THE POST-TRIBULATION RAPTURE

WHEN IS THE RAPTURE?
IS IT A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE?
OR IS IT A POST-TRIBULATION RAPTURE?

Among evangelicals in the West the question is asked? When is the rapture?
Will it be a Pre-Tribulation Rapture? Or will it be a Post-Tribulation Rapture?

The vast majority of Bible believing evangelicals believe in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Only about 5% of Bible believing Christians see a Post-Tribulation Rapture. There is no surprise as to why this is so. Throughout North America the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is what the Christians in the pews and watching Christian television are being taught. This is a very popular doctrine and has been very well received. It is presented as the "Gospel truth". But here we come to the key question. Is the doctrine sound? Is it Biblically well founded?

We shall be getting to that later on in this article. Quality Christians occasionally come to times in their lives when they begin to question what they have been told. They open their Bibles and seek the face of God on the matter. Then they begin to make their own discoveries for themselves.

They soon realize that they will in fact be here during the final 7 years of this age.
Understandably they are shocked and astounded at what they find.
But there is no denying it.
The Biblical truth is sitting right there in front of them.

Of course it is not what they have been told!
It is then that a little holy fear begins to creep in.
What does all this mean?
And what is their God doing to them?

The Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine avoids all this discomfiture. It sets forth a scenario in which the end time witness, (the final leg of the relay race), is dodged. And there is no doubt about it. This early "special express" Rapture, (cut off from any reference to the Resurrection), is the politically and ecclesiastically approved end-time scenario. The other is not.

The fact is, the Post-Tribulation Rapture position is the "Cinderella" of Bible prophecy. Post-Trib has been "blackballed" and censored out of church pulpits and church media by the evangelical establishment. This has been the case since the latter part of the 19th century.

When the Internet came along a new age of letters and a new era of Bible study began. There were hopes that Biblical truth would prevail and old established errors would fall by the wayside. But alas, this has not been the case. Post-Tribulation Rapture Christians discovered that despite their sound Biblical interpretation they were not welcome on today's Bible Prophecy Discussion Forums. This was absolutely astounding to us at the time. I know. I was there.

WE ARE SAVED. WE HAVE OUR TICKET TO HEAVEN.
IS THAT ALL THERE IS TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH?

Western Christians are indulged in the merchant world and under the merchant church. We are saved and born again. Many of us have been persuaded that "Jesus did it all" and so there is nothing further in the eternal covenant that needs to be addressed by the Church before Jesus returns. This, (they have been led to believe), will happen seven years before the end of this age.

Oh yes, we are contented as we attend church on Sunday and pursue our own personal happiness the rest of the time. We have our ticket to heaven. It is right there in our pocket. Our bags are packed. And we have been told that the Glory Train could pick us up at "any time". Nothing further needs to be attended to. We believe what we have been told. And that is, our departure by rapture is 'imminent'. When the last trumpet sounds we are, (as the saying goes), "outta here!"

This sounds pretty good. But what if we have been called to attend to some further Kingdom business before we go? Is there an epic "final witness" of the saints in the 5th seal? And is this being called for before the opening of the 6th seal when the son of Man appears in the heavens?

The book of Revelation is an unveiling of future holy history as it unfolds at the climax of this age. John was taken up into heaven and into a locus in eternity known as "the Day of the Lord". There before him he saw an astounding sight. He saw a heavenly court case with the Ancient of Days presiding. He is the Sovereign Ruler over our cosmos. John saw the four horsemen and four earthly political systems finish their run. Then, at the 5th seal, the Ancient of Days was calling for His witnesses.

Will saints belonging to the Church, (the wider Congregation of Israel), be called upon to bring some important testimony at this time? Or is all this to be done by 144,000 brand new Jewish Christians as our popular Bible teachers tell us?

Jesus Himself told His trusted disciples what to expect.
He laid it out for us in the Olivet Discourse.

Here is another important matter.
Just when does our Commission in Christ's service actually expire?
Do we need to take the 'Great Commission' document to our lawyer?
Do we need to ask him to tell us when our commission expires?

Then there is this matter.
What if there are some earlier trumps before the 'last trump'?
Is this something we might need to look into?

So are we sure that the Bible teaches a special early rapture for the Church before and separate from God's 70th week covenant dealings with Israel? What if holy history rolls forward and in the fall season of some future year we find ourselves waking up one morning to the sound of trumpets. How shall we react if we discover that we have gone on beyond the current protective umbrella of the Pax Americana? What if that seven year "covenant with many" brings us into a New World Order? We look around. We pinch ourselves and say "ouch". We have not been raptured.

What then?

Are we prepared for this? Do we have the oil for our lamps against the coming night? Have we prepared ourselves in the devotion and in the Holy Spirit for a late time Post-Tribulation Rapture if that should prove to be the case? Have we even been given a heads up on this other strong possibility? Have our ministers given us any inkling at all about these things? Have we been told that we might do well to prepare our hearts for witness under some duress at some future time?

THE TESTIMONY OF CORRIE TEN BOOM

Corrie Ten Boom

Corrie Ten Boom was a Christian girl in Holland during World War 2. At that time the German Nazis controlled Europe. She, along with her sister and father were captured by the Germans. Their crime? They were sheltering Jews. For this they were sent to the camps. Only Corrie survived.

Corrie Ten Boom was a woman of faith and commitment to her Jesus. She knows of God's provision during the inevitable trials of our faith. This great woman of God is a lone voice speaking out for scriptural truth in the present eschatological wilderness. Corrie Ten Boom has sounded a warning to American and western Christians. She has spoken out very specifically about the popular Pre-Tribulation Rapture teaching abroad today. Here is Corrie Ten Boom's warning to the American church.

THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE.
IT IS THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF THE AMERICAN MERCHANT CHURCH.
BUT IS THE DOCTRINE BIBLICALLY SOUND?

Most evangelicals have been taught the Pre-Tribulation Rapture scenario as established fact. Few have ever had a chance to hear the Post-Tribulation Rapture position expounded. They have been programmed to believe that the Pre-Trib Rapture is the final and correct biblically correct truth concerning the closing dramas of this age.

But are they correct about this early special edition secret Rapture?
Is there any sound scriptural proof of this?
Do they have any solid Biblical evidence for it at all?

