Rapture Study Aug 5, '06 3:51 AM
by freeborn22 for everyone
Since this is such an important and misunderstood subject, I have decided to set up a separate board for the study of this rapture question. This way all may be able to get into this and maybe learn the truth of this matter. I will start by posting some of the things we already studied here.
Now I am going to start this with the Scripture in Matthew. Please stay with this for now.
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Mt 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?



Mt 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mt 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mt 24:6
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Mt 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mt 24:8
All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mt 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Notice verse 3. They are speaking about the coming of Jesus and the end of the world. Now Jesus begins at THEIR day, and tells them how it will go from THEN till the end.

Verse 6, Jesus tells them of the wars which will come, but he said THE END IS NOT YET.

Then he tells of famines, earthquakes and such, but he said all these are the BEGINNING of sorrows.

Now that shows it was all back in their day. They were at the BEGINNING of all these sorrows and troubles. Luke also used this; but the end is not by and by. So this was not down here at the end. It was in their day and on down.

verse 9, Jesus is speaking directly to those disciples. They were afflicted and killed. They went through tribulation.

Mt 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mt 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. [this was accomplished by the Apostles]
Mt 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Mt 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Mt 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Mt 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Mt 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Mt 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
All of the above started and happened in THEIR DAY, and continued on down till the end. The false prophets continue to this day.

Mt 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
I know the church has not understood this, but that great tribulation, which was the worst of all time, was there at CALVARY. Yes, That crucifixion of our Saviour was that worst tribulation ever to be. It continued on down into the dark ages, as Christians were tortured so horribly, more than we can imagine. They suffered things Our mind cannot even grasp.

Sure I know Christians are still being persecuted and tortured. But it is still that great tribulation. It will continue until the end. But during those dark ages was the worst part. It all began with the crucifixion of Jesus. He suffered as no man has. Paul suffered more than you can imagine.

Do you just discount all this tribulation on the Saints of God? If so, how?

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Ac 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much TRIBULATION enter into the kingdom of God.
2co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our TRIBULATION, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
1th 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer TRIBULATION; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
2th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and Tribulations that ye endure:

Now all those verses, and there are others, proving that tribulation has always been upon God's people.
Mt 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mt 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.
Mt 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Mt 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mt 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
The above proves that it continued on down through all the ages just as he said it would be. False Christs and false prophets rising and doing things to deceive God's people. The elect are all of God's people of FAITH. God elected the people who believed in Jesus, Grace, not those law Jews.

Notice, he is now up to the point of the return of Jesus. He said it will be as the lightning shining from the east unto the west. But WHEN?

Mt 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mt 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mt 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Immediately AFTER the TRIBULATION shall the sun be darkened and the moon not give her light, and the stars fall from heaven...now is not this that sixth seal?

....THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven. and they shall see Him coming in the CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.

v31.....and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET [this is that last trump] and they shall gather together his ELECT.

Now, show me a rapture, or taking away the Christians, in all of that speech? It is Jesus saying this, unless you deny the Word of God.