Featured Will the return of Christ be in 2 stages?

Not at all for their are believers who are saved after the church is taken to Heaven. We know that 144,000 are saved shortly after the church is removed and we see throughout that period that others come to Christ. In fcat we see, Revelation 18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." His people all those saved during the Tribulation.
Revelation 14:
9 "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Now to understand the Snatching away of the Bride we must understand the marriage process of Jesus time and that give us the way those John wrote Revelation too would understand it.

Let me explain the marriage process of Christ Time as I found it in researching this:

A. Here is the process of a marriage in Jesus time.

1. The betrothal process
2. This would be the age in which we currently live
3. A suitable spouse for the bride or Bridegroom was sought out.
4. The church in our day is the Bride which will be suitable for the Bridegroom Christ.
5. The second part of the betrothal was a “prenuptial agreement”
6. The two parties would enter that agreement and sign it before witnesses.
7. Remember Mary was “betrothed” to Joseph, they had entered this stage.
8. Once this had been entered then there would be no sexual relations between them.
9. If either was found in adultery which it would be considered a bill of divorcement would have to be issued.
10. If either party died before the actual ceremony then the other would be considered a widow or widower.

B. The next step was the Wedding


1. The length of the betrothal was generally a year.
2. The wedding was a special ceremony you see that is where we are in Revelation 19.
3. The wedding started with the procession of the groom and his companion’s to the bride’s home that occurred in chapter 4.
4. The company would then escort the Bride and her companions back to the groom’s home.
5. Where there would be a special meal prepared.
6. A celebration ensued until a written marriage contract was issued.
7. The couple would then be escorted to a special “bridal chamber”
8. Where they consummated the marriage.
9. Marriage festivities continued for up to a week.
10. Remember what we see in 1st Peter 3:7-9, 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
11. God’s timetable the marriage celebration has been ensuing for 1 week or the last 7 years of Daniel’s prophecy.
12. The time to issue the marriage contract has come.
13. The Bride is now adorned and ready for the marriage.
14. That is why Christ comes and we meet Him in the Air.


B. We see verses 8 & 9 now, 8 "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

1. She is now arrayed and prepared.
2. Fine linen clean and white
3. Fine linen the righteousness of saints
4. Now others are called to the marriage feast of the Lamb.
5. These are what God is saying.
6. Do you see the marriage process?
7. The Bride was brought for the time of the Tribulation and the festivities have been taking place in Heaven while the Tribulation is occurring on Earth.
8. Now is the time for the Marriage contract to be issued and the marriage feast to continue.


A. The Bride has been preparing herself for a week,

1. Every spot and every blemish was being removed

2. The wood hay and straw which most believers received had to finish burning

C.Each of the rewards not of intrinsic value had to be consumed

1. You see those were the rewards of the things done in the flesh by the believer
2. The Bride had been preparing herself
3. She had been 7 years or as we see in Daniels 70 weeks the last week of Daniel’s weeks was in full swing on the Earth!
4. The Bride had been in Heaven during this time preparing for the wedding,
5. All her works done in the flesh had to be fully consumed
6. And her dress made spotless for the wedding and verse 7 said the time for that marriage had come.


D. Now the Lord is set to return to the Earth this is the Second Coming of The Lord Jesus seen here in verse 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

1. Heaven is opened and a white Horse was beheld by John
2. The marriage now complete the Lord will come forth to complete the redemption of the earth itself.
3. The Bride now fully married to the Bridegroom it is time for Him to reign in His Kingdom.
4. So Heaven is opened!
5. The Bridegroom comes forth on a white horse!
6. Remember this is a different White Horse and rider than what was seen in Chapter 6.
7. He is coming forth here to return
8. As King of Kings and Lord of Lords

That is the second coming and the marriage must take place before His return according to Revelation 19.

 

But it does appear in chapter 19,
7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

If she is still on earth how has she, the wife (the Church, the Bride) of Christ been in Heaven and made herself ready? The Marriage takes place in Heaven before the return to earth, she is already ther, and where and when did she get there?
Notice too as He comes we see verse 14 of Chapter 19,
14 "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."
What do we see about how the Bride is adorned? Verse 8 of chapter 19, "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

The Church is seen as quite evident in Chapter 19. The wife the army all dressed in fine linen clean and white. That is the Church, the Bride and Wife of Christ. And she comes with Him at His return to the Earth.

