100% absolute, iron-clad proof of the PRE-70th week rapture of the church!

Let me say this right away to my dear, fellow pre-tribbers:

YES, this article biblically and completely addresses 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 and shows how the Bible resolves it with the pre-70th week rapture of the church. I mention that particular point right off the bat, because I know that if you have spent any serious amount of time researching the timing of the rapture of the church, you've seen lots of proof that we will be raptured up BEFORE the 70th week (also called the time of Jacob's trouble, and incorrectly called "the tribulation"), but you just couldn't ever get around verse 3 of 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2. I admit, for me, it was like a seemingly invincible adamantium kingpin that just could not be broken. I just KNEW there was something somewhere in the Bible that resolved it while sitting perfectly with it at the same time (The Bible cannot disagree with itself, after all), but I just couldn't ever find it. Well, I am over-joyed to tell you that the Bible came through heroically, as it always does, and I found what I had been missing for so long. You will LOVE it.

This article is for anyone who wants solid, iron-clad, Bible-backed proof that the rapture of the church will happen BEFORE the 70th week (aka the tribulation). It's for pre-tribbers that are stuck pondering a seemingly irreconcilable piece of scripture (like 2nd Thessalonians 2:3). It's for those depressed mid-tribbers, pre-wrathers and post-tribbers who WANT to believe in a pre-70th week rapture of the church, but have been taught wrong and have been shown some pretty convincing "evidence" that the rapture of the church will happen only AFTER the 70th week.

The doctrine of a pre-70th week rapture of the church is being increasingly doubted today by innocent people who are simply being taught wrong, and outright attacked by others, far worse, who secretly hate the Christian church and have a devilish spirit inside them that wants to see the church delivered into the hands of Satan. These people hold the position that the church will have to go through half, or 90%, or ALL of the 70th week before it's raptured up to meet Jesus. They are called, respectively, mid-tribbers, pre-wrath tribbers, and post-tribbers. They differ on their idea of exactly when the church will be raptured, but they all agree that the church will not be raptured up before the 70th week starts.

I'm going to show you how the Bible refutes and dismantles every single point of supposed evidence that the less innocent mid, pre-wrath and post-tribbers have brought out against the pre-70th week rapture of the church, and you're going to see a lot of the ways that they have twisted the scripture to support their positions, either out of biblical ignorance or deliberate, intentional deception.

Let me just remind you to not object to something simply because it conflicts with something you've been previously taught. We, as humans are so susceptible to logical fallacies: Appeal to majority (a lot of people believe it so it must be true!), Appeal to authority (a man of great authority said it so it must be true!), Appeal to tradition (we've always believed it to be true, therefore it must be true!), etc, etc. We're susceptible to these kinds of errors because we think with our emotions more than we do with logic. Sometimes our biggest obstacle is our own mind. So, I just wanted to put that readiness into your head as you read on.
 
And for anyone who might be concerned, I use an Authorized King James Bible.

Here's a quick list of the points we will be addressing: 

1. Matthew 24:29-31
This is the flagship passage of the post-tribbers "proof" that the church isn't raptured up until after the 70th week, but there are correlating passages in the Bible that also describe this same gathering, and when we overlay the details of them together, we see very clearly that Matthew 24:29-31 is not describing the rapture of the church.

2. 1st Corinthians 15:22-24 and Acts 24:15
Post-tribbers often cite 1st Corinthians 15:22-24, and say that the church falls into the order of 'they which are Christ's at his coming.' We're going to see from the Bible that this is incorrect, and we're going to see just which order the church DOES fall into. Post-tribbers cite Acts 24:15, where Paul only mentions two resurrections - one for the just and one for the unjust - and then say that this matches up with Revelation chap. 20, which says that there are only two resurrections, one for the good and one for the wicked. They then pose the question as to where the secret, separate resurrection is for the church is. We're going to see from the Bible that the first resurrection is comprised of more than just one group.

3. 1st Corinthians 15:54
Post-tribbers claim that this verse and the surrounding scripture proves that the end of the 70th week comes immediately after the rapture of the church, therefore proving that the church has to go through the 70th week. Again, the Bible will show us how that is wrong.

4. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2
For the longest time now, mids, pre-wrathers, and post-tribbers have used this chapter as supposed proof that the church can't leave until the man of sin (the anti-christ) has shown up and been revealed as the devil incarnate (the son of perdition), which happens halfway through the 70th week, causing many to believe that, therefore, the church has to be here for at least half of the 70th week, if not more. We're going to see something somewhere else in the Bible that completely proves that the church leaves BEFORE the 70th week, but sits perfectly well with 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2, as well.
 
5. The post-tribber claim that the 70th week was made for the church so it can be purified. As gently as I can say it, that is pure, catholic nonsense, and symptomatic of replacement theology.

6. The post-tribber claim that since Revelation 7:13-14 clearly shows saints in the 70th week, the church must surely be here for the 70th week. We're going to see from the Bible that there is a big difference between the Christians saved before the 70th week and the people saved after the 70th week starts.

7. The "last trump." A lot of people think this means the 7th trumpet of the 70th week, but that's wrong.

8. We look at the post-tribber claim that there is nothing so special about the church that it should get to escape the 70th week. We will see in the Bible where God disagrees.

9. This point is a lot like number 8. Post-tribbers think that because some areas of Christianity (namely, western Christianity) have not suffered to the post-tribbers' satisfaction, that the whole church must therefore suffer the 70th week.

10. Some mid-tribbers, pre-wrathers and post-tribbers think that the "falling away" and "strong delusion" of 2nd Thesaalonians chapter 2, and the offense and hatred of Matthew 24:10 will be because pre-tribbers will be angry that the rapture didn't happen. We take a look at what the REAL cause of the anger and confusion is going to be.

So, without further delay, let's get started:

(1) Matthew 24:29-31This is the post-tribbers flagship passage of supposed "proof" of the post-70th week rapture of the church, so let's take a a look at it right now:

Matthew 24:29-31
29. 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:
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.
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.

Also paralleled in Mark chapter 13...

Mark 13:24-27
24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25. and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

"Right there it is in plain English," the post-tribber proudly proclaims. "AFTER the tribulation, Jesus returns and calls his elect up to meet him in the clouds. You pre-tribbers ain't goin' NOWHERE! Hahaha!"

The first thing I want you to notice is that in neither of those passages does it say anything about the elect flying up to join Jesus in the clouds, as the church does in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17. In fact, Matthew 25:31-46, which is the same gathering as Matthew 24:29-31, shows that Jesus is already sitting on his throne in glory before the wicked and the righteous are gathered to him in the end. (And you'll see proof in just a moment that the gathering in Matthew 25:31-46 most certainly IS the same gathering as the one in Matthew 24:29-31.) You may argue that "gathered from the four winds and from one end of heaven to another" certainly means they're in the air, but actually, these are just terms for far off lands that lie beyond the horizon, as proven by other scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:4-5
4. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5. and the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

^Obviously, this is referring to people that are still living because it says he will MULTIPLY them above their fathers. Obviously, no living person in a corruptible body (one that can have intercourse and multiply) is residing in the outmost parts of the second or third heaven when Jesus returns. It just means that even if they are dwelling in lands far beyond the horizon, God will bring them back to Israel.

