A Study from 1 Corinthians 15.
1Corinthians 15:51-52 is often cited as evidence for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
But is it?
The Lynchpin of Our Faith
Before we dive into the details, I think it’s helpful to look at the big picture. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 begins with a recap of the gospel, by which we are saved, if we hold fast the word which was preached to us. Paul recounts how Jesus was seen alive after His resurrection by a number of His disciples–last of all, by Paul himself.
In verse 12, Paul gets to his main reason for this chapter—to confront a heresy about the resurrection of the dead. He begins: “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (verses 12-14). He repeats these concepts a second time to emphasize how integral the resurrection is to our faith. 1 Corinthians 15:19 says: “If in this life only we have hope in Jesus Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
I consider verses 20-23 to be the most important in the chapter. He writes: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Jesus, the promised Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), took on human flesh and offered Himself as an ultimate blood sacrifice to cover our sins. Just as Jesus was resurrected, so also will His dead be raised. At the moment of our resurrection, the curse of death will be destroyed for us.
So, you can see that the truth of the resurrection–first of Jesus, and second, of His saints, is the primary focus of 1 Corinthians 15.
Behold, I Tell You a Mystery
Now, let’s read the passage:
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NKJV)
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
What is the mystery? We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed—made incorruptible.
In Romans 7, Paul famously recounts the constant struggle of contending against his flesh—his sin nature. In Romans 7:24-25, he wrote: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul’s hope—and ours, if we remain in Him to the end—will be fulfilled on that day, when we are given incorruptible bodies. Our sin nature will be no more, and we will henceforth live forever with the Lord.
You may have noticed a number of repeated words: incorruption or incorruptible are used four times; corruption/corruptible, three times; immortality, two times; and the phrase, “we shall be changed,” two times. The focus is certainly about the incorruptible bodies we will receive.
At the Last Trumpet
Many Christians cite these words from memory: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” They often stop there, mid-sentence, right before a key point: “at the last trumpet.” Without a timing anchor, the oft-quoted portion lends to the idea of imminence—that this marvelous scene could transpire at any moment. But that’s not the whole picture. “At the last trumpet” cannot be imminent until there’s only one trumpet remaining.
There are seven trumpets in the book of Revelation. The last one, the seventh, is when Jesus has begun to reign on the earth. It’s found in Revelation chapter 11:
Revelation 11:15-19 (NKJV)
15 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!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
The part of verse 18 goes along well with 1 Corinthians 15. It’s the time for the dead to be judged and the servants of God rewarded.
How could “the last trumpet” occur before the seven trumpets in Revelation? When I ask this question, many are quick to tell me that 1 Corinthians was written long before Revelation, so Paul wouldn’t have known about the seven trumpets of Revelation. My answer to that is that the Holy Spirit is the source of prophecy, not a man’s own understanding, as it says in 2 Peter 1:20-21. The Old Testament prophets wrote of things they sometimes did not understand—but God had them write it for later generations—even us. An imminent last trumpet before the seven trumpets of Revelation breaks the rules of language and logic.
A Defined Sequence
Verse 52 continues: “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” So, there are three occurrences, and an order: the last trumpet sounds, then the dead are raised, and the living are changed.
As mentioned before, the focus of 1 Corinthians 15 is about the reality of the resurrection—first for Christ, and then for His people. Verses 22-23 say, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” The resurrection of those who are Christ’s is at His coming. That means even though verses 51-54 do not mention His coming explicitly, that is the context of these verses.
In Revelation, the resurrection at Christ’s coming is the first resurrection—those who are part of it will not be hurt by the second death. Christ’s coming has a sequence, too, that begins in Revelation 19:11 with His appearance and ends with the first resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6.
The natural context of the last part of verse 52 is that the dead in Christ rise first before the living are changed. (This truth is very clearly expressed in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.) Since the resurrection is at His coming, and His coming is after the entire Tribulation, so then the living are changed after the entire Tribulation.