The short answer is "No. They do not".

The fact is there is not one single passage of scripture that gives sound and convincing proof of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Not one! The doctrine sounds nice and it goes down well with the middle of the road Christian crowds. And it sells well in the religious marketplaces. Indeed the Pre-Tribulation doctrine has become entertainment for the masses. It is a huge multi billion dollar a year religi-business.

But here is the question. Can the idea of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture stand up to faithful Berean scrutiny? Or is the doctrine emotionally driven by wishful thinking? Quite obviously it is a soothing melodramatic eschatology.
Has it been crafted by men to keep the masses amused, - and "quiet".

The fact that this is now a popular amusement is reason for us to be concerned. Karl Marx was a very evil man, the father of humanistic state communism. And he once quite cynically said that "religion was the opiate of the people". If by "religion" he means an attenuated somewhat twisted Christianity founded on the traditions of men then was he right? Do our fancies, even as Christian believers, ride roughshod over a plain and faithful reading of the Holy Scriptures? Are we as submitted to the Bible as we suppose we are?

THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF A COMBINED RESURRECTION-RAPTURE.

So let us go back to the Bible. Here is question number one. Just how does the Rapture fit in with the sure and blessed hope of the Resurrection of those dear saints who have passed on?

Here is what our Apostle Paul had to say.

1Thessalonians 4:15-17
4:15 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.
4:16 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.
4:17 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.

Here in this passage of scripture we can see that Paul is clearly showing us a combined Resurrection-Rapture.
The Rapture will "by no means precede" the Resurrection, Paul says.
So if we are going to have a Pre-Trib Rapture
then it must be accompanied by a preceding Pre-Tribulation Resurrection.

OK, now here we come to a key question.
We must find Biblical proof of a special early Pre-Tribulation Resurrection.
It must be found and time pegged as 3.5 or 7 years before the end of the age.
Does such an animal exist in Holy Scripture?

Of course such an idea is extremely problematical.
There is no scripture laying out a special early Resurrection.
The Bible, (as we shall discover in the paragraphs below), is telling us a different story.
The Holy Scriptures in Revelation 20 and John 6 clearly lay out a Post-Tribulation Resurrection.

A COMBINED RESURRECTION-RAPTURE IS LAID OUT IN THE BIBLE.
THEN WE SEE THE MYSTERIOUS CHURCH SPONSORED SMOKESCREEN
OVER THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD.
WE THEN GO ON TO ASK THE QUESTION THAT IS RARELY ASKED.
- - - - - - WHEN IS THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD?

As we have seen, the timing of the Rapture is time linked to the timing of the Resurrection. They are a combined event. So here in this article, (and I pray in our churches as well), let us dare to stand up and ask the question. Mysteriously, this is a question that we are apparently hypnotized or intimidated by religious spirits into not asking. But ask the question we must. And we must then proceed on to answer it faithfully and truthfully from the Holy Scriptures.

So here is our question again.

When is the Resurrection of the righteous dead?

THE 70th WEEK OF DANIEL
(The Final Seven Years Of This Age) (Dan. 9:27)

Is it here?

Or is it here?

The Harlot Years
3.5 years (Rev.17) 666 Beast/Great Tribulation
3.5 years (Rev.13, Rev. 11)

This is not rocket science.
It is like the game "pin the tail on the donkey".
Only here we seek to "pin the Resurrection of the righteous dead,
on the final seven years of this age."
Can we do it?

REVELATION 20 SHOWS US THE TRIBULATION SAINTS COMING TO THEIR REWARD.
THESE ARE FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN/MESSIANIC BELIEVERS, AND THEY ARE
SAINTS WHO HAD EARLIER REFUSED TO TAKE THE 666 MARK OF THE BEAST.
CLEARLY THEY DO NOT COME TO THEIR RESURRECTION UNTIL AFTER THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

In Revelation 20 John saw the Resurrection of the Tribulation saints. These saints had rejected the "mark of the Beast" during the Great Tribulation. They had died for their faith in Christ during his 666 economic regime, the final 3.5 years of this age. The 666 economic identification system will be instituted by the Antichrist in his Beast role during the final 3.5. years of the age, the final half of the 70th Week of Daniel, or the final half of the final 7 years of this age. Now in Revelation 20 we see the Tribulation saints. They have come through the Tribulation period victoriously. John sees the Tribulation martyrs being raised up after the tribulation. John is clearly telling us that this end-ime Resurrection of the righteous which wraps up this present evil age is the "First Resurrection". It is the Resurrection of all the righteous. And the list of saints here goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. And the end time Tribulation saints are there as well. In fact they get special mention here and lead the procession into the glory. The Tribulation martyrs are special. They are at the head of the whole Resurrection party!

Revelation 20 spotlights the Resurrection of the righteous dead. And we are clearly and unmistakably told by John that this is the 'First Resurrection'. Quite clearly there is not, nor can there be, an earlier Pre-Tribulation Resurrection of the Elect. There is no "special separate Church resurrection" coming seven years before this Post Tribulational Resurrection John saw. No other resurrection can precede this "First Resurrection" of the Tribulation martyrs we see here in Revelation 20. The Pre-Trib Resurrection animal, like Bigfoot and King Kong, is big in our imaginations. But the animal does not exist in reality. It is a figment of man's fertile fevered imagination. A "pre-tribulation resurrection" is a crafty piece of work. It is an unscriptural man made hoax. The thing does not exist. It simply cannot be found anywhere in the Bible.

So Revelation 20 is describing the Resurrection of the righteous dead, the saints resurrected at the end of this age. Special mention is being given to a special group of overcomers within the Resurrection company. They are the end time heroes of the faith, the tribulation martyrs. These people are a huge embarrassment to those who teach the Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine. These are the saints who bring in the climactic "final witness" of the 5th seal. These faithful witnesses who died for the faith will usher in the 6th seal appearance of the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens. These are the faithful saints we who break the tape to finish the race on behalf of all the saints who have run before us. The Bible says that these Tribulation martyrs are in the "First Resurrection", the glorified dead who are raised up out of this evil age at the end of this age. (Rev.20:5) In fact they head up the Resurrection of all the righteous who have died in the faith, all the saints from both sides of Calvary. They head up the procession of all the saints as the Elect, (a single company), ascend up into the mansions of glory. This "First Resurrection" event clearly comes at the very end of this age, not seven years before!

