This article has been written by a reader as part of a series of studies that present varied interpretations of different aspects of eschatology. It is an area where there are many different viewpoints, and we want to encourage healthy and constructive discussion and thought. We encourage readers to reflect on the various studies put forward, and we very much welcome comments that are made in a respectful and thoughtful manner that reflects the brotherly love we should have for one another. If you wish to contribute an article to this particular series, then you can find our guidelines here.
In this study I am taking the position that scripture should be taken in its normal, literal sense unless the context, in the light of related passages, indicates otherwise.
Two separate end-times events are clearly mentioned in the bible: the rapture (literally snatching up) of the church, and the second coming of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. The descriptions of each are widely different. In the first the Lord comes joyously and secretly to collect his bride and in the second he comes as a warrior to rescue the remnant of Israel who are being attacked, and then execute a crushing judgement on rebellious humanity.
The rapture: unexpected timing
Related to these is an intense period of severe suffering that the world will endure – the great tribulation. The big questions to be answered centre on the signs that accompany each and their timing.
While there are a number of scriptures that refer to the rapture, the clearest description is given in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church:
“But I do not want you to be in ignorance, 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.” (1Thes 4:13-18). [In this passage the word `asleep’ means dead.]
Please note that we meet Jesus in the air and will always be with him. Elsewhere, Paul tells us that we will not die but be changed into glorified, immortal bodies and it happens in an instant of time (1 Cor 15:51-54). This will not be seen by the world. Nowhere in scripture are we told to look for signs foreshadowing the rapture. What we have been told by Jesus is to watch because “You do not know what hour your Lord is coming” and be ready “For the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”. (Matt 24:42 and 44).
It is clear from the letters that they wrote that Paul, Peter and John expected the soon return of Jesus for his Church (1Cor 7:29, Phil 3:20, Titus 2:13, 1Pet 4:7, Rev 1:1 and Rev 3:10-11), anticipating that his return could be at any time, without any clear signs to indicate when this would be.
Signs of Jesus’ return
By contrast there are lots of signs given for the second coming of Jesus. Some (wars and rumours of war, famines, pestilences and earthquakes) are described as the beginning of birth pangs (Matt 24:6-8) which have been occurring for a very long time. This means that it is not the signs themselves that are pointers of the Lord’s return; it is the increase of their frequency and intensity that is significant.
We are given other clear, unmissable signs of Jesus’ near return, such as the mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-17), when people will be unable to buy or sell without it; and the two witnesses who will lie unburied in Jerusalem while the whole world watches, who will then be raised and taken to heaven in a cloud (Rev 11:1-13).
Other signs match up to Jesus’ solemn warning: “Then will be great tribulation such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world till this time, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt 24.21-22; See also Isaiah 24, Luke 21.20-27 and Revelation chapters 6, 8 and 16.) It would seem that conditions on the earth just prior to the return will be such that normal life is impossible. Therefore, statements by Jesus such as those in Luke 17.26-36 cannot apply to that time:
“As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, drank, they married wives and were given in marriage until the day Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot. They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built: But on the day when Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.”
Jesus’ statements are images of the righteous being moved to safety before judgement falls on the ungodly. This is what the rapture is about.
Jesus’ statements are images of the righteous being moved to safety before judgement falls on the ungodly. This is what the rapture is about.
These passages show that before Jesus takes his people to be with him, life is more or less normal, BUT, before the second coming, there will be terrible tribulation.
During the time of the tribulation, it is considered that many will turn to the Lord (though most refuse to), as there are indications that saints will be on earth at this time (Matt 24:22; Rev 9:4; Rev 13:10).
Daniel’s 69+1 weeks
We now need to consider the other group who play such an important role in the end time prophecies – Israel. The most important scripture is the message given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel:
“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and your holy city, to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again and the wall even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate” (Dan 9.24-27).
The term ‘week’ in Daniel is widely considered to mean seven years. Now, 483 years (69x7 years) after Artaxerxes Longimanus gave the command to rebuild Jerusalem, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, presenting himself as the Messiah. He was cut off (crucified) but not for himself. In AD 70 the city and the temple were destroyed by the Roman army under Titus.
The final week allocated to Israel to finish all things starts when, “He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week”. The ‘he’ refers back to, ‘The “prince who will come”: the antichrist. It is not completely clear what this covenant is, but the comment “he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” is highly significant. Only in a rebuilt temple would the Jewish people offer sacrifices and offerings. Other scriptures suggest that this may be the case. (Matt 24:15, 2Thes 2:3-4, Rev 11:1-2). It should be noted that all the plans for rebuilding the temple are complete and, if the politics allow, it could be rebuilt in a very short space of time.
Logical conclusions on timing
Let us now examine the four possibilities when the rapture could occur: pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, pre-wrath and post-tribulation (before the seven-year period, half-way through, sometime before the end but before the most dramatic events, or right at the end). Once the covenant is signed, there are seven years until Jesus’ return. This means that in a post-tribulation rapture scenario we know it would be seven years to the rapture. With a mid-tribulation rapture it would be three and a half years and with a pre-wrath timing it would be between three and a half and seven years. None of these matches up to Jesus’ statement, “For the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”. Only in a pre-tribulation rapture scenario can we say it can happen anytime.
We cannot predict when the rapture will occur, but the removal of the church would also, in part, remove the Holy Spirit, who indwells his people, doing much of his work through them:
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed who the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming”. (2Thes 2:7-8)
This scripture only makes sense in the light of a pre-tribulation rapture. Only the Holy Spirit is powerful enough to hold back evil and he can’t be removed, even in part, unless we go too. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
