In the previous part of First Corinthians, there was talk in the church that there was no resurrection of the dead. During Jesus’ ministry, there were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection and the Sadducees believed there was no resurrection. It is very possible that many converts in the Corinthian church were Sadducees, or they were once indoctrinated by them. There were also groups who had a distorted view of the gospel. Paul explained  the importance of the resurrection. If there is no resurrection, Jesus Christ could not have risen from the dead. And if He did not rise from the dead then our faith is useless, and we are still in our sins. If we are still in our sins, we have no hope and we are still destined to spend eternity in hell!

In this study, we will examine the pre-trib claims:

• The church will raptured into heaven before the tribulation;
• The “first-phase” coming will be unnoticed by the non-believers;
• There are two resurrections of the just.

Paul writes in First Corinthians Chapter 15:

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,

Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (Hosea 13:14)

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:49-55

In the above verses, Paul  continued his discussion of the resurrection. He told them that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither will the perishable inherit the imperishable.  The kingdom Paul referred to is the Millennial Kingdom. The Kingdom Christ will set up after the tribulation when he comes to destroy the Anti-Christ and his enemies at Armageddon. And He will also send Satan to prison during His Millennial reign.

Paul revealed a mystery:

• “we will not sleep, but we shall all be changed.”

There are those who will be still alive and will not go through death (sleep), but their bodies will be changed…

Paul says this will happen:

• in a moment,
• in the twinkling of an eye,
• at the last trumpet.

He said that a trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and the ones who are still alive will be changed. The perishable must  clothe itself with the imperishable and the mortal cloth itself with immortal. In essence, at this time, our bodies which are perishable will replaced  with imperishable bodies. We will be changed from mortal to immortal.

Pre-tribbers believe Paul is describing a “pre-trib” rapture because there are terms used such as “changed–in a flash in a twinkling of an eye.” They claim since this happens so fast, this will be unnoticed by non believers .So let’s look at this part of scripture very closely.

Does Paul say in this part of scripture that we will be caught up to meet Jesus and go to heaven with Him?

Does Paul mention they are going anywhere in the above verse? Does he say this will go unnoticed?

Does he say this will happen before the tribulation?

Therefore, can we conclude Paul is describing a pre-trib rapture?

Paul told them their bodies will be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye. He didn’t say “in a moment in a twinkling of an eye, they will be zapped upstairs.”  Will this happen at the same time as First Thessalonians chapter four? I believe it will. But this verse does not describe a pre-tribulation rapture of  the church or even a rapture of any kind.  For further study, please read “With a Shout.”

When did Paul say we will be changed? He said “at the last trumpet.” When is this last trumpet? Is there anywhere in scripture the last trumpet sounds? Does Revelation describe a last trumpet? In Revelation there are seven trumpets (8:2). And John describes the seventh and last trumpet:

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.

Revelation 11:15

What did Paul say in First Corinthians? He said “I declare to you brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God…”

And John described  seventh trumpet in revelation, a voice said “the kingdom of earth has become the kingdom of our Lord and of  his Christ…” Doesn’t this seem more than just a merecoincidence that Paul said flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, we will be changed at the last trumpet, and in Revelation, at the seventh trumpet, the Kingdom of this earth becomes the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ (meaning the kingdom of God)?

So this is clear that we will be changed when the seventh and last trumpet in Revelation sounds.

However, the pre-tribbers believe the last trumpet Paul refers to is the last trumpet that sounds before the tribulation. Can they show in scripture that there are trumpet sounds that lead up to a “pre-trib” coming? And if this is the last trumpet, can we assume there will be other trumpet sounds that follow? We must conclude since this happens at the last trumpet, there are no other trumpet sounds that follow.

Pre-tribbers believe there will be two resurrections for the righteous. The first before the tribulation (the ones who died in Christ up to then), and the second after the tribulation (the old testament Jews and the martyred tribulation saints).

Referring  to the resurrection, which is a key part of this scripture, Paul said at the last trumpet, the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable.  When will the dead be raised? What does scripture say about the resurrection?

