A plain reading of the texts indicate the resurrection and gathering of believers happens on the great day of the Lord. Darby popularized this mistaken notion of a "pre-tribulation" rapture in the 1830's, and it did not exist before that. All of the church fathers that commented on it (Irenaeus, Turtullian, Hyppolitus, et al) believed the church would be persecuted by the antichrist, and that there was no "imminence" as is currently taught. A plain reading of the scripture, without charts, extra books, or someones extra-biblical time-line will make this evident to the reader.
As if that were not enough, Revelation only teaches of 2 resurrections of the dead, and speaks nothing of "stages". People will offer the argument that "the church is never mentioned ion Revelation from chapter 4 onward", but they fail to see that the corporate church is not mentioned in the first 3 chapters either, rather, the letter is sent to the "7 churches", 7 literal churches that existed at the time of Johns writing.
And, interestingly enough, a seven year tribulation is never mentioned in Revelation! It's either 3.5 years or 42 months.
In any case, this mini-treatise will never convince the hard-core pre-tribber, but it may challenge some to look at the SCRIPTURE, and see what it says. I will not argue the point further, lest it become divisive. In either case,regardless of your belief on this subject, be prepared for tribulation, for we shall have it! (John 16:33)
And, be a Berean (Acts 17:11), and "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matt 24:4)
You really need to read YHvH's WORD withshalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
the illumination of the Ru'ach HaKodesh.Shabbat Shalom !
then why did Paul admonish us to prepare for His coming instead of prepare for 7 years of torment before His coming?
There is no 'corporate' church...The seven churches in Rev. is the church...Every Christian that ever lived is represented in one of those 7 churches...
A plain reading of the texts indicate the resurrection and gathering of believers happens on the great day of the Lord.
You got it backwards...The believers aren't leaving the earth at the end of the Tribulation...You guys quote scripture but it seems you don't even read what you are quoting...
Mat 24:30 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.
ALL the tribes of the earth shall see Jesus land on the earth...This is not the Rapture spoken of where only the BELIEVERS will see Jesus in the clouds of the air...How could you or anyone confuse the issue???
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
NOTICE...The angels will gather the elect from HEAVEN, NOT the Earth...Their destination (the elect) is the Earth...The verse is not speaking of anyone going to Heaven...
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
The Wedding of the Bride and Groom takes place in Heaven...And after the Wedding,
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
The armies are the Bride, clothed in fine linen...The church...And the church rides along with Jesus to fight the (one sided) battle at Armageddon...
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 20:4 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.
None of these Saints went to Heaven...They are still on the Earth...
Yes my friend it will be near impossible for me to deny what the Scriptures clearly teach on the Rapture.
We will both be with our Lord in the end… but one of will be wrong on the Rapture doctrine. Sadly it will be you by dear friend…lol… No big deal… It will not matter the moment you are taken up (1 John 3:2-3)
Seven Trib
Daniel 9:24-27 teaches seven years 70th week) and Revelation does teach seven years also. The Two Witnesses Rev. 11:2-4,7 the First 3.5 years - the Beast that ascends out of the abyss 42 months or 3.5 years AFTER the Two Witnesses ministry is complete (Rev. 13:5) = 7 -— 1260 days + 42 months = 7 years.
I.F.