The book Revelations gives us answers in regard to the hereafter, life and death, the end of all things, the climax of all ages being the second coming of Jesus Christ, the coming judgement and the great white throne judgement of all the unrighteous (the unsaved).
The 2nd coming of Jesus Christ.
Matt. 24:29-30 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (30) And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory.
Rev. 19:11-14 And I saw Heaven opened. And behold, a white horse! And He sitting on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war. (12) And His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns. And He had a name written, one that no one knew except Himself. (13) And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies in Heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
The Rapture vs the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ
The book Revelations gives us a chronological order of the end-time events in which we can determine the end of the Church Era (Rev. 2-3), then the Rapture (Rev. 4:1-4), thereafter the Great Tribulation (Rev. 6:1 - 18:24) and then at the end thereof, the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 24:29-30, Rev. 19:11 - 14)
The Rapture & 2nd Coming is two separate events, separated by the Great Tribulation.
1) Rapture or Parousia (Jesus's physical appearence); Jesus will appear to all those who eagerly await Him for complete salvation (Heb. 9:28). Thereafter, they will remain with Him forever. (1 Thess. 4:17), and
2) 2nd coming or apokalips or faneros (Jesus's public appearence or his becoming visible); He will not come secretly, as He did for His Bride alone at the parousia , but with His public appearence or his becoming visible at the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus as Judge and King, AND His saints will be revealed to the world in glory at the same time. (Zac. 4:4-5, Matt. 24:29-30, Rev. 19:11 - 15)
It is quite obvious that Christians could not accompany the Lord Jesus and be revealed in their glorified bodies unless they had already been united with Him at an earlier stage.
With the Rapture the Church meets Jesus in the air. (1 Thess. 4:17)
With the 2nd coming Christ will stand on the mount of Olives. (Zec. 14:4-5)
With the Rapture Christ, together with his Church goes to heaven. (Joh. 14:2-3)
With the 2nd coming Christ returns to earth to reign for a 1000 years. (Rev. 20: 4-6)
The Rapture will happen before the Great Tribulation. (2 Thess. 2:6-7, Rev. 4)
Jesus returns after after the Great Tribulation. (Matt. 24 21-22, 29-30)
The Rapture will be unexpectedly, in a glance of an eye. (1 Co. 15:52, 1Thess. 4:16-17, 1 Thess 5:1-5)
Jesus will return to earth publicly and visible for all to see. (2 Thess. 1:7-9, Matt. 24:30)
The Rapture is a New Testament doctrine. (1 Thess. 4:16-17)
The 2nd coming is an Old Testament as well as a New Testament doctrine. (Zec. 4:4-5, Rev. 19:11 - 15)
Therefore:
The Rapture (Rev. 4:1-4) and the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ (Rev. 19:11 - 14) are two separate events separated by the 7-year Great Tribulation. (Rev. 6:1 - 18:24).
The Rapture is the coming of Jesus FOR his Bride
Jesus, our heavenly Bridegroom will come unexpectedly, as a thief in the night (1Thess 5:2), to fetch his Church. He meets his Church in the air and takes her quickly to heaven to be with Him forever.(1Thess 4:16-17, Joh 14:2-3)
The 2nd Coming of Jesus is the becoming visible of Jesus WITH his Bride
Jesus return publicly so as every eye shall see Him (2 Thess. 1:7-9, Matt. 24:30). He is accompanied by His Bride and a heavenly army (Rev. 19:11 - 15) and he set foot on the Mount of Olives. (Zec. 14:4-5)
Rights (C) 2011 Raymond D Lombard
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