Answering a New Argument
The concept of a Pre-Wrath gathering, where we go through part of the Tribulation but God collects His people before He pours out His wrath, is a fairly new idea. There are a handful of men who actively promote this teaching (for example, Marvin Rosenthal, Alan Kurschner). Typically, they place Matthew 24:29-31 alongside the description of the sixth seal in Revelation 6 and conclude Jesus gathers or raptures the Church at the sixth seal.
Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV)
29 “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 will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 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.Revelation 6:12-14 (NKJV)
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
One problem with this idea is that 1 Corinthians 15:52 says we will be changed at the last trumpet, and the sixth seal is before any of the seven trumpets of Revelation. How do we know? According to Revelation 8:1-2, the seven trumpets are associated with the seventh seal:
Revelation 8:1-2 (NKJV)
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
If you’re interested in looking at some of the other problems with Pre-Wrath, I would point you to the parable of the wheat and tares and the parable of the dragnet in Matthew 13. My two-part testimony explains how I was first convinced that our gathering is actually Post-Wrath (part one: Luke 17:37: The Carcasses, the Eagles, and the Taken; part two: The Timing of Our Gathering). I also have three articles in my Answers section to respond to arguments commonly employed by those who identify as Pre-Wrath. The quickest way to find them is to type “Pre-Wrath” in the search bar.
God-Breathed
As we mine God’s Word for understanding, surely it produces treasures for us by the work of the Holy Spirit. Who would imagine that four words often left off in recitation—“at the last trumpet”—should bring so much clarity to when we get our incorruptible bodies.
Please drop a note in the comments section or send me an e-mail if the Lord used this blog to make Bible prophecy clearer for you! God bless you!
1Corinthians 15:51-52 is often cited as evidence for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
But is it?
The Lynchpin of Our Faith
Before we dive into the details, I think it’s helpful to look at the big picture. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 begins with a recap of the gospel, by which we are saved, if we hold fast the word which was preached to us. Paul recounts how Jesus was seen alive after His resurrection by a number of His disciples–last of all, by Paul himself.
In verse 12, Paul gets to his main reason for this chapter—to confront a heresy about the resurrection of the dead. He begins: “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (verses 12-14). He repeats these concepts a second time to emphasize how integral the resurrection is to our faith. 1 Corinthians 15:19 says: “If in this life only we have hope in Jesus Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
I consider verses 20-23 to be the most important in the chapter. He writes: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Jesus, the promised Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), took on human flesh and offered Himself as an ultimate blood sacrifice to cover our sins. Just as Jesus was resurrected, so also will His dead be raised. At the moment of our resurrection, the curse of death will be destroyed for us.
So, you can see that the truth of the resurrection–first of Jesus, and second, of His saints, is the primary focus of 1 Corinthians 15.
Behold, I Tell You a Mystery
Now, let’s read the passage:
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NKJV)
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
What is the mystery? We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed—made incorruptible.
In Romans 7, Paul famously recounts the constant struggle of contending against his flesh—his sin nature. In Romans 7:24-25, he wrote: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul’s hope—and ours, if we remain in Him to the end—will be fulfilled on that day, when we are given incorruptible bodies. Our sin nature will be no more, and we will henceforth live forever with the Lord.
You may have noticed a number of repeated words: incorruption or incorruptible are used four times; corruption/corruptible, three times; immortality, two times; and the phrase, “we shall be changed,” two times. The focus is certainly about the incorruptible bodies we will receive.
At the Last Trumpet
Many Christians cite these words from memory: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” They often stop there, mid-sentence, right before a key point: “at the last trumpet.” Without a timing anchor, the oft-quoted portion lends to the idea of imminence—that this marvelous scene could transpire at any moment. But that’s not the whole picture. “At the last trumpet” cannot be imminent until there’s only one trumpet remaining.
