IT IS IN THERE: PART TWO

Yesterday, I mentioned several verses of Scripture that referred to believers being "taken up" prior to God pouring out His wrath on mankind. My intention was to support the idea that God intends to Rapture the Church prior to the Tribulation. The Rapture is a mystery, and is taught in John 14:1-6, 1 Corinthians 15:47-54, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Here is evidence concerning the Rapture:

* The Seventieth Week of Daniel refers to a judgment on Israel (Dan. 9:24). This period is described as:
Wrath: Rev. 6:16-17; 11:18; 14:19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19; 1 Th. 1:9-10; 5:9; Zeph. 1:15, 18.
Judgment: Rev. 14:7; 15:4; 16:5-7; 19:2.
Indignation: Isa. 26:20-21, 34:1-3.
Punishment: Isa. 24:20-21.
The hour of trial: Rev. 3:10.
The hour of Jacob’s Trouble: Jer. 30:7.
Destruction: Joel 1:15.
Darkness: Joel 2:2; Zeph. 1:14-18; Amos 5:18.

* The first sixty-nine weeks of the prophecy had to do with Israel, and not the Church, which was not yet in existence.

* The Doctrine of Imminence states there are no prophetic events prior to Christ coming for His Church. If some event needed to occur first, then we would be looking for that event, and not anticipating the Lord's catching away of His Church.

* The message of the two witnesses in Revelation Eleven is to Israel. Their dress and miracles are typical of the Old Testament prophets.

* The different messages to the Church at Philadelphia and the Church at Laodicea regarding going through the Tribulation.

* The 144,000 of Israel, sealed during the tribulation, are saved but they are not said to be part of the Church.

* The chronology of the Book of Revelation does not mention the Church during the Tribulation found in chapters six through eighteen.

* God has not appointed the Church to wrath (1 Th. 1:9-10; 5:2-11).

One's salvation does not depend on knowing all the teachings in the Bible. However, it does depend upon knowing that because your sins are punishable by death; Jesus paid that price for you; and He rose to be Lord of your life. If you have accepted His gift of eternal life, I have good news for you! We win!