Eschatology or the Doctrine of Final Things (Things to Come)
Neither the individual Christian character, nor the Christian church as a whole, attains its destined perfection in this life (Romans 8:24). This perfection is reached in the world to come (I Corinthians 13:10).
Eschatology is the study of the teachings of the Bible concerning the end times, and the period of time dealing with the return of Christ. Eschatological subjects include the Resurrection, the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Millennium, the Binding of Satan, the Three witnesses, the Final Judgment, Armageddon, and The New Heavens and the New Earth.
Clarity and comprehension regarding the Rapture and its implications to believers and those charged with its teaching is needed. As stages in the future condition of men, there is to be an intermediate and an ultimate state, both for the righteous and for the wicked. If you believe these events are to come, then we as teachers are called to prepare saints for life, death, and life. You can't bypass the teaching, nor can you attempt to scare the Hell out of saints. However, with wisdom and care, you teach the saints to be ready at any moment for the Coming of the Lord.
What we mean by the Rapture of the Church is the catching up of all true believers in Christ to meet Him in the air. This event is simply and clearly predicted in various passages (I Thess. 4:13-17; I Cor. 15:23, 51-58; Phil. 3:20-21; John 14:1-3; Luke 21:34-36; and Col. 3:4).
A reading of these passages will prove that there is to be such an event. As the Lord descending from Heaven to take out of the world, in a moment of time, all the dead and living in Christ. In fact, it would be hard to understand how even one person could fail to understand such a doctrine if he will be honest and believe what is plainly written in these passages. For example, I Thess. 4:16-17 says, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall 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." In view of such plain language, a denial of what is written implies not a misunderstanding but total disregard and a lack of belief in the Bible.
The rapture of the church is called "the coming of the Lord" but never the second coming of Christ. At the Rapture, Christ does not appear visibly to those on the Earth, but He comes in the air above the Earth to catch up the dead and living saints who rise together to meet Him in the air. There are many different ideas about these two events, which have made it difficult to distinguish one coming from the other. There are so many scriptures that have been misapplied to the one or the other event, which has caused great confusion and a lack of clarity.
The Rapture is purely a New Testament doctrine revealed to Paul as a special revelation (I Cor. 15:51-58), while the second coming of Christ is a New Testament doctrine, and one of the chief themes of the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophets never saw the New Testament church much less the rapture of the Church. The Rapture should never be called the second coming or second advent of Christ, for He does not come to Earth at that time. In addition, it should never be referred to as one stage or phase of the second coming of Christ; for at this event, the Lord does not remain in the air during the Tribulation, and then completes the second stage of His coming to the Earth to be among men. The Rapture, itself, is a distinct coming, not to the Earth, but in the air where Christ meets the saints in the air, and then takes them back to heaven to present them blameless before God ( John 14:1-3; I Thess. 3:13; 4:16-17).
Ministers often complicate the doctrine of the Rapture by stating that many signs must be seen and many prophecies must yet be fulfilled before the second coming of Christ, and then make statements that He might come tonight or at any moment. How could Christ come at any moment and yet cannot come until certain events occur? If this impression was not left, then a contradictory idea would not have been planted in the minds of the people.
The scriptures that apply to one event does not apply to the other. Not one of the passages regarding the second advent refers to the Rapture. There is not one biblical passage that refers to both events as if they were one. These are two distinct events, which occur at two separate times. The Rapture takes place several years before Christ's second coming to the Earth. In this event, He returns with the saints who are in Heaven before God to reign as kings and priests (Jude 14; Rev. 19:14; Zech. 14:5). This seems clear that the saints are judged, are given rewards, and partake of the marriage supper in Heaven and not in the air (Rev. 19:1-10; II Cor. 5:9-10). Christ departs from Heaven at His second advent to Earth and not from the air (Rev. 19:11-21; II Thess. 1:7-10). The Rapture must occur first; Christ must come for His saints (I Thess. 4:16-17) before He can come back to the Earth with them.