There are seven trumpets in the book of Revelation. The last one, the seventh, is when Jesus has begun to reign on the earth. It’s found in Revelation chapter 11:
Revelation 11:15-19 (NKJV)
15 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!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
The part of verse 18 goes along well with 1 Corinthians 15. It’s the time for the dead to be judged and the servants of God rewarded.
How could “the last trumpet” occur before the seven trumpets in Revelation? When I ask this question, many are quick to tell me that 1 Corinthians was written long before Revelation, so Paul wouldn’t have known about the seven trumpets of Revelation. My answer to that is that the Holy Spirit is the source of prophecy, not a man’s own understanding, as it says in 2 Peter 1:20-21. The Old Testament prophets wrote of things they sometimes did not understand—but God had them write it for later generations—even us. An imminent last trumpet before the seven trumpets of Revelation breaks the rules of language and logic.
A Defined Sequence
Verse 52 continues: “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” So, there are three occurrences, and an order: the last trumpet sounds, then the dead are raised, and the living are changed.
As mentioned before, the focus of 1 Corinthians 15 is about the reality of the resurrection—first for Christ, and then for His people. Verses 22-23 say, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” The resurrection of those who are Christ’s is at His coming. That means even though verses 51-54 do not mention His coming explicitly, that is the context of these verses.
In Revelation, the resurrection at Christ’s coming is the first resurrection—those who are part of it will not be hurt by the second death. Christ’s coming has a sequence, too, that begins in Revelation 19:11 with His appearance and ends with the first resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6.
The natural context of the last part of verse 52 is that the dead in Christ rise first before the living are changed. (This truth is very clearly expressed in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.) Since the resurrection is at His coming, and His coming is after the entire Tribulation, so then the living are changed after the entire Tribulation.
Answering a New Argument
The concept of a Pre-Wrath gathering, where we go through part of the Tribulation but God collects His people before He pours out His wrath, is a fairly new idea. There are a handful of men who actively promote this teaching (for example, Marvin Rosenthal, Alan Kurschner). Typically, they place Matthew 24:29-31 alongside the description of the sixth seal in Revelation 6 and conclude Jesus gathers or raptures the Church at the sixth seal.
Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV)
29 “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 will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 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.Revelation 6:12-14 (NKJV)
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
One problem with this idea is that 1 Corinthians 15:52 says we will be changed at the last trumpet, and the sixth seal is before any of the seven trumpets of Revelation. How do we know? According to Revelation 8:1-2, the seven trumpets are associated with the seventh seal:
Revelation 8:1-2 (NKJV)
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
If you’re interested in looking at some of the other problems with Pre-Wrath, I would point you to the parable of the wheat and tares and the parable of the dragnet in Matthew 13. My two-part testimony explains how I was first convinced that our gathering is actually Post-Wrath (part one: Luke 17:37: The Carcasses, the Eagles, and the Taken; part two: The Timing of Our Gathering). I also have three articles in my Answers section to respond to arguments commonly employed by those who identify as Pre-Wrath. The quickest way to find them is to type “Pre-Wrath” in the search bar.
God-Breathed
As we mine God’s Word for understanding, surely it produces treasures for us by the work of the Holy Spirit. Who would imagine that four words often left off in recitation—“at the last trumpet”—should bring so much clarity to when we get our incorruptible bodies.
Please drop a note in the comments section or send me an e-mail if the Lord used this blog to make Bible prophecy clearer for you! God bless you!
Dear Miss Bell,
That is a very thought provoking Bible based talk you have given on the topic Pre Rap Rapture. It surely makes sense. However, one way or another when we leave this world (since all have to leave) we are going to see our Master and be with Him forever.
My belief is in Pre- Trib and I strongly believe, believers will not have to go through the tribulation.
Me and my wife are friends of your dad and mom.
God Bless you and use you more for His Kingdom.
P R Misra
Hi PR!