 

Except the word in John 16:33 has a different Greek word than Revelation 3:10. John 16:33 is THLIPSIN many affliction, while Revelation 3:10 uses peirasmou meaning trial. Again In John 17:15 we have yet another Greek word that you show as tribulation it is ponErou wicked of wicked one. Protection in this world while the Church is here He asked for protection from the evil one that is protection from Satan as we walk in this world.

 

Hi Brother Joseph, I have taken three stabs at presenting what I understand from scripture. I believe you hold differing views. Fine. The center of our worship and ministry is striving to serve Christ in the here and now, not end times. As I said in another thread, I believe my ticket has been punched. Van

 

No, friend, they are not one and the same....unless you can figure out how it is possible that Christ comes during a time of peace and safety and also at a time of war, bloodshed and chaos.

The Bible teaches both ..........so.........you can't have it both ways at the same time. He cannot be coming at a time when mankind is celebrating peace and safety while at the same time mankind is on the edge of being wiped out by warfare and the worst chaos the world has ever seen.

The Old Testament believers were confronted by the same thing: the prophets prophesied the coming of the Lord.......as a coming King who would be loved and accepted but also as a suffering servant who would be rejected by His own people. Which one was correct? Answer: Both. He fulfilled both starting with his first advent as the suffering One and then later He will come as the King in judgment who will sit on the throne of David.

Best wishes.

 

BrotherJoseph, Hi Calypsis,

#1 Can you give me any historical quote from anyone who held to your position of the rapture occurring before the antichrist and before Christ comes in power and glory prior to 1800? No, I bet you can't.

Yes, I can. I've done that very thing right here on B.B. ...last year. So have others. Try a search engine with 'The Church fathers on the rapture' for starters.

Let me help you get started: http://beginningandend.com/what-did-ancient-church-fathers-believe-about-the-rapture/

Why? This teaching is a "new doctrine" (thus a false doctrine) of comparatively modern origin, dating from around 1830. Names associated with what was then a new teaching include Irving, McDonald, and Darby.

No it is not. you swallowed the falsehood that Irving, McDonald, etc. started it. Just read carefully what I posted above and you will see the depth of the error you have accepted.

Looking on down through the centuries, there are certain names that stand out in Christian history: John Wyclif John Huss, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Foxe, John Calvin, Isaac Newton, Johh Wesley, NONE of these men believed the church would be taken out before the appearance of the antichrist. Per you, all of Christianity and all these great men were all off base until the 1800's.

Your timing is off, just like your position. IT is not MEN we look to for right doctrine, in the final analysis it must be the Word of God.

Also, I noticed you quoted no scripture support your doctrinal stance even though in post # 1 of the OP I challenged and laid out for posters to only reply if they can support their contentions with scripture, thus all we have is your opinion.

Wink No problem. Luke 21:35-36.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

That is the pre-tribulation rapture as described by our Lord who was talking about the tribulation and how it would become a snare to the whole earth...including 'Christians' who didn't live for Him nor believe His words about the end of the world.

So as to not make my post too long, in my next post I will provide you a scriptural argument proving that the teaching the church would not remain in the world until THE END is false.

Then you would not be reading the Bible correctly.

Nonetheless, I wish you well.

 

But you did not answer my original question as to how it is that Christ could come during a time when mankind is celebrating peace and safety' (I Thess.5:2-4) while at the same time the world is in utter chaos, destruction and things are so bloody and dangerous that the Lord has to shorten the days for the very elects sake? (Mark 13:20) You didn't bother covering that issue. Why? Secondly, you made no comment about the fact that the prophets prophesied the coming of the Lord in which He was to come as a King who would be popularly received and sit upon the throne of David....but also a suffering servant who would be utterly rejected by His own people.How could those two events happen at the same time? The fact is....they DIDN'T. The secret being that the prophecy was to be fulfilled IN TWO STAGES? (hint, hint, hint.)

So why did you avoid those important hints about what is to come in our (perhaps) near future?

Best wishes. See you on the way up!

 

Yeah. Wells Fargo and Butterfield.

 

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 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 7:13-14