When does the Rapture occur in relation to the Seven-year Tribulation?
Today we are continuing with part 2 of our topic about when the Rapture will occur.
If you haven’t read part 1, just Click Here
The war against Ukraine, started by the Russians, is still ongoing and horrible to watch. Mike who is a US Air Force veteran, CMSgt. retired, is ready to put his uniform back on and do something to help those innocent people in Ukraine.
Is this war part of the End Times?
Part of the beginning of sorrows?
Is the Rapture close?
Let’s get back to the Book of Revelation and the question when the Rapture will occur in relation to the Seven-year Tribulation. We established in part 1 that we believe the Rapture will happen before the beginning of the Seven-year Tribulation period.
Why would we say that? What comes next?
Revelation Chapter 5 describes the raptured Church praising the Lord Jesus Christ for being worthy to open the seven seals of the scroll and for redeeming us to God by His blood.
The order of events has been
1) Revelation 2-3: The churches on earth;
2) Revelation 4: The Rapture of the Church; and
3) Revelation 5: The Church praising the Lord.
The Antichrist
Revelation 6 then reveals the antichrist coming in to conquer, and eventually take peace, kill, cause famine, and death. The end result of the antichrist’s feats will bring God’s wrath in the Great Tribulation.
144.000 Jews
Before we progress to Revelation Chapter 7 which will show the 144,000 Jews being on earth during the Seven-year Tribulation period, we must look to Romans 11:25-26 to see the reasoning for this order of events:
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part [in part, because not all Jews are blinded; some are Christian Jews] has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. [After the last Gentile person has accepted Christ, then the Church will be called up into heaven, and then verse 26a of Romans 11] And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written…[God’s covenant to save Israel after the Gentiles is in Isaiah 59:20-21.]
Israel still on Earth
Maintaining context and keeping within chronological order, Revelation 7 will show that Israel is still on earth after the church has been raptured, but the wrath of God is held back from them until they can be sealed with the living God.
Revelation 7:1-4
After these things [after the things spoken of in chapter 6 which reveals the coming of the Antichrist] I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
Twelve Tribes
Then the next 4 verses name the twelve tribes of which were twelve thousand from each.
Now we will see a “jump” in the chronological order here in chapter 7 since John will get a glimpse of these 144,000 Jews plus some Gentiles who hear the Gospel are in heaven after the Great Tribulation:
Revelation 7:9-14
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in White robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
We believe that the Rapture is close and that we are in the beginning of Sorrows.
This finishes our short study on when will the Rapture occur.
Let us know what you think of this topic. We would love to hear from you.
All Scripture quoted is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
For further study on the Rapture, Seven-year Tribulation, Jesus’ next coming, and the signs of the time check out our 3-in-1 Study Guide “Digging Deep into the Revelation of Jesus Christ”. It’s a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone striving to understand the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
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For someone studying Revelation, this one reference saves time and enhances understanding without making the mistake of translating scripture. This enables the reader to make his/her own conclusions about the meaning in the Word as inspired by God.
