5 Reasons For A Mystery Rapture Of The Church!
Introduction
Why is there a rapture of the church in God’s plan for the end times? Why can’t believers simply stay on earth enduring the 7-year Tribulation until the second coming of Jesus Christ? Is the rapture of the church necessary and what purpose does it serve?
In this post you will learn the 5 Reasons why a Rapture is necessary in God’s prophetic plan for the ages.
- To fulfill the Law of Moses
- The gospel of the Kingdom must be preached again
- The time of Jacob’s trouble is for Israel
- The outpouring of God’s wrath
- God remarries His divorced wife, Israel.
So, let’s dive right in.
1. The Rapture of the Church required to fulfill the Law of Moses.
Daniel’s 70-week prophecy.
Let’s review the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel chapter 9 through the lens of the Mosaic Law.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” – Dan 9:24 KJV
I’am not doing a detailed study on the 70 weeks prophecy, that’s for another post. But let’s notice a few obvious facts.
- The longevity of the prophecy is 70 weeks of years, not days.
- The prophecy focus is Daniel's people, the Jews.
- Daniel's holy city is Jerusalem which makes the prophecy entirely Jewish.
- The prophecy does not concern Gentiles
- The prophecy was given to Daniel while under the Law of Moses.
- The first 483 years, 69 weeks, of the prophecy were fulfilled under the Law of Moses.
- To be consistent, the 70th week must also be fulfilled under the Law of Moses.
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The gap between the 69th and 70th weeks is worthy of inquiry.
“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” – Dan 9:26 KJV
Jesus the Messiah was “cut off” upon being crucified on a Roman cross. At that point the Law of Moses was phased out and the new testament commenced. You can read that in Hebrews chapter 9.
“For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” – Heb 9:16-17 KJV
Read the entire chapter of Hebrews 9. It proclaims the New Testament in the blood of Christ began at the cross upon Christ’s death. Getting back to Daniel chapter 9. Jesus, the Messiah, was cut off, crucified after the 69th week by a few days thereby temporarily setting aside the Law of Moses.
The New Testament
The New Testament was commissioned by the blood of Christ. This set the stage for the dispensation of Grace as the apostle Paul calls it, which runs its course until the Rapture when the church is removed from earth.
It’s no coincidence that the 69 weeks (483 years) finished a few days prior to the beginning of the New Covenant (Testament), the dispensation of Grace.
The dispensation of Grace is fulfilled at the Rapture of the Church. The last remaining week of the 70 week prophecy will then commence, the 7-year Tribulation.
The Coming Antichrist
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” – Dan 9:27 KJV
He, the Antichrist, will confirm a covenant or treaty with Israel and many surrounding nations. This covenant will last for “one week” or 7 years. As the final week begins, the Law of Moses must be resumed. The Church has been raptured, so the dispensation of grace is complete. The 7-year Tribulation has begun and will be completed under the Law of Moses.
Notice in verse 27 above that the Antichrist will cause the sacrifice to cease. He will stop the daily animal sacrifice in the Temple. The rebuilding of the Jewish Temple is part of the covenant he makes with Israel. The Law of Moses can then be re-instituted with the priesthood, the Temple and animal sacrifices.
The Law of Moses and the Church
You can compare a few aspects of the covenant of Moses with the dispensation of Grace in the below table.
|
The Covenant of Moses |
The Church |
|
Believers under the Law given to Moses. |
Believers under Grace through Jesus Christ. |
|
God’s presence in the Temple at Jerusalem. |
Believers are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. |
|
Earthly Priesthood of men. |
No Priests necessary. |
|
High Priest intercedes for the people. |
Jesus, at God’s right hand, intercedes for us. |
|
Blood of animals offered continually for sin |
Blood of Jesus Christ offered once for all sin. |
These two covenants are mutually exclusive. The blood of animals or the blood of Christ; it cannot be both. Therefore, the Rapture must precede the reinstatement of the Temple, the priesthood and animal sacrifice. God deals with mankind one covenant at a time.
