Here is another passage that clearly debunks the sperious Pre-Trib. Rapture belief.
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 WHOM THE HEAVEN MUST RECEIVE UNTIL the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
This is a very profound statement concerning the return of Jesus. According to this passage Jesus cannot leave
THE Heaven UNTIL it is time to restore ALL things which God has spoken through all of His holy Prophets since the world began.
What were the Prophets speaking of since the world began regard the restitution of all things? It is Christ's Kingdom. It is then that ALL things are restored unto Christ when He takes His place upon His throne in the Kingdom here on Earth. That has been the main theme throughout the Bible, cover to cover.
Why is this interesting?
Well those who teach a Pre-Trib. Rapture say that Christ comes down and raptures His Church 7 years PRIOR to His 2nd coming and then goes back to heaven with His Church and then returns yet again at His 2nd coming. They also use 1 Thess.4 in order to support their belief. However when one examines 1 Thess.4 13-18, we cannot find anywhere from the passage that supports a return 7 years earlier. Just that He does returns. Interestingly enough the passage does say several things that indicate a POST-Trib. return but that is for another post. Let me address the one part that goes hand in hand with Acts 3:19-21.
1Thess 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall DESCEND FROM HEAVEN with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
We see in verse 16 that "the Lord himself shall descend from heaven". Yet Acts: 3:21 in essence says that Jesus cannot leave heaven UNTIL it is time to restore His Kingdom. Therefore these verses must be speaking of the same event and necessarily requires a POST-Trib. return of Christ.
Furthermore, scriptures also tell us that Jesus cannot leave Heaven in other prophetic passages until something happens.
Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord,"Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."
Heb 10:12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,
13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. NKJV
When does this occur? At the Second Coming of Christ, Post-Trib. Pre-Millennial.
Do you think that the time of the rapture and the coming of Christ to set His kingdom up here on Earth are the same time?
Just a question because I believe from scripture that in the rapture, that God/Christ doesn't actually return to Earth. He remains in the sky, or in the "heavens". Just wondering ur thought Watlers.
Good job Walter. This has always been one of my favorite of all your posts on the rapture. I never understand how anyone can read this and still believe in a rapture.
I believe that what everyone thinks is a rapture is just the second coming of Christ. The wording in the various prophecies leave no room for any other interpretation.
You don't believe there is a rapture? Jesus himself refers to the gathering of His elect in Matthew 24 and in Revelations John is show in chapter 7 a large group of people too many to count of all different languages and nations. This happens prior to God setting up His kingdom on Earth later in Revelation. So what do you think this group of people mentioned in Chapter 7 of Revelation is a reference of??
The Rapture occurs at the Second Coming of Christ. Every Rapture passage confirms this. There is no separate Rapture before The 2nd Coming.
Regarding when we meet Jesus in the air. It does not say we stay in the clouds with Him NOR does it say that Jesus returns to Heaven either.
This scripture in this initial post shows clearly that Jesus cannot leave Heaven until it is time to restore His Kingdom on Earth. That means Jesus cannot leave Heaven for any Rapture unless it is Post-Trib.
You know this passage was also the passage that finally convinced a Brother I as debating on the Forum at Tyndal Theological Seminary. Roger was working on his Masters in Greek at Tyndale. He said this is the passage that convinced him. It was the final nail in the coffin of the Pre-Trib Rapture heresy.
Now, does Jesus leave Heaven at the second coming or the third. In Rev. Chapter 14, we find the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000.
REV 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
In Rev. Chapter 19, He comes down again for a third time. In another post you said that the 144,000 don't get raptured during the tribulation, so this must be on earth.
There are more judgements that come upon the earth after the meeting on Mt. Zion.
Of course in the Old Testament, we see God, the Son coming down several times.
Let me clarify something I said. When I said the 144,000 don't get Raptured I did mean before the Tribulation. Obviously they will be transformed with the rest of us since they too are fellow believers at Christ's Second and only future coming, Post-Trib. Pre-Mil.
Remember Acts 3. Christ cannot leave Heaven UNTIL it is time to restore His Millennial Kingdom, POST-Trib. This passage could not be any more clear as the grammar is very precise. All the Resurrection and Rapture passages harmonize perfectly with this as well as all the Old Testament Prophesies concerning His Second Coming.
Acts 3 in my original post settles the Rapture debate all by itself.
