MATTHEW 24 ~ THE RAPTURE THEORY

WHEN WILL IT BE, ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 24?

ALSO READ & STUDY THE FOLLOWING…
Matthew 24 ~ STRUCTURE & CHARACTERISTICS
Matthew 24 ~ DECEPTION
Matthew 24 ~ THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST

Whilst sharing this teaching I’m frequently asked about the timing of the rapture. In other words, when will the rapture occur? Therefore, I feel somewhat compelled to deal with this issue for the sake of clarity. My points of reference being the standard (accepted) position on this subject: Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation and Post-tribulation.

Firstly, I have not seen or read the actual word ‘rapture’ in our English Bibles. I’m led to believe that in the original Greek/Aramaic documents the English word rapture is rendered Harpuzo. Harpuzo in the English tongue is translated as follows: To be ‘caught-up’ or ‘snatched-away’.

Secondly, there is also a great deal of misunderstanding relative to the tribulation period per’se. There is only one reference to tribulation and that is: ‘The Great Tribulation’. The structure of Matthew 24 confirms this. The period commonly referred to as the ‘tribulation’ actually incorporates two time periods; and should be designated ‘sorrows’ and ‘the great tribulation’ respectively. They are so called because of their relationship to the Jewish people and therefore the sovereign state of Israel.

COMMONLY ACCEPTED TRIBULATION PERIOD POSITION
(PRE-TRIBULATION, MID-TRIBULATION, POST-TRIBULATION)

POSITION AS PER MATTHEW 24 – POST-TRIB RAPTURE

Holy Spirit (as The Restrainer) returns to heaven (2 Thess 2:6-8)

3 Warning Angels (Rev 14:6-7,8,9-11)

THE SEVENTH (LAST) TRUMPET BLAST IS THE PRECURSOR TO JESUS’ RETURN

1 Cor 15:20-26, 51-52

20: But now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruit of those who slept. 21: For since death is through man, the resurrection of the dead also is through a Man. 22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive. 23: But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruit, and afterward they who are Christ’s at His coming; 24: then is the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He makes to cease all rule and all authority and power. 25: for it is right for Him to reign until He has put all the enemies under His feet. 26: The last enemy made to cease is death. 51: Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed. 52: In a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.

Rev 11:15 and Rev 10:7

11:15. And the seventh angel sounded. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.
10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he will begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He has declared to His servants the prophets

1 Thess 4:15-17
15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep. 16: 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. 17: 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.

2 Thess 2:1-12
1: Now we beseech you, my brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2: That you should not be soon shaken in mind or troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word or letter, as through us, as if the Day of Christ is at hand. 3: Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition. 4: Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God. 5: Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? 6: And now you know what holds back, for him to be revealed in his own time. 7: For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way (WEB translation). 8: And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9: Whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. 10: And with all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, so that they might be saved. 11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. 12: So that all those who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness, might be condemned.

ACCORDING TO THE ABOVE SCRIPTURES THESE EVENTS MUST BE FULFILLED PRIOR TO JESUS’ RETURN.

Compiled by: The Final Word Internet Ministry

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