Rapture is in the Book of Revelation. There are 3 theories to the time rapture of the church will take place in relation to the great tribulation period.
They are;
- Pre-tribulation rapture – rapture before the great tribulation
- Mid-tribulation rapture – rapture in the mid great tribulation period
- Post-tribulation rapture – rapture after the great tribulation period
But which is Biblical?
Rapture in the Book of Revelation
1. Church of Philadelphia to be kept from the great tribulation period
Jesus promises the church of Philadelphia that he will keep them from the hour of trial coming to test those who dwell on earth
Rev 3:10: Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth
The hour of trial coming to earth is the great tribulation period. See the church of Philadelphia
In other words, we see Jesus promising the church of Philadelphia that He will rapture them before the great tribulation begins – it is a pre-tribulation rapture of the church
The 7 churches of Revelation represent you and me – which church are you among the 7? See the 7 churches of revelation
2. Apostle of the Church John taken to heaven before the great tribulation revelation
The Book of Revelation is divided into 3 parts;
- Things Apostle John saw
- Things which are
- Things to take place (future)
See the structure of the Book of Revelation
The things John saw and things which are were revealed to Apostle John when he was on earth but for the things to take place after, he was taken to heaven
Apostle John in the Book of Revelation represents the church – he is a church apostle.
John watched the entire tribulation period in heaven the same way the Bride of Christ will
The church will be rapture before the great tribulation period
4. In the great tribulation period we do not see the church
Great tribulation period is specifically from chapter 6-18. See the structure of the Book of Revelation
In the time of the great tribulation we do not see the church on earth except on heaven.
The only place Apostle John sees part of the church in the great tribulation period is in chapter 7 but he sees it in heaven. They are those who have come out of the great tribulation period – Yes! There are those who will make it out in the great tribulation period and join the raptured church in heaven.
Rev 7:9, 13-14: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, ‘Who are these which are arrayed in white robes? and where did they come from?’ And I said unto him, ‘Sir, you know’. 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’.
We will learn later how these people will make it out of the great tribulation and join the church raptured before the great tribulation begins.
How rapture takes place as revealed in the Book of Revelation
The Book of revelation reveals how the rapture of the church will take place.
John the Apostle of the church represents the church in the Book of Revelation
After God reveals what is (the church), we see the heaven open and Apostle John called to come up
Rev 4:1: After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, ‘Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter’
Immediately after seeing the things which are, John starts the next verse with, ‘after these things’
‘After these things’ means after the church-age
John being called up to heaven is a revelation of how the church will be caught up into the heaven immediately after the church-age before the great tribulation period begins
The door of heaven will open, Jesus Christ will descend with glory to the clouds, trumpet will sound and the church will be call and caught up into the heaven
For the first time, the church will see the throne, the Kingdom of heaven and everything revealed by John in chapter 4-5
The church being caught up into the heaven before the great tribulation period begins is also confirmed by prophet Isaiah saying
Isaiah 26:20-21: Come, my people, enter you into your rooms, and shut your doors about you: hide yourself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For, behold, the LORD comes 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
See why the church will not be in great tribulation period
Immediately the church is caught up (raptured), the great tribulation begins as it is in Rev Chapter 6-18
Bibles stand is rapture of the church before the great tribulation period; pre-tribulation rapture
The great tribulation period is Jacob’s trouble (Jer 30:7) not church trouble
Rapture is specifically for the church – the true Bride of Christ
Jesus is Coming
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Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
