With the intensifying birth pangs as spoken by Jesus taking place around the world, eschatological concerns like tribulation, rapture, and end-time plan of God for the church have come under the spotlight of pulpits and discussions on dining tables.
With ‘rapture’ seemingly dominating the understanding of all other aspects of eschatology, it is pertinent that we first understand the what, when, and how of ‘rapture’.
Here, we will take a concise look at the biblical truths concerning the ‘rapture’ event. It does not matter whether you see it as a pre-tribulation event, mid-tribulation event, or post-tribulation event for now, as it will become clearer later.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming [“perousia”, or presence] of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Matthew 24:40-41
“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
First, in this event, in the same way that Jesus rose from the dead, the dead in Christ will rise or be resurrected first, then the living in Christ will be ‘harpazō’ caught up (or raptured) immediately following that. In other words, “one will be taken and one will be left” cannot happen without the resurrection of the dead happening at the blink of an eye before that.
2 Thessalonians 2:8
Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming [“perousia”, or presence];
Second, in this event, Jesus will appear in the clouds, with the resurrection / rapture of saints happening in the air, in the sight of all men; and, after descending back to earth, go on to defeat the army of the Anti-Christ, rule the nations for a thousand years, and dwell with His people forever.
“‘Perousia’ coming”, which means “to be present”, is different from “‘erchomai’ coming”, which means “to come or approach”. ‘Perousia’ is not just coming or approaching like ‘erchomai’, but coming to be present in person. “Perousia” was what the disciples were referring to when they asked, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your ‘perousia’, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). They were not asking when Jesus will be coming and going or passing by, but to be present or “at hand” with them on earth again – present just like they were sitting on the Mount of Olives with Him then in His first ‘perousia’ from heaven.
Thus, the second ‘perousia’ coming of Jesus Christ is one of ‘erchomai’ coming from heaven to be ‘perousia’ present on earth, just like the first ‘perousia’ coming.
As Paul used the term ‘perousia’ here, his description of this resurrection / rapture event is not one of coming to the clouds, get the dead resurrected and the living raptured, and then going off to heaven again. Rather, it was to come back to be present on earth, together with the entire host of resurrected / raptured saints that He gathered in mid-air. Hence, this event will not be a covert event without the world seeing or hearing His appearance in the sky apart from the mysterious opened tombs and disappeared Christians; rather all the nations of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory, and the gathering of His elect from one end of the sky to the other (c.f. Matthew 24:30-31).
John 14:1-4
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come [“erchomai”] again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
Third, when a saint “falls asleep” and passes on from his earthly tent (which is his earthly body), he will enter into the Father’s house in the third heaven called the Paradise of God (c.f. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4; Revelation 2:7) to be at home with the Lord, just like Old Testament saints dwelled in the Paradise under the earth called Abraham’s Bosom (c.f. Luke 16:22; Luke 23:43). They will be waiting to be clothed with a heavenly building, or a resurrection body, just like Christ’s resurrection body (c.f. 2 Corinthians 5:1-8), in the same way that dead saints in Abraham’s Bosom were waiting to be clothed with resurrection bodies before the resurrection of Christ in His First Advent (c.f. Matthew 27:52-53)
This means that, like the Paradise of Abraham’s Bosom, the “many dwelling places” that Jesus is preparing in the Father’s house are in the Paradise of God, and these are specifically prepared for saints who would die before Jesus returns to earth for His Second Advent or Coming. While Jesus is waiting in heaven at the right hand of God, He would ‘erchomai’ come in the Spirit to receive the saint who died before His Second ‘perousia’ Coming, so that the saint may be where He is also.
1 Corinthians 15:51-55
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”
When Jesus returns to the earth in His Second Coming, He will bring with Him “those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” from the Paradise of God so that the dead can be raised imperishable by receiving their resurrection bodies, just like when Jesus led a host of captives free from Abraham’s Bosom to receive their resurrection bodies in His First Advent (c.f. Ephesian 4:8; Matthew 27:52-53). So, this will be the first resurrection of the dead from the Paradise of God since Jesus broke open the Paradise of Abraham’s Bosom two thousand years ago.
