....Now Revelation 4:1 as Iconolist alluded to says this, 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.
Then John says he sees this, 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold....
Iconoclast said,'...recently some premill brethren have posted the view that links random verses together link a house of cards....", and he's dead on spot; soooo much of what the premil sensationalists promote concerning 'The Rapture' is just that, a house of cards. Your reference to John in Revelation is exactly that if you're trying to build a case for some sort of 'premil rapture', and you're grossly misrepresenting what is presented to us here. It seems to have been a common occurrence with his prophets to have been transported 'in the Spirit':
2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (
whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one
caught up even to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth),
4 how that he was
caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 2 Cor 12
39 And when they came up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. Acts 8
I was
in the Spirit on the Lord`s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet Rev 1:10
....I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come
up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.
Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; Rev 4:1,2
And he
carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Rev 17:3
And he
carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, Rev 21 :10
12 Then
the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of Jehovah from his place.
14 So
the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me. Ezek 3
And he put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and
the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. Ezek 8:3
1 Moreover
the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of Jehovah`s house, which looketh eastward: and behold, at the door of the gate five and twenty men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
24 And
the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. Ezek 11
The hand of Jehovah was upon me, and
he brought me out in the Spirit of Jehovah, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Ezek 37:1
In the visions of
God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me down upon a very high mountain, whereon was as it were the frame of a city on the south. Ezek 40:2
And
the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house. Ezek 43:5
And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that
the Spirit of Jehovah will carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he will slay me: but I thy servant fear Jehovah from my youth. 1 Ki 18:12
And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest
the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. 2 Ki 2:16