STUDY THE BIBLE 26 (STB 26)

“THE RAPTURE IS NOT THE 2ND COMING”

THE LAST DAYS, THE RAPTURE, THE TRIBULATION and THE ANTICHRIST, ARMAGEDDON, THE MILLENNIAL REIGN, THE NEW HEAVEN and THE NEW EARTH, THE NEW JERUSALEM

We believe that we are in the last days of this dispensation, in the which, many Christians not enduring sound doctrine, are in apostasy and falling away.

We believe the Lord will come quickly for the saved, who will be caught up (the rapture) to meet the Lord in the air. We believe that after this event, there will follow the seven year wrath of God that will be poured out on the earth (the tribulation and the antichrist).

We believe that after these seven years, Christ will then return to rescue Israel (the battle of Armageddon) from the attack from all nations, and that Israel will be restored to their own physical land here on earth.

Christ will then rule from Jerusalem with a rod of iron for one thousand years, after which, the heavens shall melt and the earth be burned up, and after which, a new heaven and a new earth shall be seen with the new Jerusalem.

The last days: 2Tim 3:1; 2 Timothy 4:3; 2Pet 3:3

Falling away: 2Thess 2:2-3

Caught up (rapture): 1Thess 1:10; 1Thessalonians 4:13-16,17-18; John 14:1-3, John 11:23-25; 1Cor 15:51-52;

The seven year wrath: 1 Thess 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:16 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Rev 6:16, 17, Revelation 11:18, Revelation 14:10,19, Revelation 15:1,7,Revelation 16:1,19,

19:15

The tribulation: Deut 4:30; Jer 30:7; Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15-21; 1Thess 5:9; Rev 7:14, Revelation 6:1–Revelation 19:21

The antichrist: Dan 7:23-28, Daniel 8:23-25; 1Jn 2:18; 2Thess 2:3-4; Rev 13:1-18, Revelation 14:9-11, Revelation 17:8-18,

Revelation 19:19-20

Armageddon: Judges 5:19-20; Joel 3:9-16; Zephaniah 3:8-9; Zechariah 14:2-14, ; Matthew 24:19-34; Acts 1:11; Jude 1:14; Rev 1:7, Revelation 6:14-17, Revelation 16:13-16, Revelation 19:11-21, Revelation 20:8

Restored to their land: Deut 30:2; Is 11:12; Jer 29:14

Rod of iron: Rev 2:27

Millennial reign: Isa 2:1-4, Isaiah 9:6-7; Dan 2:44, Daniel 7:13-14; Acts 1:6-7; 21:1-2; 2Tim 4:3; 2Pet 3:7,10-11; Rev 5:10, Revelation 21:2-6

The heavens melt and earth burned: 2 Pet 3:7, 10-11

New heaven and new Earth: Rev 3:12, Revelation 21:2

The new Jerusalem: Ps 46:4, Psalms 48:2; Gal 4:26; Heb 11:16; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 21:22

THE RAPTURE

The rapture is Christ coming for his church before the seven year tribulation starts. It is NOT the second coming which happens at the end of the tribulation.

There are approximately twenty-eight references in the New Testament coming to catch up the Christian, with five in Philippians, seven in 1Thessalonians, two in 2 Thessalonians, three in 1Peter, four in the Timothy’s and mentions in Titus, 1&2 Corinthians, James and 1John.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess 4:15-17

SECOND COMING OCCURS AT THE END OF THE SEVEN YEARS OF TRIBULATION

The second coming is not the rapture but is Jesus Christ coming back at the END of the seven year tribulation to rescue Israel at Jerusalem.

The following is the second coming of Christ.

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Rev 1:7;

It is also mentioned in the Old Testament. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, Jude 1:14. Rev 19:11-21; Matt 24:19-3