I remember meeting you. :)
I was raised in churches who taught me Pre-Tribulation Rapture since I was maybe 4 years old. I always believed it until I was 16 or 17. An answered prayer to understand Luke 17:37 caused me to doubt Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Afterwards, when I searched the Scriptures more to see if I could find it anywhere, I became convinced it’s not possible. Would you be willing to hear my testimony? It’s in the Foundations section of my homepage. Here’s part one: https://overcomingthetribulation.com/luke-17-37-carcasses-eagles-and-taken/
The Scriptures warn of lots of apostasy before He comes. It would be horrible to serve Him most of our lives and fall away.
God bless you and Anju.
Annette
Yes, the people who are spiritually reborn and have the kingdom of GOD within ( Luke 17) will see the Farmer of the Field, Bridegroom Jesus the harvester, also provide this eternal new mankind harvest glorification as the reward for faith and trust in the Passover Lamb, the Unleavened Sabbath King of Rest and Eternal Life, and the Resurrection of the Firstborn from among the Dead; Why? So Jesus can raise up and glorify his harvest of spiritually re-born bride-heirs. When? At the Last Trump, on Day and Hour, No Man knows Feast of Trumpets, when Messiah calls accounts due regarding his offer of new life. Mankind 2.0 is “born” with new flesh as the Heir.( Issac heir, Jesus Heir of all, sons and daughters of Abraham and Jesus faith Heirs end result: One New Mankind in Christ reboot!) See Gal 3 and 4, & Rev 12: 5 = Isiah
He is not mad at his bride-wife heirs in faith, covered by his imputed righteousness, justified by his blood, sanctified by his Spirit, and awaiting new glorified supernatural spiritual flesh. ( Isaiah 54: 1 is comparing Sarah and her Issac Heir provided by God, with New Covenant personification of Jerusalem our Mother ( Gal 4: 26- 27) and her Heir that is the Many within the One and the end result outcome of what Jesus came to accomplish by making a new do-over mankind in Christ, at glorification. Isaiah saw it in chapters 26 and 66. The wedding and the birthing day of the New Creation ( 2 Cor 5: 17) occur on the same day, at the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets that Jesus fulfills. As it was in Genesis with Adam and Eve, the old creation and original marriage, so will it be again in Last Adam Jesus and his bride wife, Eccelssia, in new flesh as the heirs of righteousness and promise.
He is mad at unbelievers in rebellion, sin, and rejection of grace. Adam’s darkened temples under Lucifer. The slaves in unbelief.
Quote from Eddie Chumney from his Judaic studies (he quotes several sources).
We cannot go to the Book of Revelation and say that the voice of the seventh angel (Revelation 11:15) is the last trump. In the first century, the last trump (shofar) meant a specific day in the year. In Judaism, there are three trumpets (shofarim) that have a name. They are the first trump, the last trump, and the great trump. Each one of these trumpets indicates a specific day in the Jewish year. The first trump is blown on the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) (Exodus [Shemot] 19:19). It proclaimed that G-d had betrothed Himself to Israel. The last trump is synonymous with Rosh HaShanah, according to Theodore Gaster in his book, Festivals of the Jewish Year, in his chapter on Rosh HaShanah. Herman Kieval also states the same thing in his book, The High Holy Days (Volume I, Rosh HaShanah, Chapter 5, Footnote 11), in the chapter on the shofar. The great trumpet (Shofar haGadol) is blown on Yom Kippur, which will herald the return of the Messiah Yeshua BACK TO EARTH with his wife (Matthew [Mattityahu] 24:31).”
BACK TO EARTH–After the Rapture (Natzal) or catching away of the Bride by Yeshua at the Last Trump (or Rosh haShanah) to take her to the wedding, the wedding ceremony and consummation of the marriage in the bridal chamber (Chadar) take place in Heaven, after the Bema Seat judgment of believers at which they receive their white garments, which also takes place in Heaven. When the Great Trump or Shofar haGadol is blown on Yom Kippur, (Matt 24:31) Yeshua and his new wife, come BACK to earth to inaugurate the Messianic Kingdom at the Wedding Feast, which corresponds to the Feast of Tabernacles (Feast of Succot).