And more proof that "end of heaven" simply means the far ends of the earth:

Isaiah 13:4-5
4. The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together:
5. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

^This is the Lord gathering the armies of all far off countries together to Israel for the battle of Armageddon. They are called the weapons of his indignation just as the anti-christ is called the rod of his anger and the staff of his indignation (Isaiah 10:5).

We see in Zechariah that this is referring to the time when Jesus calls all the nations together for the battle of Armageddon:

Zechariah 14:2
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

But Isaiah 13:4-5 uses the language "from a far country, from the end of heaven" because "heaven" in that usage just means nations that lie beyond the horizon.

When Jesus says he will gather his elect from the far ends of heaven in Matthew 24:31, he is referring to the righteous Gentiles that are still alive and enduring, and are scattered all over the earth, and the Jews, of course, who are in their secret hiding place, wherever that is (Revelation 12:6 & 14). You might ask, "Yeah, but what about those that were killed during the 70th week? When do they get their glorified bodies then?"

Those that died during the 70th week get their glorified bodies AFTER the Jesus is already on his throne. They don't fly up to meet Jesus in the clouds as the church does in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17. We see proof of this in Revelation 20:4...

Revelation 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.

We see here that certain saints are already sitting on their thrones to judge those that will re-populate the earth during the millenial kingdom. If they are already on their thrones, then Jesus is certainly already on his throne. And as you just read, the souls of them that were killed during the 70th week are given their bodies AFTER everyone is on their throne. Therefore, we know their bodies did not fly up to meet Christ in the air as the church did. No one meets Christ in the air in Matthew 24:29-31; anyone who is with him in the clouds before he lands on earth CAME with him in the air from heaven. All of the living people, bad and good, will be gathered to Jesus once he's on his throne, and then the souls of the martyrs will be given their glorified bodies. The church will have already gotten their incorruptible bodies on the FIRST day of Christ, which happened 7 years prior, at the first day of Christ (Luke 17:22 for a refresher).

And here's the righteous Jews and the righteous Gentiles being gathered with the great trumpet of Matthew 24:29-31:

Isaiah 27:12-13
12. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.
13. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Next comes a very important part:

Matthew 24:29-31 is the same gathering that's happening in Matthew 13:24-30 and 37-43. So, let's take a look at Matthew 13:24-30 and 37-43...

Matthew 13:24-30
24. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25. but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Matthew 13:37-43
37. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38. the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39. the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42. and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

For proof that this is the same gathering that's happening in Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13:24-27, we see in Matthew 13:39 that this gathering in Matthew chapter 13 is the harvest that happens at the END of the world, and that the reapers are the angels, gathering God's elect to him, just as in Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13;24-27...

Matthew 13:39
the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

But here's the important thing to notice: In Matthew 13:30, we see that the wicked (aka the tares) are gathered FIRST:

Matthew 13:30 (Emphasis mine)
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together FIRST the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

These people that are being gathered FIRST are the wicked people being gathered in Luke 17:34-36 and Matthew 24:40-41:

Luke 17:34-36
34. 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. 35. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Matthew 24:40-41
40. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

How do we know that these are the wicked being gathered and not the righteous? Because they're being gathered FIRST, just like Matthew 13:30 says, and because of WHERE they are being taken to. In Luke 17:37, Jesus' disciples ask him WHERE those that are taken first are going to be taken to and he tells them they will eventually be taken to where the birds are feasting:

Luke 17:37
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

This gathering of fowls that are feasting on dead bodies is Revelation 19:17-18, where all of the fowls of the earth are gathered to feast on the dead bodies of the armies of the anti-Christ, after Jesus has defeated them:

Revelation 19:17-21
17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18. that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

This lets us know that the wicked aren't gathered up until AFTER Jesus has landed on earth and has defeated the armies of the anti-Christ.

And we know that Jesus defeats the armies of the anti-Christ when he's on the ground because the battle of Armageddon is called the great wine-press of God that Jesus shall tread with his feet:

Revelation 14:17-20
17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Revelation 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.

So, what does this tell us? If the righteous are gathered up AFTER the wicked, and the wicked aren't gathered up until AFTER Jesus has landed up on earth and destroyed the armies of the anti-Christ, then the righteous aren't gathered up until after he's landed on earth and defeated the armies of the anti-Christ too. This matches up with Matthew 25:31-46, which shows the wicked and the righteous being gathered to Jesus after he's already on his throne:

Matthew 25:31-46
31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32. and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33. and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35. for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36. naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38. When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39. Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42. for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Now, let's go back to the notion that Christians are supposedly "rising" to Christ in the air in Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13:24-27 for a moment, because there is one last thing to clear up. Some post-tribbers have tried to prove that the elect are rising to Christ in the air by saying that what Luke 17:37 means by "body" is the body of Christ and what it means by "eagles" is Isaiah 40:31, where is says those that God renews will mount up with eagles wings:

Luke 17:37
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Isaiah 40:31
but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

But this is grasping at straws. We see in the parallel passage in Matthew 24:28 that "body" means a carcass, and we know Jesus is not coming back as a dead carcass (to the chagrin of catholics and ministers of Satan everywhere)...

Matthew 24:27-28
27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Again, this is referring to the dead bodies of the armies of the anti-Christ after Jesus has already defeated them and made his way to his throne.

So, once we put all of this together, we get a very clear and clean order of events:

1. The rapture of the church (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1st Corinthians 15:51-53), aka the FIRST day of the Son of Man (1st day of Christ) that many will seek and not see (Luke 17:22), typified by Noah being shut inside the ark 7 days (type of 7 years) before the wrath starts. All that are inside the ark are unaffected by the wrath. All are married.)

2. The 70th week

3. Jesus' 2nd coming (Matthew 24:29-30, Mark 13:24-26, Revelation 14:17-20, Revelation 19:11-21) aka the second day of the Son of man (second day of Christ), which happens at the end of the 70th week, and someone can still cling too dearly to their earthly life and end up damned (Lot's wife).

4. The gathering of the wicked and righteous to Jesus on his throne (Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 13:24-20, 37-43).

