Heaven Past Present Future Ministries

ENCOURAGEMENT TO ETERNAL FOCUS IN UNITY AND FELLOWSHIP OF THE GOSPEL

Email Chapter       PDF Preview  Homepage

Send Comment  Read \ Answer Discussion Questions

Printer Friendly Version (Page setup: top .75, bottom .5, left .75 right.75) 

Chapter 14       Chapter 16  Chapter Time Link Map

Gathering Together

15

 

What does God's Word say about a gathering at Jesus Second Coming?

  • Myth: Only some of God's children will be gathered when Jesus comes

  • Myth: Jesus gathers Saints in merry-go-round yo-yo fashion multiple times before He comes

  • Myth: Christians will not suffer at the hands of Gentile governments

  • Myth: God's Word says absolutely there is a pre-tribulation gathering

  • Myth: God's children are segregated into multiple gatherings of Old Testament, Church Age, Tribulation and Millennial Saints

  • Myth: People will accept Jesus as Savior after the gathering in the Tribulation before the Millennium

Perhaps one of the most asked questions by seekers of God today deals with some aspect of future prophecy and the gathering  of believers mentioned in God's Word. After all the hope of the child of God is in the resurrection to eternal life. It is only natural to inquire for more information about this future destiny in the face of worldly trials. Many have correctly deduced from Scripture their hope of eternal life will come in a resurrection to eternal life and not this world. Yet there are difficult questions about many prophetic parts of this hope in Christ.

Over the centuries written records share how believers have always believed the Lord's Second Coming was closer more and more every day. They even felt the closer this coming came the more light they would receive as seen in this quote from a third century writer after Christ.

Epistle 62 - To Caecilius, on the Sacrament
45 Wherefore, if we wish to walk in the light of Christ, let us not depart from His precepts and monitions, giving thanks that, while He instructs for the future what we ought to do, He pardons for the past wherein we in our simplicity have erred. And because already His second coming draws near to us, His benign and liberal condescension is more and more illuminating our hearts with the light of truth. (Emphasis mine) Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database, 2003,  Biblesoft

Documents show the Waldenses[1] around 1100 A.D. lived with the impression they were in the last days. These believers were the predecessors of the Anabaptist and equivalent to Modern Baptists in faith up to about fifty years ago. They continually endured severe persecution for not conforming to the legalized religions of the State churches.  A lesson challenged believers showing how the knowledge of the Lord's coming should govern the ways of their lives.

"O Brethren, give ear to a noble lesson, We ought always to watch and pray, For we see the World nigh to a conclusion. We ought to thrive to do good works, Seeing that the end of this World approacheth. There are already a thousand and one hundred years accomplished, Since it was written thus, for We are in the last time. We ought to covet little, for we are at what remains, viz. at the later end. We see daily the Signs to he accomplished, And that in the increase of evil, and the decrease of good. There are the perils which the Scripture mentioneth, In the gospels and St. Paul's Writings: As also, that no man living can know the end. And therefore we ought the more to fear, as not being certain, Whether we shall die to day or to morrow. But when the Day of Judgment shall come, Every one shall receive their full Reward. Those that shall have done either well or ill. Now the Scripture saith, and we ought to believe it, .... "

 Over my lifetime I have heard of many who felt the same. In my Seminary years I listened to a professor share how after hearing a very stirring sermon on the last days he went back to his home church and on one Sunday morning fully persuaded every person there Mussolini was the antichrist and they needed to get ready for the Lord's return. In my first pastorate I met two sons of a deceased minister of over 50 years service to the Lord who had charged his sons in light of the last times. He persuaded them to have no children since he believed they would have to suffer great trial and persecution in the last days. One son adopted a child so as to remain in the wishes of his father while the other had no children. My wife's grandfather now dead for more than thirty years believed the Lord would come back in his lifetime. Even lately one of our young secretaries was concerned about having more children if the world would get worse and asked me what I thought about her having more children. We can easily see the worsening condition of the world at the time of the Lord's return is never far from the minds of his children.  

While Scripture and observation see the world worsening the dominant popular views of our day are interesting. Modern American Christianity parades itself invincible claiming the Lord will rapture them before the times surrounding the Lord's Coming and protect them from any suffering. These comfort themselves  in Laodicean air castles of denial and prosperity while many others currently suffer for their testimony of Christ in other parts of the world. So quickly forgotten are those of the past who suffered martyrdom and intense persecution who held to the same hope of Christ's Second Coming.

If you are a seasoned reader of end time material I realize your first question here is my position on the rapture. I will make this same exact statement you are about to read at the end of this chapter. I answer those who ask for my position of rapture as Pre, Mid, or Post-Tribulation by sharing I am an "After Revealing Gatherist" and I don't know exactly when that will be in relation to the Tribulation. I can say with reasonable certainty it is before the last 1260 days of God's wrath because of promises of Scripture. As I hold to a literal interpretation of inspired Scripture if you read and digest the entire chapter I hope you will see why I chose this position. I have tried to take a purely unique Scriptural position apart from the myths of popular Christianity.

So what does God's Word say about this gathering to Jesus? When will it happen? Can it come anytime? Who will Jesus come for when he comes and why? How many times will he come and how many gatherings  does He make before coming to earth? When in relation to world events will this gathering take place? With these questions in mind let us consider .....