Following the resurrection of the dead in this event, the living in Christ will be ‘harpazō’ caught up in the air, with their perishable bodies changed or translated to imperishable bodies in the twinkling of an eye to be like the resurrection body of Jesus Christ (c.f. 1 John 3:2). This entire resurrected / translated host in the clouds will not go back to the Paradise of God in heaven, only to return to earth with Christ years later for His “second” Second Coming event. Rather, the entire resurrected / translated host in the clouds will return to earth with Christ to rule and reign with Him from Mount Zion in earthly Jerusalem (c.f. Micah 4:6; Revelation 14:1).
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming [“perousia”] of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what [“τὸ”; more accurately translated “that which”] restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming [“perousia”]; that is, the one whose coming [“perousia”] is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
Fourth, as to the timeframe of the “perousia” coming of Jesus Christ and the resurrection / translation of His saints (“hagios” or holy ones) on the day of the Lord as described in the previous point, we know that this day “will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God”.
In other words, “the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith” (1 Timothy 4:1), not just because they are “paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons”, but also because they could not endure the wiles of the Anti-Christ to the end such that they could be saved (c.f. Matthew 24:9-13). All these events must come first before the “perousia” coming of the Lord.
Yet, as we shall see later, this is the triumphant plan and glorious workmanship of God in and through the church; for God, through archangel Michael I believe, is throttling the activity of Satan and his “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18-19) while restraining the “perousia” coming of the man of lawlessness (aka Anti-Christ or abomination of desolation), until the sanctification and obedience of the church are complete, and the church is ready henceforth to punish all disobedience that is to be revealed (c.f. 2 Corinthians 10:6). This “great tribulation” of Satan and his hosts by God and His church will be made complete and brought to an end by the “perousia” appearance of Christ on the day of the Lord.
Revelation 21:9-11,27; 22:14-15
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. … and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. … Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
Ephesians 5:25-32
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
Colossians 1:18,24
He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. … Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Fifth, when the angel showed John “the bride, the wife of the Lamb”, he showed him the holy city, heavenly Jerusalem, which the writer of Hebrews describe as the “general assembly and church of the Firstborn” who are enrolled in the book of life.
So, the bride of Christ, or the wife of the Lamb, is the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God called the church of the Firstborn, where Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant through His sprinkled blood, and where the spirits of the righteous are made perfect, holy and blameless, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
Sixth, the church of the Firstborn is the body of Christ, into which believers redeemed by the blood of the Lamb are grafted / baptised by one Spirit as members of one body to drink of one Spirit. These members of the body are “those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city”; for “outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying”. In other words, all who are redeemed of the Lord and whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, today or during tribulation, are baptised as members in the body of Christ by the Spirit; for anyone who is not redeemed and grafted into Christ’s body – hence outside the body – are “dogs”.
Because we are members of His one body, we are joined to the Lamb in one flesh – as bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh. As there is only one indivisible head and one indivisible body in one indivisible flesh, there is only one indivisible bride of the Lamb. This bride is indivisible by time, space, tribe, tongue, gender, social status, or death. Being joined as one body, Jesus loves His one and only bride as Himself, and nourishes and sanctifies her as His own flesh.
So, the church, neither Jew nor Gentile yet comprising both Jews and Gentiles redeemed by the blood of Christ and washed by the word of Christ, is the indivisible bride of Christ for whom Jesus will return and present to Himself in a marriage feast “in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless”. In other words, there can only be one resurrection / rapture event, one presentation of the bride, and one wedding feast after all the called, chosen, and faithful have come into the Kingdom at the end of the present age, since Jesus is joined only to one indivisible bride.
Furthermore, if everyone redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and joined as one flesh to the body of Christ are presented by Christ to Himself as His bride, then members of His body cannot be the dinner guests and not the bride at the wedding feast (c.f. Matthew 22:1-14). Therefore, dinner guests who are invited to witness the marriage of the Lamb are those who are outside His body, that is, “dogs” who are not grafted into the body of Christ through the saving work of Christ, including “dogs” that return to their own vomit (c.f. 2 Peter 2:20-22).