...4a - The wicked are gathered first and bundled up (Matthew 13:30, Luke 17:34-36, Matthew 24:40-41)

...4b - The righteous are gathered second (Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27)

5. The souls of those martyred during the 70th week are given their glorified bodies. (Revelation 20:4)

6. The righteous are allowed to enter into the kingdom (Matthew 25:34)

7. The wicked are then taken and dumped where the fowls are feasting (Matthew 25:41-46, Luke 17:37, Matthew 24:28)

This gathering of the everyone to Jesus' throne poses yet another problem for post-tribbers, too. Post-tribbers have to believe that there is not a change of the dispensation of salvation when the 70th week starts, because if the dispensation of salvation DOES change, then the church can't be here for it. If the dispensation of salvation changed from the very easy gospel of salvation by grace through faith to one of faith and works, then the church would have to be taken out of here, otherwise, they could take the mark and lose their salvation. But we know that the salvation of someone who is saved before the 70th week and therefore already part of the body of Christ is eternally secure (If you have any doubts of that, I challenge you to read the article, "Once you are saved, you are ALWAYS saved.") Because post-tribbers believe that the dispensation of salvation stays the same, they have to believe that all of the elect that are gathered after the 70th week are saved the same way the church was: by grace through faith.

So, here's the million dollar question:

What determines that the righteous that are gathered to Jesus' right side in Matthew 25:34 are actually righteous then?

If you say it's because they were saved the same way the church was (grace through faith), then they would have been raised incorruptible. And clearly, since we see that the people that re-populate the earth during the millenial kingdom can still sin (Isaiah 65:20, Zechariah 14:16-19), we know they are not incorruptible. If you say that it's faith and WORKS that saves them (which is what Matthew 25:31-46 says), then you have to admit that there is a change in the dispensation of salvation with the arrival of the 70th week. If there is a change of the dispensation of salvation from grace through faith to faith and works, then the church cannot be here as that would mean we could potentially lose our salvation.

I've heard some post-tribbers try to get around this by claiming that Christians can take the mark of the beast without losing their salvation. What then, pray tell, counts as "purification," if you can even take the mark of the beast without losing your salvation then??

That brings us to replacement theology. Replacement theology is the devilish doctrine that the Christian church has forever replaced the physical, genealogical Israel as the new spiritual Israel, and that all of God's plans and promises for Israel have now gone to the church. Post-tribbers have to believe in this doctrine in order to make the 70th week all about the church, and to keep from having to admit that there is a change of the dispensation of salvation. They claim that any genealogical Jew who gets saved during the 70th week will simply become part of the church and will be raised incorruptible together with the rest of the church as the "new Israel."

But I wonder how they account for this verse then:

Matthew 19:28
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Who are the twelve tribes of Israel here? If you say that it's the church then why do we need to be judged? Are we not incorruptible and made in the likeness of Jesus by that point? Are we not the body of Christ?

Clearly, these twelve tribes are exactly who the Bible says they are: the twelve tribes of Israel, not the church. These are the living Jews that will be redeemed out of the 70th week and allowed to inherit the kingdom. They are not incorruptible, they can have children and they can still sin, which is why they have to be judged. This also further confirms that there is a change of the dispensation of salvation in the 70th week because otherwise, these twelve tribes would have been raised incorruptible.


(2) 1st Corinthians 15:22-24 and Acts 24:15
Let's start with 1st Corinthians 15:22-24. This is another passage that post-tribbers try to use to make another case for a post-70th week rapture of the church. Let's see what it says:

1st Corinthians 15;22-24
22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
24. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Notice there are three orders of resurrection:

1. Christ the firstfruits.
2. They that are Christ's at his coming.
3. Then cometh the end.

The post-tribber reads this aloud and says, "See? There are only three groups of resurrection: (1) Jesus, (2) they that are his at his second coming, (3) and the resurrection that happens at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ. There is no secret fourth order mentioned for the rapture of the church before the 70th week begins."

They then try to further confirm this by pointing out that Jesus only mentioned three hours of resurrection in John chapter 5:25 & 28-29. Let's take a look at those verses real quick:

Jon 5:25 & 28-29
25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29. and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The three hours of resurrection mentioned are:

1. "And now is..."
2. The hour is coming when the good shall rise
3. The hour is coming in which ALL, both good and evil shall rise.

You can probably already see how post-tribbers have a venue to twist this. What they will do next is match up these three hours and three orders like thus:

(1) The resurrection of Jesus
1st hour: "and now is..."
1st order: Christ the first fruits

(2) The resurrection and gathering of the saints at the end of the 70th week
2nd hour: The hour is coming when the good shall rise.
2nd order: "They that are Christ's at his coming."

(3) The resurrection at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ of both the good that are dead and still alive, and the wicked that are raised out of hell.
3rd hour: The hour is coming in which ALL, both good and evil, shall rise.
3rd order: "then cometh the end..."

Then they'll reinforce once more: "See? There is no fourth instance of a secret resurrection for your precious church."

Pretty convincing, right? This could definitely trip up a beginner in God's word and maybe even a casual reader of the word if they didn't know where to find the answer. Are you ready to throw another monkey wrench into the gears of the post-trib doctrine?

If a post-tribber tries to spring all of the above on you, ask them this: Which of the three orders do the saints who rose bodily with Christ in Matthew 27:52-53 fit into? Let's take a look at the verses real quick:

Matthew 27:52-53
52. and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53. and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

After reading these verses, you will usually get one of three responses from the post-tribber:
(1) A "deer in headlights" look, as if they hadn't planned on you being aware of those verses, or
(2) a blank look of uncertainty, as if they didn't know about them, themselves, or
(3) some absurd, heretical response that makes no sense.

In fact, as an example of number three, a post-tribber even once told me that Matthew 27:52-53 is simply referring to the times Jesus told the disciples to raise the dead in Matthew 10:7-9 and Matthew 11:4-5. (Yes, he seriously said that.) The problem with that, of course, is that not only does verse 53 clearly show us that the bodies of the saints that rose from the grave went and visited the people in the city AFTER Jesus' resurrection, but also verse 54 shows the Centurion and his company realizing that Jesus had truly been the son of God after they saw all of these things. This lets us know that this happened at that time, NOT at some later time:

Matthew 27:54
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

So, back to the million dollar question: Which of the three orders of resurrection do these saints who rose BODILY (not just spiritually), with Jesus fit in?

If 'Christ the firstfruits' only means Jesus, as the post-tribber says, then it can't be that one, right? It also couldn't be "they that are Christ's at his coming" because he hasn't returned yet. And if it can't be that one, it SURELY can't be "then cometh the end..." So where do they fit in? This is the answer that may surprise you: They are part of "Christ the firstfruits." (And we'll see which order the church fits into in just a moment.) As usual, we will go to the Bible for our proof.

As you know, the Bible is full of types and shadows that are figures and representations of bigger things to come later. There is a type and figure of these saints that rose with Jesus in Matthew 27:52-53, and it's called the 'wave-sheaf,' a type of firstfruits offering to God. We find this figure in Leviticus 23:8-12. (The emphasis on the word 'firstfruits' is mine)

Leviticus 23:9-12
9. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
10. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the **firstfruits** of your harvest unto the priest:
11. and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the Lord.

