SUNDAY RAPTURE THEORY

[AlwaysInquisitive]

SUNDAY RAPTURE THEORY

Throughout the church age Sunday has been sanctified to Christ and his bride (the church): the first day of the week, the day of His resurrection- designated the “Lord’s Day” by his beloved disciples. How appropriate would it be for Christ to claim His bride on this special day of the week.
In support of my SUNDAY RAPTURE THEORY I present the following:

Rev 1:10 I (John) was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."
Rev 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

The voice inviting John to heaven is the voice of Christ. Many bible students believe that John's entrance into heaven is a PICTURE of the church's being taken home to be with the Lord before the tribulation begins. While every detail of a picture is not necessarily reflected in the real event - I think it’s extremely significant that John’s vision took place on the Lord’s Day.

Mathew 13:10-17 reveals that the Lord taught with PARABLES to impart truth to His followers while concealing truth from those who reject Him. This same reasoning would also apply to the use of pictures.

I believe the Lord gave us this picture to reveal the truth of a Sunday rapture prior to the start of the Tribulation.
Please stay with me on this a little while longer…

The book of Revelation is divided into three main parts.

Rev 1:19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

1. the things which you have seen, (Chapter 1)
The vision of Christ as Judge of the churches.
(Note: These were 7 functioning churches of John’s day - specifically chosen by the Lord
to accurately represent the historical progression of the church age).

2. the things which are, (Chapters 2 and 3)
An outline of the Church Age from beginning to end.

3. the things which will take place after this (Chapters 4 → 22)
Future events from the Rapture to the Eternal State.

There is a definite break at Chapter 4:1 when John enters heaven itself.
This event pictures the Rapture of the church. From this point on, the church is never mentioned as being on earth.

After the church has been translated to heaven, the Lord will once again resume His dealings with the nation of Israel.
The Tribulation, is a seven-year period in which the Lord deals with the Jewish people concerning their rejection of the Messiah.
Jeremiah called it “The time of Jacob’s trouble”.

Jer 30:7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

Those who turn to Christ during the Tribulation period (tribulation saints) will be saved to enter the glorious Millennial kingdom on earth, whereas those who refuse Him will face eternal judgment.

Getting back to the pre-tribulation Rapture of the universal church…

At the split second when Sunday turns to Monday (at the international date line), it is the Lord’s Day in every time zone around the globe.
How wonderfully fitting if the Lord should return for His bride on a Sunday, (the day of His resurrection) to resurrect His sleeping saints -
and clothe them (together with us who are still alive) with immortality.

I believe that the church is wed to (united with) Christ at the Rapture.
Christ and His bride will become one in the twinkling of an eye.

 

[JulieB67]

the day of His resurrection- designated the “Lord’s Day” by his beloved disciples.

This isn't true. The day of his resurrection was not designated to be called the Lord's Day by his disciples. The Lord's Day is the same as the Day of the Lord. Day of Christ, etc.

No disciple ever called any day of the week the Lord's Day. It was always the first day of the week and so on. Traditions of men started calling the Lord's Day Sunday. But it's not biblical. There's a deeper study there if one wants to check that out instead of going with tradition vs what the Word really states.

This is what is key to understanding Revelation. John was taken in the spirit on the Lord's Day/Day of the Lord and told to write about the past, present and future of that time period -the Lord's Day.

We know he's taken in the future because Christ's description is the very same description for him in chapter 19. He has the two edged sword which is what has he returns with, etc.
There would be no reason for John to be in the Spirit on a Sunday. And regardless once again, he would have stated, I was in the Spirit on the first on the first day of the week if he really meant a day of the week. That's what John and others always called it.

There is a definite break at Chapter 4:1 when John enters heaven itself.
This event pictures the Rapture of the church. From this point on, the church is never mentioned as being on earth.

Another tradition that is taught by man and not the bible.

We know from chapter 12 that the devil is Satan and it's noted in one of the church letters that some during the time period will be thrown into prison by Satan himself so the body of Christ/church will most definitely be there. The verses in Revelation mirror one another.

Revelation 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life..

Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Same event. So once again, the church will be here. This is also why Paul teaches that one must have the full gospel armor on to be able to stand in that "evil day" He doesn't say every day he states " the evil day" It will happen to one generation.

And saints are the church-the body of Christ and have been described as such in the NT.

believe that the church is wed to (united with) Christ at the Rapture.
Christ and His bride will become one in the twinkling of an eye.

All are changed in an instant, no one's going anywhere.

I used to be pretrib as well but it's not biblical.

One must always be prepared to make that stand and endure to the end in case it happens in their lifetime. We can't let traditions of men and false doctrine get in the way of what the bible teaches.