The covenant of Moses and the new covenant of Jesus Christ cannot be in operation simultaneously. Before the covenant of Moses can be re-instituted, the covenant of grace must be brought to a close. The Rapture will close the covenant of grace as the body of Christ is caught up to heaven.
After the Rapture of the Church, God will once again turn His complete attention to the Jew and Jerusalem to complete the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy under the Law of Moses.
Conclusion
God needs a Rapture to close the church age, the dispensation of grace, so the final 7 years of Daniel’s prophecy can commence. Since this final week is for the Jew and Jerusalem just at the previous 69 weeks were, it must be fulfilled under the Law of Moses.
2. The Gospel of the Kingdom and the Rapture of the Church
When John the Baptist came on the scene and shortly thereafter, the Lord Jesus, they both preached the same gospel, the gospel of the kingdom.
” In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Mat 3:1-2 KJV
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” – Mat 4:23 KJV
And again we see Jesus preaching the gospel of the kingdom in Matthew chapter 9.
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” – Mat 9:35 KJV
Preached in the Tribulation.
Jesus makes a future proclamation about the gospel of the kingdom, that it will be preached in the last days, during the 7-year Tribulation in Matthew chapter 24.
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” – Mat 24:13-14 KJV
Jesus rejected as Messiah.
Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom in His early ministry from Matthew chapter 4 to chapter 12. But in Matthew chapter 12 Jesus is officially rejected by the rulers of Israel. The miracle working power of the Lord was attributed to Satan. That was a huge milestone in the Jews unbelief and rejection of Jesus as Messiah.
“And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.” – Mat 12:23-24 KJV
Immediately, in Matthew chapter 13 Jesus begins teaching in parables. The disciples notice the change and ask Jesus why He now speaks in parables. Jesus gave a startling answer.
“And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” – Mat 13:10-13 KJV
The Gospel of the Kingdom in the Tribulation.
Because of their rejection of Jesus, they will no longer be able to understand spiritual truth as it is hidden in parables or riddles. Only those with the Spirit will understand. No more preaching the “gospel of the kingdom”.
The “gospel of the kingdom” is not mentioned again until Matthew Ch. 24, the Olivet Discourse. The time frame in Matthew chapter 24 is the 7 year Tribulation.
After 2000 years of the church age, the gospel of the kingdom is once again preached because the kingdom is finally “at hand” again.
This gospel of the kingdom is based on repentance and continuing to endure the hardships of the Tribulation. Notice that there is no mention of grace, mercy or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To be saved on must endure the Tribulation without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Ministry of the Spirit.
During the 7-year Tribulation the Holy Spirit will function as He did in Old Testament days. He will only indwell certain people for a limited time to complete a specific task. The Church does not preach the gospel of the kingdom. We preach the gospel of the Grace of God.
Every true believer in Jesus Christ is filled with and sealed by the Holy Spirit. They are saved and have eternal life at the moment they believe and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.
Not so with those in the Tribulation that must “endure unto the end shall be saved”. During the 7-year Tribulation, if you make a profession for Jesus Christ and later take the mark of the beast, your previous profession for Jesus is nullified.
You have condemned your soul to the lake of fire by taking the mark. As you can see these two gospels are quite different. They are actually, incompatible.
Conclusion.
In order for the Gospel of the Kingdom to be preached once again during the 7-year Tribulation, the Gospel of grace in Christ must come to closure.
The preaching of the Gospel of Christ will come to an end at the Rapture and then the Gospel of the Kingdom will be “preached in all the world for a witness unto the nations; and then the end will come.”
3. The Rapture of the Church Before the
7-year Tribulation
Is the 7-year tribulation a period that pertains to or includes the Church?
Notice that the Rapture is always juxtaposition to the Tribulation. Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, Post-Trib, and Pre-wrath all suggest the timing of the Rapture in relation to the Tribulation.
