I cannot tell you how many times I have had someone tell me that it is foolish to study God's Word concerning the timing of the Rapture of the Church. And in a way, they may be right. His return for us is imminent; that means there is nothing which needs to occur before He comes for us. Therefore, there are no signs. Unfortunately, most quote Matthew 24:36 which says, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only." A few are even aware of the fact that Jesus, Himself, did not know. Mark 13:32 states, "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." The problem is, both of these verses are speaking of Christ's Second Coming, not the Rapture!
The Rapture is the return of Christ in the clouds to remove all born again believers before the Seven-year Tribulation (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Th. 4:16-17; 5:9; Rev. 3:10; etc.)! What we do not know, is how long after the Rapture will the Tribulation begin. When it does begin, we know the period is seven years because one half of it is described as "1260 days" (Rev. 11:3; 12:6); "42 months" (Rev . 11:2; 13:5); and "a time, times, and a half time" (Dan. 12:7; Rev. 12:14). At the mid-point of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will declare himself god, and will turn on all who oppose him, especially the Jews (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:1-18; etc.)!. That is why the Tribulation is also know as "the Time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7)! The Church is not appointed to suffer God's wrath (1 Th. 5:9)! The agreement between the Antichrist and Israel (Dan. 9:27) begins the seven-year Tribulation, and Christ's Second Coming will end it (Mt. 24:29; Rev. 19:11 - 20:15).
The Second Coming of Christ will also have Him coming in the clouds (Mt. 24:30; 26:64; Acts 1:9-12), but He will not stop there; He will actually set foot on the Mount of Olives. Zechariah 14:4 says, "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." It is at that time, having destroyed the Antichrist and his armies, that Jesus will literally fulfill all of the Bible prophecies concerning His earthly kingdom. It will last for 1000 years, and it is known as "the Millennium" (Rev. 20:1-15).
We do not know when the Rapture will occur, but it could happen before I fin
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