Rapture.. Are You Ready

[algie]

To all concern, would like to exactly.. which comes first. the rapture or .. the 7 years tribulation.. please help..

 

[twin1954]

To all concern, would like to exactly.. which comes first. the rapture or .. the 7 years tribulation.. please help..

This is a point of much disagreement and controversy. It depends on your view of last things. I personally do not believe the Bible teaches a "rapture".

The thing is that for folks to focus on last things, much less build a theology around your view, is to let Satan win the day. We are to watch by faith for His return as though it can happen at any time, for it can, and preach the Gospel of Christ. It isn't ours to know when but only that He will return.

The fact is that when men preach last things they are only giving their opinion and man's opinion is worthless and useless. It does no one good and takes the focus off of where it should be. Our focus is Christ and His person and work not how or when He will return. We have a responsibility to the generation we live in to preach the Gospel of Christ clearly and without compromise. Men who preach last things trifle with the souls of men and disregard their responsibility.

 

[com7fy8]

Your title question is, are we ready? This needs attention . . . how to be ready, not only spending a lot of time and attention on "when".

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 5:3)

Our Father wants us to have the "gentle and quiet spirit" of His love, so we are pleasing to Him like His Son Jesus is pleasing. Jesus is "gentle and lowly in heart", He says in Matthew 11:29. I see Jesus being gentle and humble is like how we need to be gentle and quiet. This makes us, also, like Jesus our Groom so we are compatible with Him.

And we have >

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

So, also, in order to be ready for Rapture, we need to become loving, "tenderhearted", with one another as God's children, so we are loving one another as family, like in the Rapture how we will be family with our Father and our Groom Jesus and each other.

This makes us compatible with Jesus so we are ready to share eternity with Him and one another.

About "when" . . . I consider what Jesus Himself says about "Immediately after the tribulation of those days" > Matthew 24:29-31. And no scripture directly in plain words says Jesus will come "immediately before" the great tribulation. But ones can argue a number of different things about this, and they can play quite a game of "word chess" against each other, using many scriptures that may not directly say what they are saying, and things not in the Bible.

In any case, as I have offered, first we need to be busy with being ready and how to be ready. If anyone is not helping you to be ready, but is only calling your attention to "when", and is not helping you to get ready, I would not go where that person would take your attention. But find out all the Bible says about how to be ready.

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

So, in God's love we are made "perfect in love". This prepares us for the Rapture, which I understand is the resurrection of Jesus Christ's church. So, yes the Biblical Rapture is in the Bible, simply meaning the resurrection of the church.

But it seems to me that a number of people are mainly or only concerned about "when" > this is the only direction that certain ones bring people's attention, it seems.

But our reason for "boldness in the day of judgment" is that "Love has been perfected among us" and "as He is, so are we in this world." So, we need the correction of His love's perfection!!! John does not say that knowing "when" is reason for "boldness in the day of judgment".

"Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?" (Hebrews 12:9)

So, it is Biblical to give our attention to submitting to our Father for His correction, as Hebrews 12:6-11 shows, so that we become "partakers of His holiness" and have "the peaceable fruit of righteous" which comes with His correction. And this correction prepares us for the Rapture.

And obey how God guides our attention in His peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

God bless you, too It is good to see you

Bill

 

[thankfulttt]

To all concern, would like to exactly.. which comes first. the rapture or .. the 7 years tribulation.. please help..

Where is 7 years of tribulation mentioned in the bible?

 

[prewrath]

The final seven years comes first. To state a " 7 year" tribulation is not accurate. The correct rendering would be that the great tribulation, which begins at the mid-point of the final 7 years, comes before the rapture.

 

[thankfulttt]

The final seven years comes first. To state a " 7 year" tribulation is not accurate. The correct rendering would be that the great tribulation, which begins at the mid-point of the final 7 years, comes before the rapture.

Where in the bible does it mention 7 consecutive final years? Just wondering.

 

[lambofgod25]

i believe in great Tribulation but in rapture.

 

[prewrath]

i believe in great Tribulation but in rapture.

Please explain!

 

[prewrath]

Where in the bible does it mention 7 consecutive final years? Just wondering.

Daniel 9:27 mentioned the 70 weeks, with one remaining week. In the middle of the week (42 months) begins the great tribulation. From the great tribulation (Rev. 13) there remains 42 weeks, totals 7 years.

