For those who aren't familiar with a rapture, let me give a very simple explanation of what many believe concerning our gathering unto God.

Dispensationalism came about as a way to explain the lapse in history from which Jesus hasn't returned. There is mention of the "Times of the Gentiles," which alludes many to think that the Jewish nation will come back to God through Jesus, thus placing emphasis on the original covenant (which was actually done a way with.) To explain this scenario, many believe that the Church is going to be 'secretly' raptured up to heaven while the Jewish nation preaches through a so called "Great Tribulation" by which the Bible shows no futuristic support for these days. I noticed how much is speculation and was hoping to show what the Bible actually says.

Here is what Jesus says about it: Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
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.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
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 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.

Notice the progression here:

Jerusalem destroyed
Greatest Tribulation ever
False Christs and false prophets arise
Sun and moon darkened, starts fall from from heaven,
and powers of heaven shaken (IMO Extremely Sever Weather Problems, i.e. global warming)
THEN JESUS COMES IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN
the tribes of the earth mourn
THEN THE ELECT ARE GATHERED.

2 John 1:1 ¶The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

This shows that the Church is the elect, thus we are only raptured at Jesus's coming, not in secret.


For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Does this sound like a secret coming of Christ? I think not.

God bless

The abomination of desolation part has been fulfilled but no one noticed.

really?

you're right... i didn't notice that they rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem...

What is up with all these Resurected ancient PoSTS? For pete sake, if you have something to say, say it, don't pull Forum Necromancy. Geeeeeze, that's BAD forum manners.

lol... i just noticed how old they were when you said that...

i thought it was strange to have sooo many posts on Daniel, the Abomination of Desolation, the Antichrist... etc...
all of which are basically out of the same book...

i think it's a good change of pace... far better than all the God/Bible bashing that some people usually post on the daily basis... keep up the good work...

owned?