Q & A about the Rapture

Q & A about The Rapture

From time to time I receive questions concerning the Rapture and a recent question came up on this subject on my Face Book Afterlife Group. I am posting these and my response for you.

Question: Is there really going to be a rapture? Pre, post, mid? there is so much disagreement on this

My Answer: Frist off there are many different opinions on this matter. Pre, post, mid and no rapture. Thus, a lot of confusion. Jesus said no one knows the particular day or hour but rather how to identify the signs pointing out how to identify the times. Date setting never good.

I respect all views on the rapture and never want to make enemies on my view of the rapture. There is no need to divide the church into fist fighting factions over this. We can disagree and should do so with respect and listen to each side. 

With that, here is my opinion on the Rapture that I have held for many years and surprised that a few folks also discovered the same evidence from the bible I have. Evangelist, Perry Stone holds the same view I have: A Partial Rapture event…

Why – for me Revelations chapter two and three are about the state of the church near the end times. 1Pe 4:17 states a biblical principle – judgment always begins in the house of the Lord first. Revelation chapter two and three come first before the final wrath of God is poured out in  the following chapters.

Only two groups of people who from the seven churches do not have to repent: Smyrna and Philadelphia. Smyrna represents the persecuted church – believers. There number is not full till the end of the Tribulation. Only Philadelphia, has this promise:

 Rev 3:10, “Because 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.” NKJV

Look at these verses:

Zephaniah 2:2, 3 "Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the LORD's fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD's anger comes upon you! 3 Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD's anger." NKJV

Isaiah 26:20, 21, "Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. 21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood and will no more cover her slain." NKJV

These two verses clearly have not happened yet.

Psalms 50:2- 6, "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest. 4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!" 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! Selah" ESV

Add this to what Jesus says in Matt 24:37-42-51 – “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” NKJV

Verses 38 tell of things going along as they do then bam things change… Verses 40-42 tells of one is taken and another left behind from the same field and at the mill.

Luke 17:26-37 give more insight into this:  

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." NKJV

Rev 20:6, Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection….” NKJV

Zephaniah 2:2, 3 "Before the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the LORD's fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD's anger comes upon you! 3 Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD's anger." NKJV

Isaiah 26:20, 21, "Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. 21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood and will no more cover her slain." NKJV

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. NASB

Since some are taken and others left behind and notices how Revelation chapters two and three indicate a partial rapture event that, more than likely, will occur before the day of indignation is fully unleashed. Those left behind are found in verses commonly associates with the mid, post, and no rapture views.

Question: how much longer before the SHTF in terms of judgement on the USA??

My Answer: I do not know – what we can tell from the bible evidence, such as 2 Thess 2:1-4, it will get really bad before that.  No one knows the specific day nor hour – we are called to look for it and to ready ourselves.  

Ready ourselves first means we need to get cleaned up and healed on the inside so we can shine bright, so Jesus sees us when he comes (Matt 25:1-13). That is how simple it is. Summed up simply as having  the Lord reveal things to us so we can be healed – so he can send us out as his gift bearers to bring others into the Kingdom of God.

The tribulation period is a time where God offers times to repent return to Him. During this time those left behind will face people with insane rage, always choosing to reject God, and warring against God’s people with reckless hate.

It is a time when God Almighty wars against the fallen angels too. Please note this principle is found in Exodus 12:12 where God says the plagues against Egypt were against their gods (aka Fallen Angels who were imitating the gods) of Egypt. Likewise the tribulation period will be about that too and against all people who are allied with them. True evil will expose itself and intent. 

2Th 2:1, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2  not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…” NKJV

I suggest people explore the verses on the rapture in both Old and New Testament and come to his or her own conclusions.