 

[thankfulttt]

Daniel 9:27 mentioned the 70 weeks, with one remaining week. In the middle of the week (42 months) begins the great tribulation. From the great tribulation (Rev. 13) there remains 42 weeks, totals 7 years.

It would appear that the seventieth week of Daniel had been fulfilled.

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to---

1. finish the transgression,
2. and to make an end of sins,
3. and to make reconciliation for iniquity,
4. and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
5. and to seal up the vision and prophesy,
6. and to anoint the most Holy.

VERSES SHOWING FULFILLMENT​

(1) Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus,------.

(2) Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

(3) 2Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

(4) Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

(5) Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

(6) Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

Men who agreed that the seventieth week had been fulfilled.

Majority of the Church Fathers
Spurgeon
Matthew Henry
Isaac Newton
Albert Barnes
Charles John Ellicot (Editor of the Revised Version.)
John Wesley
Jamieson Fausset & Brown.
Geneva Study Bible

Almost everyone prior to Cyrus Scofield.

 

[Espy]

What makes you all think that this will even occur during our generation?

 

[SaintJoeNow]

To all concern, would like to exactly.. which comes first. the rapture or .. the 7 years tribulation.. please help..

I had a dream I thought was soooo cool....a few months ago....In my dream, somebody outside my house shouted. It sounded like the person who shouted was up in a tree next to my house. He shouted "HE"S HERE!!!!" and in my dream, I woke up and lifted my head high with my chest out, standing at attention in excitement because I knew that call could only mean one thing, Jesus was taking me out of this world now!!! In the dream, I knew it was the trumpet of the Lord in the form of a human voice. I doubt it will really happen that way, but it fit for the dream and it sure seemed real in the dream.
I sure was ready to go at that moment and I sure thought I was going, sure thought it was all over for me in this world and Jesus was calling me up and away and out of here and I was going to see Him face to face...then I woke up. I sure hope I'm ready like that when the trumpet sounds, and I sure hope I can be so joyful in knowing I'm saved if I have to suffer a slow and painful death in this world.
I hope that little story encourages you. If you are saved, you don't have to worry about the tribulation. Trouble, tribulation, is to be expected until we see Jesus face to face.

The tribulation begins when the son of perdition is revealed. That will be the anti-Christ who cannot be revealed until the church is taken out of the way.

I don't know the verses off the top of my head, but these two passages have to be ignored or twisted in mind-bending ways for people to believe in a mid-trib or post-trib rapture. The verses are very plain and simple in context and meaning and rule out any mid-tribulation or post-tribulation teachings. Some, maybe many, Christians will strongly disagree with this and take you down long roads to support their teachings...but when they do that, the simple verses which teach the rapture occurs before the tribulation begins, and the tribulation starts quickly after the rapture must be twisted or ignored.

A mid-tribulation or a post tribulation rapture would enable people to count the days so they would know the exact day of the rapture after the Anti-Christ is revealed in the tribulation. Jesus said no man knows the day or the hour.

The Bible teaches the rapture occurs before the tribulation begins...and it could happen at any moment now. Maybe we have to go through a lot of trouble with all of the big wars looming in the world, maybe we get raptured out of here before the big wars start.......there is plenty of room for some very big wars before the tribulation and before the biggest battle of history comes in Armageddon. Just be ready now, at any time, for the trumpet of the Lord to sound and call his bride up to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Serve the Lord now and you are prepared. Look for Him to appear now...Keep looking...and He will appear, He will appear quickly and most people will be caught not watching, not busy serving Him.



Things may get so bad in the world that people will think it is the tribulation. Some think we are in the tribulation now, some think we have to go through half of the tribulation, some think we have to go through all of the tribulation.
Some think we are in the Millenial reign of Christ now. The Bible really is clear and simple on this topic.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

To all concern, would like to exactly.. which comes first. the rapture or .. the 7 years tribulation.. please help..

I Thessalonians 4:16-18... 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.



Titus 2:11-13...For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;


Don't let anybody take away from you the blessed hope of seeing the Lord before death's sting sends you into His presence. Always be looking for Him to call you out of this world at any moment, in death which needs no description or in the rapture so eloquently described in I Thessalonians 4

 

[SaintJoeNow]

What makes you all think that this will even occur during our generation?