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING

Rapture	2nd Advent/Coming
RAPTURE VERSES (the Son of God) just before the seven year tribulation.     1Cor15:50   Phil 1:4,5-6; 1:10; 2:16; 3:20; 4:5   1Thess 4:16   2Thess 2:2   John 14:3	2nd COMING VERSES (the Son of Man) at the end of the seven year tribulation     Zechariah 14:5   Jude 1:14   1Thess 3:13   Rev 19
The removal of all true believers	The Son of man, Jesus Christ, returns to earth
Saints caught into the air	Saints return to earth with the Son of man
The Son of God comes in the air	The Son of man returns to earth
Jesus comes to claim the bride	Jesus returns with the bride
Church removed and tribulation started	Israel raptured and Millennial (1000 year) reign starts
Imminent with no signs	Preceded by a multitude of signs
A comfort	A judgment
Program for the church	Program for Israel and the world
A mystery	Predicted in both testaments
Believers are taken to be judged	Gentiles and the Israel are judged
Creation left unchanged	Creation changed
Gentiles unaffected	Gentiles judged
Israel’s covenants are unfulfilled	All Israel’s covenants are fulfilled
Evil not judged	Evil judged
Takes place before day of wrath	Takes place after day of wrath
For believers only	For all men
The Lord is at hand	The kingdom is at hand

THE RAPTURE OCCURS BEFORE THE LAST SEVEN YEARS (THE COVENANT OF ONE WEEK = SEVEN YEARS) WHICH IS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE ANTICHRIST.

The last seven years is called Daniel’s 70th week which is found in the Old Testament.

ISRAEL’S AMAZING 70 WEEKS PROPHECY

When Israel and Daniel were captured and taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was given a vision by God about the eventual future of Israel. It is called DANIEL’S 70 WEEKS PROPHECY.

Here is the whole prophecy without explanation

Daniel 9:20-23,24-27 (King James Bible)

20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Here is the whole prophecy with explanation Daniel 9:20-23,24-27 (King James Bible)

The 70 week prophecy	Explanation
20 And whiles I (this is Daniel) was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; 21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel (this is the angel Gabriel), whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.	Gabriel the angel comes to Daniel when he is in captivity in Babylon and outlines the future of Israel. This vision is given around 606BC or soon after.
24 Seventy weeks	Now seventy weeks means 70 weeks of sevens ie 70x7 = 490. They are not weeks of days but weeks of years. So we have 490 years.
are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city	Israel Jerusalem
to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.	God promises to heal and restore Israel and forgive Israel all her sins. God promises to open the eyes of Israel to see whom they have pierced. This will happen in the seven year tribulation. (Zechariah 12:10)
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem	The Persian king Artaxerxes gives letters to Nehemiah to go and rebuild the city of Jerusalem in 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:8). Read all of Nehemiah 2:1-4,5-8,9-10.
unto the Messiah the Prince	This is Jesus Christ.
shall be seven weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall,	7 weeks = 7x7 years = 49 years), and threescore and two weeks (62 weeks = 62x7 = 434 years). The start for this 490 year prophecy begins with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.
even in troublous times.	The Samaritans opposed the reconstruction of Jerusalem and gave Israel much trouble during the first 49 years.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself:	This 62 weeks = 62x7 = 434 years. The first 49 years have already come and gone. Jesus will go to the cross, after the 49+434 = 483 years. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, would be cut off but not for anything wrong that he had done. This 483 years was fulfilled to the very day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the Sunday. From the 1st Nisan 445BC to the 6th April 32AD was exactly 173,880 days = 483 years. There is still one week of seven to go. There are still seven years to go.
and the people of the prince	This will be the antichrist who will be the one world political leader. Note: Jesus Christ is the Prince (capital “P”). The prince (small “p”) is the antichrist.
that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;	The antichrist, called the future Roman prince, will turn against Israel and destroy Jerusalem and the temple. Rome is behind this antichrist. The antichrist will be the one world political leader but the false prophet (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10) will the Pope out of Rome. The antichrist will bring about a 7 year covenant. But in the middle of the 7 years, he will break it. See Daniel 9:27.
and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.	This is not a water flood but a flood of evil (Isaiah 59:19). The enemy shall come in like a flood. Until the end, there will be wars and desolations of famine, disease and death.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:	This will be for seven years. This is a week of seven. This is called Daniel’s 70th week. Just before the antichrist announces this one week (7 years) the rapture occurs when Christ takes all true believers off the earth to meet himself in the air.
and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,	After 3.5 years, he will set himself up in the temple in Jerusalem and stop all animal sacrifices and Jewish celebrations.
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate,	The antichrist will start the abomination (extreme hatred) of idolatry. He will set himself up in the temple, to be the idol that is to be worshipped. (Daniel 11:35-38,39; Revelation 13:14-15; 2Thessalonians 2:3-4)
even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.	Until the end, the consummation, this will be the overspreading of abominations which will desolate and destroy the renewed temple worship.