Quote from Chumney: “The unbelievers in the Messiah will attend a separate banquet where the fowls of the air will eat their flesh. This can be seen in Revelation 19:17-18..”
Note: There is no point in Yeshua making many dwelling places (Greek term meant temporary dwelling places) for us in The Father’s House (Heaven–John 14:1-3) if these were going to be unused. They refer to the Chadar, or the wedding chamber, which a Jewish bridegroom built for his betrothed and where they consummated the marriage and spent their honeymoon, before going to the wedding feast. This is the bridal WEEK–which is what was meant in Gen 29:27 when Jacob found he had married Leah instead of Rachel. “Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
Quote from Chumney: “The word week in Hebrew is shavuah. It means a “seven.” It can mean seven days or SEVEN YEARS. ”
The key here is 7 years. The Bema seat, wedding, and bridal week are spent in Heaven during the 7-year “birth pangs of Messiah” (Chevlai shel Mashiach) or Tribulation.
Quote from Chumney:
“Because Rosh HaShanah was understood to be the hidden day, this statement by Yeshua (no man knows the day or the hour) is actually an idiom for Rosh HaShanah. Thus it should be given as proof that He was speaking of Rosh HaShanah because Rosh HaShanah is the only day in the whole year that was referred to as the hidden day or the day that no man knew.”
The verse that said “only the father knows” when this day is, was a reference to the wedding customs wherein on the father of a Jewish bridegroom would inspect the Chadar (wedding chamber) and tell the groom that it was satisfactory and he could go fetch his bride. Yeshua was speaking to his disciples in terms they understood regarding the fetching of His bride (which we term the Rapture) at the Last Trump on Rosh haShanah.
I’m familiar with these arguments, but I don’t agree with them. They put a resurrection-gathering before the gathering of the tares (Mt 13:30), when the wicked are slain and birds eat their bodies (Rv 19:21, Mt 24:28).
Jesus may come at a Rosh Hoshana—I think it’s likely. But I think Yom Kippur will probably have something to do with the survivors of Israel who didn’t believe in Him until He showed up, yet were spared destruction with the 2/3 (Zechariah 13:8-9) having their sins cleansed (Zechariah 12:10-13:6). I believe the feast of Tabernacles will be the wedding feast on Mt Zion (Isaiah 25:6, context 24:23-25:6).
If the rapture is pre-trib, there still will be tares and wheat at the end of the Tribulation at the 2nd coming. People will have gotten saved after the rapture–they will be the wheat. The tares can still be gathereed before the wheat. So these parables about the wheat and tares do not invalidate a pre-trib rapture. And at the end before the second coming, it’s the angels who do the gathering (according to the parable). At the rapture it is the Lord Jesus who does the gathering–not angels. He “receives us unto himself.” In the Complete Jewish Bible, John 14 2 says, “In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also.”
He is preparing a place, and will return to take us with him to where he currently is. That is, in Heaven. Not back to earth.
Hi Ruth. No, Jesus says let both grow together until the harvest, and then He will command His reapers, “First gather together the tares…”–which is, destroying them, which happens at His coming. Pre-Tribulation Rapture contradicts this parable and many other places. Jesus is the one who commands the angels–they don’t work of their own will. If you want to believe the deception of Pre-Tribulation Rapture in spite of all the witness of Scripture, no one can stop you.
Excellent work; and I am very familiar with this topic.
The divine appointment feasts that Christ fulfills are key to the order of operations of events, and how we ought to allow God to order scriptures! 7 days- 7 thousand years- 7 feasts of Menorah tell a story:
4 Spring are the outcome of gospel in 1 Cor 15 fulfilled by Messiah
1 Death- Passover Lamb on Passover
2 Burial – thru Sabbath Rest in temporary death on Week of Unleavened Bread by the sinless Bread of Life
3 Ressurection- First Fruits of the First Born from among the dead into supernatural glorified new flesh
4 50 days later, Ecclesia bride heirs are indwelt of the Light of Holy Spirit via Spiritual rebirth, the planting of the eternal harvest of the One New Mankind connected with the Head Ruler, Last Adam, Jesus (1 Corin 15:45, and Heir of All things Heb 1:2)
This is still happening as souls get born again.