Now let us focus again on the "catching up", (or Rapture), of the righteous who are alive at the end of this age. Our Apostle Paul says that "we who are alive and remain" shall be "caught up", or "Raptured". Here is our scripture again from 1Thes.4:15-17.

1Thessalonians 4:15-17
4:15 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, (that is, our Rapture)
will by no means precede those who are asleep. (That is, the Resurrection of the righteous dead)
4:16 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.
4:17 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.

So as we see from this passage above, the Rapture of the righteous living saints
is fixed, chained, and padlocked to the Resurrection of the righteous dead saints.
Our Apostle Paul tells us that there cannot and will not be a Rapture before the Resurrection.
The single Resurrection and the single Rapture are a combined event.

The Bible tells of one transport into glory, one 'Glory Train'.
When all the saints are here the Archangel Michael will get the Word and call out, "All aboard!"
Then Messiah's train will pull out right on schedule, at the very end of this age.
Not one minute before!

Quite clearly, the Rapture cannot and will not precede the Resurrection.

. . . . we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord
will by no means precede those who are asleep.

The Rapture cannot precede this 'First Resurrection' which John tells us includes the Tribulation Martyrs. All the saints are raised up together in a combined Post-Tribulation Resurrection-Rapture to enter the glory together as one big happy party at the end of the age.

Dear saints, we must face the Holy Scriptures honestly here. This First Resurrection John mentions does include the Tribulation martyrs. Quite clearly this Resurrection will come at the end of the Great Tribulation. It must of necessity follow the Day of Atonement, the final Day of Reckoning at the end of this age. John the Beloved calls this Resurrection of the righteous dead the 'First Resurrection". So we can safely surmise that there will be a Second Resurrection to wrap up the glorious 1,000 year Millennial Age of Messiah which will follow this present evil age.

So let us make no mistake about this.
This "First Resurrection" in which the Tribulation Saints get special mention is a very late event!
It occurs "after the (Great) Tribulation". All saints are gathered at once.
This "First Resurrection" wraps up this present evil age.
And the Bible only speaks of one Resurrection at the end of our age, and only one!

So the Resurrection of the righteous dead is the big all inclusive "First Resurrection" of Revelation 20:4-6.
John refers to it as such. So we must not dicker with the Holy Scriptures and presume to insert a separate resurrection of the just that is earlier than this one. The warnings against adding to the Bible are given at the end of the Book of Revelation. Bible teachers, myself included, beware! It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.

Dear saints, the Bible only speaks of one Resurrection of the righteous dead.
It is called the "First Resurrection".
It will come late, at the very end of this age.
We must discount any notion of any other resurrection than this one.

There can be no resurrection to precede this Post Tribulation "First Resurrection".
There can be no Pre-Tribulation Resurrection!

THE CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

One thing that Christians do not realize, until it is pointed out to them, is that the Rapture, (as it is presented by today's popular Bible prophecy teachers), is strangely isolated from the Resurrection of the righteous dead. Why is this so? God the Holy Spirit did not separate them in the Holy Scriptures. (1Thes.4:15-17) So was this separation crafted by men? And if so, then why was the Resurrection-Rapture, the glorification of all the saints, chopped up and divided asunder?

Here is another strange and mysterious fact. {f you have noticed, our western Bible prophecy teachers are careful not mention the Resurrection. Nor do they place it in its proper scripturally founded position immediately preceding the Rapture. But the Bible clearly bundles and bonds these two events together as a combined Resurrection-Rapture. (1Thes.4:15-17)

So what is going on here? Why are we not hearing about this combined Resurrection-Rapture? Even medieval peasants had some idea of Christ returning for the "quick and the dead". If God has joined them together in the Holy Scriptures why have modern churchmen divided the Resurrection from the Rapture? Where are the Bereans? And who has the gumption to stand up and ask the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Bible teachers about the Resurrection of the righteous dead?

There is a hidden scheme behind the severing the Resurrection from the Rapture. The pesky event, the Resurrection of the righteous dead is coming at the "last day". This is an "inconvenient truth". It is too prominent. So it has to "go away". The "cloaking" of the Resurrection has been mandated by the angelic religious powers. And why? This is absolutely essential in order to craft a Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine for the masses.

We should not be too ready to judge here. Our Bible teachers are most often completely unaware of this. And they are under enormous duress. Quite clearly they are being put under enormous pressure by the spirit of the age. They are teaching under the influence of the very powerful prevailing religious spirits.

Let's cut to the chase. The powers that be, the angelic rulers, are short timers. Messiah is coming. They know this. They are deathly afraid of the things to come. They would very much like to delay the unveiling of Messiah, the Apocalypes, as long as they can. That is why they are intent on maintaining the status quo. They want their human underlings, the masses, to stay "quiet". They are in special dread of the "final witness" of the saints. They know that it will be their undoing. The angelic rulers will fall, as the stars of heaven, at the end of this age. So the powers that be want the Church, (like Sleeping Beauty), to stay asleep. They want the prospective Bride of Christ to continue to think of herself as "uninvolved" with the blood covenant witness and other key issues that come to the fore in the Apocalypse. They want Western Christians to snooze away and continue to think that there will be no bridal witness called for.

So here is job #1 for the principalities and powers, the angelic rulers of this present darkness. They simply do not want Christians asking questions about the end of the age. They want to get the Bible teachers to tell the people, "Yes, a time of trial is coming. But don't concern yourself with it. You will not be there." This will keep potential Christian witnesses in the dark and asleep. (The powers hate any sign of revival.) Like the foolish virgins these Christians will be unprepared. When the midnight darkness comes many luke warm Laodicean Christians in the west, (unlike most Chinese and Indonesian Christians), will be like Rip Van Winkle, sleeping through the revolution. They will not even know that they are in a spiritual war. Like the foolish virgins, these Christians will have neglected their devotion to God. They will not have searched the scriptures for themselves. They will not have sought the presence and infilling of the Holy Spirit.

The parable of the ten virgins is truly a haunting parable.
Jesus told us that a time of deep darkness will surely come.
When facing the hour of trial many Christians will be unprepared.
They will not have the midnight oil.

