Couldn't 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 be referring to the rapture of the church and Thhessaolians chapter 5 refer to the second coming visibly for all the world to see? Verse 2 seems to suggest that like the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, the post-tribulation coming of Christ to make war and defeat the beast, antichrist, and false messiah (the unholy trinity I've heard it called) also happens suddenly.
I think Julie will agree with me if maybe on nothing else, but this.. the rapture is the second coming, the first thing that happens is Jesus descends from heaven, then the dead are resurrected, finally the rapture occurs, and carrying into 1 Thessalonians 5, it's the wrath of God.
There is no rapture prior to the second coming, and the second coming that Paul talks about is very noisy and very visible. There will be no need to disguise it as something else or explain away "sudden disappearances" Revelation 6:15-17 show that the people on earth are very much aware of exactly what is happening, but they still won't repent.
You see it's not enough to believe God exists, or believe that Jesus exists. Or even that you are a sinner who deserves God's wrath.
It's believing that God is good, and that God has provided the atonement for your sins for you through the death of Jesus.
Many people cannot get to that step, it seems irresponsible to have someone else be punished for what we did, and many people think we can "earn" salvation through our own works, or practice some "faith + works" salvation model.
So yes, the rapture is an awesome, overt display, and everyone sees it and knows what happens next, God's wrath. Revelation 6:17
Can you please explain why demonic armies are not part of the Great Tribulation? My understanding of Scripture suggests that the first half of tribulation's 7 years are 3.5 years after the antichrist makes a peace treaty with Israel, then the second half of tribulation's 7 years (both of which are the same as Daniel's 70th week) is the outpouring of God's wrath, which Revelation 3 says that the church will be saved from that time? The mid point (or so I understand thus far) begins the Great Tribulation when the Antichrist will break the peace treaty and attack Israel, which then unleashes the wrath of God which is all supernatural driven events including the release of the demons that up until the mid point were held back by the Holy Spirit.
It's the timing Jesus gave in Matthew 24 paired with comparing scripture to scripture using Revelation.
Jesus defined the Great Tribulation as starting after the midpoint, and declared that the sun and moon go dark after it. That's the 6th seal in Revelation 6. That's the only time the sun and moon go dark in that book.
So logic. Jesus says that happens after the tribulation. That means everything taking place after it is no longer the Great Tribulation, but rather something else. That is the wrath of God.
That means Jesus had a definition for Tribulation that meant something different than what most people assume which is "bad things happen". Jesus meant a very specific "bad thing happens"
and I believe these mark the Great Tribulation, going with that timing.
Revelation 6
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Revelation 12
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Now yes, this does involve supernatural, I suppose I was wrong to make a blanket statement, i was just trying to distinguish between the Great Tribulation and the wrath of God, using the timing Jesus gave.
Revelation 13
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Daniel 7
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
So you see.. what follows specifically after the Antichrist arises is not just "bad thing happens" but specifically persecution, specifically war against the saints.
See what follows the 6th seal in Revelation
Revelation 7
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
So you see, after the 6th seal, but before the 7 trumpets, there's this massive sudden multitude in heaven, and John recognizes them as those who came out of great tribulation. That means the great tribulation, happened prior to this. Nothing about locust swarms or asteroid impacts of mountains on fire that they overcame... but the last thing they overcame, was the persecution of the 5th seal, before their redemption came at the 6th seal.
Think this is parenthetical and this is a "flash forward"?
Well, if that's the case, and since you recognize that there is parallel between the trumpets and vials, then surely this wouldn't happen before the vials in the second parallel narrative.. would it?
Well Revelation 14:14-20 shows Jesus in the clouds and 2 harvests, 1 done by Jesus, not specified to be put through the wrath of God, and the second harvest done by an angel and those are put through the wrath of God.
Then this happens in Revelation 15
1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
So you see.. consistently.. in between Jesus being on the clouds, and the wrath of God, the saints are in heaven, having overcome great tribulation, and the mark of the beast.
Consistently. You can't say "Revelation 15 is parenthetical, it's a flash forward"
Because they're showing the angels receiving the 7 last plagues WHILE the saints are in heaven having overcome the mark of the beast THEN the angels are sent out to deliver the plagues.
This is the reason why we are given parallels. It is 2 witnesses of the same events to establish that they are true, and not just "that's parenthetical" "that's allegory" when Revelation gives a symbol, it explains the symbol in the text, or is a reference back to an old testament symbol that itself was explained in the text.
What Revelation 3:10 is promising is not deliverance prior to persecution of the 5th seal and the mark of the beast, but deliverance prior to the wrath of God.
It is ALL OVER
(Isaiah 26)
17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.
18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
and OVER
(Daniel 12)
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
in scripture.
Birth pangs, tribulation, coming of Messiah, resurrection, rapture, wrath of God, God's Kingdom.
That's the order I see.
There are 3 doctrines based on faulty (or lack of) bible understanding that are required for pretribulationism or the entire idea falls apart.
#1. the Rapture and the Second coming are not the same thing.
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 15:23, and Titus 2:13 all show that it is connected. I see Titus 2:13 as a "proof text" for pretribulationism when it itself actually shows that it is the second coming that is our blessed hope, not a pretribulation rapture.
#2. The Rapture has no signs before it.
Matthew 24 shows signs preceding it, and it is not "to the unbelieving Jews" it was and always has been, to believers. There were no Pharisees listening to the Olivet Discourse. It was a private teaching among 4 disciples.
#3. That the entire 70th week is a "seven year tribulation" that is ALL God's wrath so when Paul says we're not appointed to wrath, it means the entire 7 year period. They will always, ALWAYS regurgitate "the seven year tribulation" because if they actually separate it into birth pains, great tribulation, and then the wrath of God... they will find their position crumbles. Nowhere in the bible is it ever called "the seven year tribulation". That is a fabrication.