3 Autumn Feasts remain:
5 Trumpets- glorification for that harvest crop spiritually born again into eternal flesh, new life, wedding with Christ if in him ( 1 Thess 4:16, Rev 12:3-5, Isaiah 26, 54, 66, Gal 3, 4, 1 Cor 15:55, Ps 27, 47, etc
& WAR declared on unbelievers, and tare fake Christians- 7 years worth.
6 Atonement is the gathering of those who repent Jews by 1/3 and raising of the dead in Christ
gentiles who receive their king, as a multitude of various harvest through the
Trib for unbelievers who become believers. Jesus returns with his wife, and everyone in him is ONE.
7 Wedding Feast celebration of the One New Mankind In Christ for a 1000 year reign as King of Kings the Last Adam and His Ecclesia wife, who together have dominion over the earth together in peace and prosperity, a Kingdom without end when you consider eternity for believers. Few other details I am skipping over since there is one more rebellion to put down..and of course, hell empties into the Lake of fire, that I skipped over, but it is important for the rebel unbelievers’ in rejection of grace as their never ending “ending” of unhappily ever after.
That is the order of operations!
I love that Eddy book, I know you are speaking of.
Cheers,
Teresa
<3
What a blessing this article was. I’m just coming out of pre-trib understanding and into what I believe to be the true understanding of our meeting together with the Lord. I have recently made a big commitment, by the direction of the Spirit, to “mine” the book of revelation. This article has helped bring clarity. Thanks.
The Last Trumpet had a very specific meaning in Judaism, and occurred on the Feast of Trumpets. Paul’s listeners knew precisely what he referred to, and it wasn’t the 7th Trumpet of Revelation. The phrase “no man knows the day of the hour” also is an idiom which referred to the Feast of Trumpets. In both cases, Paul was saying that the Rapture would take place at the Feast of Trumpets in some future year. He wasn’t saying anything about the 7th Trumpet of Revelation, which book had not yet been written anyway.
Just because Revelation wasn’t written yet, doesn’t mean the last trumpet does not refer to the seventh trumpet in Revelation. The Holy Spirit was the One who inspired the words, and He knew what would be written later and also what would happen. Paul did not even have to know this. It’s not about Paul, it’s about God and His prophecy. I do believe it’s likely Jesus will come back on a Feast of Trumpets, but after the Tribulation.
To believe in a pre-trib rapture, you have to believe in a trumpet (Mt 24) AFTER the LAST trumpet (supposing I Cor 15 speaks of a pre-trib rapture) & a resurrection (with the secret pre-trib rapture) BEFORE the FIRST resurrection (in Rev 20).
Absolutely illogical.
Amen, D L Fincher. Praise the LORD!
Annette thank you so much for these blogs! I haven’t been through all of them but surely will. It is all confirmation of what the Holy Spirit put in my heart, thanks again!
You’re welcome, Theresa. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for verifying what I also believe……its hard to get others to agree, though. Matthew 24:29 helps.
Hi Tammie. It is hard. People have to love the truth and the Holy Spirit ultimately is the One responsible for opening people’s eyes. Ezekiel 3 and 33, about the watchman, take the pressure off of us, as long as we are faithful in trying to warn people. God bless you! Annette
I prayed about this very concept tonight for enlightenment, and your article came up. You arguments are very straightforward biblically. I agree with them. I have always questioned the pretribulation rapture arguments. Last trumpet is last trumpet. Then Jesus comes. God works in mysterious ways. My only confusion is this verse—-to “be kept for the hour of testing.” Perhaps we will be shielded/protected or even die. Death is considered “sleep” to the believers. Also many passages in Revelation end with something like this: To the one who is victorious and does my will to the END,…. I will give authority over the. Actions. Whoever has ears let him hear”. Revelation 2, 3
This is an interesting article that I also discovered that agrees with much that you’ve said. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/9-reasons-we-can-be-confident-christians-wont-be-raptured-before-the-tribulation/.
