This clip is from our series "35 most asked questions concerning Bible Prophecy". This clip answers the question: Why is John 14:1-3 a rapture passage?
I'm hearing you. I always used to think of this as a sort of 'generic' passage, one in general that applies to all believers in eternity. But listening tonight, I feel the Spirit convincing me of the truth you are describing, and its a great experience, even for a Catholic! Thank You!
I have heard many pre-trib'ers say that the rapture was not revealed until 1 Thess 4 (cf 1 Cor 15 where to me it seems as if the mystery is not the rapture but the fact that we will all be changed), which seem to against that the fact that Jesus taught the rapture? I am pre-trib myself but the question of when the rapture was first taught confuses me.
I'm really struggling with John 14:1-3,being a rapture passage.The Lord does speak of of his earthly kingdom and how those who are not of the kingdom will be judged and cast out of the kingdom of heaven on earth,but the righteous will entering into the kingdom prepared as the Jewish bride.Those Jews and Gentile nations who are the sheep will enter in while the goat nations will be cast out in prophecy.We,the body of Christ are part of the mystery program of Pauline doctrine and the rapture.
The verse does speak about his coming to receive us, but for it to indirectly be referring to a pre-trib rapture, we would expect to never find any other group appearing before the throne, in the Father's house, during any other time. Like no group would appear in his house during or after the tribulation at his coming. But what do we find? Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood...
"Oh oh!".... when you realize there is clearly more than one rapture, this is the rapture for the end time Jews before the second coming but after the New Creation rapture of the age of Grace. No one wants to see this no one wants to admit it but it's clearly there, this is why there is so much in fighting on pre-trib mid-trib post-trib pre wrath et all.
You'll notice that at the sixth seal we see signs in the sky, the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood...just as the great day of his wrath arrives, which by the way, the day of the Lord is said to begin after the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood... So here we see this great crowd appearing in heaven at the sixth seal at these events...but wanna hear the clincher?...
Matthew 24 speaks of signs in the sky, the sun turning dark, the moon not giving it's light, and then the Lord returns, and gathers his people.....compare that with Rev and the great crowd before the throne after the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood...don't you see the correlation? It is after we are gathered that he unleashes his wrath after the sixth seal, which begins the day of the Lord...and we know that Paul also spoke of this day of the Lord upon which he returns and gathers us
...before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Here is a group that appears before the throne after the sixth seal, at the same time that the great day of the Lord's wrath begins. So here we have a group appearing in the Father's house, well after the trib began. What else do we find?....
It is a rapture passage, BUT, it is not a pre-trib rapture passage. Two things that John tries to single out are: QUOTE: "he will receive the believer unto himself. Notice in this coming he is not coming to come down to where they are" You will notice, John, that this passage does not say that he doesn't come down after he raptures the church, so you can't really use that as a distinction between the two events. more...
Jesus wasn't speaking of any other coming, other than the one at the end of the trib. He comes gathers his people, unleashes his wrath. It says nothing of pre-trib, that is nothing more than a wishful desire.
Very good explanation. Come Lord Jesus!
I'm hearing you. I always used to think of this as a sort of 'generic' passage, one in general that applies to all believers in eternity. But listening tonight, I feel the Spirit convincing me of the truth you are describing, and its a great experience, even for a Catholic! Thank You!
I have heard many pre-trib'ers say that the rapture was not revealed until 1 Thess 4 (cf 1 Cor 15 where to me it seems as if the mystery is not the rapture but the fact that we will all be changed), which seem to against that the fact that Jesus taught the rapture?
I am pre-trib myself but the question of when the rapture was first taught confuses me.
I'm really struggling with John 14:1-3,being a rapture passage.The Lord does speak of of his earthly kingdom and how those who are not of the kingdom will be judged and cast out of the kingdom of heaven on earth,but the righteous will entering into the kingdom prepared as the Jewish bride.Those Jews and Gentile nations who are the sheep will enter in while the goat nations will be cast out in prophecy.We,the body of Christ are part of the mystery program of Pauline doctrine and the rapture.
The verse does speak about his coming to receive us, but for it to indirectly be referring to a pre-trib rapture, we would expect to never find any other group appearing before the throne, in the Father's house, during any other time. Like no group would appear in his house during or after the tribulation at his coming.
But what do we find?
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood...
"Oh oh!".... when you realize there is clearly more than one rapture, this is the rapture for the end time Jews before the second coming but after the New Creation rapture of the age of Grace. No one wants to see this no one wants to admit it but it's clearly there, this is why there is so much in fighting on pre-trib mid-trib post-trib pre wrath et all.
The worrying thing is most churches to not preach the rapture it is Christians why of escape from what is to come!!!
You'll notice that at the sixth seal we see signs in the sky, the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood...just as the great day of his wrath arrives, which by the way, the day of the Lord is said to begin after the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood...
So here we see this great crowd appearing in heaven at the sixth seal at these events...but wanna hear the clincher?...
Matthew 24 speaks of signs in the sky, the sun turning dark, the moon not giving it's light, and then the Lord returns, and gathers his people.....compare that with Rev and the great crowd before the throne after the sun turns dark and the moon turns to blood...don't you see the correlation?
It is after we are gathered that he unleashes his wrath after the sixth seal, which begins the day of the Lord...and we know that Paul also spoke of this day of the Lord upon which he returns and gathers us
...before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Here is a group that appears before the throne after the sixth seal, at the same time that the great day of the Lord's wrath begins. So here we have a group appearing in the Father's house, well after the trib began. What else do we find?....
It is a rapture passage, BUT, it is not a pre-trib rapture passage. Two things that John tries to single out are:
QUOTE: "he will receive the believer unto himself. Notice in this coming he is not coming to come down to where they are"
You will notice, John, that this passage does not say that he doesn't come down after he raptures the church, so you can't really use that as a distinction between the two events.
more...
Jesus wasn't speaking of any other coming, other than the one at the end of the trib. He comes gathers his people, unleashes his wrath. It says nothing of pre-trib, that is nothing more than a wishful desire.