The Rapture Special Lesson 4  Notes

	In our last lesson, we began to look at the major pre-trib. arguments and refuting them in scripture such as avoiding wrath with its overemphasis on the separation of the church from Israel. We closed showing the proper interpretation of Jn. 14:2-3.
	Another argument is their use of the promise of the --
	
	Blessed Hope

	It is often said by pre-tribbers that a post-trib. rapture does not provide a blessed hope because the post-trib. position puts believers, the “bride of Christ” under the wrath of God.  This view could not be more wrong. This misconception is often concluded from misunderstanding the administration of the wrath of God during the tribulation.  As stated earlier, the wrath of God never falls on believers. God protects and delivers his own from his wrath (1 Thess. 5:9-10). Whether delivered through it by divine protection (Is. 26:20), or delivered from it at the Second Coming (2 Thess. 1:7) all believers have the blessed hope. 
	All believers are

	waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of 		our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (Tit. 2:13).
	
	We have the hope of glory  (Rom. 5:1-2; Col 1:27).

	Imminency

	Imminency means about to happen, any moment. The pre-tribs say Christ’s coming is described as coming soon or any moment and since that is the case then no signs are necessary. They say that the post-trib. position has signs such as tribulational signs. Therefore the rapture and the Second Coming cannot be the same event. 

	They use scripture that speaks of believers “awaiting eagerly or anxiously” for the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:7; Phil 3:20; Heb. 9:28; Jude 21). 

	I Cor. 1:7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift 		as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

	Jude 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the 		mercy  of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
									NIV11

Response: In what way do these scriptures not fit with a post-trib. position. All believers are waiting for the return of the Lord. These scriptures could just as well look forward to the Second Coming gathering of the saints. 
	As far as signs go. Paul wrote that the coming of the Lord and gathering to him (1 Thess. 4:15-17) should not catch the believer by total surprise. Though Christ does come “as a thief in the night,” while they (unbelievers) are saying “Peace and safety.” He will come like labor pains on a pregnant woman (1 Thess. 5:2-3). Paul writes that believers are not to be like those unbelievers who are in the “darkness,” but be alert and sober.
	Paul is in perfect agreement with what our Lord said regarding his Second Coming. 
	
	Matthew 24:33 So also you, when you see all these things, 	recognize that he is near, right at the door.

	cf. Mark 13:27-29

	Luke 21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun and moon 		and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, 			anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves, 	(26) people fainting from fear and from the expectation of 		what is coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens 	will be shaken. (27) And then they will see the Son of Man 	coming in a cloud with power and great glory.(28) Now 		when these things begin to take place, 	straighten up and 		raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing 			near.”

	The point being that even with signs, we do not know exactly when but we do know but it is near and are to be ready. 

	Matthew quoting Jesus and Paul used the same “thief” analogy regarding his Second Coming. (Matt. 24:43 cf. Paul 1 Thess. 5:2).  

	Matt. 24:43 But understand this:  If the owner of the house 	had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he 		would have kept watch and would not have let his house  be 	broken into.
	Matt. 24:44 So you also must be ready, because the Son  of 		Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 

 	This is why when we see those final signs that we are to be alert and ready. Stay awake-- he is coming. 

	The parables that follow emphasize being on the alert (Mat. 24:42; Mk. 13:33; Lu. 21:34), being ready (Matt. 24:44) because we do not know when he comes. 
	Even with signs, we do not know exactly when he is coming. 

	Rev. 3:10  

	A key to interpreting this passage as is to all the letters to these historical churches is that their evaluation by the Lord determines their future judgment or continued blessing from the Lord.   

	To the church in Philadelphia, the Lord says through John:

	3:10 Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I 	will also keep you from the hour of trial which is about to 		come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the 	earth.

	The hour of trial to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth is the tribulation period. 

	They will be kept from that hour because they have kept the word of the Lord’s which commanded 
		perseverance  hupomones endurance, patience.

	These is a characteristic needed of all believers during testing and proving one’s faith is genuine. 

	Because of perseverance, they will be kept from the hour of trial, meaning that they will be kept from it in the sense of preservation. (Cf. Jn. 17:15). So one is preserved or kept through the hour of trial. 
	This is in keeping with the next verse as well. 

	3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no 	one will take your crown.

	The believer is to hold fast pre. tense -continually hold on to-- what you have so as not to have your crown taken. This is 
a serious warning to remain faithful during this hour of trial until the Lord comes. At that time, the Lord will provide relief from both present trials and deliverance from the final wrath coming on those earth-dwellers. 
	Scripture is clear that many believers will be tested severely during the tribulation period. 

