No Secret Rapture

There are only 2 Resurrections 

• But the pre-tribulation doctrine

 teaches 3 resurrections.

John 5:28-29 … Luke 14:14 … Acts 24:15 … Daniel 12:2 

•  These 4 passages clearly state that there are 2 resurrections, which are:

the resurrection of life for the good & just, and the resurrection of

condemnation for the evil & unjust. Revelation 20:4-12 

•  This passage clearly states that there are 2 resurrections separated by 1000 years.

The first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6) is for Christians -- non-Christians are raised 

1000 years later.

Now, exactly WHEN the resurrection of Christians occurs is shown below …

The Last Trumpet • The resurrection of ALL dead Christians is at the LAST trumpet 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 … 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 

•  These 2 passages describe the resurrection of ALL dead Christians. 

They also say Christians who are alive on earth will be “changed” and 

will meet the resurrected ones “in the clouds”.

1 Corinthians 15:51 says this will happen at the LAST trumpet.

The earth is completely desolate during those 1000 years, because the evil are destroyed (Revelation 19:11-21 and 20:5). 

Satan is left there (Rev 20:1-3) with no one to tempt and nothing to do but contemplate. 

Followers of Christ are priests of God and of Christ and reign with Christ (in heaven) 

during the 1000 year (Rev 20:6). 

After that is the great white throne judgment: the wicked are resurrected and judged according to their works. They try to rebel against God with Satan to attack the Holy City and are destroyed by fire, and never live again (Revelation 20:7-15 and 21:8). 

The Holy City is placed upon the earth, and God dwells among man (Rev 21)

Rapture means" catching away" or "caught up"It refers to when the LORD will return and the dead in CHRIST resurrect and the living Christians are changed and caught up with the newly resurrected saints to meet the LORD in the air. 

 There are many debates as to when this is supposed to happen but the clearest indication comes from these passages: 

1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Revelation 20:1-5. The church is here during the Great Tribulation according to these verses.There will be no catching away of the saints UNTIL the dead in CHRIST rise first. There are only 2 resurrections to come, not 3. 

The Secret Rapture Doctrine and Its Origin!

Credit for its origin generally goes to John Nelson Darby.

What is the doctrine of the secret rapture? Simply put, it is the teaching that Jesus Christ will return twice! First there will be a secret, unheralded return in which He will whisk all Christians, both living and dead, off to Heaven to be present there during the time that the Great Tribulation is taking place on earth. This secret coming supposedly could occur at any moment and will come without any advance warning to anyone. Seven years later (or three and a half according to some) Christ will return openly in power and glory to destroy the wicked and to establish His Kingdom.

The devil has been sharpening his deception skills for 6,000 years and his last masquerade will be his masterpiece. Jesus warns that he will do such a convincing job that, if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. Satan has introduced the strong delusion of a secret rapture to the Christian world that has been almost universally accepted in mainline Churches. 

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:23-24 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

As we have noticed, the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ will come the second time in glorious majesty to take His redeemed home with Him. It will be a personal, visible, and earth shaking event that everyone alive will know about. The righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17), whereas the wicked will be slain by the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Let us carefully and diligently study our Bibles so we will not be deceived concerning this most important and wonderful hope, the second coming of Jesus.

NO ONE LEFT BEHIND … ALIVE

A common misconception of the secret rapture theory is that people will continue to live on the earth for several years after Christ’s return. However, the Bible clearly teaches that when Jesus comes, there will be no human left alive on this planet.

In describing this time, the book of Jeremiah explains, “At that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground” (25:33).

One of the clearest descriptions of the earth after the second coming is given by Jesus:

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 

Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26–30, emphasis added).

Notice that the wicked were destroyed on the same day that the Flood came to Noah and on the same day that the fire came to Sodom. 

Jesus emphasized that these earlier judgments, which destroyed all of the wicked, were examples of what would happen at His second coming. The Bible is clear that life on the earth does not continue for either man or beast after Jesus returns.