Anything other than a pre-tribulation rapture would enable people to count the days after the signing of the seven year peace agreement so they would know exactly what day Jesus would return, and then Jesus would be a liar for saying no man knows the day or the hour of His return. He will take His bride out of the world before the tribulation begins. We might have to go through WWIII, but if we do it will be nothing compared to the battle of Armageddon which occurs in the latter half of the Great Tribulation. We might have to go through big wars short of WWIII before we go through WWIII. The world is on the verge of exploding in war now no matter how you look at it. We are in the last days, and we need to be busy trying to warn others of the wrath to come and trying to tell them God loves them and what He did to save them from Hell.

 

[Espy]

Anything other than a pre-tribulation rapture would enable people to count the days after the signing of the seven year peace agreement so they would know exactly what day Jesus would return, and then Jesus would be a liar for saying no man knows the day or the hour of His return. He will take His bride out of the world before the tribulation begins. We might have to go through WWIII, but if we do it will be nothing compared to the battle of Armageddon which occurs in the latter half of the Great Tribulation. We might have to go through big wars short of WWIII before we go through WWIII. The world is on the verge of exploding in war now no matter how you look at it. We are in the last days, and we need to be busy trying to warn others of the wrath to come and trying to tell them God loves them and what He did to save them from Hell.

Believing that huge wars being ahead of us is inevitable is incredibly premature to me. Things still aren't great but they are better than what it was just 100 years ago or even a few centuries before that where there were slaves in America, child labor, inadequate education, etc. Generations are getting smarter, despite what you may see on your television or on youtube where stupidity has become increasingly entertaining, the intelligence of the human race is still at a 2-4-8-16 pattern. You can sit on a chair in the sky and use the internet for crying out loud. Humanity will continue to find ways to make life easier and learn from it's deadly history. We aren't going backwards into more wars. The only thing that's slowing the process is racism and religion.

 

[thankfulttt]

Believing that huge wars being ahead of us is inevitable is incredibly premature to me. Things still aren't great but they are better than what it was just 100 years ago or even a few centuries before that where there were slaves in America, child labor, inadequate education, etc. Generations are getting smarter, despite what you may see on your television or on youtube where stupidity has become increasingly entertaining, the intelligence of the human race is still at a 2-4-8-16 pattern. You can sit on a chair in the sky and use the internet for crying out loud. Humanity will continue to find ways to make life easier and learn from it's deadly history. We aren't going backwards into more wars. The only thing that's slowing the process is racism and religion.

We may have more toys, but we have less freedom.

We have more knowledge, but we have less wisdom.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

Believing that huge wars being ahead of us is inevitable is incredibly premature to me. Things still aren't great but they are better than what it was just 100 years ago or even a few centuries before that where there were slaves in America, child labor, inadequate education, etc. Generations are getting smarter, despite what you may see on your television or on youtube where stupidity has become increasingly entertaining, the intelligence of the human race is still at a 2-4-8-16 pattern. You can sit on a chair in the sky and use the internet for crying out loud. Humanity will continue to find ways to make life easier and learn from it's deadly history. We aren't going backwards into more wars. The only thing that's slowing the process is racism and religion.

Try telling this to ISIS, Al Queda, Hamas, Boko Haram, Hezbollah....and try telling Russia and China who are backing such groups.........

It amazes me thinking you actually believe what you are saying. What are you going to do? Kill all the people you say are religious and racist so you can have the utopia promised in pipe dreams and fairy tales? Jesus is coming back, He will take His people out of this world before the world can kill them all. Then all the non-Christians can believe everything you are saying and they can try to make the world a wonderful place and live in la-la land under their humanistic king of the world until it all suddenly explodes in war and God's judgment against all ungodliness.

 

[4x4toy]

Who is the " He " who is taken out of the way " who now restrains ?
1 .. Arch-angel Michael
2 .. Holy Spirit
3 .. Church
4 .. Other

 

[MWood]

Who is the " He " who is taken out of the way " who now restrains ?
1 .. Arch-angel Michael
2 .. Holy Spirit
3 .. Church
4 .. Other

#2....The Holy Spirit...Of course.

 

[Goodbook]

To all concern, would like to exactly.. which comes first. the rapture or .. the 7 years tribulation.. please help..

Neither.
What we must do here on earth is follow Jesus, doing Gods will and on his timing He will take us home. Nobody can tell you the exact day or hour, but we must be ready for Him.

If you are worried about persecution, the book of .revelation shows you wisdom about that and how to deal with it. Whether we are killed or die or still at alive at the very end, it does not matter. Just know that believers will be gathered together and the dead on christ are going to rise, so, things will happen on Gods timing. Dont lose faith or hope in Him. He may delay, to give time for people to repent, but rest assured He will come.