The Rapture verses the Second Coming

Pastor Bob (24 Aug 2014)
"The Rapture verses the Second Coming"

Pastor Bob (17 Aug 2014)
""Compare and Contrast The Rapture and The Second Coming""

All Doves:

There are many people that still dispute the issue of a Rapture of Bible-believing Christians. While I have focused my posts on the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, much of the liberal Church today rejects the very idea of such a Rapture of Bible-believing Christians. The folks that come from a "Covenant/Reformed" hermeneutic, which represents 90% of the Church - Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, United Presbyterians, United Methodists, Nazarenes, Wesleyans, Christian, Church of Christ, Reformed Presbyterian, and a few others are so confused they can't seem to recognize the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming.

I majored in Civil Engineering for two years before transferring to a Christian College, in preparation for ministry that required its students to write essay type questions for all exams because they believed essay exams better prepared a student for graduate school. I could bet money that would be the fact that any exam I took would begin with the question, "Compare and Contrast..........." I had two semesters of Russian History, and my final exam for the second class was, "Compare and Contrast the Causes of the Russian Revolution of 1917". That was it, just a single question. I had two hours to answer that one question. I filled up five "blue" books, that were used in college written exams back in the 1960's.

I thought it might be helpful for the reader if we did a "compare and contrast" between the Rapture and the Second Coming. There are 28 distinctions between the two that follow below. I just hope they line up like I typed them:

The Rapture

The Second Coming

1. At the Rapture, Jesus comes FOR His Church. (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).

1. At the Glorious Appearing (Second Coming), Jesus comes WITH His Church. (Zechariah 14:5; Colossians 3:4; Jude 14, Revelation 19:14).

2. At the Rapture, Christians are caught up to meet Jesus in the air. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).

2. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus feet touch the Earth. (Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 19:11-21).

3. At the Rapture, Christians are taken first and unbelievers are left behind. (1 Thessalonians

3. At the Glorious Appearing, the wicked are taken first, but the righteous (the Tribulation saints) are left behind. (Matthew 13:28-30).

4. At the Rapture, Jesus will gather His Bride, the Church, unto Himself in preparation of the Marriage of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:6-9).

4. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus will execute judgment on the Earth and establish His Kingdom. (Zechariah 14:3-4, Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-21).

5. The Marriage of the Lamb takes place in Heaven AFTER the Rapture of the Church. (Revelation 19:6-9).

5. War on Earth comes AFTER the Marriage of the Lamb at the Glorious Appearing when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords lays the smack-down on evil! (Revelation 19:11-21).

6. The Rapture will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. (Blink and it's over!). (1st Corinthians 15:52).

6. The Glorious Appearing will be a slow coming. Everyone will see Jesus coming with great power and great glory! (Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:30; Revelation1:7).

7. At the Rapture, only those who are looking for Him (Christian believers) will see Him. (1st John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:52).

. At the Glorious Appearing, every eye will see Him and those who have rejected Him will wail. (Revelation 1:7).

8. At the Rapture, Jesus will descend from Heaven with a shout (calling for the Saints at the resurrection). (1st Thessalonians 4:16).

8. At the Glorious Appearing, no shout is mentioned, although the Lord does slay the wicked with the sword of His mouth. (Revelation 19:11-21).

9. At the Rapture, a resurrection will take place. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54).

9. At the Glorious Appearing, there is no resurrection spoken of. (Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 14:4-5; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-21).

10. The Rapture can happen at any time ... maybe even now which is why we are to be WATCHING for the return of Christ Jesus! (Revelation 3:3; 1st Thessalonians 5:4-6).

10. The Glorious Appearing will occur at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:29-30; 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-8).

11. At the Rapture, no angels are sent to gather the Church.

11. At the Glorious Appearing, angels will be sent to gather people together for judgment. (Matthew 13:39, 41 & 49; Matthew 24:31; Matthew 25:31; 2nd Thessalonians 1:7-10).