The Gathering Together

 

The Coming of the Gathering

 

From the time Jesus left ascending into heaven believers have hoped in anticipation for the coming of Jesus again as promised. In the records of the New Testament it appeared authors felt Jesus would come anytime and perhaps in their lifetime.

Acts 1:6-11
6 And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. " 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; 11 and they also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." NASB (Emphasis mine)
 

James 5:8-9
8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. NASB (Emphasis mine)
 

Philippians 3:20-21
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. NASB
 

Philippians 4:5
5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. NASB (Emphasis mine)
 

Titus 2:11-13
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

Revelation 3:11
11'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown. NASB (Emphasis mine)

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.  NASB

Jesus told His disciples only the Father knows when He will return. The Father has kept the times and epochs of the timing of these things to Himself. Since the Holy Spirit only testifies of Christ and His knowledge it can be assumed even the Holy Spirit cannot inspire men of the day and time of this coming. Jesus reminded His disciples when they asked if He would at that time restore the kingdom of Israel in Acts 1:7, "7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. " NASB As citizens of this hope believers are to focus on the work of ambassador for Christ to the world and not the details of this coming to restore the kingdom of Israel in His thousand year reign.

Mark 13:32
32 "But of that day or hour no one knows , not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. NASB

The Community of the Gathering

 

God’s Word promises all believers will be gathered together with Christ. Just as today the term “gathering to Him” was a popular topic in Paul’s day in the early churches. Early Christians talked often about this teaching.

2 Thessalonians 2:1

1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, NIV

The idea of the word “gathered”[2] used by Paul and others in the early church was “assembling in one location a complete collection.” Not one believer ever to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior will be left out. A complete collection of all believers will be assembled in one location with Jesus. Believers now wait for this glorious assembly in the clouds.

Hebrews 9:28

28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.  NASB (Emphasis mine)

The Bible promises a gathering of every believer both living and dead, from Adam to the last person saved at the initiation of Jesus Coming in the "Day of the Lord." This gathering is equivalent to the "first resurrection" spoken about in Scripture whereby as promised those dead "in Christ" will live again in active lives on earth.

The Greek word used for "resurrection"[3] always refers to a raising from the dead to active earthly lives. From an earthly perspective it is an awakening from a sleep of earthly inactivity to earthly activity. As seen in chapters A Room With Jesus and Tabernacle Not Made With Hands Saints while asleep in an earthly sense are continually now with Jesus at death. Living there in Paradise even while vibrantly alert about Kingdom matters no one has been resurrected back to earthly life yet.  In the "first resurrection" "at His coming" the dead in Christ's wait in earthly inactivity in the Father's House of the room with Jesus is over.

1 Corinthians 15:20-24
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

1 Corinthians 15:20-24

But now Christ having been aroused from death, firstling of those having been sleeping, for since death through man and resurrection of dead through man, just as in Adam all die, and so in the Christ all will be made alive. But each, in one's own order, firstling Christ, after that they of Christ in His coming. Then the end, when He might continually give the Kingdom to God and Father when He may render useless all rule and all authority and all power. (Personal translation with emphasis mine)

 

Revelation 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. NASB

Revelation 20:4-6

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was being given to them, and the souls of them after having been beheaded on account of the witness of Jesus, and on account of the Word of God, and which some had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received the mark on foreheads and their hands, and they lived and they reigned with the Christ a thousand years. The remaining of the dead lived not until the thousand years were being completed. This resurrection the first. Blessed and holy one who is holding share in the first resurrection. On these the second death holds no power, but they themselves will be priests of the God and of the Christ and they will rule with Him a thousand years. (Personal translation) 

It should be noted while including every previous person to trust by faith in Jesus Christ this gathering does not include those yet to be born accepting the gospel in Christ's thousand year reign. The reason is simply the millennium has not happened yet. As shown in chapter The First Thousand Years these believers of the millennium at death are immediately translated to glorified bodies and given reward and responsibility of service with Jesus. At the end of this millennium when the Saints saved during Christ's reign are added only then will it be in the great Assembly or Church being built when Jesus presents all redeemed to the Father.

So then if this gathering at the Second Coming is not this completed Assembly He is building called His Church then what is it and it's purpose? The answer and meaning of this event is better understood for what it is when we recognize nowhere in Scripture is this promise called “the rapture of the church” as mythically termed by popular Christianity. While incorrectly applied to Jesus Church finished after His thousand year reign this modern traditional term is not completely incorrect. In all of its completeness this gathering is well described as “rapture.” The word "rapture" comes from the Latin verb "rapiemur" which means "carried off." It was used in the Latin Vulgate (about 405 A.D.) translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

 

4 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air: and so shall we be always with the Lord. deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper cum Domino erimus

 

As believers read for more than one thousand years the Latin of  their own language  the term  came to mean ecstasy and exultation that was expected in this gathering of Scripture. This event as defined by the term will be a joyous ecstatic time for all believers. I have dreamed of this day on several occasions and while ascending into heaven the excitement becomes so great I awaken with chill bumps and elation. Many a Christian on mere thought of this day has experienced tears of joy or shouted in elation. It will be truly “rapture.”