So the religious hierarchical powers, angelic and human, have an agenda here. They are bound and determined to pin the Rapture to the very beginning of the 70th week of Daniel. This is the final seven years of this age. The seven years are made up of two 3.5 year periods of trials and tribulations. The first 3.5 years will be under the harlot. The latter 3.5 years, or 1260 days will be the Great Tribulation.

The agenda in this merchant system, is to tell the church what the people want to hear. Their message appeals to the lower carnal nature and so demand and profitability is high. The Pre-Tribulation rapture genre is lucrative for Bible teachers and revenue positive for churches. And so for the last 150 years the Church has been given the same message. They are told that they will not be here for the final witness of the saints. This means convincing the Church, against the Holy Scriptures, that there will be an early Pre-Tribulation Rapture. But both the late Resurrection and the combined Resurrection-Rapture are both inconvenient truths that stand in the way. So in order to present an early pre-tribulation Rapture they must first chop up the Resurrection-Rapture and divide it up into two parts with a cleaver. Popular Bible teachers never speak of the Resurrection and the Rapture both together as it was done in former times such as the Apostle's Creed.

Unfortunately Christians are not reading and studying their Bibles. They only know what churchmen have told them. And so eventually people forget about the Apostle's Creed. They lose sight of the critical Biblical information that the Resurrection-Rapture is a combined event.

So the Rapture is cut loose from its Resurrection moorings. The next job for these plotters is to rip the Rapture free of its proper position at the "last day" and pull it forward seven years. Of course the resurrection is left sitting out there at the end of the age. The Resurrection must "go away". So they put a cloak over the Resurrection and hide the embarrassing truth of its late Post Tribulation timing. The Resurrection, (which is clearly a late post tribulation event), is smoke screened. Of course their spurious Pre-Tribulation Rapture must be presented without its Resurrection companion. The late Post-Tribulation, end of age Resurrection of the righteous dead is clearly a huge embarrassment to Pre-Trib. So this Resurrection of the righteous dead is never spoken about or its timing discussed. They do not even want to speak about the Resurrection of the righteous dead or open up any discussion as to its obvious late timing. Because the Resurrection of the just comes at the end of the age, after the 70th Week, at the very end of the final seven years of this age.

Of course most Bible believing Christians already sense, (or can quite easily find out), that the Resurrection of the righteous dead comes at the very end of the age. So in order to engineer a special early Pre-Tribulation Rapture it must be unhinged from its true Biblical connection to the (Post-Tribulation) Resurrection. Then the whole issue of Resurrection Day for the saints can be shipped off into a sea of forgetfulness. This is precisely what has happened. And the Church, like Sleeping Beauty, sleeps on. Who will awaken her? Which prince?

So here we have the strange matter. The Resurrection of the "those who are in Christ" is being vaporised. But the Resurrection of the righteous dead is a future glorious event! And the earth and the seas will give up the righteous dead on one future awesome day. But what do we see? The Resurrection is made to vanish away like magic. Tinker Belle waves her magic wand and it disappears in a sparkling tinkling cloud of stardust. The Resurrection of the righteous dead is spirited away. Nowadays it is only remembered at funerals.

THE BLOCKING AND TWISTING OF BIBLICAL TRUTH.
FAULTY ESCHATOLOGY IN THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH.
AND THE STRANGE BEWITCHING OF OUR CHRISTIAN BIBLE TEACHERS.

Oh yes, the Church is bewitched here. She is under a spell. She cannot think about or discuss certain subjects. One of them is that awesome future Resurrection Day. Any Biblical memory we have of the Resurrection of the righteous dead is submerged in religion. Whenever the Resurrection is discussed it is not described as presented as a future epic one day event as it should be. Instead the Resurrection is stretched out like taffy. A big confusing wad of vague resurrection theology extending back 2,000 years to the resurrection of Jesus is thrown up. Very soon we lose sight of the Resurrection as a future one day event. So we wonder about our dear Aunt who went to be with the Lord years ago. And we ask the question, "When will she be raised from the dead? Will she be raised up before the Tribulation or after the Tribulation. If we ever dare to ask that question we get strange and evasive responses.

I would encourage the reader to try it some time and see. It is an amazing little exercise, and a bit spooky. Because most of our Bible teachers are otherwise quite sound. But if they teach a Pre-Tribulation Rapture they have joined a religious company that has baulked at the end-time witness of the saints. So they have put themselves under the religious witchcraft that covers that establishment. They are under a heavy spell. Such Bible teachers can look at the matter of the Resurrection of the righteous dead. They can even open their Bibles and they can discuss the Resurrection theologically. But they do not "see" the Resurrection of the Righteous dead as an awesome epic final one day event. They just do not "see" it. Nor can they teach it.

And why?
The answer is truly astounding.
It is because they are under a spell.

Does this sound far fetched? Are religious spirits at work in Christians, even our evangelical Bible teachers? Oh yes! Just try it sometime. Ask a popular Bible teacher about the timing of the Resurrection of the righteous dead. And watch what happens. I challenge you, dear reader, to see this strange hypnotic state for yourself. When the subject of the timing of the Resurrection of the righteous dead is raised a glazed look comes over the eyes of the person being questioned. The subject is quickly diverted and spirited off into the realm of "theology". The "First Resurrection" is often obfuscated and blended in with the resurrection of Jesus. But in 1Cor. 15 we see that the resurrection of Christ, the firstfruits from the dead, our sacred Head, is quite separate from the resurrection of the Body of Christ, or "those who are Christ's at His coming". Then we get a dissertation on the ones who came out of their graves when Jesus died on the cross, (people who later went on to die). This strange spirit of confusion in the face of Biblical truth is classic. It is evidence of religious spirits doing their work of disinformation.

This is why we need to pray without ceasing. There is a spiritual war going on here in this matter of the Resurrection of the just. And all wars are information wars. The Holy Biblical data is being intercepted, blocked, diverted, twisted, obfuscated etc. This is why young Biblically well founded men go into seminaries believing in the deity of Christ, the creation account in Genesis, the virgin birth, the Resurrection of Christ, and the literal bodily return of Christ. They come out four years later no longer believing in these basic tenets of the faith. And as Christian parents we wonder why our children are being lost to sex, drugs, rock and roll and the tattoo parlours. Religious spirits can be and are right now at work among Christians to bring in error even as religious leaders pretend to discuss the holy things of God. Spiritual integrity is the issue here and hidden religious humanism is more dangerous to us than the overt much balleyhooed secular humanism. These religious spirits are most often operating in and through Christians who popular and running a profitable religious franchise. But they have put themselves beyond contradiction and so they are being easily deceived. We live and breathe in an "I'm OK you're OK" world. So ministers do what their denomination, their deacon board, and evangelical religious tradition calls upon them to do. And they assume that all is well.