Earlier in First Corinthians, Paul explains the order of the resurrection:

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”

First Corinthians 15: 20-23

Paul in an essence was saying that Christ has risen from the dead and is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Death came from a man, Adam all will die. The resurrection of the dead comes through another man, Christ who all will be made alive (the resurrection). The resurrection comes in his own turn:

• Christ, the firstfruits;

then

• When He Comes those who belong to him.

Referring to verse 23, when does He come? Does Paul say  “before the tribulation when He comes those who belong to him, and after the tribulation He comes those who belong to Him?” In verse 23 there is only one reference to His coming and resurrection.

In the book of John, Jesus, referred to the resurrection:

“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. 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.”

John 6:39-40

Jesus said that everyone who beholds Him and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and He will rise him up on the last day. If Jesus said everyone who believes in him, doesn’t this include the tribulation saints? Martyred tribulation saints cannot be risen before the tribulation.  Therefore, all believers in Christ will be risen at the last day, after the tribulation.

Since the all of the dead in Christ will rise at the resurrection, at the last day, we must conclude there is no pre tribulation rapture of the Church.

Looking back at verse 49 in the 15th chapter of First Corinthians, Paul  said;

“And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”

When will we bear the likeness of the Man from heaven? John Wrote:

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

1 John 3: 2

John said  when He (Jesus) appears we will be like Him.

“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

1 John 2:28

John said to continue in Him so when He (Jesus) appears, we may be confident and unashamed before him at His coming. Clearly, this is after the tribulation.

Paul in Second Thessalonians referred  to Christ’s appearance:

“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness[1] of his coming…”

2 Thessalonians 2: 8

Paul said that Jesus will slay the lawless one (Anti-Christ) by the brightness (appearing) of His coming, which is after the tribulation.

“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap…”

Malachi 3:2

Taken from http://www.tribulationcentral.com

Changed – Compelling Scriptures that Changed a Pre-tribulation Rapture Believer Forever
by Steven Straub

A Book Available For FREE Download

The author’s forward to the book………

The rapture. If you’re a believer, this word fills you with an immediate sense of hope and joy. To think that, someday, Jesus Christ is physically coming back to gather together His church is very exciting indeed. That’s the good news. The bad news is the sad reality of utter confusion surrounding this event that has ultimately infiltrated and fractured the church into a variety of subgroups—confusion that even capitalizes on the very word “rapture.” For this reason, I would like to state that I am not a proponent of the word “rapture”—not because it’s nowhere to be found in the English translation of Scripture, but for one other simple reason. Although most consider the word to be insignificant, I believe it fosters the tiny spark needed to fuel the fire of a broader deception—mainly that of its timing. It has become a trigger word that has so many Christians brainwashed into quickly associating it with a skillfully devised position whether they consciously realize it or not. Although I agree that it can legitimately be interpreted as “caught up,” and unarguably is to involve those who are alive in Christ at His coming, the connotations and controversy that surround it these days are quite deceiving as the Word will hopefully soon reveal to you. As a result, when I use the word “rapture” in this book, it will be italicized to emphasize its double nature.

Brothers and sisters, it’s time to get back to the Word of God and stop conforming to the words of men. I’m not just throwing you a tired old cliché; I really emphasize it be-cause it’s important. If you allow man to interpret Scripture for you without ever checking into it for yourself, you are eventually going to find yourself in a whole lot of trouble doctrinally down the road—it’s only a matter of time.

My pastor encourages us to take notes during his messages. Why? Because he states emphatically: “Just because I said it, it doesn‟t make it right!” How true that is! We can’t just take his word for it! We must take the Word’s word for it! We must hold man’s doctrine accountable at all times. Does it submit or conflict with the Bible? If it conflicts, then we must return and submit to the Word quickly and without a biased mindset. In the end, God’s Word is final authority.

If Christ were to come back after the tribulation, rapture all the believers, and kill all of the sinners then who would be left to populate the world during the millennium?

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the FIRST resurrection.” Revelation 20:4-5

They(the dead in Christ) were resurrected right? And those alive are raptured after the dead right? This is why the Rapture is after the Tribulation. Every believer will not die in till after the Tribulation.