Popular Christianity adds to the derivative of the Latin 'rapture' the term "church" promoted by the Authorized King James translators. The word "church" used today was unknown to Saints before the late sixteenth century. It's creative use was an attempt to maintain the then new Protestant church theology needed to justify a separated existence from the state Roman Catholic and other previously existing types of congregations such as the Anabaptist. In Protestant theology, which only in the last fifty years has included the majority of Baptist teaching, it  is loosely used to refer to “the church” as God’s family of all the redeemed in the world today. Thus the term “church” when used in an earthly sense is frequently substituted for “believers” in popular writings and teachings calling this gathering of the Second Coming “the rapture of the Church.” The writers of the New Testament letters and others through the ages all the way up until the eighteenth century would have no clue what "the rapture of the church" meant if heard in their days. 

So what happens when this is applied to the current organization of the Kingdom of God as seen in Appendix 1 - The Present Heavens ? When attempting to harmonize this 400 year old definition of the Lord's church with all prophecy it breaks down with multiple problems. For example some[4] popular authors in attempts to make it work teach more than one Second Coming of Christ in "stages" or "phases" in a merry-go-round or yo-yo fashion. Others[5] in order to harmonize all prophecy with the fabricated idea of an absolute pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church teach multiple "orders" of the first resurrection. In these highly promoted increasingly popular views when fully applied to all teachings of end time prophecy strange twists surface that are foreign to the Biblical writers. One growing tenet teaches that  Old Testament Saints are not part of this "Church" or "in Christ" and thus not part of this rapture promised.  For example in this view while the thief was promised he would be with Jesus in Paradise that day the poor fellow died a little to soon before Pentecost to be part of this invisible Church they teach that did not begin until Pentecost. Thus these would have to say for consistency Mary the mother of Jesus would be in the rapture of the Church whereas Joseph would not since he died before Pentecost. This would really present some interpretational problems when one understands where the deceased Saints are today. 

  In this evolving Protestant theology when Jesus descends from the Father's Throne of the Third Heaven to the clouds of the Second Heaven in gathering first those dead in Christ the only ones He brings with Him in resurrection are those who died from Pentecost to that day. The others in the Father's House there in Paradise below the Throne of the Father of the Second Heaven as discussed previously in chapters The Tabernacle Not Made With Hands and A Room With Jesus are left behind when leaving to meet those alive caught up from earth to the clouds. So out of this group assembled in the Father's House under His tent will Jesus take Mary His mother and leave His earthly Father that raised Him? This would mean Abraham through whom the blessing to all nations flowed would have to watch as other Saints went with Jesus simply because they died before Pentecost. Even David through whom was promised that his "seed" would rule in a Kingdom would just have to stay behind and watch as others left to set this Kingdom up. Now if this application were true this scenario would be the real Left Behind Series.

The problems here are two fold. The first is forgetting Peter's admonition of 2 Peter 3:8 that time is relative as is applied to the Second Coming in the next section. The second is that technically referencing this promise of the gathering  to “the Church” is not the intent of Scripture and no Scripture so uses the term in such application to the earthly assemblies. It is a derived idea based upon an incorrect theology concerning the Church Jesus is building in heaven and the visible churches or congregational gatherings on earth that publicly picture or shadow this Heavenly Assembly future every time they come together on the first day of the week. As seen in chapter God With Us Celebration - The New Heaven and New Earth in God's heavenly time this great Assembly Jesus is building comes together in completion after Day Seven or the Day of the Lord of His one thousand year earthly reign. This great Assembly or Church will be on the first day of a  new week in time eternity with God the Father. The Day of the Lord or the Seventh Day will be completed. This is why Christians gather in worship on the first day of the week and Jesus arose on the first day of the week. It fits the heavenly pattern in shadow picturing God's future plans that begin on the first day of the new week of eternity with the Father. Israel by observing the Sabbath on the seventh day of each earthly week pictured the rest of God for spiritual Israel of the thousand year reign on earth. This thousand years on earth is equivalent to the Day of the Lord or the Seventh Day of God's time in the plan of redemption. So when the heavenly time is applied correctly as Peter exhorts the pictures of God's overall plan of redemption leap forth.

Often forgotten is the truth that this heavenly Church to come after Jesus reign, the Body of Christ,  that Jesus in love gave His life, is currently building as we speak. Its "mystery" is not "invisible" as labeled by many today. It just is not formed yet so we cannot see it in its completeness. This Church Universal as called by some past authors will not literally exist or form together for a millennium after this rapture that His Word promises at the Second Coming. This was the majority position of  Baptist up to about fifty years ago and many like congregations over the previous centuries. As seen in this authors work The Right Hand Of Fellowship men of Baptist history such as John L. Dagg, William B. Johnson, J.P. Boyce, John A. Broadus, Hershel H. Hobbs, A. T. Robertson, B. H. Carroll, W.R. White, Ben M. Bogard, James M. Pendleton, W. A. Criswell, J. R. Graves and others never accepted the aforementioned Protestant church view. To these and this author the Church Universal only exists in anticipation in the hearts of believers on earth by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:22-24
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. NASB (Emphasis mine)
 

Matthew 16:18
18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

Ephesians 3:20-21
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. NASB (Emphasis mine)

The word Jesus used for “church”[6] always properly translates as an assembly or congregation. The visible church or assembly on earth today is a qualified subset of God’s family. Members of the visible earthly congregation qualify for the privileges of an assembly based on their both 1) baptismal immersion that pictures their spiritual birth into citizenship of the coming Kingdom and  2) their public commitment with others in the assembly  to follow the Kingdom Laws of Heaven in earthly living walking in newness of life. Thus in the visible churches on earth water baptism is seen as a prerequisite for privileges of the local assembly while not a requirement for privileges of the Assembly to come Jesus is building.