THROUGH THE TRIBULATION WITH CHRIST!

This idea that all the righteous will be raptured out of the world just before the tribulation and that the wicked will be left behind to endure seven difficult years might be appealing. Perhaps that is why this theory has gained such widespread acceptance. But the Bible unmistakably teaches otherwise.

The phrase “seven years of tribulation” does not appear in Scripture. However, Jesus did say that a terrible time of trouble would come upon the world just before His return and that it would be more intense than any other in history. In His prophetic discourse on the Mount of Olives, Jesus said,...

“There will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21, 22).

If the elect were not in the world during the great tribulation, they would not need the days to be shortened! And all through Scripture, we see examples of the Lord saving His people through tribulation, not from it:

► Noah was not saved from the Flood, but through it.

► Daniel was not saved from the lions’ den, but through it.

► Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not saved from the fiery furnace, but through it.

►The children of Israel were not saved from Egypt before the plagues fell, but after. God demonstrated His love by preserving them through the plagues. In the same way, the righteous will be in the world when the seven last plagues fall (Revelation 16), but God will preserve them.

God hasn’t promised that our lives would always be easy. Christ prayed for His disciples, I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one (John 17:15). 

Likewise, the apostle Paul declared, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). 

Paul also told a group of disciples, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

 WHEN THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE FAILS!

The Bible plainly teaches that God will provide a Place of Safety "a place prepared by God" (Revelation 12:6) for His people during the coming Great Tribulation. But this will not involve a secret "rapture," and the faithful saints of God will not go off to heaven. Rather, God will supernaturally protect them in a place right here on this earth.

Describing the traumatic events taking place just before the Great Tribulation, Jesus told His followers: "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24:20–21). 

Jesus never spoke of a rapture, but rather of the "flight" of His people.

Note that we should pray that this flight to safety would not occur on God's Sabbath, for this coming flight will involve a degree of physical effort and stress as did ancient Israel's flight from Egypt. 

If a supernatural "rapture" were involved, there would be no concern about the Sabbath or about the danger of traveling during the winter. That should be very clear.

Later, Christ inspired the Apostle John to write in detail about the true Church being taken to a Place of Safety here on earth. Please study Revelation 12 carefully so that no one will be able to confuse you about this matter! In Revelation 12,

God's Word makes clear, our Creator will guide His faithful Church to know when and where to flee just before the Great Tribulation begins. They will be supernaturally protected in a place of God's choosing here on earth. 

Then, after the Great Tribulation, the "last trumpet" will sound, "for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall bechanged" (1 Corinthians 15:52; cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17).

There will be no "secret rapture" of the saints. The powerful trumpet blast of God will shake the earth before the saints of God arise!

Is the Great Tribulation also a time of persecution of true Christians? Luke 21:12

"But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake." Matthew 24:9

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake." 

Mark 13:13" And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

Who Are the Overcomers of the Last Days?..

Revelation 13

 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world!

In Rev. 20:4-5, John sees the souls of Saints who were BEHEADED

 for refusing the Mark of the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation. 

Will there be a rapture? Yes. Will it be a secret? NO! 

Basis for Confusion

With so much evidence in the Bible as to the manner of Christ's coming, 

how did people get the idea that the rapture will be a secret event? 

As with most deceptions, the secret rapture theory is based on a few texts that have been taken out of the context. Two main concepts in Scripture have been used to substantiate a "secret" rapture. 

The primary one is that Jesus will come as "a thief in the night." The secret rapture theory assumes this means that Christ will come secretly to steal away the righteous and carry them quietly to heaven. 

Christ's coming is described as "a thief" several times throughout the New Testament. Let's look at one of these passages and see if it describes a secret rapture. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10). That doesn't sound like a secret event, does it? 

The second concept used to support a "secret" coming is found in Luke 17:34-36: "I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." 

