Rapture & Second Coming

[Chad]

Article from: gotquestions.org

"What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?"

The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ are often confused. Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a Scripture is referring to the Rapture or the Second Coming. However, in studying end times Bible prophesy, it is very important to differentiate between the two.

The Rapture is when Jesus Christ returns to remove the church (all believers in Christ) from the earth. The Rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. Believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected, and along with believers who are still living will meet the Lord in the air. This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. The Second Coming is when Jesus returns to defeat the antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His Millennial Kingdom. The Second Coming is described in Revelation 19:11-16.

The important differences between the Rapture and Second Coming are as follows:

(1) At the Rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At the Second Coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth (Revelation 19:14).

(2) The Second Coming occurs after the great and terrible Tribulation (Revelation chapters 6-19). The Rapture occurs before the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

(3) The Rapture is the removal of believers from the earth as an act of deliverance (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 5:9). The Second Coming includes the removal of unbelievers as an act of judgment (Matthew 24:40-41).

(4) The Rapture will be “secret” and instant (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). The Second Coming will be visible to all (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:29-30).

(5) The Second Coming of Christ will not occur until after certain other end times events take place (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15-30; Revelation chapters 6-18). The Rapture is imminent, it could take place at any moment (Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

Why is it important to keep the Rapture and the Second Coming distinct?

(1) If the Rapture and the Second Coming are the same event, believers will have to go through the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

(2) If the Rapture and the Second Coming are the same event, the return of Christ is not imminent…there are many things which must occur before He can return (Matthew 24:4-30).

(3) In describing the Tribulation period, Revelation chapters 6-19 nowhere mentions the church. During the Tribulation, God will again turn His primary attention on Israel (Romans 11:17-31).

The Rapture and Second Coming are similar but separate events. Both involve Jesus returning. Both are end times events. However, it is crucially important to recognize the differences. In summary, the Rapture is the return of Christ to the clouds to remove all believers from the earth before the time of God’s wrath. The Second Coming is the return of Christ to the earth to bring the Tribulation to an end and to defeat the antichrist and his evil world empire.

 

[Faithful Son]

I recently started a thread with the hopes of understanding what you just said Chad. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for placing it all in context like you have.

Now I understand. May God bless you. I searched gotquestions aswell, didn't find this article though

Thanks Chad

 

[Faithful Son]

The Lord's Prayer

God has taught me alot during this week and He has given me a better understanding of my life. Today I decided to pray and I held the Bible in my hand and asked God to show me something that would help me in my life.

I opened the Bible and was lead to Luke. Where Jesus told the people how they should pray, He told them about the Lord's prayer as we call it. The thing I learned specifically is how important it is.
When praying the Lord's prayer we are praying to the Father, asking Him to let His kingdom come, this is not just a simple request, we are asking God to send Jesus to come and fetch us from earth, ie. the rapture. We are asking the Father to let His will take place on earth, just like it takes place in heaven, we are asking Him to provide for us and keep us from temptaion and evil(The tribulation). We are praying and pleading with the father. Read Luke 11:1-13

I hope you all decide to pray the Lord's prayer and pray like Jesus instructed us to

teraside

 

[christserf]

Hello Chad:

Here's my primary objection to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

1Th 4:15-17 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.

Rev 20:4-5 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

If the first resurrection contains Christians who went through the Mark of the Beast, and if the dead in Christ must be raised before the living are Raptured, doesn't that mean that the Rapture won't happen until after the Mark of the Beast?

Addressing your points:

The important differences between the Rapture and Second Coming are as follows:

1) Why is it necessary that these events are separate? Wouldn't it fit both passages if we met the Lord in the air and then immediately followed him to earth on a white horse?

2) 1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Why do you think that this is specifically referring to the Tribulation? Since Paul says "...but to obtain salvation", it appears to me that the wrath is refferring to destruction in hell, which is the opposite of salvation.

Revelation 3:10 is addressed to the Church of Philadelphia. Why are you applying it to all Christians?

3) True, but I didn't see anything in the verses which you referenced which neccessitate that the act of deliverance and the act of judgement occur at different times.

4) What part of 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (or any other passage) indicates that the Rapture will be secret?

5) I didn't see anything in the verses that you mentioned which said that the Rapture was imminent. Could you be more specific?

In Yahweh's Love and Truth,

Christ's Serf