From the moment that I first learned the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church in 1975, there has been a deep controversy by those who claim that the Rapture will not occur until after the Tribulation has concluded.
One of the verses of Scripture that is used to prove this position is 2 Thessalonians chapter 2.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed…”
It should be clear from the context of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 that Paul is addressing a concern that the Thessalonian church had regarding the coming of Jesus for the second time. There were some in this small church that felt that perhaps the Rapture had already taken place. This being the case, they questioned what had happened to their departed loved ones. Where were they and when would they be resurrected?
In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 13-18 Paul teaches the church about the Rapture of the church:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
First: Paul writes to teach them the doctrine of the Rapture. He places this event in context with the loved ones of the church who had already died. Paul reminds those in the church that when Jesus returns, He will be bring with Him those who have already died.
Second: Upon the return of Jesus, He will be resurrecting the bodies of those who had died believing in Jesus first, then those who are alive will be “Caught Up” immediately after. The Greek word “Caught Up” was translated from “Harpazo”, which means; “To take violently by force”.
Third: All of us will meet Jesus in “The Air”. Not on the earth as in His second coming. In this appearing of Jesus at the Rapture to remove His church from the earth, Jesus will meet us “In The Air”.
1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 13-18 are the verses that teach the doctrine of the Rapture of the church.
In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul addresses a different aspect of the return of Jesus, the timing of His physical appearing on the earth at His second coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed…”
Concerning the coming of Jesus and our “Gathering together to Him…”
Paul tells the church to not be shaken by any letter that came into the church that was reported to have come from him that “The day of Christ had come…” Apparently after Paul had taught the church at Thessalonica about the doctrine of the Rapture, some other false teachers had sent letters to the church claiming to be from Paul, stating that the Rapture had already taken place.
The “Day of Christ” is a reference to the Tribulation Period described in the Old Testament. Also called “The Day of the Lord”, referred to some 26 times in the Old Testament.
Jeremiah 46:10 “For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.
In the New Testament, this “Day of the Lord” is referred to as: “The day of Christ, and the “Wrath of the Lamb”, amongst other terms.
Revelation 6:16 “and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!”
This “Day of the Lord/Day of Christ”, begins at the Rapture of the church and continues for seven years, ending at the physical return of Jesus at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period. Jesus takes His church with Him back to heaven at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation and brings His church back with Him when He returns at the end of the seven-year Tribulation.
This is the subject matter of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Paul writes in this chapter to correct their understanding by telling them that Jesus will not return until first the antichrist is revealed and the seven-year Tribulation Period is completed.
First the Rapture occurs where all believers living and dead meet Jesus in the air. This is not the second coming of Jesus where He returns to the earth at the end of the seven-year Tribulation.
Then after the church has been removed, the antichrist will be revealed and will make a covenant with many nations for one final seven-year period of time, referred to by Daniel as the “70th Week”. He will permit Israel to rebuild their third temple on the site of the Temple Mount, next to the current Dome of the Rock.
In the middle of the seven years, the antichrist will announce to the world that they should worship him as their God. This event is referred to by Daniel and Jesus as “The Abomination of Desolation”.
Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place”
From that moment on, the last 3 1/2 years are called “The Great Tribulation” and is the subject of Chapters 6-18 in the Book of Revelation. During this last 3 1/2 years, three sets of seven judgments, for a total of 21 judgements will be unleashed by Jesus on the people who inhabit the earth.
At the end of this 3 1/2 years, nearly 2/3 of the population of the earth will have perished in these 21 judgments.
When Jesus returns with His church at the end of the seven years, He will be doing so to set up the long-promised kingdom of God on earth, the kingdom of David that will last for 1,000 years.
All of the timing of every last day prophecy is centered around the nation of Israel and God’s final plan and purpose to save the remnant of Israel. All the current events in Egypt and Iran and every Islamic nation will be directed by God to protect Israel so that she will be able to complete the things Jesus spoke concerning Israel during the last 3 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation. Jesus went to great detail in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 in describing what will happen to Israel in these final days.
The purpose of the Rapture in removing Jesus’ church before the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation, is to prevent His Bride from experiencing “His Wrath” as He pours it out on the world who has rejected Him as Lord and Savior.
Rob Robinson
