| Too often, we forget that the concept of | | | | those passages that describe the Second Coming |
| transition, or spiritual revolution, is one that has | | | | prophesy many specific events that will come |
| been a mainstay of the Christian faith for it's two | | | | before Christ's return. Jesus himself describes His |
| thousand years of existence. The second Coming | | | | Second Coming-and the events which will precede |
| of Christ, the Rapture, the Tribulation, the New | | | | it - in Matthew 24, and chapters 6 through 18 of |
| Heaven, the New Earth, the Millennium, and a | | | | Revelation add many details.The question of when |
| return to an eternal state are basic doctrine in | | | | the Rapture will occur is vital to the belief system |
| almost every Christian denomination. As is true | | | | of any Christian, since it determines what, if any, |
| with many other issues, there is a great | | | | role they will play in The Tribulation - a time of |
| divergence of thought regarding the biblical | | | | great trouble that will last for three and a half |
| prophecies and the sequence in which the | | | | years and immediately preceding the Second |
| prophesied events will take place, but we can | | | | Coming of Christ. Revelation 6-18 reveals that |
| summarize by looking at the three predominant | | | | there will be war, famine, pestilence, demon |
| belief systems:PREMILLENNIALISTS believe that | | | | possession, stars falling from heaven, |
| the Second coming will precede the | | | | earthquakes, and a disruption of the ordinary |
| millennium.AMILLENNIALISTS believe that when | | | | course of nature. The result of all of these events |
| Christ returns, the Second Coming will immediately | | | | will be the most of the world's population will be |
| usher in the New Heaven and New Earth and the | | | | destroyed.Although some scholars have tried to |
| eternal state.POSTMILLENNIALISTS believe that | | | | interpret these prophecies symbolically, most |
| the world will get better and better as it becomes | | | | Christians take them as a literal description of |
| more Christianized through preaching the Gospel | | | | catastrophes that will occur in the natural work |
| until it reaches a thousand years of a golden age, | | | | and will result in great loss of life and physical |
| with Christ coming at the end of the period.The | | | | destruction of the earth. These events will be the |
| question of whether to interpret prophetic | | | | result of God's wrath, and will be directed toward |
| Scripture literally or non-literally is the root of the | | | | Israel and those who chose not to believe and |
| controversy within the Church itself. Historically, | | | | accept the way of salvation through Jesus Christ |
| the literal translation of biblical prophecy led to | | | | when it was offered.From a logical standpoint, a |
| premillennialism. Non-literal interpretation led to | | | | Rapture climaxing the period of Tribulation would |
| amillennialism and has also tended to support the | | | | be "no great blessing." The Rapture is offered to |
| postmillennialism viewpoint. It is generally agreed | | | | Christians as a "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13), |
| by theologians and historians that the major | | | | indicating that the Christians will be taken up into |
| division into these three belief systems are | | | | heaven before the period of Tribulation begins.All |
| derived from differences in the theory and the | | | | who are living during the Tribulation period will |
| application of "literal interpretation of | | | | suffer, but I Thess 5:4, God has promised that |
| prophecy."Paul described the Rapture to the | | | | His church will not experience His wrath. |
| Thessalonians as the Lord coming bodily from | | | | Therefore, according to Rev 6:17, the church will |
| heaven to the air above the earth and issuing a | | | | be raptured before "the great day of His wrath" |
| loud command, accompanied by the voice of | | | | begins. The period of Tribulation will climax with a |
| Michael, the Archangel. A trumpet from God will | | | | devastating worldwide earthquake (Rev 18); the |
| be the signal for Christians who have died to be | | | | cities of the nations will collapse (v. 16-19) and |
| resurrected. A moment later Christians still living | | | | islands and mountains will disappear (v. 20). The |
| will also be "caught up." or "raptured." with those | | | | judgment of the earthquake will climax in a |
| who are resurrected to meet the Lord in the air. | | | | supernatural hailstorm in which the stones will |