“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. 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” 1 Thes. 4:15-16

If the Pre-Trib view is right then you have the dead being raise, those who are alive, and then the dead being raise again! It contradicts the bible!

OK we also know that nobody resurrected will populate the Millennium.
“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” Matthew 22:30

If the wicked are dead and the saints resurrected, who is left?

There will be a remnant of Jews and Gentiles that will not partake in the rapture but will be saved from the Day of the Lord. This remnant will recognize Christ as there true Messiah at His second coming when we are with Him. (remember we are raptured to meet Him in the air and then we come with Him to Jerusalem)

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth MOURN, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30

“…and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall MOURN for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Zech. 12-10 b

This chapter goes on to list from every Tribe of Israel. They repent after they SEE HIM! (This is not the 144,000 because they, the 144,000, are saved without SEEING HIM)

Joel 12:11-13

11And the LORD shall utter his voice(shout) before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 
(This is Rapture and the Day of the Lord, at the end of the Tribulation) BUT LOOKS WHATS NEXT!

12Therefore also NOW(AFTER HIS COMING), saith the LORD, TURN YE even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and TURN unto the LORD your God: for he is GRACIOUS and MERCIFUL, SLOW to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

THIS IS AFTER THE POST-TRIB RAPTURE, RIGHT BEFORE THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. AND CHRIST IS STILL SAYING TO THE WORLD “TURN”! IF HE IS SAYING TURN THAT MEANS THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF TURNING TO HIM.

This option of turning to Christ at His coming is also given to gentiles.

“Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.” Zeph. 2:3

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is LEFT of all the nations which CAME AGAINST JERUSALEM shall even go up from year to year to WORSHIP the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zech. 14:16

In Wrath Remember Mercy.
Habakkuk 3:2

-From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcMXU5nwkzw

Yes and no doubt some, if not most, be killed for are faith. Why does the church of today get to be exempt from tribulation? We are exempt from God’s wrath but the Tribulation is not God’s wrath it’s Satan’s wrath.

SATAN’S WRATH
“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the DEVIL is come down unto you, HAVING GREAT WRATH, because he knoweth that he hath but a SHORT time.
And when the DRAGON saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the WOMAN(Israel) which brought forth the MAN CHILD(Christ).
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a TIME, and TIMES, and HALF A TIME(3 1/2 Years THE GREAT TRIBULATION), from the face of the serpent.” Revelation 12:12-14

BELIEVERS WILL DIE
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the FIRST resurrection.” Revelation 20:4-5

They(the dead in Christ) were resurrected right? And those alive are raptured after the dead right? This is why the Rapture is after the Tribulation. Every believer will not die until after the Tribulation.

“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. 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” 1 Thes. 4:15-16

If the Pre-Trib view is right then you have the dead being raise, those who are alive, and then the dead being raise again! It contradicts the bible!

1 Thessalonians 4
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.

1 Thessalonians 5
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Paul tells us about the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 through chapter 5. Starting in chapter 5 Paul then connects the Day of the Lord with the Rapture. And says that the Day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night to the ones not looking, or are not in the light.
BUT WE ARE IN THE LIGHT!!! verse 4

Now lets figure out when the Day of the Lord is. The book of Joel tells us what will happen before the Day of the Lord. “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.” Joel 2:31

Isaiah also refers to the Day of the Lord. “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.” Isaiah 13:9-10

Christ, in the Olivet discourse, then sets the time line for the Day of the Lord and the Rapture. “IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” Matthew 24:29

He continues….”And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:30-31

1. Pre-Tribbers say, “The Church and Israel are mutually exclusive”

I don’t want to get in a debate about Daniel 9, but I believe the first 69 weeks start with Cyrus and end at the birth of Jesus. When Gabriel gave the 70 weeks to Daniel, he was also there announcing the birth of Jesus. I believe the “he” in verse 27 is Jesus. It was exactly 3 1/2 years from Jesus’ baptism to the cross where He put an end to sacrifice. Also all through the New Testament we always hear the Trib spoken of as 3 1/2 years not 7. (I can get you more info on this if you want it just email me issacharshow@gmail.com)

Even if the “he” was the Antichrist we can’t base all of prophecy on one verse! And if modern bible prophecy teachers couldn’t use Dan. 9:27 they couldn’t teach!

