The Rapture Chapter

Revelation 11 is what I like to call the real Rapture Chapter.  In 11:15 we see the end of life as we have known it and the beginning of a truly new world order:  “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (NKJV).

When the last trumpet sounds, a number of things will happen almost simultaneously.  The apostle Paul wrote about it:  “Behold, I tell you a mystery:  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51-52 NKJV).

Paul was implying that there will be a group of Christians who are alive at the time of the Lord’s return; we won’t all “sleep,” which means we will not all have died.  But whether we are alive at Christ’s coming, or whether we have already died, we will all be instantaneously changed.  In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, our earthly bodies will be transformed into bodies suitable for an eternity in heaven.  I don’t know how fast a twinkling of an eye is, but I’m sure that when the seventh angel of Revelation sounds the last trumpet, it will be too fast for anyone to repent and get right with God.  There will be no time for that.  The trumpet sounds, and instantly, the next thing Christians will know, we will be caught up to meet Jesus.

Paul described that event for the Thessalonians, who were concerned about some of their number who had died.  What good would a Second Coming be for them?  The apostle answered their question (and many of ours too) with what has become a favorite passage concerning Christ’s return.  Again, speaking of those who have died as having “fallen asleep,” Paul informed us:

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  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 by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:13-18 NKJV)

Those who believe in a pretribulational rapture do not consider the last trumpet mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52 and the trumpet in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 to be the same as that mentioned in Revelation 11:15.  But why not?  Scripture certainly does not delineate between the trumpets described as the last.  Had God wanted to show a clear difference between the trumpets – as He did with the seven trumpets of Revelation – He could have done so.  It seems rather presumptuous to read something into the account where there is little room for conjecture.  I believe that the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52, and the trumpet sound of 1 Thessalonians 4:16 are the same as the seventh trumpet sounded in Revelation 11:15 – the last trumpet mentioned in Revelation.  Furthermore, I believe it is the trumpet to which Jesus refers in Matthew.  Notice the order of events one more time.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (24:29-31 NKJV)

For a number of years I taught that Christians should be ready to meet Jesus at any moment – which I still teach today – but I also taught that the Rapture could occur at any moment.  That I no longer teach, because I believe the world is on a crash course with the worst trouble ever known.  And we Christians, along with nonbelievers, are going to experience some extremely perilous times, possibly as much as three and a half years’ worth, maybe more, before Jesus Christ returns.

After that time of tribulation, the wrath of God will be poured out.  I do not believe God will subject His faithful children, who have remained steadfast and true through the Tribulation, to remain on earth for that awful time of His wrath.  The Tribulation will be a time of testing; the pouring out of God’s wrath will be a time of condemnation and judgment.  No,  I do not believe that Christians will go through God’s wrath.  Nevertheless, I do believe the Christian church should be preparing people now to go through some portion of the Tribulation, weaning believers away from the things of this world, and teaching Christians how they can endure the difficult times ahead.

(To Be Continued)

Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 1
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 2
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 3
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 4
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 5
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 6
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 7
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 8
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 9
Will We Go Through the Tribulation? – Part 11

Excerpt from Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse

Published in 1998