Matthew 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.
Matthew 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 not fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
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.
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.
Acts 1:9: And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10: And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11: Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Revelation 1:7: 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
So it is clear from these passages that every person in the world will know what happened. Every eye shall see the sun and moon darkened and see Jesus coming in the clouds, and will hear the trumpet sound. So it is not a secret rapture like that portrayed in the movie "Left Behind" where the Christians just disappear and people wonder what happened. Everyone will see Jesus coming in the clouds, but only the saved people are taken out of the world and go to heaven with Jesus. After that is when God pours out his wrath upon the earth.
Romans 5:9: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. So thankfully, since we are saved by Jesus' shed blood, we are delivered from having to go through God pouring out his wrath. Some of the things God will do when he pours out his wrath are in Revelation chapter 8, turning a third part of the sea into blood, hail and fire mingled with blood, a third part of trees burned up, being tormented by scorpions.
Matthew 24:36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but my father only. The reason that verse says "but" is because we know it is after the tribulation, we just don't know the day or the hour.
Luke 21:25: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26: Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27: And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
I Thessalonians 5:1-5: But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2: For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3: For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4: But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5: Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6: Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
So when the bible says "they", it is talking about unsaved people that he will come as a thief in the night to, not to saved people. (I Thessalonians 5:2-3). Also the "sudden destruction" is for unsaved people. Christians are going to heaven, not to have sudden destruction come upon them. In verse 4, where it says "But ye brethren", means saved people. He is not coming as a thief in the night to saved people because we are watching and being sober to see the signs of the times. Christians are children of the light, not of darkness.
Other chapters in the bible that talk about the second coming are Luke 21, Mark 13, and Luke 17 for further reference.
No comments:
Post a Comment