Notice that the wave sheaf is offered up with a lamb without blemish. These are the firstfruits saints who rose bodily with Jesus (the lamb without blemish) in Matthew 27:52-53

Now, guess what? There's another firstfruits type and figure mentioned only a few verses later. These are the two 'wave-loaves.' (Again, the emphasis on the word 'firstfruits' below is mine)

Leviticus 23:15-18
15. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:
16. even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord.
17. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the **firstfruits** unto the Lord.
18. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord.

Notice, most importantly, that in verse 17 the two wave-loaves are ALSO called firstfruits. Next, notice that they are made 50 days after the wave-sheaf. If the wave-sheaf was a type of the old testament saints being resurrected at the same time as Jesus, then the wave-loaves are a type of something that happened 50 days after Christ's resurrection. Can you name something important that happened 50 days after Jesus' resurrection? Here's a hint:

Acts 2:1-4
1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

That's right! Pentecost! And what was started on Pentecost? The CHURCH, of course. The two wave-loaves are the church, a type of firstfruits.

We're going to prove from the Bible that these two wave-loaves are the church and, let me tell you, what's coming next is going to give you goosebumps.

The two wave-loaves of Leviticus 23:15-18 appear again over the span of the two feedings of the multitudes in Matthew chapters 14 and 15. Remember the 5 loaves of bread and the two fish that Jesus fed the multitude with in Matthew 14:16-18?

Matthew 1416-18
16. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18. He said, Bring them hither to me.

The two fish in Matthew 14 represent the Christian church as it is being added to. Remember when Jesus told the disciples he would make them fishers of MEN?

Matthew 4:18-20
18. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

He was referring to the church being added to:

Acts 2:46-47
46. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47. praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The church, indeed, was to grow steadily over the course of two thousand years. Notice, in particular, though, that these next verses are saying that many were added to the LORD. That's an important detail and you'll see why in just a minute.

Acts 5:14
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.

Acts 11:24
For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

Okay, now, bear down hard and pay attention closely to all that follows:

Jesus fed the first multitude in Matthew chapter 14, but in the next chapter, Matthew 15, Jesus feeds a SECOND multitude, and this time it takes place in GENTILE nations. ('Gentile' means all other nation besides Israel.) Jesus goes to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, which are Gentile nations north of Israel. There he meets a Gentile woman (a Canaanite) who begs him to heal her daughter, who is vexed with a devil. Jesus tells her that he has come to minister only to the children of Israel and that it would not be acceptable for him to give the children's bread to the dogs (Gentiles). This may sound cruel, but there was a reason for all of this. The woman pleads with Jesus that even the dogs get crumbs, and Jesus tells her that because of her great faith, her daughter had already been healed. This demonstrated to his apostles that the Gentiles were to be added to the church along with the believing Jews, and that it was FAITH that added one to the body of Christ, not lineage or ancestry. Also, this was the first time Jesus had ministered to a Gentile. Jesus then goes to the Decapolis (Mark 7:31), which was Gentile territory east of the Jordan river, where he feeds the second multitude, this time four thousand people:

Matthew 15:32-37
32. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
33. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?
34. And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
37. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

Did you catch it? In Chapter 14 there were 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Now, in Chapter 15 ther are ~7~ loaves and just a few little fishes. Notice that the two fishes that were in chapter 14 have now turned into two LOAVES of bread, bringing the total number of loaves to seven. Also, notice that in your Bible (a King James, hopefully) that the word "Seven" in verse 34 is capitalized. That means that this is a reference to the body of Christ! The Seven loaves are the body of Christ. Remember Acts 5:14 and 11:24 saying that the LORD was being added to?

Check it out:

1st Corinthians 10:17
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

The body of Christ is likened to a body of bread.

Did you see what happened here? After the feeding of the multitude in Gentile lands (a type of the gospel having included the Gentiles) the fishing and gathering of the church is over and the two fishes have become the two wave-loaves of Leviticus 23:15-18. The firstfruits body of Christ is now complete. The "few little fishes" of Matthew 15:34 are the saints that will become saved out of the 70th week. They are the saints mentioned in Revelation 7:14. More on them later.

So, guess what this means. It means that the church falls under the "Christ the firstfruits" order in 1st Corinthians 15:23, NOT they that are Christ's at his coming:

1st Corinthians 15:23
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

And THAT means that the church will be resurrected BEFORE Jesus' second coming.

The order 'Christ the firstfruits' is comprised of:
(1) Jesus (the lamb without blemish),
(2) the wave-sheaf (the saints who rose bodily with Christ),
(3) the two wave-loaves (the church)

Look which three groups of people go throught the door in Matthew 25:

(1) The Bridegroom (Jesus)
(2) The five wise virgins (the wave-sheaf, the saints who rose with Christ)
(3) The bride (the two wave-loaves, aka the church)

Quick note: You may be arguing that the five wise virgins can't be the saints who rose with Jesus because they are female and bridesmaids. Nowhere in any of Matthew 25 or anywhere else in the Bible will you find a verse of proof that the virgins were female or bridesmaids. They are simply virgins. It's sad, but people are just so scripturally ignorant these days. That's why you have married, Gentile Christian women today claiming that they are one of the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation chapter 14, when it clearly says they are MEN who are virgins (not married) who have not been defiled by women and are JEWS. In fact, a speculation of mine is that the old testament saints that rose with Jesus in Matthew 27:52-53 are the 144,000 redeemed virgins that follow him wherever he goes. There isn't any scripture that says they witness to the people on earth during the 70th week. That's just something that has been passed down and passed down and just accepted as truth over time.

Anyway, that's getting distracted onto a different topic, and one that I haven't studied out enough to speak soundly on.

Getting back to the rapture, now you know why Paul said 'THEY' that are Christ's at his coming in 1st Corinthians 15:23, and not 'we,' as he said in 1st Thessalonians 4:17. (emphasis in the word 'we' in the following verses is mine:)

1st Thessalonians 4:15-18
15. 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.
16. 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:
17. 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.
18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Paul used the word 'WE' with this description of the rapture because that's the one he knew he was going up in. He thought it might happen in his time. He used the word 'THEY' in 1st Corinthians 15:23, because he was not going to be part of that order of resurrection. He knew he would have been raised 7 years prior to that in the PRE-70th week rapture of the church.

Another point on that: Why would Paul say WE who are alive and remain, if he was referring to a time AFTER the horrors of the 70th week? How would he know he was going to survive the 70th week? Zealous as Paul was, he would be one of the FIRST people Satan would go after to behead.
 