But all is not well. These religious leaders have been subjected to hypnotic entrainment. They are quite unaware of what is happening to them and through them. The amazing and somewhat frightening thing about all this is that these are most often Christian men and women who are otherwise quite Biblically sound. This is why we need to pray for all our leaders, both spiritual and temporal.

THE RAPTURE: - IN A TWINKLING OF AN EYE.
AND THE RESURRECTION TOO: - IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE.

We all can agree that the Rapture will occur in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye.
But when we look closely we notice something.
The scripture is also referring to the Resurrection of the righteous dead.
Our Apostle Paul tells us that at a moment in time, in the twinkling of an eye,

. . . ."the trumpet will sound
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed".

So why are we stretching out the Resurrection like taffy and making it stretch 2,000 years when we see here that the Resurrection happens in the twinkling of an eye? When we begin to see the Resurrection as happening in a twinkling of an eye then we can start to ask ourselves the question. When will that twinkling of an eye occur!?

We have already seen that the living saints will be "caught up" in the Rapture and will be glorified at the same time as the Resurrection of the saints. In a moment we shall find ourselves changed, glorified, into new incorruptible bodies. Here below is another passage from our Apostle Paul showing us once again the close relationship in time of the Resurrection and the "catching up" or Rapture.

51. "Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. - 1Cor.15:51-53

This future instant in time is a 'mystery', a reality we have not yet seen. We cannot yet fully grasp or comprehend it. Nevertheless this magnificent moment, a twinkling of an eye, is out there in the future somewhere.

Dear saints. When a Biblical truth, such as the Resurrection, is set upon by religious blocking spirits we must assume that something very important is being "cloaked" and hidden from us. And indeed when we succeed in answering this highly contested Resurrection question the religious fog begins to clear. Suddenly we begin to get a clear view of the end time and what it is all about.

Let us cut to the chase. The second coming of Christ not only involves the Rapture. At His coming the righteous dead are glorified into new spiritual bodies. All those who are Christ's, saved by His blood, are raised up in the Resurrection. Then, immediately after this, in the very same process comes the Rapture.

Does the Bible does give us a specific timing of the Rapture?
No it does not. It would be nice if it did.

So that is why is this matter of the Resurrection is so important.
And it also explains why and why the timing of the Resurrection has been hidden from us.
We have already established that the Bible teaches a combined Resurrection-Rapture.
So the timing of the Resurrection of the righteous dead, (when we find it), will also be the timing of the Rapture!

Well then, does The Bible give us a specific timing for the Resurrection?
Yes, it certainly does!

So then, when is this mysteriously hidden Resurrection of the righteous dead?
Is it a pre-tribulation event or is it a post-tribulation event?

Well, let's find out.
The Bible tells us very plainly.

THE RESURRECTION WILL OCCUR AFTER THE 70TH WEEK ENDS.
JESUS TELLS US FOUR TIMES IN ONE PASSAGE THAT HE WILL
"RAISE UP" OR RESURRECT HIS COVENANT PEOPLE AT THE 'LAST DAY'.

As it turns out, Jesus Himself gives us the answer.
Four times in John 6 Jesus states categorically that this glorious Resurrection, (this time in which He will "raise" His people "up"), will be a pivotal event that will occur at the "last day".

John 6:39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me,
that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing,
but should raise it up at the last day."
John 6:40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.""

John 6:44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;
and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:54 "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day."

Is our Lord Jesus trying to get a message to us here? If He saw fit to tell us four times in the one message that He will raise His people up at the "last day" then who would dare contradict Him? His Word should be final. And who would dare tamper with the message the Holy Spirit has so clearly laid out for us in the Holy Scriptures? The Resurrection of the righteous dead will occur at the 'last day". Therefore it must come at the end of the 7 year period of Daniel's 70th week. And therefore the Resurrection must be a Post-Tribulation event, after the Great Tribulation.

MARTHA, SISTER OF LAZARUS, WAS A SAINT FROM A FORMER ERA.
SHE KNEW THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION.

Here is some further evidence of the resurrection coming at the very end of the age. Martha left her kitchen to come out and get in Jesus' face over the death of her brother Lazarus. At that time she made a strong confession of her faith. She spoke of the sure hope of the Resurrection. And in her statement Martha also spoke of the timing of the Resurrection.

The Old Testament saints, unlike many of us evangelicals today, had a very good handle on the Resurrection of the righteous dead. And from the testimony of the patriarchs and Job, Daniel etc. they knew when this resurrection of the righteous would occur. Here is Martha's word on the matter and her magnificent confession of the blessed hope of the glorification of the saints at the resurrection. This account is recorded by the Apostle John. As we see here in this scripture below, Martha knew very well when this end-time Resurrection of the righteous dead would occur.

John 11:24 Martha said to Him,
"I know that he will rise again
in the Resurrection at the last day."

This seems pretty plain and straightforward doesn't it?
All these scriptures and Revelation 20:4-6 are in total agreement.
The Resurrection will come at the last day of this age.

Now remember, we just read in the passages earlier that the Resurrection immediately precedes the Rapture. The Resurrection and the Rapture are a combined event. So voila, if we have our timing for the Resurrection at the last day then we also have the timing of the Rapture. We have the Rapture nailed down as being on the last day!

So there we have it.
Proof positive of a Post-Tribulation Resurrection-Rapture.

Here is some additional solid scriptural evidence for this.

JESUS TELLS US IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE THAT HE
WILL GATHER HIS ELECT AFTER THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

We know from scripture above and the Olivet Discourse that the Elect will be gathered to the returning Christ at the Second Coming. In fact the Bible only speaks of one Second Coming of Christ.

