Devil's Advocate/What If... the Rapture has already happened... ?

[Blade]

Hey Drew... well its a silly thought. Well if that had happen then that which holds the lawless one back is now out of the way and the LAWLESS one would be out in the open and we would have been seeing AWESOME lying wonders as it was BEFORE Christ came. This can not happen as long as the CHURCH that has ALL POWER over the enemy. For greater is HE that is in YOU then He thats in the world.

And no one ever has seen the dead rise and then most some few people just vanish . He said He would come back and get us to receive us unto Himself so where He is we will be. That is what I live each day expecting.

 

[Ron Gurley]

The "Second Coming" Doctrine is important.
It matters because Jesus the God-Man PROMISED to return!

The Second Coming is a central theme in the "WE BELIEVES"...of the Apostles / Nicene Creed.
It is primarily described in Revelation 19:11-16; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Matthew 24: 29-31; 1 Thess. 4

PRECIOUS PROMISES:

John 14...Jesus' promises to his followers...The Upper Room Discourse....Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God; trust also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.
I am going there to prepare a place for you. (lots of room in heaven for believers!!)
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will COME BACK (Second Coming!)
and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going." (Jesus ....the Way to the Father)

Matthew 16:27 (NASB)...Jesus: Discipleship Is Costly
(PROPHECY)
For the Son of Man is going to come (AGAIN!)
in the glory of His Father with His angels, and
WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

Matthew 24: 42,44...Jesus promises to His Followers:
..."keep watch"...So you also must be "ready", because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Acts 1: 6-11...Angels' prophecy at The "Ascension"
9 After he said this, he was TAKEN UP before their very eyes, and a CLOUD hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the SKY as he was going,
when suddenly two men dressed in white (angels) stood beside them.
11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the SKY?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into HEAVEN,
will COME BACK in the same way you have (just) seen him go into HEAVEN."

1 Thessalonians 3:...in holiness before our God and Father at the (Second) coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

2 Thessalonians 1:7
and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

The Rapture (RAPTURO=the snatching) is defined as that moment when Jesus the Christ returns from Heaven to remove the "Church" / His "Bride" / All Believers, dead ..then living... in Christ/ from Planet Earth. God the Holy Spirit will no longer restrain the end times / "the day of the LORD".
Believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected and, along with believers who are still living, will meet the Lord in the air.
This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.

The Rapture doctrine arises from interpretations of primarily 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.

The "Second Coming" BEGINS at "end" of the Rapture event!

To the Church in Philadelphia:
Revelations 3:10...
10....I will also keep you from the hour of trial (tribulation!) that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon.

1 Thessalonians 1:10
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead—Jesus,
who rescues us from the coming wrath...

The "Man of Lawlessness" appears BEFORE the Rapture
2 Thessalonians 2

Possible Time Line BUILT on >>>> Matthew 24:

1. Begin the birth of the "Church Age" of Grace...Pentecost...Acts 1 + 2

2. Jesus promises to be with us in Spirit until the "end of the age" Matthew 28 end

...ascends/descends from the Mount of Olives...Matt 20:20; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11

3. Pre-Tribulation "Birth Pangs"...NOW!...Matthew 24: 4-8

4. Begin TRIBULATION...first 3.5 years of Daniel's 7 years (Chapters 11-12)
...rise of the anti-christ + REBUILD the TEMPLE! = his appearance in that TEMPLE...Matthew 24:9-20,22
...WHEN it begins? TIME Unknown!...Only the FATHER!

5. Rapture and Second Coming...finally to a throne in Jerusalem as King of Kings . Revelation 20:6;
1 THESS. 4

6. Begin GREAT TRIBULATION...Last 3.5 years of Daniel's 7 years...leading up to Armageddon...Matthew 24:21-27

7. Begin the Millenium Reign...Satan Bound...Revelation 20...Jesus wins!

8. Planet Earth and unsaved inhabitants destroyed by fire. 2 Peter 3

9. New Heavens + New Earth + New Jerusalem = eternal spiritual realm...Revelation 21

 

[Douggg]

The "Second Coming" Doctrine is important.
It matters because Jesus the God-Man PROMISED to return!

The Second Coming is a central theme in the "WE BELIEVES"...of the Apostles / Nicene Creed.

For the Son of Man is going to come (AGAIN!)
in the glory of His Father with His angels, and
WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

Acts 1: 6-11...Angels' prophecy at The "Ascension"
9 After he said this, he was TAKEN UP before their very eyes, and a CLOUD hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the SKY as he was going,
when suddenly two men dressed in white (angels) stood beside them.
11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the SKY?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into HEAVEN,
will COME BACK in the same way you have (just) seen him go into HEAVEN."

The "Man of Lawlessness" appears BEFORE the Rapture
2 Thessalonians 2

oops, you got that one wrong, as least by referencing 2Thessalions2. Rapture, then transgression of desolation act, 2Thessalonians2:4 which the Antichrist reveals himself to be the man of sin..

It will of course be possible to know who the Antichrist is before he reveals himself as the man of sin by many years. What we don't know is the day of the rapture - could be anytime between now and when it actually take places.

We should get on our knees and thank God that He is not going to let these current bodies of ours be for eternity - my encouragement to all them who are sick and heavily burdened.

6. Begin GREAT TRIBULATION...Last 3.5 years of Daniel's 7 years...leading up to Armageddon...Matthew 24:21-27

Nominally 3.5 years. To be exact, the Great Tribulation last 1335 days from the time the Abomination of Desolation setup to be worship till the day Jesus Returns, His Second Coming.