Rapture Study
| The analysis of Pre-Trib, Post-Trib and Multiple Raptures | Pray that you be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man | ||||
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| Verse and Description | Pre-Trib | Post-Trib | Multiple | ||
| But about that day or hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son but only the Father. (Mark 13:32) (Since he comes as a theif, this is possibly pre or mid). | X | X | X | ||
| Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. (Rev 3:10) (Pre). | X | X | |||
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Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:30) | X | X | X | ||
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At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1) (Mid) | X | X | |||
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Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51) | X | X | |||
| Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the Day of the LORD’s anger. (Zephaniah 2:3). | X | X | |||
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For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16). | X | X | |||
| I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” 37 “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.” (Luke 17:34). | X | X | |||
| “But in those days, following that distress, “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (Mark 13:24). | X | X | |||
| How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, setting traps even for their own brothers. (Micah 7:1). | X | X | |||
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For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. (Ezekiel 34:11). | X | ||||
| But watch yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that take place and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34). | X | ||||
| I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (Jews and Gentiles). (John 10:14). | |||||
| I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. (Rev 20:2) | |||||
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Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that had poured from the dragon’s mouth. 17And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Rev 12:15) | X | X | |||
Summary
As seen above, strong evidence exists in the bible for both the Pre-trib rapture theology and the Post-trib. It is possibly futile to argue which doctrine is correct, or spend valuable time trying to prove that only one is correct. Let us remember, the bible is fully accurate, should be taken in whole as a literal and Holy book. I believe Jesus only allowed the scribes to record Holy and complete doctrine in the KJV compilation.
With that assumption, only the 'Multiple Rapture' theory satisfies both. (Mark 13:24 provides strong evidence that 'after those days of distress' (post-trib and pre-wrath) that a rapture occurs). But Daniel 12:1 (the beginning of Jacobs trouble, Rev 3:10, As it was in the days of noah - one will be taken from the mill - Luke 17:34 - and comfort one another in (1 Thess 4:16) strongly points to a pre-trib); and, knowing that the bible does not contradict itself, this leads us to investigate the 'multiple raptures' hypothesis.
From the study above, 70% of the scriptures point to pre-trib, 40% to post-trib, but the least common denominator (multiple tribs) points to 100% satisfying multiple tribs (without breaking any doctrine). One other interesting point, is in Rev 12:15, Jesus shows that the woman (IE the persecuted church) would be delivered to the wilderness, and possibly nourished (this implies a possible catching-away, protection from harms way), which could also be an alternative to a pre-trib rapture. The woman is nourished, waiting for the bridegroom. Satan tries to kill her (with the flood), but the Earth helps her.
To summarize, no man knows the day or hour, but we all must keep an open mind and realize, if the possibility exists for a pre-trib rapture, we must live for Christ today. The bible commands us to be zealous for Jesus (I will spit the lukewarm out of my mouth). We must be a clean and Holy bride. So that when the master returns, he has a bride to marry.