So when is this gathering of the Elect? And yes, Jesus only spoke of one single unified Elect, not two.
Will the gathering of the Elect come before the Great Tribulation?
Or will Christ our Messiah be gathering His Elect after the Tribulation?

Again, the Bible speaks.
And Jesus Himself gives us a plain and simple answer.

Here are Jesus' own words on this important matter.
In the passage below He is talking to His trusted disciples including Peter, James and John.
There on the Mount of Olives Jesus tells them plainly when He will come to gather His Elect.

"IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION....... "
"COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN...."
"WITH THE GREAT SOUND OF A TRUMPET...."
"HE WILL GATHER HIS ELECT..." (singular)

Matthew 24:29-31
29. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

JESUS TELLS HIS FOUR CLOSEST DISCIPLES PRIVATELY THAT HE WILL GATHER HIS ELECT
IN A SINGLE FINAL HARVEST IN THE DAYS OF THE 6TH SEAL COSMIC SIGNS
OF A DARKENED SUN AND MOON WITH THE STARS FALLING.

In this same passage Jesus also tells us about the SIGN of His coming and the timing of that SIGN which would herald His coming to gather the Elect in the Resurrection-Rapture. The SIGN of the Son of Man would be seen in the heavens in those epic future days that would see the cosmic signs of a darkened sun, a bloody moon, and stars falling.

Matthew 24:29-31
29. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30. Then the SIGN of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Then after the coming of these cosmic signs we have the gathering of the Elect at the last trumpet.

31. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The darkened sun and bloody moon are the cosmic signs time linked to the sixth seal. They occur late in the 70th week, towards the very end. A nuke will have gone off. Joel describes the awful scene in poetic language. "Blood, fire, and pillars of smoke" will go up as a mushroom cloud to fill the atmosphere with smoke. The sun will be darkened and there will be a bloody moon. These are the cosmic signs mentioned by the prophet Joel. (Joel 2:31-32) They are also mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse These are the cosmic disturbances that are associated with the Battle of Armageddon. This epic battle will be fought at the very end of the final 7 years of this age. These 6th seal cosmic signs indicate that 5th seal witness of the saints is now over. The Second Coming of Christ is now truly imminent.

THE SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL GATHERS HIS SHEEP
ON A 'DARK AND CLOUDY DAY'.

"The Lost Sheep" by Alfred Soord (1868-1915)

The prophet Ezekiel saw the same event. He saw it from another perspective. He saw the Shepherd of Israel gathering His lost sheep 'on a cloudy and dark day'.

Ezekiel 34
12 'As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.' - Ezek. 34:12

This will be an awesome scene. The righteous dead will come out of their graves in the Resurrection. And then the living saints are gathered in the Rapture. Something will have happened to the atmosphere around the earth. And the world is about to be judged. And yet here at the climax of holy history we are told that there will be a magnificent rescue of God's covenant people. Weknow that Messiah will intervene on behalf of His Holy City Jerusalem in His action at Armageddon. But there is more. The prophet Isaiah saw Him return and make an appearance at a place of mystery known as Bozrah. The prophet Micah brings additional information. He speaks of the Bozrah Deliverance.

So at the climax of the age we see a single triumphant party gathered together as one. They are gathering together around the returning Christ. All of His Elect Congregation spanning 4,000 years plus are gathered together as one. They are one united 'called out' company, the 'ekklesia'/congregation of God. They are the remnant Church / remnant Israel coming into confluence together as a 'royal priesthood and a holy nation'. (1Pet.2:9) The returning Christ will be gathering all who are in Christ. All who belong to the God of Israel will be there. At the "great sound of the trumpet" all the saints will be gathered as a single Elect. They are glorified into new bodies from among the living and from among the dead. They come from all races, from among both the Jews and the Gentiles, and from both sides of Calvary, and from all around the world. Jesus Himself said that He would return to gather His Elect from "the four winds of heaven", from across space and time. He gathers His own from across the racial divides of Israel and out from the clutches of the heathen gentile nations. He gathers His people from beyond the gates of Sheol and brings them home. He draws them out from across the very borders of life and death.
What a magnificent harvest this will be!

THE LATE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION-RAPTURE AND OUR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE.

Of course there is more to this matter of the timing of the Resurrection-Rapture than "just the facts". Each one of us is created by God to be a creature of some emotion. We have a heart and we have a very powerful "feelings department" within our soul or psyche. Those feeling are not particularly subject to reason. That is a well known fact.

The fact is we are not entirely rational in what we believe.
Our "feelings" play a very big part in what we decide is "true", i.e. true (for us).
In other words, it is like we believe in something we might call "my truth".
And what about "my truth"?
Well, this is something I like, - and "it works for me".

This question of the timing of the Rapture is certainly an emotionally charged issue. Our heart is often cross wired with our rational mind. And so our minds and loaded with pre-suppositions we have not checkef for accuracy. But they are what we believe are Biblically well established facts. But they are not. They are our notions, really just our own fondly held, (and often false, pre-suppositions.

This is why the process of deciding on what we believe can play tricks on us. We don't want to "hear" some hard truths. Nor do we want to "see" some things. We might think we have all the issues in alignment with God and our beliefs about the Rapture are consistent with God's Word. But there are pied pipers out there, and we have been paying them to play our tune. So what they tell us is often what we "want to hear". This is why we have ended up hearing about the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, and believing it.

Of course seeker friendly religious salesmen are just like other salemen. They are close by our side. They know what we "want". And like good salesmen they are very keen to sell us what we want to hear. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture package is a case in point. It is just a religious dream, but we love it and buy it.

Dear saints, we must face the brutal truth here. Jesus said that where our treasure is there will our heart be also. We as Christians have have opened our pockets here big time. Christians have made this Pre-Trib Rapture doctrine a multi-billion dollar a year religi-business.

This is an exceedingly difficult matter for us to address. Bible teachers who teach a Pre-Trib Rapture are usually sound in every other way. For the most part they are our dear evangelical brothers and sisters. But the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is now a well a entrenched corporate belief. There is a huge amount of Pre-Trib traffic on the air waves. And the peer pressure involved here is past knowing. When we finally see the error of this Pre-Tribulation Rapture then it suddenly becomes exceedingly difficult for us. It is hard to accept that we have been entangled in error and confusion for many years of our Christian lives. It is also very hard for us to believe that we have been deceived. We have been deceived by well meaning Bible prophecy teachers. And we have been self-deceived as well. We have not done our homework in the Holy Scriptures as we should. And we are creatures of habit who live and breathe in the status quo. We also expect the present political situation and American world leadership to last forever. So why bother about the end-time?

