ForeverSaved said:
According to Rev. 3.10, only those Christians who keep the word of His patience will be raptured before the Tribulation.
"Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (Rev. 3.10).
When do we see the rapture? Before the trumpets start in Revelation 8.
"...stood before the throne" (Rev. 7.9).
This is a vision of the raptured ones from which they first commence to enter into 3rd heaven before the trumpets of the Tribulation.
i have some disagreement with what you've said. i write this out to show where i get my position. i'm not intending to appear to know more than anyone else.
those of revelation7:9 were preached to by the 12 tribes. why? because they up to that point had not been saved.
the language througout the chapter is full of jewish references. so i am more inclined to believe that they were indeed jewish people in that group as seen to be in heaven after rev.7:8
no where in that chapter does it say they were raptured or that they were martyred as a means to be there. so i personally think that its presumptuous to assume that they were raptured because there's no clear usage of words that indicate rapture connected with how they got in heaven.
in fairness, neither does it say that they were martyred. so its a toss up.
When are the Christians who are "left" (Matt. 24.40-41) to be raptured?
here is another assumption. i do not see the words "left" and "taken away" necessarily mean "rapture".
the text says, "the coming of the Son of man will be just like the days of Noah."
there was no rapture at that time. they were only separated.. the good family of Noah.. from all the rest who did not go into the ark and were drowned.
the verses are talking about the people at large not understanding that a judgement of God is coming. and so not taking the offer of shelter that is provided.
so the "left" and "taken away" is talking about separation/ harvest / judgement.
if "taken away" is supposed to mean 'rapture'.. in the text.. no one was "taken away" from the earth.
and if "left" refers to unbelievers.. the text says that they died. yet the theme of rapture also speaks of many people during the tribulation being saved.
the events of "left" and "taken away" are also connected with "
the coming of the Son of man". and not the Son of man come to take His bride.
so .. i do not believe that the matt text talks about rapture.
"...at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible..." (1 Cor. 15.52).
Do you see the picture of trumpets from the first rapture to the rapture at the 7th trumpet?
i also believe that its a presumption to think that "the last trump" is the same as "the 7th trumpet" of revelation.
to the non-jewish mentality i can see why anyone would assume what many do. but to my mind it doesnt fit in there.
the Bible is a jewish book written by jews. so any thing spoken of has to first be looked at from the jewish point of view. (no offense to them by my using lowercase)
the common gentile view teachings concerning the last trump.. and the 7th trumpet. but the revel text has no language that indicates that there was a rapture. so its a big stretch to insert the 1cor15:52 in there.
however.. the jewish people have teachings about the last trump. so any understanding must be taken from that. and the last trump refers to the horn blown to call the beginning of one of the jewish feasts.
that jewish feast that is a connected to a season of harvest and type of the rapture.
i agree with you concerning your mention of revel.3:10.. the language indicates that the church will be taken out before any tribulation starts.
the church is to be
kept from.. the hour (not literally 60 min) but meaning.. time of trial to come upon the whole world.. (not us, but) to them that dwell on the earth (differentiating between the church which shall not be upon the earth at that time).
Lord may others see this truth also and stop arguing with each other. There ought to be noone here who will argue with this truth, so before posting please humble yourselves by the grace of God before.