All Bible texts are from the King James Version
A large number of Christians have accepted the idea that if you are a Christian you will be caught up in a secret rapture to be with Christ before the seven last plagues of God's wrath is poured out upon this earth. The quote several texts which seem to supply their theory -
"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Matthew 24:38-42.
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
From a simple reading of these Scriptures we can see how some people could believe in a secret rapture. However, to gain the truth we need to compare Scripture with Scripture and make sure we understand it properly.
Firstly we will look at some Scriptures that tell us what the second coming of the Son of man will be like which is when the saints are taken to heaven.
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:27.
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matthew 24:30.
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. " Matthew 16:27.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7.
"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. " 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
"Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
So, according to all these texts, when Jesus Christ returns it will be as visible as lightning shining from the east to the west, all of the tribes of the earth shall mourn, He will come in the glory of the Father and his angels and every eye shall see Him. Not only this but if you read Thessalonians and Corinthians Jesus Christ will shout with the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God which will resurrect the righteous dead and raise them up into the air. Then He the righteous will put on immortality and be raised to meet them in the air.
Clearly this is not going to be a quiet, silent, discreet, local, nor secret event. It is going to be world-wide, very loud, and visible by all alive.
The other main part of the secret rapture there is that the saints won't go through the time of trouble. So are there any Scriptures that show that the saints will go through a time of trouble in the last days?
"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. " Revelation 18:3, 4.
"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. . . .They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. " Revelation 7:14 & 16.
Note - If we read Revelation 16 we read that the second turns the sea into the blood of a dead man, third turns the rivers and fountains of water into blood and the fourth plague the sun scorches men with the heat of fire. Although God will protect those who follow and obey Him, they will still suffer during the time of the plagues.
"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. " Revelation 17:1, 2.
"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. " Revelation 16:1, 2.
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Revelation 16:17-21.
"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." Revelation 15:1, 2.
"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. " 2 Thessalonians 2:8-14.
Psalm 46 is a wonderful comfort to anyone going through trouble. However, if you read it and then compare verse 2 and 3 with what is happening in Revelation 16:18 and 20, you will find they are very similar. You can read this Psalm here.
After reading all these Bible texts in context is very plain to see that there is that God's people do go through the seven last plagues and that there is no secret rapture.
© S. D. Goeldner, 2019.
© S. D. Goeldner, February, 2011. Last updated November, 2019.
www.vineyardlabourer.info
Mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop, etc. friendly webpage design. Powered by w3.css