They will reference 1 Thessalonians 4:16
as the proof text that
the Rapture is at a different time
and will not be visible.
But I don't see that in this verse,
which says
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.
So, why can't this event be seen?
And what about the SHOUT
and the TRUMPET?
Why is He descending,
if not to return to the earth?
And there is nothing in the passage about
ascending back up to heaven.
It only says we meet Him
and those resurrected
in the Air.
Which I would conclude is
before His feet touch the ground on the Mount of Olivet.
If you compare to other passages
that tell us about the Return of Christ,
we see them as clearly visible.
And to say that these are
a Different Return of Christ,
implies there are TWO returns and not just ONE.
That is not supported by any text in scripture.
Nowhere does the Bible state there will be Two separate times
that the Lord will descend.
We are told clearly what to expect in several passages.
One such passage is Acts chapter 1 verses 9 - 11.
Where the angels state that
just as Jesus visibly ascended into heaven,
we are to expect His return to be the same.
It says,
Now when He had spoken these things,
while they watched,
He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven
as He went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
who also said,
"Men of Galilee,
why do you stand gazing up into heaven?
This same Jesus, who was taken up
from you into heaven,
will so come in like manner
as you saw Him go into heaven."
We see here that
he ascended up in a cloud
to heaven,
and He is to descend
in the same way
to the same place.
verse 12 says
Then they returned to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet,
which is near Jerusalem,
a Sabbath day's journey.
Jesus describes His return in Matthew 24:29-31
and it could not be more clear.
It is so clear,
that the only way Pre-Trib teachers can explain it away
is to claim the Book of Matthew is written for the Jews,
and Jesus is speaking only to them.
This is one of the many false doctrines
that Dispensationalist have been promoting
for the last 150 years.
They call the physical return to earth
the Second Advent.
And treat the passages in 1 Thessalonians 4
and I Corinthians 15
as something different.
However, when you compare
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,
Acts 1:9-11,
and
I Corinthians 15:50-52
with
Matthew 24:29-31,
it's hard not to see how these passages
are speaking of the same event.
Jesus says,
"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.
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.
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.
Some teach that the ELECT mentioned here
does not include us, the believers
in what is sometimes referred to as the Church Age.
The term"Church Age" was invented
by Dispensational preachers,
and is not something you'll find
in the Biblical Text.
You might find it in the margin notes
in Study Bibles created
by C.F. Scofield,
or Charles C. Ryrie
as these two men
were promoters of the Dispensational doctrine.
I have discussed who the ELECT are in another post / video.
* Part 2
I have heard an argument offered
for the invisible ( secret )
Pre-Trib Rapture
Being the fact that
1st Thessalonians 4:16 only mentions
"the voice of an archangel",
And that in the book of Jude verse 14
there is a reference to a lot of angels ( literally holy ones ),
Let's read it,
Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied about these men also, saying,
"Behold, the Lord comes with
ten thousands of His saints,
I don't see how this proves there are two different events.
And I'm confused why this verse was used
to discuss the number of angels,
since it clearly says His saints.
And if the saints were resurrected
as He descends
( Referencing 1st Thessalonians 4:14 )
which says
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so God will bring with Him
those who sleep in Jesus.
This is the same time that living believers are
transformed into their new bodies.
We meet Jesus on His way down,
and thus we will always be with Him.
Let's read verses 15 - 18
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.
So... we see
the Lord descending in the clouds.
We see the dead resurrected.
We see the living believers
caught up with them in the clouds.
And we are to Meet the Lord in the air
( in the clouds ),
then what?
Does it say He turns around,
and takes us all to heaven.
NO.
It only says
"we shall always be with the Lord".
Meeting Him on His way back to earth
would be the way the Thessalonians
would have understood this passage.
It was common practice at that time
for the people of a city,
which were usually walled with gates,
to go out to meet an important person
coming to their city,
and escorting them
the rest of the way to the city.
I have a whole other post / video specifically on this topic.
Meeting the Lord on His Way back down to Earth.
* Part 3
Why the Rapture and Resurrection Must Happen Together
I have heard an argument for a Pre-Trib Rapture
that revolves around the Resurrection of the dead.
It is noted that a Resurrection is mentioned
in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52
which says
Now this I say, brethren,
that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
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,
and the dead will be raised
incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
The whole chapter 15 of 1st Corinthians is to defend
and explain our promised resurrection as believers in Christ.
Very similar to what Paul wrote in
1st Thessalonians 4:13-18
Now the argument used is that
there is no resurrection referenced
in connection to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Well if you deny the two passages
are describing the return of Christ,
I suppose you could say that.
However,
I think this overlooks the First Resurrection verses
in Revelation chapter 20 verse 4 - 6
which says,
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them,
and judgment was committed to them.
Then I saw the souls of those
who had been beheaded
for their witness to Jesus
and for the word of God,
who had not worshiped the beast or his image,
and had not received his mark
on their foreheads
or on their hands.
And they lived and reigned with Christ
for a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead did not live again
until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he
who has part in the first resurrection.
Over such the second death has no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with Him
a thousand years.
We see here that there is a Resurrection mentioned
after the Great Tribulation has ended,
and Jesus is setting up His Kingdom.
And this is called
the First Resurrection.
I see no problem with this event
to include all believers who have died,
and our transformation
that will occur upon the one and only
Return of Jesus Christ.
This is what we should be waiting for
according to Philippians 3:20,21
which says,
For our citizenship is in heaven,
from which
we also eagerly wait for the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ,
who will transform our lowly body
that it may be conformed
to His glorious body,
according to the working
by which He is able even to
subdue all things to Himself.
If you have trusted in Jesus as your Savior,
and you are not trying to earn your salvation,
then you have eternal life,
you are a child of God,
and your citizenship status is now a heavenly one.
We are to be looking forward to His return
when He will set up His Kingdom on Earth.
That is what Jesus told us to be praying for
in the Lord's Prayer.
Matthew 6:10 says,
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
I have another post / video on the First Resurrection.
Is the First Resurrection the same time as
the Rapture of the Church
at the End of the Tribulation
please check them out.