Anyway…. what scripture do we have that tells us that The Church and Israel are mutually exclusive? Paul and the rest teach that Jews and Gentiles that believe in Christ are part of His body. Modern prophecy teachers and replacement theologists are the only ones putting a divide between the gentiles and Israel in the church. The goal of the Trib is for the remnant of Elect Jews to become part of the Church.

2. Pre-Tribbers say, “The Tribulation is God’s wrath”

Nowhere in scripture is the Trib called the time of God’s wrath. You can’t find it. In Rev 6:10 Jesus hasn’t judged yet. Rev 12:12 says that the Trib is Satan’s wrath!

It isn’t until after the Trib that God’s or Christ’s wrath is poured out(the 7 vial judgments). The Trib ends at the 6th seal according to Jesus in Matthew 24:29. Here He links the end of the Trib with the sixth seal.

3. Pre-Tribbers say, “The Philadelphian church is kept from the Tribulation”

“Because thou hast KEPT the word of my patience, I also will KEEP thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Rev. 3:10

The word translated as Kept is the same Greek word for Keep in this verse. This word means “to keep, one in the state in which he is”. I don’t get where you see the church of Philadelphia removed here? If this is the rapture we aren’t all members of the church of Philadelphia, so is it just a partial rapture?

4. Pre-Tribbers say, “The Church isn’t mentioned after Revelation 4, so they aren’t here for the Tribulation”

“They have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” This is what you have to do to be come part of the church right?

So why is it not the church when Pre-Tribbers read where this is found in scripture? “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev 7:14

5. Pre-Tribbers say, “The type of a Jewish wedding where the bride is surprised by the groom and they have a wedding supper for 7 day proves the pre-trib rapture”

I wouldn’t put a typology above scripture. Also no where in scripture will you find a Jewish wedding like this mentioned. Typology is good, but you can’t build doctrine off of it. Abraham, Isaac, and Eleazar are a Type of the Trinity, but I don’t build my doctrine for the Trinity from this typology.

The only place you will find virgins surprised when the bridegroom comes is in Matthew 25. BUT this is an example of how not to act. Faithful believers should be watching and not surprised when Christ comes.

6. Pre-Tribbers say, “Jesus doesn’t want a beat up bride that comes through the Tribulation, He wants a pure bride”

Exactly! Jesus wants a PURE bride. If Jesus returned today do you really think that He would find a PURE bride? But if we were refined through the fire of tribulation(because tribulation worketh patience) He would find a PURE bride. Why should the lukewarm church of today be exempt from what the hot early church wasn’t? The early church was beat and bruised but beloved!

7. Pre-Tribbers say, “Enoch was removed before Judgment so the Church will too”

Again this is a Typology from man and not Scripture. But here is a typology from another man for you…..

Ruth=Church
Naomi=Israel
Boaz=Jesus

Naomi(Israel) teaches Ruth(church) about Boaz(Christ). (through the Jews we learned of Christ) It’s also through Ruth(church) that Naomi(Israel) meets Boaz(Christ)!

So why remove Ruth when Ruth’s job of introducing Naomi to Boaz isn’t complete? BUT I don’t base my Post-Trib belief on this typology.

8. Pre-Tribbers say, “What about the Imminent return for the believers in John 14:1-3, Acts 1:11, I Corinthians 15:51-52, Philippians 3:20, and Colossians 3:4″

John 14:1-3 – Jesus just says that He will return. He doesn’t say that its imminent for the believer.

Acts 1:11 – He will come back, but it doesn’t say its imminent for the believer.

I Corinthians 15:51-52 – Again no Immanence here. But what do you do with the last Trump? If it’s last then there has to be at least one before it. Read what happens when the 7th trumpet or last trump is about to sound in Rev. 10:7.

Philippians 3:20 – If we go through the Trib we will actually be looking for Him! Can you really say that you or me or anybody is REALLY longing for Christ to come today?

Colossians 3:4 – “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, THEN shall ye also appear with him in glory.” This is Post-Trib. Christ appears to the world, then we met Him in the AIR not heaven and follow Him to the Mount of Olives.

