The rapture
and the second coming are separate events. Let me contrast the rapture and the
revelation:
At the
rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air to go to the third heaven [John 14:
3; 1 Thess. 4: 17 ].
At the second coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth [Rev. 19:
14].
The rapture
occurs before the tribulation [1 Thess. 5: 9; Rev. 3: 10]. The second coming
occurs after the tribulation [Rev. 6-19].
At the
rapture Christ comes to rescue saints from the tribulation and take them to the
Judgment Seat for reward [Rom. 14: 10 ; 2 Cor. 5: 10; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 5:
9; Rev. 4: 4, 10]. At the second coming He removes unbelievers as an act of
judgment and reigns in His kingdom [Matt. 24: 40-41].
At the
rapture Christ gathers the elect church [1 Thess. 4:13 -18]. At the second coming the
angels gather God’s elect Israel
The rapture
will be secret and instant [1 Cor. 15: 50 -54]. The second coming will be
visible to all [Rev. 1: 7; Matt: 24: 29-30; Zech. 12:10].
The rapture
is imminent; it could take place any moment [Titus 2: 13; 1 Thess. 4: 13-18; 1
Cor. 15: 50-54]. The second coming will not occur until after certain other
end-times events take place [2 Thess. 2: 4; Matt. 24: 15-20; Rev. 6:18].
At the rapture he comes as a
bridegroom while at the revelation He comes as “the wrath of the Lamb.”
The Blessed Hope and the Day
of the Lord are different Events.
