The 2nd Coming of Christ is NOT the Rapture
The 2nd Coming of Christ
The Rapture of the Church and the 2nd Coming of Christ are not synonymous. As I have shown in previous teachings, Jesus didn’t know about ‘the days and times’ in which you and I now live, called the Administration of Grace, because God kept it a secret from everyone; much like the scripture everyone has been quoting lately, Mt.24:36, only the Father knows or knew.
The 2nd coming of Christ is foremostly described in the Gospels and is specifically addressed to Israel. The reason it is addressed to Israel is as stated above, no one knew about us, the Grace Administration; it was a secret that only the Father knew, see Ro.16:25, Eph.3:3-5,9, Col.1:26. As such, it cannot be referring to The Rapture of the Church of the Body of Christ, which didn’t begin until the Day of Pentecost had fully come in Acts 2.
The chronology of The Rapture of the Church, which is not the 2nd coming of Christ, begins in 2 Thessalonians 2:1. Here we see 2 things, his coming and “our being gathered together to him.” Please note, it is speaking of “our” Lord Jesus Christ and “our” being gathered together; not Jews, not Gentiles, but only the Church of God, 1 Cor.10:31. Israel, the Jews, are not raptured to meet the Lord in the air.
The rest of the chapter is dedicated to what will take place just prior to the Rapture. In 1 Thess.4:13-18 we have more detail of the Rapture. Here it says that the Dead in Christ will rise first, before those of us who are living. (This is further proof that the Dead in Christ are dead in the grave, not living in heaven.) After the dead are raised, we which are alive, will meet the Lord in the clouds together with the dead in Christ. It goes on to say that we will then be with the Lord Jesus forever. Wherever he goes, we will be with him! Jesus descends alone here in these verses to meet us in the air. He does not come to earth at The Rapture and no one, besides us, see him. We will literally be here one second, then gone the next.
2 Thess.1:7 describes a totally different scenario. This is the beginning of the 2nd Coming of Christ, when it says “..the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven WITH his mighty angels.” One of the noteworthy words here is apokalupsis, which was not used at our gathering together unto him, because he was not revealed to anyone but us. No one else knew what was happening. But here, a lot of things happen: 1) he comes with an entourage that includes us 2) he comes in flaming fire inflicting vengeance; 3) he comes to be glorified among his saints (remember we shall be with him forever?) And, 4) to be admired by all who believed.
Now we will get into the 2nd Coming of Christ, what is actually Part 2 of The Parousia. (Please look at the dissimilarities of what we’ve learned so far.) Mt.24:29 starts out by saying “Immediately after the Tribulation…:” 1) the sun shall be darkened, 2) the moon’s light goes out, 3) the stars fall from heaven, 4) a sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven, 5) all the tribes of the earth mourn,6) they SEE the Son of Man coming, 7) he calls all the heavenly hosts together from one end of heaven to the other. Mk.13:24 starts off withafter the Tribulation as well with similar circumstances. Luke 17:30 speaks only about those “taken” and those “left.” Luke 21:25 describes similar things as the other 2 gospels. John mentions little about it.
As you read the gospels you will see that their concern was The Resurrection, not the gathering together. Again, they didn’t know anything about it. The first resurrection, the resurrection of the Just occurs after the tribulation. Ezekiel 37:12-14 describes what happens:
Ezek 37:12-14 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shallput my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. KJV This is a true Resurrection!
No trip to heaven for them! Heaven’s not a promise to Israel; only the land was! A 7 year layover in Heaven is only a promise to the Church of God. I hope you can see how the records of the gospels have nothing to do with the Rapture of the church recorded only in the Epistles of Paul. Part 1 of the Parousia is only for those who are born again of God’s spirit; nothing happens to the sun or the moon or the stars when it happens; no one sees Jesus descend from heaven; & no one on earth mourns.
God bless you!
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- - August 1, 2012
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Yes true an right, thank you to the remembrance, Phil 3:1
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