Now, let's address Acts 24:15. This is another verse that post-tribbers try to use. In fact, we'll get to knock out two birds with one stone here and correct some confusion over Revelation 20:4-6. But first, let's take a look at what Acts 24:15 says:

Acts 24:15
and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust

The post-tribber cites this verse and says, "See? Acts 24:15 mentions the hope of our resurrection and only TWO resurrections are listed: one for the just and one for the unjust. Also, Revelation 20 shows us that the first resurrection doesn't happen until AFTER the 70th week. Therefore, there is no separate, special rapture for your precious church!"

We don't have to spend much time on Acts 24:15 because we've already seen that the first resurrection is comprised of three different orders:

(1) Christ the firstfruits, which includes Jesus (the Bridegroom), the saints of Matthew 27:52-53 (the wave-sheaf) and the church (the bride, the two wave-loaves)
(2) 'They that are Christ's at his coming' (The martyrs of the 70th week, and those gathered to Christ's throne on his right side.
(3) The good who have died during the 1000 year reign of Christ and are found in the lamb's book of life at the great white throne judgement.

But now let's take a look at Revelation 20:4-6. There is some confusion over the placement of the words 'This is the first resurrection' found in verse 5. Let's take a look:

Revelation 20:4-5
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.
5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Some people (including myself at one point in time) have wrongly said that the words "This is the first resurrection" should have come at the end of verse 4. As always, the Bible has had it right and we men, leaning to our own understanding, have been wrong this whole time in saying that these words were out of place. Remember the three orders of resurrection listed just above. The last order of 1st Corinthians 15:23 ("and then cometh the end") happens at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ and is the final hour of resurrection that Jesus mentioned in John 5:28, where he said the hour is coming in which ALL, both good and wicked, are gathered in front of the great white throne and checked for their works and whether or not their name is in the book of life. The ones that are found in the book of life (the just) are the last order of the first resurrection (the resurrection of the just). But remember that this last part of the first resurrection happens at the same time as the second resurrection (aka the resurrection of the unjust.) See, at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ, there will have been good people who died in the 1000 years and they get judged at the same time the wicked do. That's why the book of life is opened to see who's in it. Otherwise, if it was just a judgement for the wicked, the book of life wouldn't even need to be there. That's why verse 5 puts the words 'This is the first resurrection' after the words 'But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.' Hopefully, I made that clear and not more confusing. You have two resurrections, one for the just and one for the unjust. The first resurrection is divided into multiple orders, and the last order happens at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ at the same time the resurrection of the unjust happens. Verse 6 of Revelation 4 then says, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection" in order to distinguish the good from the evil, since they are both raised at the same time at the end.


(3) 1st Corinthians 15:54
Now, let's deal with 1st Cortinthians 15:54, since our post-tribber friends seem to think it's "proof" that the rapture of the church happens immediately after the 70th week. Let's start with verse 51 so we know for a fact that this is a description of the rapture of the church, but pay close attention to verese 54:

1st Corinthians 15:51-54
51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Post-tribbers point out that the words, 'Death is swallowed up in victory' are from the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 25, and then they point out that Isaiah chapter 25 is a reference to the tail end of Revelation 7, which describes the end of the 70th week. They therefore conclude that since 1st Corinthians 15:54 says that after the church had gotten their new bodies that the prophecy from Isaiah 25 shall then be brought to pass, the rapture of the church clearly happens at the end of the 70th week. This sounds intriguing, so let's take a look at those scriptures, starting with Isaiah chapter 25, and then the end of Revelation chapter after that:

Isaiah 25:6-10
6. And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
9. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
10. For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

This is definitely describing the end of the 70th week. The post-tribbers are being honest about that, at least. Notice the feast of wines and blood and marrow and fat things in verse 6. This is the great supper mentioned in Revelation 19:17-18 and Ezekiel 39:17-20. The "wine" is the blood that comes out of the great winepress mentioned in Revelation 14, which is Jesus destroying the anti-Christ's armies at Armageddon. Notice that in verse 7 "the face of the covering" and "the vail that is spread over all nations" is removed. This is the strong delusion that God sends upon the Christ-rejecting world in 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12.

Notice in verse 10 that the kingdom that has been broken is the horn of Moab. The anti-Christ will be a Jew (or someone with Jewish roots) from Moab, which is why Edom, Moab and the Ammonites all escape from him in Daniel 11:41. He's not going to attack his own people. Finally, notice that in verse 8 it does indeed mention that death is swallowed up in victory. Notice also in verse 8 that he wipes the tears away from their faces. This matches up with the tail end of Revelation chapter 7, which is describing the end of the 70th week too:

Revelation 7:13-17
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Uh, oh! Are the post-tribbers about to score a field goal and get on the board here? Nope. They don't even get a field goal.

If you read 1st Corinthians 15:54 carefully, it says "then shall be brought to pass that saying death is swallowed in victory." Emphasis on the words "then shall be brought to pass." It does NOT say, "And then shall have been FULFILLED that saying death is swallowed up in victory." No, it says it is still yet a future event and it could be even years away. The Bible will prove it. There is one other place in your King James Bible where the words "and shall be brought to pass" are found verbatim and that is in Ezekiel 21:7

Ezekiel 21:7
And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God.

When this warning was given, the actual occurrence of the coming judgment was still several years away, as can be discerned by the dates given at the beginning of several of the chapters in Ezekiel. It's the same with 1st Corinthians 15:54. When the time comes that "this corruption shall have put on incorruption" there will still be several years (seven, exactly) before the saying "death is swallowed up in victory" is brought to pass. So why would Paul even bring it up then? Because the whole chapter is about resurrection from DEATH. I hate to say, "duh," but duh.


(4) 2nd Thessalonians 2:3
So, here it is, the scripture that preachers and teachers everywhere have pondered and wrestled over for so long when the resolution was waiting quietly elsewhere in the Bible.
 
Let's read this verse along with its surrounding text.

2nd Thessalonians 2:1-9
1. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2. that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
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;
4. who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9. even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

We can tell from the very first verse that this chapter concerns the rapture of the church ("the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering unto him"). And we know from other places in the Bible that the day of Christ is, indeed, the day of the church's resurrection (1st Corinthians 1:8, Philippians 1:6, 1:10, 2:16).

So, when Paul says here that the day of Christ won't happen until there be a falling away first AND that man of sin be revealed as the son of perdition by sitting down in the temple and committing the abomination of desolation halfway through the 70th week, well, it certainly looks like the church isn't leaving for heaven until at least halfway through the 70th week.

I and other pre-tribbers who KNEW that there was a resolution somewhere would begin looking for that resolution and, boy, would the gears ever start grinding and sparks start flying. We would argue for hours with the post-tribbers over who the restrainer of verses 6 & 7 is, and we thought, for some reason, that if we could just prove that the Christian church is the restrainer, that we could somehow solve everything and prove a pre-70th week rapture of the church. But it never worked. Verse 3 would always remain this invincible kingpin that would not let go. We were stuck in a catch 22. The anti-christ couldn't arrive until the church was taken out of the way (rapture), but the rapture (the day of Christ) couldn't take place until the anti-Christ had been revealed. It didn't matter where we moved the "day of Christ" to on the timeline, either, because it still couldn't happen until the anti-Christ arrived, but the anti-Christ couldn't arrive until the church was raptured up out of the way. We pre-tribbers would walk away from the debate with an arrogant "humph!" and declare victory, but then chew our fingernails in private wondering how we would get around such a catch 22.