Revelation 10:7
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 preached to His servants the prophets.
Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
Seventh, between the sounding of the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet (covering the period from Revelation 9:12 to Revelation 19:1), towards when the seventh trumpet is about to sound, the mystery of God, that is, all the mysteries that God preached to His servants the prophets of old, will be finished, be it the “mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11), “mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4; Colossians 2:2; 4:3), mystery of “Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32), mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27), “mystery of godliness” (1 Timothy 3:16), “mystery of the faith” (1 Timothy 3:9), “mystery of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7), “mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her” (Revelation 17:7), mystery of His will for the summing up of all things in Christ at the fullness of the times through the administration of the church (c.f. Ephesians 1:9-10), mystery of Israel (c.f. Romans 11:25-26), mystery of resurrection (c.f. 1 Corinthians 15:50-57), etc.
In other words, the mystery of the testimony and good news (or gospel) of Jesus Christ will be finished “in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound”; for “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10) through the ages. Hence, with the grace for salvation finished at the “perousia” appearance of Jesus Christ at the sound of the last trumpet, there will no longer be salvation available to those who are not His resurrected / translated holy ones at His coming and throughout His Millennial reign on earth.
“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27)
Matthew 24:29-31
“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and 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. And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Eighth, at the sounding of the seventh “great trumpet”, “immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days” when world events will be characterised by the abomination of desolation or Anti-Christ (c.f. Matthew 24:15-28), the Son of Man will appear and come to receive His bride. This is the same event that Paul told the Thessalonians that “for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
There was no indication from Jesus in Matthew 24 that there would be another prior coming of the Son of Man BEFORE “the tribulation of those days” to receive His ‘first half-bride’ or ‘first of two brides’ who has made herself ready, while leaving behind ‘another half-bride’ or the ‘second of two brides’ who has not been redeemed yet or made herself ready DURING “the tribulation of those days”.
Revelation 19:7-8,11-16; 20:4-6
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. … And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” … Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
As we can see, the elect, be they Gentiles or Jews, who are redeemed by Christ DURING the “tribulation of those days” are part of the one bride of Christ who will make herself ready for the Bridegroom who will come only after all the tribulation events of Revelation. These are not the wedding guests who are left behind by a prior rapture of the bride and prior coming of the Bridegroom before the tribulation. They are also not the second “flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones” whom the Bridegroom will marry after the marrying the first ‘raptured’ one before the tribulation began.
Nineth, the “FIRST RESURRECTION” of the dead happens only when Jesus Christ returns for His Millennial reign after all the tribulation events. As mentioned in the first point, if the resurrection of the dead precedes any rapture of the living, then there is no rapture before this “first resurrection”, because it is the “first resurrection” that will happen only after the tribulation. “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”
Tenth, the description of the resurrection / rapture event by Jesus in the book of Matthew, the description of the resurrection / rapture event by Paul to the Thessalonians and Corinthians, and the description of the Second Coming event by John in the book of Revelation, are descriptions of the same event that will “gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” on the day of Christ’s Second Coming. This is the day when sin as well as the great torment of its perpetuators have run their course at the fullness of the present age. The whole world will mourn as they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds, with the full number of His elect determined, vindicated, resurrected, raptured, and gathered to Him from one end of the sky to the other, for they know that the opportunity for their redemption and/or sanctification (c.f. Hebrews 12:14) is over.
2 Thessalonians 1:4-10
therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.
Eleventh, our perseverance and faithfulness towards God and His Word in the midst of persecutions and afflictions which we have to endure without cause (c.f. Psalm 119:161) is our just vindication in the righteous judgment of God, so that not only will we be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, but God will also repay with affliction those who afflict us, and mete out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Thus, the great tribulation is for separating, proving, and vindicating those who will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God when the Lord Jesus comes to be glorified in His holy ones on that day.
