
And since Christians are resurrected on the LAST DAY, necessarily requires the Resurrection to be Post Tribulational since John stated with absolute clarity that the FIRST Resurrection includes those Christians who suffered and died during the Tribulation.
When you look at the "Seals",Trumpets, Bowls etc., while each series is in sequence, these things overlap each other. In other words the Seals do not complete before the Trumpets begin etc. I do not know if you are aware of this.
"When you look at the "Seals",Trumpets, Bowls etc., while each series is in sequence, these things overlap each other. In other words the Seals do not complete before the Trumpets begin etc. I do not know if you are aware of this."
Hi Walter,
At one time I leaned toward this belief as well. However, there were some things that didn't go well. If the seals are not complete before the trumpets, and the trumpets are not complete before the vials, there would seem to be an odd event of the same events. IOW, at the end of the sixth seal, every man squeezes himself in the rocks of the mountains, wanting to hide themselves from Him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, while in the seventh vial, mountains are not found and instead of fearing Him who sits on the throne in the sixth seal and realizing that they shall not be able to stand against His wrath, they are over in the seventh vial blaspheming God. See what I mean?