I knew there was an answer in the Bible somewhere, and I had been praying for quite a while to find out what finally resolved it, and the Lord showed it to me just the other night as I stumbled upon the diligent work of some other Christians.

So, let's see how this gets resolved:

In 2nd Thessalonians 2:2 we see that the Thessalonians were shaken and troubled because they thought the day of Christ was at hand.

The words "at hand" always refer to a nearby future event, never a present event that is currently happening. For example:

Deuteronomy 32:35
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

^Notice the calamity is "at hand" but then it says it "shall come," as in future tense.

Isaiah 13:6
Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

^Notice the day of the Lord is "at hand" but then it says "it shall come," as in future tense.

2nd Timothy 4:6
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

^Obviously, the words "at hand" denote a future tense, because if it was present tense, he wouldn't be able to write anything.

Now, we know that no one in their right minds would have a problem with the day of Christ being in the near future if it was indeed their hope of a resurrection, especially if they were being persecuted as badly as the Thessalonians were and wanted to escape. So what sense does it make that the Thessalonians would have been shaken or troubled thinking that their rescue was at hand?

Here's the answer:

There are TWO days of Christ, and they happen seven years apart. If you think that sounds crazy, keep reading. The Bible is going to prove to you that there are TWO days of Christ.

The Thessalonians had been deceived by a letter that was floating around that claimed that they had missed the FIRST day of Christ (the rapture of the church), and that that was the reason they were being persecuted so much. They thought they were in the 70th week already. They thought the next thing to take place was the SECOND day of Christ, aka the day of the Lord, aka the wrath. Imagine what they were thinking: if they had been counted unworthy of being raptured under such an easy dispensation of grace through faith, how much more unworthy were they going to be considered under the dispensation of faith and works? (Which is how you survive the second day of Christ, as we will shortly see). They were scared to death.

We can see that they had been told they had missed the church's resurrection (the FIRST day of Christ), and that the second one (the wrath) was nearly upon them by looking at 2nd Timothy 2:16-18

2nd Timothy 2:16-18
16. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenæus and Philetus;
18. who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Look closely at this. We know that the Thessalonians had been told that the day of Christ was AT HAND, meaning that it was near, but still in the future. But we see here that they had also been told that the resurrection of the church had already past. In other words, they had been told that the first day of Christ has passed, and that they were in the 70th week and about to face the second day of Christ and very likely be damned to hell.

And now, here's the iron-clad proof that there are TWO days of Christ, spoken of by Jesus himself, and he even goes on to describe the two different days of Christ, and the typology of the first fits the pre-70th week rapture of the church, and the typology of the second fits his second coming:

Keep in mind here that he is talking in scope, no to the believing apostles, but to the unbelieving nation of Israel in the 70th week, as denoted by the usage of the word "ye."

Luke 17:22
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

Who's the Son of man? Christ, of course. So, what are the "days of the Son of Man?" The days of Christ, of course. Is the word "days" singular or plural? Plural, of course. So, when Jesus says "Ye shall desire to see ONE of the days of the Son of Man, and ye shall not see it" what is he saying? He's saying that there is more than one day of Christ and some people are going to miss one of them. Also, if you know anything about 17th century English, notice the use of the word 'ye,' which is different from 'you.' 'Ye' is directed to a whole people, not just one person. He is speaking in scope to the majority of Israel. He is telling them they will miss THAT day of Christ (the first one) because they will not accept him as their savior. The church, on the other hand, will NOT miss that particular day of Christ because we accepted the gospel and were saved. Notice that afterwards (verse 23-24), he warns them (Israel) to avoid false christs, because after the first day of Christ, people will be saying we found him here or we found him there, and he says not to go, because he (Jesus, the true Christ) will appear in such a way that is unmistakeable (lightning flashing from east to west.)

Next, he goes on to describe the two days of the Son of man, or the two days of Christ. Here's the first one:

Luke 17:26-27
26. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Noah, the ark, and the flood is a typology of the rapture of the church, the first day of Christ. If we go back to Genesis chapter 7, we see that Noah and his family (all of the righteous people in the world) are put onto the ark SEVEN DAYS before the wrath of God comes, as in the seven years of the 70th week before the wrath of God comes at the end. The ark is very much a type of baptism into the body of Christ by grace through faith, just as Peter says (1st Peter 3:20-22).

"Seven days" (before the wrath starts) - Note verses 4 and 10 below:

Genesis 7:1-10 (Emphasis mine)
1. And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4. For yet SEVEN DAYS, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
5. And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.
6. And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7. And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9. there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10. And it came to pass AFTER SEVEN DAYS, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.

Also, notice that God himself shuts the door of the ark, not Noah:

Genesis 7:15-16
15. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
16. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.

This lines up with the door being shut after the bride and the 5 wise virgins respond to the coming of the bridegroom in Matthew 25:1-13. Also, it lines up with the door that only Jesus can open and shut in Revelation 3:7-8 being held open for the Philadelphian church who is told that they will be kept from the hour of temptation that will come upon the whole earth. They will not be subject to it in any way. Also, notice that everyone inside the ark (which is a type of the body of Christ - 1st Peter 3:20-22), is MARRIED.

Now, I need to address something here. There are some post-tribbers who try to say that Genesis chapter 7 says that Noah entered the ark and the door of the ark was closed on the very day it started raining, not 7 days prior, and, in fact, try to use the flood account as proof of a POST-70th week rapture of the church. They gladly and even quickly agree that the ark and the flood are a type and picture of the church being baptized into the body of Christ, but then claim that Genesis 7:13 clearly shows that Noah and his family and the animals entered the ark on the same day it started raining and then say, "Ha! See? The door wasn't shut until right before God's wrath came, meaning that the church isn't going to be caught up until right before the Lord's return, and will most definitely go through the 70th week and be slaughtered! Can't wait!!" What's throwing them off is that verse 13 comes after verse 11, which dates the very day Noah entered the ark, so they think that the day mentioned in verse 13 is referring to the day mentioned in verse 11. Let's take a look at the verses and see for ourselves:

 Genesis 7:11:13
11. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of hte month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
13. In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark.

Sure, one can see where someone could get the idea that verse 13 is referring to the very day the rain started in verse 11. However, if that was the case, there would be a major contradiction here, and, in fact, a lot of ignorant atheists have jumped all over this, salivating and rubbing their hands together as they posted yet more "proof" that the Bible contains errors. For example, the following website, which attempts to list all of the contradictions in the King James Bible, added the supposed contradiction in Genesis chap. 7 over which day Noah entered the ark:

When did Noah enter the ark?