He is suggesting that Revelation 9:4 suggests that the saints will be in some measure protected in the time of distress by the seal of God. He also mentions these verses. “Going through tribulation, even when it is appointed by God, is not contrary to Biblical teaching. See especially 1 Peter 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10; Hebrews 12:3-11.”
Annette, I prayed about this very concept tonight for enlightenment, and your article came up. Your arguments are very straightforward biblically. I agree with them. I have always questioned the pretribulation rapture arguments. Last trumpet is last trumpet. Then Jesus comes. God works in mysterious ways. My only confusion is this verse—-to “be kept for the hour of testing.” Perhaps we will be shielded/protected or even die. Death is considered “sleep” to the believers. Also many passages in Revelation end with something like this: To the one who is victorious and does my will to the END,…. I will give authority over the. Actions. Whoever has ears let him hear”. Revelation 2, 3
This is an interesting article that I also discovered that agrees with much that you’ve said. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/9-reasons-we-can-be-confident-christians-wont-be-raptured-before-the-tribulation/.
He is suggesting that Revelation 9:4 suggests that the saints will be in some measure protected in the time of distress by the seal of God. He also mentions these verses. “Going through tribulation, even when it is appointed by God, is not contrary to Biblical teaching. See especially 1 Peter 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10; Hebrews 12:3-11.”
Hi Linda,
Thank you for leaving your comment. Praise the LORD that He used my article to help answer your prayer! :)
I believe the last days church of Philadelphia might be the 144,000 Israelites who are spiritually and physically shielded on earth during the plagues of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 7:1-8, 9:4, 14:1-5). I believe they are also the woman in the wilderness for a time, times, and half a time, that the dragon (Satan) wants to kill but cannot, so he turns his wrath on her offspring (everyone else in faith) (Revelation 12:6, 13-17). In any regards, I believe it’s a spiritual keeping and not a Pre-Tribulation rapture, which would contradict many Scriptures.
God bless you.
Great article sister, would love to have you on my YouTube channel someday to discuss your testimony ect
God bless!
Hello Annette. Lately I’ve been looking more into the fact that there won’t be a rapture that will deliver the church from the tribulation. I’m wonder if you’ve heard of a man by the name of David Nikao Wilcoxson. He’s written a book called “Revelation Timeline Decoded. He go s into great detail of where we are in history as far as the Seal, Trumpets, and Bowls are concerned. He has a website with fascinating info. Bottom line is he too doesn’t not believe in a pre trib rapture. I can email you the link to all he says. Let me know if you’re interested.
Yours in Christ,
Tony
The pre-trib argument is very popular, which in-and-of-itself scares me. My take that we remain here until Revelation’s 7th trumpet. A lot of really bad things happen, during the seals and trumpets. If I’m wrong, great! I fear many Believers will fall away once dire persecution begins, because “We shouldn’t be here”. Every disciple was tortured and killed, but boiling oil couldn’t kill Apostle John, so they banished him to Patmos.
And, what about Paul? 2 Corinthians 11 speaks of all the whippings, beatings, imprisonments, stonings, shipwrecks, and being adrift at sea. Our life purpose, is to worship God and tell of his love thats transformed our lives. But the kingdom of darkness, as we are already seeing, is hell bent on endless blame against Christians, right now rural peoples. My friends, prepare for what is soon at hand. Holy Spirit’s guidance will reveal how each of us should press in. You can’t really purchase enough stuff to protect your family, but you can press in to our Savior Jesus, King of kings, Lord of all.
Very helpful to tie in our resurrection and receiving of our glorified bodies with Revelation and the LAST trumpet. Lot of meat to chew on in this video. Keep sharing the truth. Good job.