In other words, not only will His holy ones be justly glorified when Jesus Christ returns, Jesus Christ will also return to be justly glorified in and through His holy ones on that day.
So, the purpose of the resurrection / rapture event is for Christ to gather together the holy redeemed of His image to Himself, vindicate the righteous acts of the saints, clothe them with the same imperishable body for immortality, and present them as the bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh – spotless, blameless, and glorious just like Him – for final victory and rule in the nations.
This means that the resurrection / rapture event is not to take the elect from the world, particularly from tribulation; for the Son of Man did not escape from the world but overcome the world in the world.
Matthew 24:9-13
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
James 1:12
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Twelfth, during the tribulation period in the world system of the Anti-Christ, all nations will hate Christians; they will deliver us to tribulations, and they will kill us (that is, those who are marked for martyrdom in the fifth seal of Revelation) because of the name of Christ that we bear. But these are the trials that we must bear and endure till the end so that we can be approved and be saved, and then receive the crown of life.
Malachi 3:2-3
But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.
Zechariah 13:8-9
“It will come about in all the land,” declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’ ”
Isaiah 33:14
Sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling has seized the godless. “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?”
Thirteenth, there is wrath of an all-consuming fire, and there is wrath of a refiner’s fire; there is wrath of destruction in the lake of fire, and there is wrath of chastisement in the crucible’s fire.
While the people of God did, and do, suffer God’s wrath (c.f. Ezekiel 20:7-11), even resulting in the death of a generation in the wilderness as well as exile to Babylon, this wrath of God upon His people must be differentiated from the wrath of God that will be poured out upon the nations that persecute and hold captive His people in the last days, just like what happened to Egypt and Babylon, despite the fact that they were ordained by God to oppress and take captive His people.
In His wrath, God sent His people into exile in Babylon as chastisement and discipline for their idolatries and disobedience, yet in His wrath against Babylon for taking His people into exile, destroying His temple, and throwing them into the furnace and lion’s den, He destroyed Babylon (c.f. Jeremiah 51:11).
So, the fury of the Refiner’s fire in the last days is like God allowing the Anti-Christ system to throw His people into the fiery furnace that is seven times more than it is usually fired (c.f. Daniel 3:19-30; Proverbs 27:21) for the purification of fine gold and removal of dross from silver, such that those who remain faithful and persevering to the end in the furnace will be approved, delivered unscathed, and glorified; while the fury of the consuming fire on the Anti-Christ system is like God pouring out the seven bowls of destruction upon the Anti-Christ system for rising up against His people without cause and to avenge the blood of His bond-servants (c.f. Revelation 19:2-3), despite God being the One who permitted the Anti-Christ to do what he purposed.
Thus, the wrath of the Refiner’s fire of God is the triumph and sanctifying grace of the church, while the wrath of the consuming fire of God is the destruction and condemnation of all the nations that rise up against the people of God. As such, the wrath of the fires of tribulation are the perfect workmanship of God.
Indeed, God has not destined us to suffer the same wrath that will come upon the nations, wherein these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, but for obtaining salvation through the wrath of the Refiner’s fire that conforms us to the holy image of our Lord Jesus Christ (c.f. 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Romans 8:29; Matthew 5:48).
Please refer to my blog posts “There is Wrath of God, and There is Wrath of God” and “The Coming Baptism of the Refiner’s Fire” for more details.
Matthew 24:22
“Unless those days had been cut short [“koloboō”; Lit. to maim, to mutilate, to curtail], no life [“sarx”; Lit. flesh] would have been saved [“sōzō”; e.g. by grace you have been “sōzō” through faith]; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short [“koloboō”; Lit. to maim, to mutilate, to curtail].”
Revelation 12:12
“For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
Fourteenth, just as God is restraining, curtailing, or maiming the activity of Satan right now until it is time for the man of lawlessness to be revealed, God will continue to cut and maim the activities of Satan and his hosts of darkness in the days of the great tribulation for the sake of the salvation of His elect or chosen ones.
There are four ways that God will cut short the arms of Satan and maim his activities against the elect.