But we know there are no contradictions in the Bible. First off, just to confirm that Noah and his family and the animals entered the ark seven days BEFORE the flood came, lets look at Genesis 7:7-10 one more time:

Genesis 7:7-10
7. And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9. there went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10. And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.

Notice that Noah and his family and the animals entered the ark and THEN it came to pass AFTER seven more days that the flood came.

So, what's going on here, then? Do we have a clear case of a contradiction? No. Verses 6 - 12 are simply an interjected parenthetical that gives a broad overview of the whole event. The parenthetical ends by giving the specific date that the flood started. But then the account picks back up with the words, "On the selfsame day..." and some people who aren't led by the holy Spirit in their interpretation of the scripture take this to mean that Noah entered the ark on the selfsame day that the flood started.

Here's how to read Genesis chapter 7 to get the correct chronology of events: Start with the parenthetical of verses 6 - 12, then for the detailed account, read verse 1 - 5, then skip to verses 13 - 24.

So, why would God arrange the scripture like this? The Bible itself says that God is not the author of confusion, right? (1st Corinthians 14;33). You know what my personal opinion on it is? I believe he does things like that to trip up and expose heretics. I think he uses traps like that to show them up for what they are: deceptive peddlers of the word of God who are not being led by the holy Spirit at all. If the insights of the Bible were so clearly marked and easily defined, heretics would know to avoid trying to twist those parts of the Bible and would quickly skip on to something else. But God leaves puzzles in the Bible that a holy Spirit led Christian can figure out with study, and an unsaved poser will mis-interpret. Know what the best part is? God lets us in on the action too:

Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

God conceals these things and it's our honor to search them out and find the treasure within.

So, with that out of the way and cleared up, let's move on....

Next, Jesus describes the SECOND day of Christ, aka the day of the Lord, the day of wrath, the one the Jews will be warned to run from and if they turn back, they can still be destroyed.

Luke 17:28-32
28. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29. but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
31. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
32. Remember Lot’s wife.

Notice in this one there are not seven days before the wrath comes (7 years of the 70th week). It comes immediately because THIS day of Christ happens at the END of the 70th week. Notice that, unlike the people on the ark, these people still CAN be hurt and destroyed if they turn back to try to preserve their former life (Lot's wife - He that tries to save his life shall lose it and vice versa - Only he that endures to the end will be saved.) Notice in the verses that follow that the wicked are being taken to the field of dead bodies where Armageddon had just taken place to be eaten by the fowls. This is the gathering that happens in Matthew 24:29-31, 40-41, Matthew 13:24-30 and 37-43, Matthew 25:31-46, and Luke 17:34-37, as we have already seen earlier in the article, with the proof that Matthew 24:29-31 is NOT the rapture of the church.

The Thessalonians had been told that they had missed the first day of Christ, (just as Jesus told the Jews many would not see ONE of the days of Christ), and that they were therefore in the 70th week and the second day of Christ, the wrath, was next to happen (at hand). Paul tells them that THAT day, the second day of Christ, cannot come unless there come a falling away (apostasy) first and the man of sin is revealed.

You can argue all you want about why Paul didn't mention the second day of Christ, but Jesus himself made it plain and simple that there are TWO days of Christ. Like, I've said before, God deliberately made his Bible as a two-edged sword to where, if a heretic wants to, they can twist it support their heresy, but will do so to their own destruction.


(5) Quote from post-tribbers:
"The church has to go through the 70th week so it can be purified!"

Have you ever heard a post-tribber say this? This reeks suspiciously of catholic doctrine and anyone you hear say this is probably under the influence of the catholic church in some way. The ~catholic~ church may need to be purified, but not the true, Christian church. The church is the body of Christ and is already a redeemed purchase and is sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:12-15, 4:30). Someone is either saved or they aren't, and if they are, they are already sitting with Jesus in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) and they are already translated into the kingdom (Colossians 1:3). The "new man" that lives inside of them (Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10) is the body of Christ (Galatians 2:20), and he cannot be put back into death (Romans 6:9). They are saved forever. The body of Christ doesn't need to be "purged" further. A post-tribber may argue that by "purification" they aren't referring to salvation, but then what ARE they referring to? If they're referring to our own personal righteousness, the Bible is clear that our works are going to be tried in the fire at the judgment seat of Christ and if we have bad works, we will suffer loss, but we ourselves shall be saved (1st Corinthians 3:11-16).

God uses Satan during the 70th week to purge and try the unbelieving world, especially unbelieving Israel, not the Christian church:

Revelation 3:10
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12 makes it crystal clear that the deception of the 70th week is for those who are NOT saved and did not accept the truth (Jesus).

2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12
10. and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12. that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Notice, above, that it's talking in a past tense of a time when the people that are here for the 70th week had a chance to accept the truth before it started, but failed to do so, meaning that that particular dispensation of salvation has come and gone.

Some post-tribbers have tried to use Ephesians 5:23-27 as scriptural proof that the church has to be purified, but they must have not read verse 25 very carefully. It says Jesus GAVE HIMSELF (at the cross) that the church might be spot and wrinkle free, NOT that he designed the 70th week so the church can be spot free. Also, verse Ephesians 5:29 says that no man hateth his own flesh, but nouriseth and cheriseth it. The Bible is clear the anti-christ is not only the rod of God's anger and the staff of his indigation (Isaiah 10:5), but that he will wear out and overcome the saints that are here for the 70th week. Is Jesus beating himself with his own rod and staff? Is he whipping himself with a vinegar soaked chain while reciting the catholic catechism, the sacraments, the liturgy and taking the eucharist, lol?

They must not have read verse 26, either. It's the washing by the water of the word that keeps us clean, not the 70th week. Remember what Jesus told his disciples:

John 13:9-11
9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

He told them that they are already saved, so they don't need to be washed (or "purified") again. Only that their feet need to be washed, which is what Ephesians 5:26 meant by washing of the water by the word. Even though their feet needed to be cleaned every now and then, they where "clean every whit."


(6) Quote from post-tribbers:
"Revelation 7:13-14 clearly shows saints in the 70th week, so the church is definitely going to be there!"

There is a good reason the elder called John over to him and referred to the saints of Revelation 7:13-14 as a separate, special group of saints. Revelation 7:13-14 is depicting the people that got saved during the 70th week, not before, and as usual, the Bible proves this.

First, notice that the saints of Revelation 7:13-14 have to wash their robes in the blood of Jesus themselves, whereas the saints that John identifies with in Revelation 1:5 have been washed by Jesus:

Revelation 7:13-14
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Those that get saved in the 70th week aren't sealed by the Holy Spirit as the Christians who were saved under grace through faith were. The 70th week saints are saved by faith and works. They are either going to be martyred for not taking the mark of the beast (Revelation 12:11), or they are going to manage to survive until they are gathered in front of Jesus in front of his throne (Matthew 25:31-40).