But here is the awful question we must face. What if we as Christian believers are wrong? What is our judgment is off? What if we as Christian believers are still are largely living on the carnal side of our nature?

Does our lower nature and our ego lord over the spiritual side of our nature? Our mind is like an iceberg, with the rational part of our being just the tip of the iceberg. The real workings of our mind is submerged and hidden beneath the surface.

So just what is going on deep down in our subconscious mind? Are we Holy Spirit led Bible believing overcomers? Or is the fleshly side of our nature on the throne of our hearts and calling the shots? Could it really be possible that our carnal religious desires can actually rise up and trump out Biblical truth? Could this what is happening deep down in our heart with our belief in a false eschatology?

These are awful things to have to consider. So most of us don't bother. We just drift along with the crowd. It is not just our teenagers who are giving in to "peer pressure". It seems our opinion on the timing of the Rapture will not change until the opinion of the crowd and our peers changes first. Can it really be this bad?

The Bible repeatedly alludes to human beings being like sheep.
The prophet Isaiah said,

Isaiah 53:6
"All we like sheep have gone astray.
We have turned, everyone of us, to his own way."

And he was right.
The prophet Jeremiah lamented,

Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?

A realization of the scriptural certainty of a Post-Tribulation Resurrection-Rapture is always a strait and narrow and difficult passage. It is nearly always a rude awakening. Sometimes the truth really hurts. We shall always need emotional solace from our God when we go through these sort of major spiritual transitions. This was certainly the case for me when I went through the threshold in my passage from Pre-Trib to Post Trib. I know others who have had the same experience. It is a tough initiation into the Way of the Cross. But it is a necessary one if we really want to be "sold out" for God. And the Holy Spirit is with us. He is our Comforter as well as our Guide.

Here is another pointer. It is quite normal for saints to cry out to God in their distress. We need His covering in such times. It is even normal to cry or even become broody or moody for a season. We can even get angry at God for a time as we pass through these straits. Anger at God is the real and the hidden cause of depression. The depression remains until we reach a point of acceptance. Then we get better.

Don't we often see the same pattern in the Psalms? The psalmist begins in a cry of distress. "How long, O Lord....?" Then they remember YHVH/God's great acts of mercy and deliverance in times past. The psalmist then reminds himself about those times when God was faithful in trials. The songwriter then finds himself entering into the glory and the Psalm ends on a high note. The psalmist affirms his faith in the lovingkindness of God. Then he concludes by speaking of the wonderful future God has planned for His covenant people.

The emotional issue is definitely the main issue for Post-Trib truth. The scriptural foundation is rock solid. It is all very simple, elegant, plain, and straightforward. Pre-Tribbers nowadays prefer not to debate Post-tribbers. When they are asked to back up their end-time scenario with chapter and verse of scripture they do not do well. They have learned that it is best for them to just find some reason to shut us out of their discussion boards.

If we are allowed into a Bible prophecy forum and encounter Pre-Tribbers keen to debate the issue of the timing of the Rapture then the outcome is quite inevitable. We just bring the scriptures to bear on any one of a number of relevant issues.

The timing of the Resurrection, for example, is a telling point to raise. Jesus tells us four times in John 6:39, 6:40, 6:44, and 6:54 that He will be raising His people up at the "last day". So we know the Resurrection will be after the Great Tribulation. Revelation 20:4 tells the same story. The "first Resurrection" contains tribulation martyrs. Clearly the Resurrection of the righteous dead occurs art the very end of the age after the Great Tribulation.

Then we have them. We show them the combined Resurrection-Rapture in 1Thes.4:15-17. If the Resurrection is late and the Rapture cannot precede it then the Rapture is late too. This is a simple uncomplicated logical conclusion any child can draw from a plain reading of the scriptures. Soon afterwards we have the Pre- Tribbers pinned down. They have no place to go except into Post Trib.

Of course they are usually not emotionally prepared for this. They refuse. Then they get angry. All too often, the discussion then becomes acrimonious. And both sides fall from the high pathway of grace.

This is why we see so few good debating arenas nowadays. The discussion boards that still remain open see more and more "rules of engagement" added by moderators. We see, "No discussion of the timing of the rapture is allowed on this discussion board". Or, "Please be aware of Rule #5". Offenders are typically "warned" and then "banned". Many times post-tribbers, trying very hard to be gracious in their presentation of scripture, get too successful at showing the truth. When they attempt to enter the online discussion forum the next day they find that they have been locked out.

Emotional issues are the main reason people refuse to leave the Pre-Tribulation Rapture position. The "cut and run" eschatology is very popular. There are peer pressure issues as well. None of us likes to leave friends or to lose them. And then too, as sheep, we are gregarious creatures. No one likes to be a lone voice crying in the wilderness.

POPULARITY AND MONEY ISSUES WITH POST-TRIB.
AND THE SPECTER OF BEING ALONE AND OSTRACIZED.

For ministers of religion there are financial and job security issues at stake here as well. A man has to take care of his family. So he must learn to please a deacon board. I know of several cases where ministers have lost their job over this issue of the timing of the Rapture. I personally know a fine evangelical pastor who has been sent a letter banning him from using the library of a Christian college when they learned that he held to a Post-Trib rapture view. This is so sad to have to report. We can be so childish and manipulative at times. It is truly unfortunate that Christians cannot discuss such an important matter without being bullied by the ones who have the money and the power. The fact of the matter is that most of us are still balking at Post-Trib truth. And we are not doing it for sound Biblical reasons. They are doing it for all sorts of carnal, emotional, non-rational, and non-scriptural reasons.