	This brings to the last major topic.	

	For this, we will look at some familiar passages again 

The Resurrection/Rapture is During the Day of the Lord

	The Tribulation is Seven Years Long
	Dan.  9:27  And he (the Antichrist) will confirm a covenant 	with the many for one ‘seven,’ but in the middle of the 			seven (week), he will stop the sacrifice and offering. And on 	a wing of 	abominations will come one which causes 				desolation (the desolator) until a decreed end (complete 		destruction), is 	poured out on the one who is desolating 		(the desolator). 

	From this we see the tribulation is seven years long and at the mid-point of the seven years, the antichrist will have the desolator image set up.
	
	Abomination of Desolation Set Up at Mid-tribulation
	Dan.  9:27;11:31;12:11; Matt. 24:15-16; Mk. 13:14

In Jesus’ words--	
	Matt. 24:15-16 “Therefore when you see the abomination of 	desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the 	prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader 	understand—then those who are in Judea must flee to 	the mountains.

	Jesus warns to get out of Judea immediately because a “great tribulation will follow.” The days are so bad if not cut short, no one would survive (17-22). 

	The Great Tribulation Begins  
     Matt. 24:21;Mk. 13:19; Dan. 12:1b
	
	Matt. 24:21 “For then there will be a great tribulation, such 	as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until 	now, nor ever will again.
	
	War in Heaven
	Rev. 12:7-12 cf. Is. 14:12-15;Ezek. 28:15-17
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	Satan and all the rebellious fallen angels are kicked out of heaven and restricted to the earth. Now confined to the earth, Satan and his fallen angels (demons) go on a full blown attack on believers on earth. The great persecution and slaughter of believers by the antichrist and his armies now concentrate on the destruction of  Christians— to wipe them off and their testimony off the earth.

	Great Persecution
	Dan. 7:21-25; 8:24;11:33,35;12:10; Rev. 12:3-12
		Against Israel Matt. Rev. 12:13-16
		Against the saints  Rev. 12:17 cf. 7:9-14
		Believers are to flee Judea  Matt. 24:16-21;Mk. 		13:14b-19

	Antichrist seated in the temple (2 Thess. 2:4 cf. Dan. 8:10-14); rules the earth and doing miracles; false prophet gives life to the image; unbelievers take the mark, worship the beast, war on the holy ones (Rev. 13:3-18)

	Great Apostasy  
		2 Thess. 2:3-5; 1 Tim. 4:1-3

	The Seventh Trumpet  Rev. 11:15-19 
	Nearing the end of the tribulation, the last year or so, the seven bowls of the wrath of God are poured out on the earth. 
	
	The Seven Bowl Judgments
	First--Sores Come Upon the Beast Worshipers 16:2
	Second-- Sea Becomes Blood 16:3
	Third-- Fresh Water Becomes Blood 16:4
	Fourth-- Sun Scorches People 16:8
	Fifth --  Beast’s Kingdom is Darkened 16:10
 	Sixth-- Euphrates dried up  16:12

	World’s Armies Gather for Armageddon (Jerusalem)
	Rev. 16:13-14,16; 14:2;Rev. 19:19; Is. 29:8; Joel 3:11-14; 	Zech. 12:2-3

	Rev. 16:16 And they gathered them together to the place 	which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

	Zech. 14:2  For I will gather all the nations against 	Jerusalem for battle, and the city will be captured, the 	houses plundered, the women raped and half of the city 	exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from 	the city. 

	Destruction of Babylon  Rev. 16:19
	 Babylon and its fall is described in Rev. 17-19:3.
	 Believers are to leave Babylon before destruction 		Rev. 18:4 possibly during 5th bowl darkness

	Armageddon-- World’s Armies Assault Jerusalem
 	Is. 6:9-12; 29:1-8;59:18:20; Zech. 14:2-3; Joel 2:1-11; 
	Dan. 12:6-7;	
		Prophetic warnings  Jer. 4
		Overview Ezek. 38-39

	Seventh Bowl--Cosmic Signs,Earthly Judgments 16:17 ff.				
	Rev. 16:17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl 	upon the 	air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from 	the throne, saying, “It is done.”