| This rapturing is described as being "in the clouds," | | | | weigh a hundred pounds each (v. 21). The world |
| a reference either to atmospheric clouds or to | | | | will be in shambles, and its cities will be in ruins. It |
| the multitude of those being raised in the sense | | | | is to this scene that Christ will return with the |
| of "so great a cloud of witnesses" (Heb 12:1). | | | | raptured saints, as described in Rev 19:11-16, to |
| Once they meet the Lord in the air they go to | | | | establish a new world of order.Following the |
| Heaven to fulfillment of the prophecy of going to | | | | meeting of the Lord in the air, the Church will |
| the Father's house (John 14:2-3).The human bodies | | | | appear at the judgment seat of Christ to receive |
| of both those who have died and those who are | | | | her reward (2 Cor 5:10-11). The Church will return |
| living will be transformed instantly into bodies | | | | with Christ to the earth at His Second Coming |
| suited for heaven (I Cor 15:51-52). This passage | | | | and will reign with Him. Following the completion of |
| makes it clear that our present bodies are not | | | | the millennial Kingdom, the Church will share with |
| suited for heaven because they are perishable, or | | | | the saints of other ages the blessings of dwelling |
| subject to decay (v.53), and afflicted with | | | | in the new Jerusalem in the new heaven and the |
| mortality. A further difficulty is that our present | | | | new earth.There are as many perspectives of |
| bodies are sinful and need to be transformed into | | | | the changes now coming about as there are belief |
| bodies like Christ's (Phil 3:21). Those who died and | | | | systems. It's interesting to note, however, that - |
| went to heaven left their bodies behind and will | | | | while the Christian interpretation of "the end times |
| not be complete until they receive their | | | | process" as defined in the Bible is specific to the |
| resurrection bodies.Some Bible scholars interpret | | | | Christian perspective and uses definitive Christian |
| Scripture as saying that the rapture is a phase of | | | | theological language - the process itself is in basic |
| the Second Coming. Others regard it as a | | | | agreement with the prophecies put forth by |
| separate event that will occur several years | | | | every other philosophical school regarding the |
| before the Second Coming of Christ. While biblical | | | | geological, political, socio-economic and spiritual |
| passages are not specific regarding the timing of | | | | changes being predicted for the end of this |
| these events, the major prophecies point to the | | | | century.If we are willing to look beyond the |
| conclusion that only a rapture preceding the | | | | phraseology and focus, instead, into the concepts |
| tribulation would be a literal fulfillment of Scripture, | | | | being presented, we can - with very little effort - |
| and it is this view that is held by the majority of | | | | bridge the gap between the Christian perspective |
| Christians in this country today.According to | | | | of end time prophecy and the perspectives of |
| Scripture, the Rapture is a movement from earth | | | | other belief systems. As we explore the ideas |
| to heaven, whereas the Second Coming is a | | | | behind the words, we will see for ourselves that - |
| movement from heaven to earth. This would | | | | while God's truth comes in many forms to |
| seem to separate them into two separate | | | | accommodate the many spiritual levels of |
| events.The doctrine of the rapture is a simple | | | | mankind - that truth is always the same.Lois |
| one. Prophecies make no mention of angels or | | | | Grant-Holland is a Life Path Focus Counselor |
| attending hosts, and no mention of a judgment on | | | | offering Life Path Focus Sessions, Karmic |
| earth to follow. The Rapture's single purpose is to | | | | Astrology Charts, Channeled Guidance, Intuitive |
| take the Church from earth to heaven. The | | | | Readings and Classes and Workshops to spiritual |
| Second Coming, on the other hand, is a very | | | | seekers on all positive paths, and is the site |
| complicated event which will take place over | | | | facilitator at The A.N.S.W.E.R. - (The Seeker's |
| many hours as a gigantic procession of millions of | | | | Resource Guide to Alternative, New Thought, |
| saints and angels move from heaven to earth | | | | Spiritual Growth, Wellness and Enlightenment |
| (Rev 19:11-16).None of the passages concerning | | | | Resources. |
| the Rapture mention any preceding events, but | | | | |