Each visible church or congregation on earth publicly pictures when assembled together the gathering of all believers of all ages at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ - this Heavenly Assembly Jesus is building.    By Biblical definition a church on earth is a body or congregation of properly baptized believers assembling with Holy Spirit authority to carry out as ambassador work of Christ in recruiting citizens for the Kingdom. It must be so organized to properly picture the gospel requirements of spiritual baptism by the Holy Spirit in the new birth to enter this coming Kingdom. Only this spiritual birth is required to partake in the the Heavenly Assembly  as a Church to come in the New Heaven and Earth at the end of the age.

The Protestant doctrine of the invisible church discussed above in application corrupts the gospel message by omission of the necessity of proper water baptism of a believer for earthly congregational privilege (water baptism is not necessary for salvation privilege in heaven in the Kingdom.) The leaders of the Protestant Reformation continued the error of infant or Pedobaptism introduced by the state Catholic church that highly enforced all state citizens as members of the church soon after physical birth. Allowing visible earthly church privilege for people without proper believer's baptism, for one incorrectly baptized without immersion or baptism for other reasons other than a picture of one's faith in salvation would corrupt the visible gospel message the Lord designed. That proper message of the congregation should always be that the proper way into the Body of Christ to come is only through repentance of sin and in the new birth by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for sin. When the rites and actions of earthly worship go beyond pictures they represent the gospel of the coming Kingdom is corrupted.

So again for emphasis,  this Assembly of promise that Jesus is building is not the same assembly of all believers 'raptured' in the first resurrection at Jesus Coming  as often alluded in modern writings. That Assembly of Jesus love in heaven will not come for another one thousand years as discussed in chapter God With Us Celebration - The New Heaven and New Earth. It's forming will continue throughout the one thousand year reign of Christ with many who are yet to be born.

Yet regardless of one’s belief, it is true those members of churches on earth when “removed” or “taken out” from worldly wrath will eventually at the end of the thousand year harvest of the earth with millennial believers be part of all believers of all the ages gathered together as one Glorious Church.  One must not forget others gathered in that wonderful assembly of Christ's Body that is forming. It will include those believers who were never a member of a visible church on earth which is a shadow of this heavenly assembly to come; never were properly baptized on earth as a picture of spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit and faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for sin; those born in the millennium who accept Christ and even those innocent not ever having an awareness of sin and thus not accountable for sin.  These pictures or shadows on earth of religious rites and activities in worship were discussed in chapter Worship In Spirit and In Truth and Bond-Servants of Jesus. Also see discussion and numerous historical citations in authors work entitled  The Right Hand of Fellowship.

The second problem mentioned above seen in modern prophetic teachings that are based on the ideas of the Protestant churches is omission of  the relative time now between matters in heaven and on earth as seen in chapter Relative Time Creation. In the paradigm of linear equal time now between heaven and earth there are but two major choices concerning the gathering of the Second Coming. Since in Scripture there is but one Second Coming and one first resurrection of all Saints in a complete gathering in the clouds on Jesus way to the earth it must then be either multifactorial in multiple orders and stages or it must occur one time at the end of the Tribulation when Jesus comes to earth. Thus some now as well as some in the past such as the late 19th century Baptist leader B. H. Carroll believe in no literal millennium, a post-Tribulation gathering and general judgment of saved and lost. This position recognizably not fitting well with good Scripture interpretation causes the majority today as seen in the next section to follow a complexity of multiple stages of comings and multiple orders of first resurrections that are also foreign to the New Testament writers. The proper solution is found out of the box and is a matter of perspective of whether one is viewing the events from time in heaven or time on earth.

The Count of the Gathering

 

How man times does Jesus return at the seconding coming? In the end-time prophetic teachings of the seven years tribulation promised in Scripture that will be discussed in the next chapter The Judgment Scrolls Opened - Labor Contractions does Jesus return once, twice or more by command from the Father? Is the Second Coming at the end of the tribulation really a 'third' coming? Are the coming for rapture and coming to earth really one coming or two distinct events? As mentioned popular Christianity unwittingly describes two or more comings of Christ from the presence of the Father in a merry-go-round  or yo-yo resurrection of Saints  in interpretation of the resurrection promises. In one or more Jesus leaves the Father's side to gather Saints to protect them from the tribulation on the earth. In another Jesus gathers Saints of the tribulation.  In the final (?third or greater?) He comes to deliver Israel in war and set up His Kingdom in the "Day of the Lord." In popular Christianity there are so many resurrections and comings it is hard to keep up.

This multi-coming multi-resurrection view leads to some difficult questions if the Lord actually comes more than once before, during and after the Tribulation. For example, would what the Word calls the Second Coming to the earth at the Mount of Olives really be a third, fourth, or fifth "coming" since Jesus came previously to the air above the earth for one or more gatherings?  Does the Father in command send Jesus more than once from His duties of High Priest before the throne? Do trumpets really sound once or twice on two separate occasions a few years apart? Do angels gather believers just once to the Lord or on two  or more separate occasions?