		It is stated as if all “done.” Rev. 16:17
	
	Day of the Lord Begins with Cosmic Signs
		Great day of wrath Rev. 6:17
	Matt. 24:29; Luke 21:25-26; Joel 2:31; 3:15; Is. 13:9-10; 	Amos 5:18-20; Haggai 2:6-7;Zeph. 1:15; Rev. 6:12

	Joel 2:30  “I will display [lit. give] wonders in the 
			heavens [sky] and on the earth, 
			blood, fire and columns of smoke.
	Joel 2:31  The sun[light] will be turned to darkness
			and the moon to [the color] of blood,
			before the day of the LORD comes–
			that great and awesome day!
	
	Matt. 24:29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those 	days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its 		light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of 	the heavens will be shaken.

	Is. 13:9  Behold, the day of the LORD comes,
			cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,
		 to make the land a desolation
			and to destroy its sinners from it.
	Is. 13:10 	For the stars of the heavens and their 								constellations
			will not give their light;
	 	the sun will be dark at its rising,
			and the moon will not shed its light.
										ESV
	Zeph. 1:15 A day of wrath is that day,
			a day of distress and anguish,
	 	a day of ruin and devastation,
			a day of darkness and gloom,
	 	a day of clouds and thick darkness,
								ESV

		Sixth Seal Fulfilled 
		
	Rev. 6:12 And I looked when he opened the  sixth seal and 		there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black 		as 	sackcloth made of hair, the full moon became like blood,
	
	Rev. 6:13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig 	tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind
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	Rev. 16:18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds 	and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, 	such as there had not been since people came to be 	upon the earth, such a great an earthquake and so large.
	
	This is the greatest earthquake ever known, such that it collapses cities world-wide.
	
	Jerusalem split, nations fell, huge hail.
		 Rev. 16:18-21;17-19:4; 2 Thess. 1:8-10
  	
	Rev.16:19a The great city (Jerusalem) was split into three 	parts, and the cities of the nations fell 

	Rev. 16:20  And every island fled, and no mountains were 	found. (21) And huge hailstones, weighing about a talent 	each, came down from heaven upon people; and people 	blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because 	the hailstone plague was extremely severe.

	Sign, Son of Man Coming

	Matt. 24:30 “And then the sign of the Son of Man will 			appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will 		mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the 		clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

	Rev. 1:7  Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every 		eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all 			tribes of the earth will mourn on account of him. Even so. 		Amen.

	The Lord Descends from Heaven 
	Rev.
	19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, 	and he who was riding on it was called Faithful and True, 	and in justice he judges and wages war.

	19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many 	diadem crowns; and he has a name written that no one 	knows except himself.

	19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name 
	is called the Word of God. 

	19:14 And the armies (saints) which are in heaven, clothed 	in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white 	horses.

	Gathering of the Elect/ Resurrection/Rapture

	Lord descends from heaven to the sky above earth. While in the sky, Jesus will have his angels gather the elect. 

	Matt. 24:31  “And he will send forth his angels with a loud 	trumpet blast and they will gather his elect from the four 		winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

	1 Thess. 4:15  For this we say to you by the word of the 		Lord that we who are alive, who are remaining at the 			coming of the Lord will not precede those who are 				asleep. (16) Because the Lord himself, will come down with 	a command shout, with the voice of the archangel and 			with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will 			rise up first. (17) After that, we who are still alive and  are 	left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to 		meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord 		forever.

	John 5:25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and 	now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, 	and those who hear will live.
	
	Rev. 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every 	eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes 	of the earth will mourn on account of him. Even so. Amen.

	Dan. 12:2  Multitudes of those who sleep in the dust of the 	ground will awake; some to everlasting life, but others to 	shame and everlasting abhorrence.

	Lord Descends from the sky and Enters Battle 

	Rev. 19:15 And from his mouth comes out a sharp sword so 	that with it he may strike down the nations, and “he 	himself will rule them with a rod of iron;” and he himself 	tramples the wine press of the furious wrath of God, the 	Almighty.

	Zech. 14:3  Then the LORD will go forth and fight against 	those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

	Zech. 14:4  In that day his feet will stand on the Mount of 	Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the 	Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west,  	forming a very large valley;  half of the mountain will 	move toward the north and the other half toward the 	south.  cf. Acts 1:11-12
	
	Survivors Flee  Zech. 14:5
	Some Survivors repent, when they see Christ coming.  
	
	Mourning of repentance of those on earth, many 	convert to Christ Zech. 12:10; Joel 2:32; Matt. 24:30; 	Jn. 19:37; Rev. 1:7
	
	Beast Seized, the rest killed
	Rev. 19:20-21; 2 Thess. 2:8

	Believers Rewarded

	Matt. 16:27 For the Son  of Man is going to come in his 			Father’s  glory with his  angels, and then he will 					reward each person according to what they have done.