Firstly, there will be a “Goshen in Egypt” where the long arms of the powers of darkness are cut at the boundaries where God’s people inhabit, and where the harm which befalls the world shall not prevail against the ekklesia.
Secondly, like Job, while God may allow the suffering of the flesh, God will not allow Satan to take the lives of His holy ones, except for those who have been marked for martyrdom (c.f. Revelation 6:9-11).
Thirdly, the faithful God will throttle the intensity of the Refiner’s fire because He “will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Fourthly, God will cut short the time of the great wrath of the devil, which God has already foreordained to be shortened to “time, times, and half a time”, “forty-two months”, or “one thousand two hundred and sixty days” by the testimony of Jesus through the prophecies of Daniel and John (c.f. Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7; Revelation 12:6, 14; Revelation 13:5; Revelation 19:10).
If we look at the original Greek text, Matthew 24:22 is more accurately translated as, “And if those days had not been curtailed, there would not have been any flesh saved. However, because of the elect, those days will be curtailed.”
The Greek aorist tense in the first half of the verse indicates a single and completed action in the past. Jesus foreknew, even at the foundation of the world, that there would not have been any flesh saved, particularly the elect in context, if God did not curtail or cut short the activities of Satan. As such, God had (already) curtailed those days, and Jesus had (already) testified of such curtailed days to His servants the prophets like Daniel, whom John confirmed as a witness in the book of Revelation.
As for the future tense in the second half of the verse, the Son of Man was standing in time to testify that those future days will be curtailed as had already been foreordained at the foundation of the world. In fact, the devil already knew that he has only been given a short(ened) time in the future to test God’s holy ones like Job through the prophecy of Daniel.
While we do not know how literal, typological, or allegorical the predestined number of days is, one thing we do know is that “as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
So, as far as God is concerned and able to save, there is no necessity or scriptural basis for a “pre-wrath rapture”.
Revelation 3:10
Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep [“tēreō”; from a prim. word “tēros” (a guard); to watch over, to guard] you [safe] from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
John 16:33
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Fifteenth, in the last days of seals, trumpets, and bowls of Revelation, the true church who keeps and observes the Word of God with Christ’s patient endurance will be guarded securely and kept safe through the intense fire of testing that will come upon the whole world. Instead of being kept away by being taken away from the hour of testing, the true church will be watched over and protected by Christ, just like how God protected His people in Goshen while He poured out plagues and pestilences upon Egypt.
Indeed, the true church will have great courage and good cheer in times of great tribulation, because they shall overcome the world by keeping the Word of God with Christlike patient endurance, just like how Christ has overcome the world.
This is the kind of victorious and glorious church that Jesus is building, against which the gates of hell (and any devil, beast, or demon that comes out of it) shall not prevail. Furthermore, this glorious body of Christ that Jesus is perfecting, will do the works that Jesus did, and even greater works than those that He did, because the true body of Christ – the elect with the faithfulness and resilience to submit to God and resist the devil (c.f. James 4:7) to the end – shall arise in the true image, authority, and power of Christ from every corner of the earth “as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Indeed, nations will declare that “there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way” (Daniel 3:29), and this is the power of the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Romans 11:11-14, 25-26
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them… For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
Sixteenth, unless the manifested stature, power, and glory of the “ekklesia” as sons of God in the flesh surpass that of Moses and the prophets, just like the manifested stature, power, and glory of Jesus the Son of God in the flesh, the house of Jacob will not be provoked to jealousy and, thus, acknowledge the Head of the “ekklesia” as their true Messiah.
When the Jews witness the full manifestation of the mature stature, prevailing power, and surpassing glory of the predominantly “Gentile” church (c.f. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18), especially in the days of great persecution when they seek the Deliverer, they will be provoked to jealousy over the Messiah, Deliverer, and Head of the church whom they have rejected, thereby driving them to seek Him as their Saviour as well.
