The Last Warning Before The Rapture

I've been studying the Pre-Tribulation Rapture for some time now, and each time I take a look at the related scriptures, I seem to see something new. As many of you know, the Rapture is the Resurrection of the Church, which is the Body of Christ. Just as Eve was the bone and flesh of Adam, the Church is both the Body and Bride of Christ. To teach this principle, Jesus gave us the Parable of the Ten Virgins. At this point, I would like to focus on one point in the parable.

Matt 25:5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

Notice that some time before the bridegroom actually arrives, there is an alert call given to awaken the bride. I later learned that this was a traditional practice in ancient Hebrew weddings. It appears that the Rapture was never intended to come as a total suprise. In fact, it states that both the wise and foolish virgins heard the call. This means that both believers and nonbelievers will hear the call...or perhaps only the Church and unrepented Israel. That seems more apt.

When I first came to this realization, I thought it was just a minor detail in the parable that may not have had any application, but then I looked at 1 Thess 4:16.

1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Is seems that this verse corroborates the Parable of The Ten Virgins. First, will come the call of the Archangel (heard by both the wise and foolish virgins), then will come the blast from the Trumpet of God (on the Feast of Trumpets).

So, the Rapture will be annonced before hand, perhaps even at midnight.

My aim is not to get locked into a stalemate discussion about whether or not the Rapture is pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib. Nor will I entertain such claims that the Church has somehow replaced Israel. This thread is for those who understand the Bride of Christ, and who know that the 70th Week is Israel's time of repentance. Just like Jacob, paying for both Leah and Rachel, Christ was denied Israel and was given the Church. When Jesus takes the Church, Israel will have 7 years to repent, then they will have to watch for Christ's return on a day and hour that "no man knows".

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

OK

I have heard so many Christians and Non-Christians babble about "thief in the night". It is for the enlightened to know the "season". We cannot know the exact day and hour but we can know when we have entered "the time". Many people conveniently leave off the following paragraph. Many believe we cannot know the day or the hour as the calling will be on the last trump of the "feast of trumpets" which is variable. I do not subscribe to a particular doctrine.


The Day of the Lord

1Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.3While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.



The Pre Trib, Mid Trib, and End Trib Rapture question. I hope for a pre but expect and prepare for either. It would be foolish not too.

Proverbs 27:12 - A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

I Timothy 5:8 - Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Proverbs 21:20 - In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil; but the foolish man devours all he has”.

Yes, I use to believe Pre-Trib but when you check out the 6 seal of the Book of Revelations you will see where it says:

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?







Umm, I see that it says that they said hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne. So I believe that they want to be hidden from the presence of The LORD when he appears in his brightness and great glory with power. It probaly will be a real frightening experience to those left behind.




Also you see where it says that the stars of heaven fell and the sun became black as sackloth of hair which kind of portrays Matthew 24 to me speaking about the sun being darkened and stars falling before the Lord returns.


The book of Daniel also speaks about a host or angels given to the antichrist.

Daniel 8:10
And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.


Daniel 8:12
And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

And in Revelation chapter 12 it speaks about stars falling :

Revelation 12:4
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.


I believe the tail is representation of the antichrist causing 1/3 of the angels to fall, I believe.




So basically I believe that it is going to be a event so epic and terrible that it will trigger the return of Jesus Christ our Lord and I believe that event is to be fallen angels falling out of the sky down unto earth.

So I believe we will be taken at the perfect moment that God has planned, not to early and not to late but just on time before the reall hell is unleashed.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

There is an understanding that the trumpets will blow and everyone will look up and all will know. And that, at that point, all will face the choice, those for, go, those against, stay. A last moment kind of choice like the others on the cross.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

1 corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

a reply to: infolurker

I know where you're coming from, but please take these two ideas into consideration:

1)
The "no man know the day or hour" statement does not pertain to the Rapture at all, it is actually the physical return of Christ on the Day of the Lord. On that day, the Tribulation will be cut short "for the sake of the elect". For that reason, no man will know the day or hour that Jesus returns.

2)
The Feast of Trumpets is not a variable. The true biblical calendar is a 365.25 day solar calendar, starting on the Vernal Equinox and ending full circle on the Vernal Equinox. Each month has 30 days, except the 12th month that has 35-36 days. The Rabbinical Lunisolar calendar that exists today was created as a result of the Babylonian exile. It requires a 13th intercalary month every 2 to 3 years to keep the feasts in season. The term Rosh Khodesh, which is always mistranslated into New Moon simply means Head of the Month. A lunar month ranges between 29 to 30 days, but Gen 7 makes it clear that a month is 30 days, and that there are only 12 months per year.

So, Feast of Trumpets is always on September 16th or 17th depending on when the the Vernal Equinox occurs, and no man knows the day or hour of the 2nd Advent, not the Rapture.

IN the early original translations in the Greek and Aramaic, the 10 virgins went out for the meeting of the Bride and the Bridegroom. What effect does that have on the interpretation when they are going out to meet them, not just the Bridegroom but both? It's saying that the 5 wise will be invited to the marriage supper, but the Bride is separate from the virgins. This was a problem for the early Church so it was changed to read just the Bridegroom. In all the oldest translations its written Bride and Bridegroom. a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

a reply to: LoveSheild

The Seals of Revelation are a summary of the Tribulation. The Jews often summarized the content of a message before getting into details. That places the 6th Seal on the Day of the Lord aka 2nd Advent. In Revelation, the Tribulation begins in detail with the First Trumpet Judgement.

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

Revelation 7:14
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The tribulation started way before then but in reality we are in tribulation right now but not a great tribulation.

a reply to: Michaelfunction

Thats interesting, which manuscript(s) do you get that from?

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a reply to: Michaelfunction

I see what you mean in the Aramaic text, but I cant find that in the Greek manuscripts. I dont trust the Aramaic.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe
Forgive me for my lack of manners

originally posted by: LoveSheild
a reply to: TerryMcGuire

1 corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

I guess you don't like that version I heard. Isn't that idea in the Bible somewhere??

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

Recently watched a documentary on Saint Paul by David Suchet. They said in the documentary that Saint Paul was convinced that the rapture would happen in his lifetime. If Saint Paul was so saintly one has to ask why didn't the rapture occur in his lifetime. If he was wrong about that then one has to wonder about Thessalonians as well because Paul wrote it.

I have an open mind about the rapture but it really doesn't fit in to my idea of spirituality. Why would someone that hasn't been given the opportunity of reading the bible be any less worthy of God than you or me.