9. Pre-Tribbers say, “The Church is removed before God’s wrath is poured out”

I agree totally! We will be removed BEFORE God’s wrath is poured out.

God’s wrath isn’t poured out until after the Tribulation.

In Daniel Jesus is there with the 3 Hebrews THROUGH the FIRE because the FIRE wasn’t HIS Wrath. He doesn’t remove them, instead He is with them through it.

Most Christians don’t realize where the pre-trib imminence doctrine comes from. It comes from a Post-Trib view of Matthew 24.

“IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they shall GATHER together HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

If you read on you get to Matthew 24:42 “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

Pre-Tribbers can’t use this verse for the imminence of the Rapture because they deny that Jesus is talking about the Rapture in Mathew 24! Instead Jesus is speaking of His return.

Keep on reading Matthew 24:43. “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” 

To the Church at Sardis Jesus says, “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou SHALT NOT WATCH, I will come on thee as a THIEF, and thou SHALT NOT KNOW what hour I will come upon thee.” Revelation 3:3

Jesus wants us to WATCH!
He is saying WATCH or I WILL come on you LIKE A THIEF!

Paul backs this up in 1 Thessalonians 5.

2For yourselves know perfectly that the DAY OF THE LORD so cometh as a THIEF IN THE NIGHT.

3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

(Jesus’ Return is only Imminent for those NOT WATCHING)

4But ye, brethren, are NOT in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a THIEF.

(Christ WILL NOT overtake His Church as a Thief)

5Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us WATCH and be SOBER.

WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSE TO BE WATCHING FOR?

Joel 2:31 “The SUN shall be turned into darkness, and the MOON into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.”

“IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days shall the SUN be darkened, and the MOON shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven” Matthew 24:29-30a

NOT JUST A RAPTURE.
BUT A RESURRECTION-RAPTURE.

Here is lesson #1.
Our Apostle Paul in 1Thes. 4:15-17 is very specific and quite definite about this.
It is a very important Biblical truth to be nailed on the door posts of the Church.

Here it is.

There is to be a combined Resurrection-Rapture.

Our scriptural proof of this is comes from the words of our Apostle Paul.

“The dead in Christ shall rise first,
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up, (raptured), with them
to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1Thes. 4:15-17

All the saints, both the living and the dead, will be glorified into new spiritual bodies together.
The Resurrection and the Rapture will occur at the same time.

THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD.
AND JESUS’ PROMISE TO RAISE UP HIS COVENANT PEOPLE AT THE “LAST DAY”

Now we shall move on to lesson #2.
And that lesson is simply this.

The Resurrection of the righteous dead comes at the very end of this evil age.
The Resurrection of those who belong to Messiah comes at the “Last Day”.

For absolute, utter, and absolute proof of this let us look at these seven verses in the Gospel of John.

• Dear saints, these are the very words of Jesus Himself on this matter.
• Jesus repeatedly in one chapter refers to the Resurrection of His Elect.
• He said quite clearly that it would happen at the last day.
• Jesus says that he will be raising up His covenant people at the “last day”.
• Then we see from the scripture above that Martha, has her say on the matter.
• In conversation with Jesus, Martha repeats the very same message.
• Jesus will raise up His covenant people at the “last day“.

Dear saints. When a Biblical truth, such as the Resurrection, is set upon by religious blocking spirits we must assume that something very important is being “cloaked” and hidden from us. And indeed when we succeed in answering this highly contested Resurrection question the religious fog begins to clear. Suddenly we begin to get a clear view of the end time and what it is all about.

Let us cut to the chase. The second coming of Christ not only involves the Rapture. At His coming the righteous dead are glorified into new spiritual bodies. All those who are Christ’s, saved by His blood, are raised up in the Resurrection. Then, immediately after this, in the very same process comes the Rapture.

Does the Bible give us a specific timing of the Rapture?
No it does not. It would be nice if it did.

So that is why is this matter of the Resurrection is so important.
And it also explains why the timing of the Resurrection has been hidden from us.
We have already established that the Bible teaches a combined Resurrection-Rapture.
So the timing of the Resurrection of the righteous dead, (when we find it), will also be the timing of the Rapture!