Some try to explain this theological polygamy of Second Comings away by saying the coming in the air is not really a coming or the second coming. Is God by inspiration just giving us play on words in that a coming in the air really does not count as a coming? The answer to purposeful confusion is no. This idea of not counting the gathering of Saints before coming to the earth as a Second Coming does not really harmonize with Scripture. Both Jesus gathering of all Saints and His return to earth are referred by New Testament writers as a "second" "coming" in several verses. Read what God's Word says.

Hebrews 9:27-28 [First resurrection]
27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

1 Thessalonians 4:15 [First resurrection]
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, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

2 Thessalonians 2:8 [Coming to earth]
8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 

2 Peter 3:3-4 [Coming to earth]
3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming ? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." NASB (Emphasis mine)

The first two references above speak of the gathering of all saints as a second coming. The New Testament writers make no distinguishing differences still calling the Lord's return to earth "the appearance of His coming." Even the scoffers of the Great Tribulation deny the doctrine of the second coming because there is no evidence of a resurrection to earthly life as promised. They point out all those who believed this are still dead in graves as they were from the times men fell asleep.

These entangled questions could go on and on. In truth the difficult views among believers is really another pseudo-dichotomy of Scripture interpretation. Both arguments are right from the proper perspective. Proper interpretation of the seemingly two different events is understood by viewing the prophecy from different perspective.

The student of Scripture will quickly note how these two or more supposedly distinct perspectives of comings in end-time proceedings are described very similarly. To justify the multiple stage and order view popular Christian authors[7] like to emphasize the differences.  Ignoring the commonality of the two descriptions leads to much confusion in proper interpretation of future prophetic events. Some teachers speak of multiple raptures and several different times over the seven years. Others say there is no rapture at all. The crucial question again is are the events described really two or more different events of trips from the Father or one in the same? The answer is perplexing with seemingly endless theories because both descriptions of the events of rapture and coming to earth in Scriptures involve all the same attributes. Below are examples from God's prophetic Word with the interpretational  aspect of Jesus coming in rapture or to earth  under consideration in brackets.

  •  A time only the Father knows and commands    

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 [Rapture]
5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. NASB

 

Matthew 24:36 [Coming to Earth]
36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. NASB

 

Matthew 24:42-44 [Coming to Earth]
42 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 "For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. NASB

  • Jesus leaving the Father’s side of the third heaven to the clouds ( the second heaven)

1 Thessalonians 4:16 [Rapture]
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout... NASB

 

1 Thessalonians 4:17 [Rapture]
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. NASB

Revelation 1:7 [Coming to Earth]
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. NASB

 

Matthew 24:29-30 [Coming to Earth]
29 "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, 30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. NASB

  • Michael the archangel removing Satan from second heaven and giving instructions

Revelation 12:7-9 [Beginning of Rapture & Coming to Earth]
7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, 8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. NASB
 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 [Rapture]
....with the voice of the archangel.... NASB


Daniel 12:1-3 [Rapture]
12:1 "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 "And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. NASB

  • Saints accompanying Jesus from the second heaven of the Father's house

1 Thessalonians 4:14 [Rapture]
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. NASB

 

1 Thessalonians 4:16 [Rapture]
and the dead in Christ shall rise first. NASB

  • Trumpets sounding

1 Thessalonians 4:16 [Rapture]
....and with the trumpet of God....  NASB


1 Corinthians 15:50-52 [Coming to Earth]
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 imperishable, and we shall be changed. NASB

 

Matthew 24:31 [Coming to Earth]
31 "And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. NASB

 

Revelation 10:7 [Coming to Earth]
7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. NASB

 

Revelation 11:15-18 [Coming to Earth]
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying,

"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

"We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign. 18 "And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."  NASB

  • Angels gathering people (believers in first heaven on earth) 

1 Thessalonians 4:17 [Rapture]
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 NASB

 

Matthew 24:40-42 [Coming to Earth]
40 "Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. 41 "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. NASB

  • Similar world conditions (few years separate them)

Matthew 24:37-39
37 "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 "For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. NASB

  • Celebration in the Second Heaven on the way to earth by Saints and heavens creations

Revelation 12:10-12 [Rapture]
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
"Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death. 12 "For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time."  NASB

 

Revelation 19:1-9 [Coming to Earth]
19:1 After these things I heard, as it were, a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

"Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her. " 3 And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying,

"Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great." 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. 7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." NASB

  • Accompany the Lord wherever He is forever

1 Thessalonians 4:17 [Rapture]
thus we shall always be with the Lord. NASB

 

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 [Rapture]
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. NASB

 

Revelation 19:11-16 [Coming to Earth]
11 And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." NASB
 

Revelation 20:4-5 [Coming to Earth]
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. NASB

Do the particular details of revelation about these events above really happen two or more times? Are there really nearly duplicated Second Comings of Christ with some to the air in a rapture and one to the earth in a glorious appearing? Put another way, is the gathering of Saints we call the rapture from man’s perspective really different from the Second Coming of Christ to the earth promised in prophecy at the end of the Great Tribulation. [See Appendix 2 – The Fulfillment of the Times] This author believes the answer is no. From the heavenly perspective the two comings are the one and same event. Let me be quick to say this does not mean Saints will not be raptured until the end of the Tribulation as many claim. So how can two events separated by a lapse of time on earth be one and the same?