The Rapture occurs before the Tribulation, whereas the second coming occurs after the Tribulation. The Rapture may occur at any moment. The second coming cannot occur until all the signs and prophecies come to pass.
These two events have been separated for the sake of clarity and distinction in scripture. The following points will assist you to see the distinction between the Rapture and Christ's second coming.
1. To receive the saints to Himself (John 14:1-3; Eph. 5:27; II Thess. 2:1).
2. To resurrect the dead "in Christ" from among the wicked dead ( I Cor. 15:21-23, 51-58; I Thess. 4:13-17; Phil. 3:11, 20-21; Rev. 20:4-6).
3. To take the saints to Heaven where they will received judgement for works done in the body, receive rewards, and partake of the marriage supper ( John 14:1-3; Col. 3:4; I Thess. 3:13; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 19:1-11).
4. To change the bodies of the saints from mortality to immortality (I Cor. 15:21-23, 51-58, Phi. 3:20-21; II Cor. 5:1-8)
5. To present the saints before God the Father to be forever with Him (I Thess. 3:13; John 14:1-3; Eph. 5:27; II Thess. 2:1).
6. To make the saints "whole" in the body, soul, and spirit (I Thess. 5:23; I Thess. 3:13).
The Greek word translated "unto" in I Thess. 5:23 (King James Version) should have been translated "at" to make the passage clear. In the same way it is translated in I Thess. 2:19 and 3:13.
7. To receive the fruit of the early and latter rain (James 5:7).
8. To cause the saints to escape the Tribulation and "all these things", and stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36; II Thess. 2:7-8; Rev. 4:1; I Thess. 5:9)
9. To move the hinderer of lawlessness (II Thess. 2:1-8)
10. To permit the revelation of the Antichrist (II Thess. 2:1-8).
The time of the Rapture, like the second advent, is not definitely stated as to the day or hour, but we do know that it will take place before the Tribulation, and the revelation of the Antichrist, as will be proved in future blog entries.
Artesian Well Church
Eschatology is the study of the teachings of the Bible concerning the end times, and the period of time dealing with the return of Christ. Eschatological subjects include the Resurrection, the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Millennium, the Binding of Satan, the Three witnesses, the Final Judgment, Armageddon, and The New Heavens and the New Earth.
Clarity and comprehension regarding the Rapture and its implications to believers and those charged with its teaching is needed. As stages in the future condition of men, there is to be an intermediate and an ultimate state, both for the righteous and for the wicked. If you believe these events are to come, then we as teachers are called to prepare saints for life, death, and life. You can't bypass the teaching, nor can you attempt to scare the Hell out of saints. However, with wisdom and care, you teach the saints to be ready at any moment for the Coming of the Lord.
What we mean by the Rapture of the Church is the catching up of all true believers in Christ to meet Him in the air. This event is simply and clearly predicted in various passages (I Thess. 4:13-17; I Cor. 15:23, 51-58; Phil. 3:20-21; John 14:1-3; Luke 21:34-36; and Col. 3:4).
A reading of these passages will prove that there is to be such an event. As the Lord descending from Heaven to take out of the world, in a moment of time, all the dead and living in Christ. In fact, it would be hard to understand how even one person could fail to understand such a doctrine if he will be honest and believe what is plainly written in these passages. For example, I Thess. 4:16-17 says, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall 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." In view of such plain language, a denial of what is written implies not a misunderstanding but total disregard and a lack of belief in the Bible.
The rapture of the church is called "the coming of the Lord" but never the second coming of Christ. At the Rapture, Christ does not appear visibly to those on the Earth, but He comes in the air above the Earth to catch up the dead and living saints who rise together to meet Him in the air. There are many different ideas about these two events, which have made it difficult to distinguish one coming from the other. There are so many scriptures that have been misapplied to the one or the other event, which has caused great confusion and a lack of clarity.