Well then, does The Bible give us a specific timing for the Resurrection?
Yes, it certainly does!

So then, when is this mysteriously hidden Resurrection of the righteous dead?
Is it a pre-tribulation event or is it a post-tribulation event?

Well, let’s find out.
The Bible tells us very plainly.

THE RESURRECTION WILL OCCUR AFTER THE 70TH WEEK ENDS.
JESUS TELLS US FOUR TIMES IN ONE PASSAGE THAT HE WILL
“RAISE UP” OR RESURRECT HIS COVENANT PEOPLE AT THE ‘LAST DAY’.

As it turns out, Jesus Himself gives us the answer.
Four times in John 6 Jesus states categorically that this glorious Resurrection, (this time in which He will “raise” His people “up”), will be a pivotal event that will occur at the “last day”.

John 6:39 “This is the will of the Father who sent Me,
that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing,
but should raise it up at the last day.”John 6:40 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.”“

John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;
and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:54 “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Is our Lord Jesus trying to get a message to us here? If He saw fit to tell us four times in the one message that He will raise His people up at the“last day” then who would dare contradict Him? His Word should be final. And who would dare tamper with the message the Holy Spirit has so clearly laid out for us in the Holy Scriptures? The Resurrection of the righteous dead will occur at the ‘last day”. Therefore it must come at the end of the 7 year period of Daniel’s 70th week. And therefore the Resurrection must be a Post-Tribulation event, after the Great Tribulation.

MARTHA, SISTER OF LAZARUS, WAS A SAINT FROM A FORMER ERA.
SHE KNEW THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION.

Here is some further evidence of the resurrection coming at the very end of the age. Martha left her kitchen to come out and get in Jesus’ face over the death of her brother Lazarus. At that time she made a strong confession of her faith. She spoke of the sure hope of the Resurrection. And in her statement Martha also spoke of the timing of the Resurrection.

The Old Testament saints, unlike many of us evangelicals today, had a very good handle on the Resurrection of the righteous dead. And from the testimony of the patriarchs and Job, Daniel etc. they knew when this resurrection of the righteous would occur. Here is Martha’s word on the matter and her magnificent confession of the blessed hope of the glorification of the saints at the resurrection. This account is recorded by the Apostle John. As we see here in this scripture below, Martha knew very well when this end-time Resurrection of the righteous dead would occur.

John 11:24 Martha said to Him,
“I know that he will rise again
in the Resurrection at the last day.“

This seems pretty plain and straightforward doesn’t it?
All these scriptures and Revelation 20:4-6 are in total agreement.
The Resurrection will come at the last day of this age.

Taken from http://endtimepilgrim.org/rapture.htm

Why would the rapture include the saints who had already died, if its only purpose was to spare the living from the Great Tribulation? Why would the the Wedding Feast of the Lamb take place during the Great Tribulation, when it is obvious that the Church is going through the time of testing and the Two Witnesses are there, who are probably guests of honor at the feast. Because the purpose of the rapture is for all believers, past and present, to be present at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ – the preeminent event of world history.

We read in Luke 19 about the greatest event in the history of the world, at that time – the Messiah, God’s only Son, entering Jerusalem as its king. But he was rejected and by some accounts he wept because his heart was broken. Still, it was a time of triumph and rejoicing. Lk 19:39-40, Teacher, rebuke your disciples! Jesus replied, I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out!

Now come forward 2,000 years. Our King and Savior, the long awaited Bridegroom of the Church, is returning as he said. Not on a colt, but a white charger; not as a humble servant, but in the lead of a powerful conquering army; not with a rebuke for narrow minded Pharisees, but with a Word from his mouth that instantly destroys the armies of the Antichrist. For 2,000 years believers gave their lives to Jesus Christ, and he wants them there to witness his majestic and promised return. The dead and the living believers, will form a great valley of people going up from the Mount of Olives into the distant sky, Gathered Over Jerusalem. Zechariah 14, On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south…Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

Taken from http://www.posttribulationrapture.com/threeTheories.htm