(7) The "last trump."

A lot of people think that because Paul said in 1st Corinthians 15:51-53 that the rapture would happen at the last trump that this must mean the 7th trumpet of the 70th week, which would mean that the church is going through a majority of the 70th week. Let's take a look at the scripture and see what it says:

1st Corinthians 15:51-52
51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Notice it says the last 'trump,' NOT the last trumpet. A 'trump' is just the sound a trumpet makes, so this is going to be the last sound that a particular trumpet makes. But which trumpet is it talking about in 1st Corinthians 15:51-52?

Notice that before he is given the book of Revelation, John hears the voice like unto a trumpet speaking behind him:

Revelation 1:10-13
10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11. saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13. and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

The one talking to John was none other than Jesus Christ. Notice that he speaks with a voice like a trumpet. He speaks to John again with the voice of a trumpet and tells John to "come up hither."

Revelation 4:1-2
1. After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

This is exactly what is going to happen to the church at the rapture. Remember the four hours of resurrection that Jesus mentioned in john 5:25-29? Look again at what he says there. He says that all four of the hours of resurrection will happen at the sound of his VOICE:

John 5:25, 28-29
25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29. and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

See that? We're going to hear his VOICE and rise up. Like I said, the "trump" is simply the sound a trumpet makes. When it says we shall rise up at the last trump, it means the last word that Jesus will say, which will most likely be "hither," considering the words he said to John in Revelation 4.


(8) Quote from post-tribbers:
"There's nothing special about the church that it should get to escape any persecution, so why should it get to escape the 70th week?"

First of all, who says the church is escaping persecution? It's being more persecuted today than all of the previous centuries combined. Post-tribbers always say this as if there is some lack of suffering that the church should feel ashamed about. They're just projecting their own guilt upon the church. Just because some post-tribber isn't going through any persecution doesn't mean they get to subject the church to the 70th week to make up for their lack of hardship. Also, Jesus made it clear that because of the work the church has done for Jesus and the patience they have had following his word, he is going to keep us from the hour of temptation that will comes upon the whole earth (Revelation 3:10).  Lastly, only a devil who isn't part of the church would say that there is nothing special about the church. I'm glad Jesus felt differently and was good enough to give himself for us.

Of course, as soon as you say THAT, the post-tribber switches gears and goes with this:


(9) Quote from post-tribbers:
"Christians in 3rd world countries aren't getting to  escape persecution and hardship, so why should western Christians get to escape?"

At first, this sounds soooo altruistic and considerate, doesn't it? But, tell me, what favor is the post-tribber doing those poor Christians in 3rd world countries with this false altruism? None. Not only are they not delivering them from the persecution they are currently facing, they are demanding that they stick around for the 70th week, as well, just so the western Christians can suffer too. Those Christians that are facing brutal persecution in lesser developed countries want the pre-70th week rapture of the church to happen even MORE than western Christians, but post-tribbers are essentially telling them, "Hey, I know you'd love for the rapture to happen before the 70th week so you can quit being so hounded and killed, BUT if you'll just stick around for a time that's even worse than what you're going through now, these sorry, despicable western Christians can suffer too! Doesn't that sound better than getting to escape? Yeah? Cool! See you in the 70th week then!


(10) And the nations were angry:
Post-tribbers say that the "falling away" of 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 and the "strong delusion" of 2nd Thessalonians 2:11 are going to be a combination of people saying, "where is the promise of his coming?" (2nd Peter 3:4) and people being offended and angry that the pre-trib rapture of the church they had been deceived into trusting in never happened (Matthew 24:10, Proverbs 13:12)."

That is so wrong. If we pre-tribbers saw the anti-Christ rise to power and confirm a 7 year covenant with Israel, we would simply realize our doctrine had been wrong and would adjust accordingly. We would realize the futility of continuing to live in a lie. There would be little to be offended about because having actually SEEN the anti-Christ, we would at least know that the rest of what we had been taught was true and was now going to happen. There would be no one asking "where is the promise of his coming?" because we would know that it's going to happen within 7 years.

Here's a much more likely scenario:

People are going to be offended because, even though something huge obviously just happened all over the planet (lots of people disappearing in the rapture of the church), they're going to be told that the rapture didn't happen, then they study their bibles a little and realize that it DID. Pregnant mothers are going to suddenly be without their babies and parents are going to suddenly be without their youngest kids. People are going to be wanting answers and they're either going to be told that nothing happened and not to worry (even though their children are now gone), or explained away with some new-age nonsense that just makes it even worse. For example, this new-age, ascension, trans-humanism nonsense that's catching on and spreading like wildfire will most likely tell the world that the people who disappeared were those stubborn people not ready to "ascend" to the next level. Imagine how much that's going to comfort a mother who's wondering where her children went. Also, consider what kind of people will be left behind for the 70th week! All of the unsaved, and all of the worst that humanity has to offer. Also, the ones pushing the notion of a post-70th week rapture of the church (such as the catholic church and ministers of satan) will get violent against those that start catching on and insisting that they all missed the rapture, and demand that everyone band together and get on board with a unified one world religion for protection. Seriously, can you even imagine the chaos that will ensure after the church is raptured out of this world? This will be why people will be hated and be offended.

Also, like I pointed out at the beginning of this article, the event Peter said the last days scoffers were ignorant of was Noah and the flood, which Jesus had used as a type of the FIRST day of Christ, aka the rapture of the church before the 70th week, as we've already gone over. Think about it: Peter plainly says that the scoffers will be saying "Things go on as they have since our fathers passed away," meaning that things will be business as usual when the rapture of the church happens, just as it had been in Noah's day. Things will most certainly not be business as usual during the 70th week.

And again, 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12 is very clear that the 70th week is for those who rejected the gospel of salvation when they had a chance to accept it in the past.
 
So, what's it going to be, post-tribbers? (And I'm addressing the not so innocent ones who LOVE the idea of the church going through the 70th week). Are you going to change your tune and start preaching the right doctrine? Or are you going to further damn yourself and keep teaching a post-70th week rapture of the church despite the overwhelming heaps of biblically backed evidence for a pre-70th week rapture you have seen here?

That will do for now. If you have been depressed because you WANT to believe in a pre-70th week rapture of the church, but have been convinced by false teaching that the rapture of the church won't happen until half way through the 70th week, or 90% of it (pre-wrath), or the very end of the 70th week, I sincerely hope this article just gave you some strongly renewed hope and comfort. And if you are one of those devilish snakes that hopes for a post-70th week rapture of the church because you secretly hate the church and want to see it delivered into the hands of Satan, you're probably sulking and frowning right now.

Hold your head up, church! It won't be long now.