funkyd said:
If I may "briefly" comment also (for those who are interested) on my belief about the time of the rapture, let me just say that it is exactly such date setting which has soured so many Bible-believing Christians on the subject of eschatology. The aim of eschatology is never to determine times and dates, and in fact, the explicit teaching of Scriptures with regard to the time of the rapture is that it is imminent, meaning that it could occur at any moment. However, since many generations of believers have died since the promise of an imminent rapture was given, it is clear that just because an event can occur at any moment, doesn't mean that it will occur at any moment. Also, there are no signs for us to watch for to indicate the nearness of the rapture (though posttribulationism often redefines "imminency" to allow for this), so we can say absolutely nothing definitive about the time of the rapture; we can only say that it is nearer now than it ever has been until the present (obviously).
I know there are many views on WHEN the rapture will occur, but, to me the rapture will occur when the Son of Man appears on the clouds. As Jesus says in Matthew 24:30.
"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations will mourn. They will see the SON of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great authority. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and thy will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."
Do any of you disagree with this being the rapture?
For, only the elect are gathered, are they not?
Now, in Revelation 14:14, a description is given of one coming upon a cloud to reap for the harvest is ripe. This is the only reference that I can see that matches Matthew 24:30. And, it also matches Daniel 7:13.
Both these occur AFTER a description is given of beasts. In Daniel, four beasts are mentioned. One like a lion with 1 head and 0 horns. One like a bear with 1 head and 0 horns. One like a leopard with 4 heads and 0 horns. And a fourth with 1 head and 10 horns. In Revelation, one beast is described which appears to represent an alliance of these four Daniel beasts, because the beast of Revelation has 7 heads (1 + 1 + 4 + 1), ten horns (0 + 0 + 0 + 10), speaks like a lion, has feet like a bear, and a body like a leopard.
This beast is given FULL authority for only 42 months and its reign begins prior to the appearance on the cloud and before the pouring forth of the vials of God's wrath.
Therefore, if we can agree with the above, we can reasonably conclude that the rapture will take place during the 42 month reign of the beast of Revelation which could be the alliance of the four beasts of Daniel.
This to me is when the rapture will occur.