So, the magnified church of the Firstborn and glorious body of the Messiah will be for the salvation of the house of Jacob during the days of great tribulation; for the glorious Head of the “ekklesia” body, the One who is greater than Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Solomon, Jonah, and even the temple (c.f. John 8:58; John 4:12; John 5:45-46; Luke 11:29-32; Matthew 12:6), will be attested and magnified by His “ekklesia” body in the sight of the Jews as the true Messiah, kinsman Redeemer, and mighty Deliverer. When this happens, the partial hardening of the Jews will be lifted, thus enabling them to say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD [‘YHVH’],” (Matthew 23:39) and see Him “perousia” with them again (c.f. Matthew 24:3).
Indeed, Abraham, Jacob, and the prophets, “having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40)
1 Thessalonians 5:2-6
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
Matthew 24:36-41
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
Seventeenth, the Day of the Lord will not overtake the true church by surprise, for we, as sons of light and sons of day, will understand and know the season of His coming. In other words, just like Noah understood and knew when to enter the ark according to the leading of the Spirit, hence the rain did not overtake him by surprise, the Day of the Lord will not overtake us like a thief, for we shall discern and know by the Spirit the season of His coming, just like how we discern the change of natural seasons, even though we may not know the exact day or hour of His coming (c.f. Matthew 16:1-3; Luke 12:54-56).
However, those who eat, drink, marry, and give in marriage like the days of Noah will not escape destruction; and those who eat, drink, and make merry around the golden calf like the days of Moses will have their names blotted out from the book of life (c.f. Exodus 32:1-25). Even for the “five foolish virgins” who were once known and elected by the Bridegroom, if they do not present themselves ready spiritually and naturally as the blameless or unblemished bride for the wedding, they will no longer be known by the Bridegroom on the Day of the Lord (c.f. Matthew 25:1-13), in the same way that the Lord declared to those who called Him Lord, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Revelation 7:9-15
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
Eighteenth, at the “perousia” of the Lamb of God, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, who have come out of the great tribulation in white, without spot and blemish, will stand before the throne of God, and they will serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
Oh the mystery of Christ and His “ekklesia” in oneness of godliness and enduring glory! Can you visualise this distinctive multitude who have come out of the great tribulation in white? “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Finally, nineteenth, “then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. If the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the Lord smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” (Zechariah 14:16-19)
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
So, with such a great hope set before us, like the “five prudent virgins”, let us endure and make ourselves ready as the spotless, blameless, and glorious tribulation-refined bride of Christ to welcome the Bridegroom when the end-time climaxes. As the “helper suitable for Him” (Genesis 2:20) at the marriage of the Lamb, we will rule and reign with Him for a thousand years on earth with a new imperishable body just like Christ’s body.
Hallelujah and glory in the highest for God’s workmanship through Christ’s triumphant tribulation-overcoming church. Amen and amen!
Post-Script
Ephesians 1:9-10
He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration [“oikonomia”, or manager, steward, administrator] suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.
Now that we have understood the mystery of His will, at least somewhat concerning tribulation, rapture, and the enduring triumph of the church, it is important for us to understand that neither the devil nor the Anti-Christ dictates the course of history-to-be-written and destiny of the church. God does; but crucially, He has set up the church as the administrator, manager, planner, and executor of this mystery revealed and history in the making; that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth, for the fullness of the times.
In other words, Jesus is building the church that the gates of hell cannot overcome (nor dictate its course of history), and He has given it the keys of the Kingdom of heaven on earth, such that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (c.f. Matthew 16:18-19). We act, God backs!
This is the authority, power, and glory of the church now, throughout tribulation, and till the end of time… and beyond!
The question to ask, then, is this: With this mystery of the tribulation and rapture events revealed, what and how should the church, as the administration suitable to the fullness of the times, envision and organise its processes to take charge and consummate all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth?
The framework to the answer can be found in these two posts: The Great Reset of the World? and Let the Body of Christ BE the Body of Christ.
Post Post-Script
In Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your ‘perousia’, and of the end of the age?”
To fully understand the answer of Jesus, we must also ask the question, “What is Jesus waiting for until His second coming?”
You can find the answer in the post Sit at My Right Hand UNTIL…
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