The rapture is when Christ calls His bride to His Fathers House to "hide" them and remove them from the time of tribulation that will come upon the earth . Its the end of the "church age" and world focus will shift back to Israel. The 7 year tribulation is called such from a prophecy in Daniel , its the time of "Jacobs" trouble (Jacob isnt the church- its Israel) The bible says they will be overrun till of time of "gentiles" be fulfilled , thats the church age .
Christ references the church as being a bride waiting for her groom to return througout His teachings he parallels the wedding and wedding feast . Lets look at the hebrew wedding ceremony for more clarification and remember that Christ was speaking directly to the jews who would have understood this symbolism perfectly :
The Hebrew wedding ceremony
When a young Jew male comes to the house of a prospective bride and meets with the father of the bride. They negotiate a price. If the father accepts the offer, the young couple drink a benediction which the father offers of wine. The couple are married in Spirit. The groom goes away to prepare a place but the bride doesn't know when He'll return. He has gone back to his fathers house to prepare a place for her. When he comes back it is usually at night with a shout "make way for the bride groom cometh" and the sound of the trump. He does not enter the house but waits in the street, the bride and her brides maids come out and the friends of the groom surround them and go back to his fathers house. He and her enter the Hoppa they consummate the marriage physically. He rejoins the celebration and she remains protected, hidden... in the hoppa for seven days.
Christ said He went away to prepare a place for us - he also spoke about the groom calling out to the bride to come join Him , this is what He will be doing when He calls us up into the clouds shown here :
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. "
Just a quick question. Who will meet the Lord in the air . . . all Christians . . . or just some Christians? Please point out any specific passages that you use to answer this question. Thanks
Remember Christ also bought us with a price and sealed the covenant with His Holy Spirit . We await for our groom. We will be removed before Daniels 70th week , the time of Jacobs trouble , the time of trial to come upon the earth , then we will return with Christ at the second coming at the end of the tribulation just like it says He will be accompanied by the saints in revelation.
Would the groom drag the bride through the mud before the wedding? Certainly not . Here is another clue : Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
What are we to escape? Revelation 3
10Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Notice at the end of chapter 3 the church is mentioned no more . Focus shifts to non believing Israel once again .
Daniels 69th week ended when the church age started (with Christs death and resurection) and it will end when time of the gentiles has been fulfilled focus with then begin again on daniels 70 week prophecy with the begining of Daniels 70th week. Back to Israel . Gods last call to His wife to repent and come back to Him . This is why I believe that there will be 144,000 jews sealed by God to preach the word - the church wont be here to do it .
Another clue the church wont be here : 2 Thessalonians 2
6And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
He who now restrains in my opinion is the Holy Spirits residency in the church - its what holds back the full force of satans evil - notice it says once its removed the lawless one (antichrist) will be revealed .
You can also consider that it is written the gates of hell wont prevail against the church , yet in revelation it says that satan will be given the power to OVERCOME the saints - hows that? Because the church wont be here , its the tribulation saints that will be overcome and killed for their faith because the restraining power of the Spirit in the church will not longer be present .
Now does this mean no one can be saved or will have the Spirit? No , people had the Spirit in the Old testament too , just not RESIDENT like the church has. This shows that : 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Since the church wont be here , it wont be possible to deceive them with the lie that will come upon the whole world :
2 Thessalonians 2
11And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
I know this was a long post and i could add a ton more , but I hope this gives you a good overveiw .