If we can determine the purpose of the Tribulation, that will help us determine its relationship to the Rapture. So, what is the purpose of the Tribulation?
To make this determination we must again look at the 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel chapter 9.
70-weeks prophecy revisited.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” – Dan 9:24 KJV
There are six promises listed that must be fulfilled before the end of the final week, the 7-year Tribulation.
-
- “finish the transgression” – Jews rejection of Jesus as their Messiah.
- “end of sins” – bring and end of sin by destroying the sinners and saving a remnant of Jews.
- “make reconciliation for iniquity”– Jesus himself will redeem the Jews back to God.
- “bring in everlasting righteousness” – Establish His kingdom here on earth.
- “seal up the vision and prophecy” – to complete end time prophecies.
- “to anoint the Most Holy (Place)” – to anoint the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Jerusalem.
You see from verse 24 that the focus of the 70th week, the Tribulation, is the Jew and Jerusalem. The six promises of this prophecy were not fulfilled in the first 69 weeks (483 years) so they must be completed in the last week, the Tribulation.
One of the primary purposes of the Tribulation is to finally fulfill these six prophetic declarations. This prophecy was given to the Jews, it is entirely Jewish and will be fulfilled with the Jews and Jerusalem.
How will the Lord fulfill these promises?
He brings the “Day of the Lord”
“Howl ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.” – Isaiah 13:6 KJV
“Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD [is] at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” – Joel 1:15 KJV
The God of the Old Testament is frequently viewed as a God of wrath because He had to resort to wrath and judgment to bring the Jews to a place of repentance.
In the Tribulation He will need to do that once again to bring Israel to their knees so that they will call upon the Lord for help.
“For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Mat 23:39 KJV
“When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, [even] in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God [is] a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” – Deut 4:30-31KJV
As you can clearly see, the Tribulation period is when God deals with the Jew and Jerusalem once again. During this time God does not deal specifically with the gentiles. God has been dealing with the gentiles for the past 2000 years through the Church, the body of Christ.
God must once again use wrath as He did in the past to bring Israel to the place of repentance so they will turn again to Him and cry out for help.
Time of Jacob’s trouble.
“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” – Jer 30:7 KJV
The Tribulation is “a time of Jacob’s trouble” – Jacobs’s name was changed by God to Israel. This period is a time of Israel’s trouble, not the Church. This must be a reference to the Tribulation as Jeremiah states “that day is great, so that none is like it”.
Jesus also said:
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” – Mat 24:21 KJV
There is only one great tribulation period to come upon the earth. We call it the 7-year Tribulation. The last half is the Great Tribulation, that being the most cataclysmic period ever.
Conclusion
The Tribulation is a seven-year period dealing specifically with the Jew and Jerusalem to be completed under the Law of Moses even though it affects the entire planet.
God will use the great calamity and destruction of the Day of the Lord to force Israel into repentance just as He did in OT times.
It is a time of Israel’s trouble; the true Church is not invited.
To fulfill Daniel 9:24 Israel will finally believe that Jesus is their Messiah and accept him as Savior. This purpose has already been fulfilled in the true Church of Jesus Christ.
The Tribulation is about redeeming Israel and judging the Antichrist system and a Christ rejecting world. The true Church is in neither category.
4. The Wrath of God
“Behold,the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. … Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. Isa 13:9, 13 KJV
“That day [is] a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,” Zep 1:15 KJV
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36 KJV
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” Rom 1:18 KJV
No wrath for the righteous.
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Rom 5:9 KJV
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus,which delivered us from the wrath to come.” 1 Th 1:10 KJV
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Th 5:9 KJV
Wrath does not, nor ever will come upon true believers in Jesus Christ. When we go astray the Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and guide us back on the track of God’s will for our life. But the church, the body of Christ will never be subject to the wrath of God.
When Jesus returns at His second coming at the end of the 7-year Tribulation, at the Battle of Armageddon, He will personally deliver the wrath of God to His enemies. Isaiah gives a startling account.
“Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?” Isa 63:1-2 KJV
“I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me:for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments,and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.” Isa 63:3-4 KJV
Vengeance and wrath are the Lords. The wicked and the ungodly are it’s recipients. The body of Christ is exempt from God’s wrath. But Satan and his evil minions do vent their wrath and hatred upon Christians. This we must endure while we are here on planet earth. But our exit is coming soon.
When does the wrath of God begin?
Some claim the wrath of God begins about five years into the 7-year Tribulation. But what does the Bible say. Let’s look at Revelation chapter 6, the 7 seal judgments.
“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men… hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?[Rev 6:15-17 KJV]
As you can read, the wrath of God begins with the 7 seal judgments in Revelation chapter 6, not later in the Tribulation.
The purpose of the 7-year Tribulation
God will work specifically with the Jew and Jerusalem to complete the seven-year Tribulation under the Law of Moses. God will use His wrath to draw the Jews back to Him.
The purpose of the wrath is to drive them to their knees in repentance.
God pours out His wrath on a Christ rejecting world to purge out the sinner. This also does not apply to the true church of Jesus Christ.
- God will work specifically with the Jew and Jerusalem to complete the seven-year Tribulation under the Law of Moses. God will use His wrath to draw the Jews back to Him
- The purpose of the wrath is to drive them to their knees in repentance.
- God pours out His wrath on a Christ rejecting world to purge out the sinner. This also does not apply to the true church of Jesus Christ.
What does this mean for the true Church?
The true church is reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Any wrath due us as sinners was paid for by Jesus on the cross.
The true church of God will not be subject to God’s wrath as we are under grace.
We will be Raptured prior to the start of the 7-year Tribulation, a pre-tribulational Rapture.
However, the apostate church, the harlot church, the rebellious church will not go in the Rapture. They will go through the 7-year Tribulation as they are not saved but simply playing church.
5. God remarries His divorced wife, Israel
Israel is the wife of God.
“For thy Maker [is] thine husband; the LORD of hosts [is] his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” Isaiah 54:5 KJV
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:’ Jer 31:31-32 KJV
God divorces Israel because of idolatry.
“And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.” Jer 3:8 KJV
After judgment, God restores Israel.
“For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.” Isa 54:6-8 KJV
The Church is NOT the Bride, but the Body.
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” – 1Co 12:27 KJV
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” – Eph 4:11-12 KJV
The church is the body of Christ, not the bride.
Israel is an adulterous divorced wife that is restored in the last days and remarried to the Lord.
The Marriage of the Lamb (to his wife).
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. [Rev 19:6-7 KJV]
Presently, Israel is still in divorce from God. The true remnant of Israel is protected by God during the 7-year Tribulation. This remnant will enter the kingdom at the second coming of Jesus and remarry the Lord at the marriage of the Lamb.
That is portrayed in the parable of the 10 virgins that represent Israel, not the church. Please watch my Youtube video for a detailed explanation of the parable.
John the Baptist mentions the bride and the bridegroom.
“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” – John 3:29 KJV
The bridegroom in the above passage is Jesus Christ. The only bride in existence at the time this was spoken was Israel.
Conclusion.
The true Church is the Body of Christ. Israel is the wife and bride of Christ to be reunited after the second coming at the end of the 7-year Tribulation.
Final thoughts:
- The 7-year Tribulation must be fulfilled under the Law of Moses.
- The gospel of the kingdom is preached during the Tribulation.
- It's a time of God's Wrath.
- The Tribulation is for the Jew and Christ rejecting world.
- The Church and Israel are two distinct entities not to be confused.
The Rapture of the Church will accomplish the below and more.
- The dispensation of grace must be closed before the Tribulation can begin.
- The Gospel of grace must also be completed so the gospel of the kingdom can be preached again.
- The Church must be removed for God to return His attention to Israel and fulfill end times prophecies.