Secret rapture proponents say this passage proves that the saints will suddenly disappear from the earth when Jesus returns. But let's take an honest look at the evidence and see what these verses actually teach. 

In Luke 17:34-36, Jesus employs some of His favorite symbols to illustrate a simple point. At the end of time, there will be just two groups of people living upon the earth - the lost and the saved. 

"Two Men in One Bed." 

A bed generally connotes sleep, and Jesus used sleep as a symbol of death. He said to the disciples, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." "Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." (John 11:11, 14). In the resurrection at the last day, there will be two kinds of people sleeping in the grave - the lost and the saved. 

"Two Women Grinding Together." 

In Bible prophecy, a woman is a symbol of a church (Jeremiah 6:2). Grinding grain represents working with the Word of God. When Christ comes in glory, there will be two kinds of churches - the false and the true. Both will be outwardly doing the same thing, but only one will be redeemed.

"Two Men in The Field". 

The field represents the world (Matthew 13:38). When Jesus comes again, there will be two kinds of missionaries laboring out in the field - the false and the true. This is why He said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22, 23).

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ will come the second time in glorious majesty to take His redeemed home with Him. It will be a personal, visible, and earth shaking event that everyone alive will know about.  The righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17), whereas the wicked will be slain by the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8).  Let us carefully and diligently study our Bibles so we will not be deceived concerning this most important and wonderful hope, the second coming of Jesus.

When did Jesus say the dead in Christ 

would be resurrected?

John 6:39-40: Jesus said, "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up...ON THE LAST DAY.

John 6:44: Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up....ON THE LAST DAY.

So if Jesus himself said the dead in Christ will be raised....ON THE LAST DAY, and Paul said we who are alive and remain will not be caught up (raptured) until AFTER the dead are raised, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17..then where does secret pre-trib rapture fit in?

Only one resurrection of the dead in Christ is mentioned! 

Which, according to Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 must take place BEFORE we who are alive and remain are "caught up" with them...AFTER the dead are raised....ON THE LAST DAY!

It is important to note a warning here: 

2 Thessalonians 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" 

Before the Return of Jesus we must have two things happen: 

1) Falling away 2) Man of sin, son of perdition revealed. Many teach that such an event can "occur at any time". We are specifically warned of this lie. 

IMMEDIATELY after these things (Jesus speaking) Matt 24:29-31, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken..... they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 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."

You must CAREFULLY read the scriptures. Repent of believing false doctrines and ask God to cleanse your heart and mind and show you His truth as you read each passage in context. 

There is ONE return of Jesus...not a partial secret return.

In The Last Days

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

In Mathew 24:3 Jesus was asked a question - " 

...what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?"

Jesus Answers the Question About TIMING of the End of the Age...

Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, 

spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, 

(whoso readeth, let him understand:) 

Matthew 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 

Matthew 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take 

any thing out of his house: 

Matthew 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 

Matthew 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that 

give suck in those days! 

Matthew 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was 

not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 

Here we have Jesus making a direct reference to Daniel 9:27

Matthew 24:3-22

Scripture plainly tells us in Matthew 24:29-31 that it will be “immediately AFTER” the tribulation of those days…It tells us what will happen then and what will happen after that. There is NO secret rapture where Christians just all of the sudden disappear off the face of the earth. That’s NOT Biblical at all…Hope you’re not deceived! It's not about what we feel or think, but about what was written. 

Pretribulation rapture is alien to the scriptures and both Jesus in Matt 24:4 and Paul in 2 Thes 2:2-3 warned us specifically not to be 

deceived about this issue. The scriptures are very clear about this matter, the church will face great tribulation before 

the rapture and the scriptures cannot be broken but rather he that preaches a contrary gospel is accursed Gal 1:8. 

So we need to forget the movies we have watched and really 

look at what the scripture say, lest we might be deceived and taken unawares.

Let him that readeth understand.