The Rapture is purely a New Testament doctrine revealed to Paul as a special revelation (I Cor. 15:51-58), while the second coming of Christ is a New Testament doctrine, and one of the chief themes of the Old Testament. The Old Testament prophets never saw the New Testament church much less the rapture of the Church. The Rapture should never be called the second coming or second advent of Christ, for He does not come to Earth at that time. In addition, it should never be referred to as one stage or phase of the second coming of Christ; for at this event, the Lord does not remain in the air during the Tribulation, and then completes the second stage of His coming to the Earth to be among men. The Rapture, itself, is a distinct coming, not to the Earth, but in the air where Christ meets the saints in the air, and then takes them back to heaven to present them blameless before God ( John 14:1-3; I Thess. 3:13; 4:16-17).
Ministers often complicate the doctrine of the Rapture by stating that many signs must be seen and many prophecies must yet be fulfilled before the second coming of Christ, and then make statements that He might come tonight or at any moment. How could Christ come at any moment and yet cannot come until certain events occur? If this impression was not left, then a contradictory idea would not have been planted in the minds of the people.
The scriptures that apply to one event does not apply to the other. Not one of the passages regarding the second advent refers to the Rapture. There is not one biblical passage that refers to both events as if they were one. These are two distinct events, which occur at two separate times. The Rapture takes place several years before Christ's second coming to the Earth. In this event, He returns with the saints who are in Heaven before God to reign as kings and priests (Jude 14; Rev. 19:14; Zech. 14:5). This seems clear that the saints are judged, are given rewards, and partake of the marriage supper in Heaven and not in the air (Rev. 19:1-10; II Cor. 5:9-10). Christ departs from Heaven at His second advent to Earth and not from the air (Rev. 19:11-21; II Thess. 1:7-10). The Rapture must occur first; Christ must come for His saints (I Thess. 4:16-17) before He can come back to the Earth with them.
The Rapture occurs before the Tribulation, whereas the second coming occurs after the Tribulation. The Rapture may occur at any moment. The second coming cannot occur until all the signs and prophecies come to pass.
These two events have been separated for the sake of clarity and distinction in scripture. The following points will assist you to see the distinction between the Rapture and Christ's second coming.
The Purpose of the Rapture
1. To receive the saints to Himself (John 14:1-3; Eph. 5:27; II Thess. 2:1).
2. To resurrect the dead "in Christ" from among the wicked dead ( I Cor. 15:21-23, 51-58; I Thess. 4:13-17; Phil. 3:11, 20-21; Rev. 20:4-6).
3. To take the saints to Heaven where they will received judgement for works done in the body, receive rewards, and partake of the marriage supper ( John 14:1-3; Col. 3:4; I Thess. 3:13; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 19:1-11).
4. To change the bodies of the saints from mortality to immortality (I Cor. 15:21-23, 51-58, Phi. 3:20-21; II Cor. 5:1-8)
5. To present the saints before God the Father to be forever with Him (I Thess. 3:13; John 14:1-3; Eph. 5:27; II Thess. 2:1).
6. To make the saints "whole" in the body, soul, and spirit (I Thess. 5:23; I Thess. 3:13).
The Greek word translated "unto" in I Thess. 5:23 (King James Version) should have been translated "at" to make the passage clear. In the same way it is translated in I Thess. 2:19 and 3:13.
7. To receive the fruit of the early and latter rain (James 5:7).
8. To cause the saints to escape the Tribulation and "all these things", and stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36; II Thess. 2:7-8; Rev. 4:1; I Thess. 5:9)
9. To move the hinderer of lawlessness (II Thess. 2:1-8)
10. To permit the revelation of the Antichrist (II Thess. 2:1-8).
The Time of the Rapture
The time of the Rapture, like the second advent, is not definitely stated as to the day or hour, but we do know that it will take place before the Tribulation, and the revelation of the Antichrist, as will be proved in future blog entries.
Thank you for your continued viewing and reading. Feel free to visit us at: ArtesianWellChurch.com. If this Blog and its contents have been a blessing to you, then I ask, with God's leading, that you consider supporting Artesian Well Church.
Talk to you soon,
Pastor James P. Norman Jr.
Artesian Well Church
6031 Linden Avenue
Long Beach, CA
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