 

It is because Scripture speaks of a time difference between the events in heaven and the events in earth. 

 

The time difference that resulted in the spreading out of the matter and space of this dark creation is discussed in detail in chapter Relative Time Creation. Due to this time difference from man’s perspective on earth, the time from the moment the Saints are gathered in the clouds to their coming with the Lord to the Mount of Olives is at least 1260 days. We know the Saints will be gone from the earth from for least three and one half years to possibly up to seven years or more while God deals in judgment with the earth.  In the domain of heaven probably the second heaven alluded to by the term  “clouds” as seen in chapter Tabernacle Not Made With Hands a much shorter elapsed time of a few moments to minutes passes during the earths 1290 days.

 

 

 

In a moment or flash both living and deceased Saints gather to the clouds and return to earth all in one swift motion. Once the Lord receives the command just like a lightening flash believers resurrected will find themselves returning in glorified bodies with Jesus to redeem Israel. There are no long reunions at the gathering or tours of God's throne. Just a rapid assembly with Jesus as He heads toward the Mount of Olives on a mission to fight for the remnant of Israel.

The order of the prophetic comparisons above was primarily taken from the order described by the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. NIV

      As Jesus leaves the throne of His Father in the Third heaven he collects those in the Fathers’ House of the second heaven of paradise. This is why they arise “first”. Then those alive on earth are caught up together to be with the Lord. Once gathered together this group then returns to earth to set up Christ’s Kingdom. What is a trip of a few moments to the Saints gathered from both the Father's house and earth is at least a time lapse covering several years to those on earth. From this Scripture the following order can be derived. [Again See Appendix - 1 The Present Heavens for diagram of today's division of the heavens based on the tabernacle]

 

  • Jesus will come down from heaven (16) [The Third heaven of Father's domain not of this creation]

  • There will be a loud command (16)

  • The voice of Michael the archangel will be heard giving instructions (16)

  • The trumpet call of God will sound (16)

  • The dead in Christ now in paradise below God’s throne will rise first (14-16)

  • Those alive in this world will be caught up together with them (17)

  • Together all believers meet the Lord in the air (17)

  • All believers will forever be with the Lord (17)

     

Notice that nowhere in Scripture does it say the raptured Saints then proceed with Jesus to “heaven” to be with the Father for eternity. As will be shown in God's Word listed later they rally behind Jesus to come to earth as his “army” to set up a thousand year Kingdom on earth. Nor in God’s Word does it say believers are collected into a heaven with streets of gold and more popular Christian themes and ideas reflected in gospel songs - then return to the earth for a thousand years - then go back to the Father. As seen in chapter God With Us Celebration - The New Heaven and New Earth the reuniting of God’s Kingdom with the Father does not come until the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem are created from our existing creation at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ.

      Much Prophecy such as Matthew 24 and other passages speak of the “coming of the Son of Man.” Jesus teaching in Matthew 24 was about His coming to earth. His teaching was in response to the following question that as seen elsewhere was often on the mind of the disciples.

Matthew 24:3
3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" NASB

 

Acts 1:6
6 And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" NASB

 

Acts 1:10-11
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; 11 and they also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." NASB
 

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. NASB

 

Revelation 16:14-16
14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.") 16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. NASB

 

Revelation 1:7
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. NASB

      This coming will be to the earth at the Mount of Olives to fulfill the prophecy that Jesus will rule on the throne of David and restore the Kingdom of Israel as seen in chapter Messiah Unveiled - The Salvation of Israel and The First Thousand Years. As seen in the next chapter Judgment Scrolls Opened - Labor Contractions in fulfillment of prophecy National Israel is now being regathered ready for this time that will bring a prophesied spiritual rebirth. Christ will come “a second time” to the earth for war and save Israel from the utter destruction by the Anti-Christ and his earthly government. This will end the Great Tribulation and begin Christ’s prophesied rule of righteousness for a thousand years in the Day of the Lord. At that time all the tribes of the earth will see Jesus for who He really is as the Son of God.

      This time difference between heaven and earth explains why no one will be saved after the gathering of the Saints at the revealing of the anti-Christ. With Christ coming to earth to set up His Kingdom and the Holy Spirit removed there is no Holy Spirit drawing or Mediator in heaven before the throne as High Priest to intervene in behalf of those who might call for salvation. During those heavenly moments of descending and gathering of Saints Jesus is not working as intercessor before the Father. His time of intercession in heaven  is over. It is time to prepare for war and set up His Kingdom. Thus on earth for at least 1260 days great unhindered evil is released with such strong delusion all still alive and unsaved on earth will believe the false lies of the anti-christ. (See Reference 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 above)

      The Apostle John describes the place of believers in the plans of God during this coming to set up this Kingdom.

 Revelation 20:1-6

1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. NIV (Emphasis mine)

Six times in the 20th chapter of Revelation the Apostle John tells the duration of Christ’s reign of the world. No mistake the period is a thousand years or what we often call “the millennium.” John speaks prophetically of a literal period.