Fortunately we serve a gracious God. He understands what we are going through. He has promised to lead us "in Spirit as well as in Truth". The Shepherd of the sheep is with us. He does not just hit us with the data. Nor does He just "sock it to us" with the cold facts. He has sent us His Holy Spirit. He is our Comforter as well as being our Guide. He empowers us to walk on in God. The Holy Spirit also helps us to walk in the graces. He helps us to wrap up the Truth in the graces of His love, joy, and peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

BIBLE PROPHECY IS EASY

The scriptures on the end-time are not as complicated as we have been led to believe. Even a little child could lead us into the truth here. This author found it very easy to counter the arguments of one of the champions of Pre-Tribulationism when he made his challenge to the Post-Trib position. Grant Jeffrey came out strongly against Post-Tribulation Rapture position some years back. Here is my response to Grant Jeffrey's arguments.

Pre-trib is a really quite a mess. It is a complicated colossus of disharmony and confusion. Post-Trib, on the other hand, is simple, elegant, orderly and beautiful. As we proceed on into this Bible study we shall soon see just how easy it is to use the scriptures to put the jigsaw puzzle of the end-time together harmoniously.

KNOWING THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE IS IMPORTANT.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PREPARATION FOR THE COMING NIGHT.
WISE VIRGINS WILL KNOW THE SCORE AND PREPARE.
FOOLISH VIRGINS WILL NOT.

WISE VIRGIN WITH HER OIL
Photo by the author. Click on the image to go to the article.

The timing of the Rapture of the Church is an important matter to have nailed down. It must be made clear to the true saints of God. These essential truths of the revelation/apocalypse/unveiling of Jesus Christ are not going to remain a mystery forever. This information relates to the end-time drama. It is a history for which we need to be prepared. Epic events will erupt onto the world stage. They will do so very quickly and forcefully. It may well happen on some future Jewish new year on the Feast of Trumpets.

Here is the burden of this writer. If the saints are not properly warned and adequately informed and empowered by the Holy Spirit to give themselves to the Redeemer in a time of peace then what will happen when they find themselves suddenly thrust into the epic events of the end-time? They will be confused. They will be bewildered. They will be fearful, and perhaps unpredictable in what they might do. They could be caught unprepared and unready. The scriptures warn us about this very thing. The following scripture is time dated to the 'swelling of the Jordan'. This is a biblical reference to the time of the harvest. - Josh.3:15 The harvest is that time of high intensity of events as God prepares to reap the earth. - Rev.14:15 He will gather the wicked for destruction and gather His elect for glorification at the end of the age. - Mat.13:33 It is a message to us, ...now, ...today.
God is asking us some questions.

Jer 12:5
"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you,
then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?"

Are we listening? And how shall we answer? Are we connecting the dots? Or do we just say.
"That message of warning and exhortation to preparation is for the Jews.
That is Old Testament stuff.
We are in a different dispensation.
We are the New Testamant Church!" Preparation in God is "works". We are people of "grace".

Dear saints, now is the time for us to take a long hard look at our attitude to Christian witness. God has given us time for peaceful reflection and preparation in the Holy Spirit. And that time is now!

True shepherds know that sheep will only drink from still waters. God has given us this time of peace for a purpose. This is a time to leave our pursuit of pleasure and material things. Now is the time to allow ourselves to be led in quietness deeper into the heart of the Shepherd. Let us get to know His voice. (John 10:3-4) A dark and cloudy day is coming. (Ezek.34:12) True believers will need to stay very close to the Shepherd of Israel.

Let us join our Apostle Paul and affirm our faith to the end.

"For the which cause I suffer these things,
Nevertheless I am not ashamed,
For I know whom I have believed,
And am persuaded, that He is able,
To keep that which I've committed
Unto Him against that Day". -1Tim.1:12

The highway of holiness leads onwards and upwards;
- towards the gates of splendor.

Grace and shalom to all the saints.

WHEN IS THE RAPTURE? IS IT A PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE? OR IS IT A POST-TRIBULATION RAPTURE?

WE ARE SAVED. WE HAVE OUR TICKET TO HEAVEN. IS THAT ALL THERE IS TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH?

THE TESTIMONY OF CORRIE TEN BOOM

THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. IT IS THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF THE AMERICAN MERCHANT CHURCH. BUT IS THE DOCTRINE BIBLICALLY SOUND?

THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF A COMBINED RESURRECTION-RAPTURE.

A COMBINED RESURRECTION-RAPTURE IS LAID OUT IN THE BIBLE. THEN WE SEE THE MYSTERIOUS CHURCH SPONSORED SMOKESCREEN OVER THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD. WE THEN GO ON TO ASK THE QUESTION THAT IS RARELY ASKED. - - - - - - WHEN IS THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD?

REVELATION 20 SHOWS US THE TRIBULATION SAINTS COMING TO THEIR REWARD. THESE ARE FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN/MESSIANIC BELIEVERS, AND THEY ARE SAINTS WHO HAD EARLIER REFUSED TO TAKE THE 666 MARK OF THE BEAST. CLEARLY THEY DO NOT COME TO THEIR RESURRECTION UNTIL AFTER THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

THE CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

THE BLOCKING AND TWISTING OF BIBLICAL TRUTH. FAULTY ESCHATOLOGY IN THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH. AND THE STRANGE BEWITCHING OF OUR CHRISTIAN BIBLE TEACHERS.

THE RAPTURE: - IN A TWINKLING OF AN EYE. AND THE RESURRECTION TOO: - IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE.

THE RESURRECTION WILL OCCUR AFTER THE 70TH WEEK ENDS. JESUS TELLS US FOUR TIMES IN ONE PASSAGE THAT HE WILL "RAISE UP" OR RESURRECT HIS COVENANT PEOPLE AT THE 'LAST DAY'.

MARTHA, SISTER OF LAZARUS, WAS A SAINT FROM A FORMER ERA. SHE KNEW THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION.

JESUS TELLS US IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE THAT HE WILL GATHER HIS ELECT AFTER THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

"IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION....... " "COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN...." "WITH THE GREAT SOUND OF A TRUMPET...." "HE WILL GATHER HIS ELECT..." (singular)

JESUS TELLS HIS FOUR CLOSEST DISCIPLES PRIVATELY THAT HE WILL GATHER HIS ELECT IN A SINGLE FINAL HARVEST IN THE DAYS OF THE 6TH SEAL COSMIC SIGNS OF A DARKENED SUN AND MOON WITH THE STARS FALLING.

THE SHEPHERD OF ISRAEL GATHERS HIS SHEEP ON A 'DARK AND CLOUDY DAY'.