History records how from just a few centuries after Christ was on the earth many began to question the literalness of this prophecy. A lack of understanding led to spiritualizing or allegorizing Scripture. The desire for world power, control and influence in religious matters led government churches to adopt these views. In this trend religious theories of A-millennial[8] and Post-millennial[9] interpretation have circulated from those early centuries after Christ’s departure. These spiritualize this teaching of John whereby the prophetic teachings of the millennium will be fulfilled in some other form.

There is no reason not to take this teaching of John literally. John states this period in prophecy as fact. In the study of the Scriptures and prophecy a literal view is the only interpretation that harmonizes completely all other inspired revelation from God. John shares details of the first thousand years of Christ’s Kingdom that will have no end.

While we are exhorted in Scripture to be loyal to our governments of men we are shown all worldly forms of rule will miserably fail. Daniel was shown in visions the gentile Kingdoms of the world. Each representation pictured worsening human fallacies due to the sinful nature of man. Daniel saw how Jesus would come and establish a Kingdom that would replace these imperfect Kingdoms of man.

Daniel 7:26-27

26 "`But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.' NIV

In Revelation 20 the Apostle John makes an important observation about those who take part in the first resurrection to participate in this thousand-year Kingdom on earth. They come to “life and reign with Christ for a thousand years.” They also “will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Savoir will be brought back to life to serve with Him. The time of waiting and praying below the throne of God in the second heaven, as seen in chapter A Room With Jesus, is over. The martyrs of the gentile kingdoms of the world and of the first half of the Tribulation will wait no more. Saints from Adam down through time are now active again as they were on the earth previously. They serve as priests and reign with Him in His Kingdom. In glorified bodies we actively do God’s will as He commands as will be noted in chapters With What Body? and  The First Thousand Years.

A surprise encountered by study of God’s Word is after the gathering of the Saints together this body does not immediately go to “heaven” to live forever. The Scripture tell us Saints as they come to life gather in the air and return with Christ to reign with Christ as His priests. This is far different than the view of popular Christianity that teaches this gathering places Saints in heaven forever. The streets of gold and gates of pearl described do not exist yet. These will occur at the end of the millennium in the form of the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem.  

Our service of the Lord begins with this change in structure of world governments. The transfer of powers will be sudden. No representative or democratic vote will be taken by the nations of the world. At a time determined by the Father the Lord conquers. Note the description of this takeover given John.

Revelation 19:11-16

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.  12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. NIV

Again this is the same coming as described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4. The Lord comes from heaven in what is called the battle of Armageddon. Of interest to present believers “the armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” As the Lord comes to make war as redeemed believers we come with Him.

The battle will be quick and decisive. It is a battle of the Lord against the world ruled at this time by the Anti-Christ. This is not as many have taught a battle of nation against nation in a world war. The world is now united and on the verge of eliminating Israel from the face of the earth. John and Zechariah describe details of this battle.

     Revelation 19:17-21

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. NIV

 

 Zechariah 14:12-15

12 This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 On that day men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other. 14 Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected-great quantities of gold and silver and clothing. 15 A similar plague will strike the horses and mules, the camels and donkeys, and all the animals in those camps. NIV

Zechariah 14:1-9

1 A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you.

2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7 It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. 9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. NIV

As the world in delusion follows the Anti-Christ claim to be God’s Son, Israel is blamed for the earthly suffering of the Great Tribulation. All nations will come against Jerusalem. Israel will suffer a holocaust as never previously known. God has sealed by His angels (Not same as Holy Spirit sealing of indwelling) at least 144,000 as safe during this terrible judgment upon the earth. These while awaiting destruction east of the Mt. of Olives are delivered by the Lord. He comes with “the holy ones” and sets His feet on the Mt. of Olives creating an earthquake. This destroys the army of the Anti-Christ and creates a valley for which Israel to flee. The dust will be so thick the sun will not be able to shine. However it will be light due to the Light of the Lord in a “unique day” as Zechariah describes it.

 

The Cause of the Gathering

 

What is the reason for this early gathering sometime before Christ comes to the earth to deliver Israel? Is it to keep God’s children from suffering in the world? Does it mean no one will be martyred? Is it to keep people from dieing? Listening to popular Christianity one might think God sends the angels to collect His children to prevent death, suffering or martyrdom in the seven years of tribulation to come.

What makes those alive just before the Lord’s coming so special that they should not have to suffer, die or be killed for their faith? Peter[10] was crucified upside down, John boiled in oil, John the Baptist beheaded and Stephen stoned. Why did not God deliver them? Are we somehow better than those people of faith in the past? What about those other Christians who have suffered or died in war, by forces of nature or at the hands of evil apostate religion and government?

The purpose of the gathering is not to preserve the comfortable life most Christians, but not all, experience here on earth. Looking at the seven-year tribulation it is probably not the suffering, death or martyrdom that tops God’s concerns when considering the well-being of His children. What is different in the tribulation that God does not want His children to experience? Why does not God in His Divine plan just wait to gather all believers at the end of the Tribulation Period when Christ returns to save Israel?

The reason for this early gathering before Jesus coming to the earth is to protect every child of God from something much more devastating and perilous that occurs in the tribulation than physical suffering and death. The threat God is concerned about is what Daniel called “an abomination that causes desolation” and God’s wrath in response. This is an act of evil whereby the Anti-Christ goes to the temple and declares he is nothing less than the very the Son of God.

Daniel 9:27

27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one `seven.' In the middle of the `seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

Daniel 12:11-12

11 "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

 Matthew 24:15-16

15 "So when you see standing in the holy place `the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand- 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. NIV 

The abomination is “the lie” of the Anti-Christ. Daniel says this abomination causes desolation. The desolation is God’s response in wrath. Of note the desolation of God poured out on the Anti-Christ comes after the Anti-Christ commits the abomination. Once the Anti-Christ commits this heinous act in the temple- for 1290 days or 3 ˝ years God will pour out judgment upon the earth.

The Second Coming in this early gathering delivers believers from “the hour of trial” and “a time of distress” that brings desolation upon the world. It guards from the trial of believing the lie of the Anti-Christ and God’s wrath upon the earth that admires the Anti-Christ. Jesus promised the church at Philadelphia He would keep them from this difficult time. 

Revelation 3:10-11

10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. NIV (Emphasis mine)

The word “hour”[11] by Jesus in promise to the church at Philadelphia refers to a distinct event marking time. We use the word the same way by saying, “The hour has come…” The word pictures something significant. Jesus called this hour to be filled with a “trial” meaning the rest of the world will endure a testing or proving. Jesus promised to keep those who belong to Him from this terrible trial to come on the world.

Jesus comes to bring salvation for those who wait for Him. Living believers will be separated from those who live on the earth for protection. Daniel shares how at this time of distress God’s people as a multitude experiences resurrection from the dead.

Daniel 12:1-2

1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. NIV (Emphasis mine)

The unsaved will not receive this blessed shelter. Those without Christ as Savior will be “astonished” meaning to have admiration and wonder when they see the Beast that describes the world dominion of the Anti-Christ. No believer will see the great power of the Anti-Christ and have to endure the trial of deciding over his abominable “lie” claiming to be the Son of God with great signs and wonders. Scripture shares once he reveals himself “all” the world will follow him except God’s elect of Israel who reject him.

 Revelation 17:8

8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life

from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. NIV (Emphasis mine)

 

Revelation 13:8
8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. NASB (Emphasis mine)

 After the Holy Spirit is removed to allow the revealing of the Anti-Christ, all upon the earth will be given by God to believe “the lie.” There will be no multitude saved after the gathering to Jesus as depicted by popular Christian fiction today. There will be no Holy Spirit to convict. Scripture is clear for anyone to be saved God must draw and give understanding through the Holy Spirit. Great evil is released and allowed by God. Nowhere in Scripture is a great revival described where many “that no man could number” will come to Christ after the rapture and before the Lord’s coming to the earth. Scripture shares the world gets worse as evil escalates under the dominion and rule of the Anti-Christ.

 

The Completion of the Gathering

 

The interpretations of the earthly events surrounding the Lord’s Second Coming are numerous.  As one attempts to correctly interpret these prophecies there are many forks with multiple choices. Each choice leads to a different construct. The student of eschatology quickly realizes opinions abound. As we consider the earthly events it is easy to get bogged down and forget the real purpose of this book – the consideration of heaven.

The idea of good Biblical hermeneutics and sound exegesis is to construct a view that harmonizes with all Scripture involved.  While temped to not address this section it would be neglect on my part to not at least give an opinion of the times surrounding this wonderful “gathering together” since we are told it should not surprise us as we look at world events. Let us start with the premise of Paul’s inspired opinion.  

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. NIV (Emphasis mine)

Paul told the Thessalonians believer to not become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter they might think would come from him saying the Day of the Lord has already come. Two phrases are important here. The first is "our being gathered to him" and second is "the Day of the Lord."

Remember the meaning of gathering is discussed more above. The idea of the word “gathered” as used by Paul and others in the early church was “assembling in one location a complete collection.” Not one believer ever to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior will be left out. The only exclusion in Scripture is to unbelievers. A complete collection of all believers will be assembled in one location with Jesus. Believers now wait for this glorious assembly.

The second important phrase is the term "day of the Lord" is used five time in the New Testament (Acts 2:20, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Corinthians 1:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:20). Other Scriptures also teach about this time referring to "that day" (Matthew 7:22,  24:36,  26:29, Mark 13:32, 14:25, Luke 6:23, 10:12, 17:31,  21:34, John 14:20,  16:23,16:26, 2 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Timothy 1:12, 1:18, 4:8). By its use in God's Word it signifies time in relation to the Lord in heaven and does not refer to a particular earthly day. It spans in earth time from the moment the Lord leaves the Father's throne by command for the gathering until the end of the age of the thousand year reign when all creation will be burned with fire. This will cover a little over one thousand years and is called a "day" in relation to the Lord due to the time difference between heaven and earth as shown in chapter Relative Time Creation.

This gathering together follows a series of five orderly earthly events. Paul, Daniel, and John give specifics about what must take place before the Day of the Lord.  Early in that day is the gathering of the God's children in a complete collection. This event is an early act of this glorious day to come after Satan is cast from the second heaven in war. He upon the earth will deceive the world unveiling himself as the Messiah of this world.

  1. The rebellion occurs (3)     [Discussed below]      
  2. The man of lawlessness is revealed (3,6,8) [Further Discussion Below]

Revelation 12:6-9
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, 8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. NIV (Emphasis mine)

Revelation 12:10-12