12. At the Rapture, those who died in Christ Jesus will return with Jesus to recover their resurrected bodies. (1st Thessalonians 4:14-16).

12. At the Glorious Appearing, Christians will return with Jesus already in their resurrected bodies riding on white horses. (Revelation 19:11-21).

13. At the Rapture, Jesus doesn't return riding a white horse.

13. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus will return riding a white horse. (Revelation 19:11).

14. The Rapture will bring with it a message of hope and comfort. (1st Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13; 1st John 3:3).

14. The Glorious Appearing will bring with it a message of judgment. (Joel 3:12-16; Malachi 4:5; Revelation 19:11-21).

15. The world is deceived. (2nd Thessalonians 2:3-12).

15. Satan is bound. (Revelation 20:1-2).

16. The focus is on the Lord and the Church.

(1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).

16. The focus is on Israel and the Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14).

17. No signs precede the Rapture.

(1st Thessalonians 5:1-3).

17. Signs precede the Second Coming. (Luke 21:11, 15).

18. The Tribulation begins.

18. The Millennial Kingdom begins.

19. The removal of believers. (1st Thessalonians 4:17).

19. The manifestation of Christ Jesus. (Malachi 4:2).

20. Jesus claims His Bride.

20. Jesus comes with His Bride. (Revelation 19:6-14).

21. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb follows the Rapture. (Revelation 19:9).

21. The Great Supper of the wicked follows the Tribulation. (Revelation 19:17).

22. The world will not see Christ Jesus at the Rapture; but rather, believers ascend and go to meet Him in the air. (1st Thessalonians 4:17).

22. Jesus will descend bodily and visibly for all to see, just as He ascended bodily and visibly. (Acts 1:9-11).

23. The Judgment Seat of Christ follows the Rapture. (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11).

23. The Judgment of the Nations follows the Tribulation. (Matthew 24:32-46).

24. Believers receive a new, immortal glorified body fashioned like unto the Lord's. (Philippians 3:21; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54).

24. Saints saved during the Tribulation enter the Millennium kingdom with their earthly bodies.

(Isaiah 65:20).

25. The Antichrist is revealed after the Rapture. (2nd Thessalonians 2:8).

25. The Antichrist is defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire at the Second Coming. (Revelation 19:20).

26. Israel is persecuted during the Tribulation. Two out of three Jews in Israel are killed. (Zechariah 13:8-9).

26. Israel is regathered. (Jeremiah 23:5-8).

27. World government (the New World Order) follows the Rapture. (Revelation 13:15).

27. Christ Jesus' reign and government follows the Second Coming. (Daniel 2:34-35).

28. World famine, pestilence, war, and sorrow follow the Rapture. (Matthew 24:6-10), (Matthew 24:6-10; Luke 17:31).

28. World peace follows Christ's Second Coming when He reigns from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 11:6).

Most assuredly, the comparison and contrast between the Rapture and the Second Coming can only be interpreted to support only a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

Keep looking up and listening for the sound of the trumpet.

Pastor Bob

The Rapture	The Second Coming
1. At the Rapture, Jesus comes FOR His Church. (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).	1. At the Glorious Appearing (Second Coming), Jesus comes WITH His Church. (Zechariah 14:5; Colossians 3:4; Jude 14, Revelation 19:14).
2. At the Rapture, Christians are caught up to meet Jesus in the air. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).	2. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus feet touch the Earth. (Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 19:11-21).
3. At the Rapture, Christians are taken first and unbelievers are left behind. (1 Thessalonians	3. At the Glorious Appearing, the wicked are taken first, but the righteous (the Tribulation saints) are left behind. (Matthew 13:28-30).
4. At the Rapture, Jesus will gather His Bride, the Church, unto Himself in preparation of the Marriage of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:6-9).	4. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus will execute judgment on the Earth and establish His Kingdom. (Zechariah 14:3-4, Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-21).
5. The Marriage of the Lamb takes place in Heaven AFTER the Rapture of the Church. (Revelation 19:6-9).	5. War on Earth comes AFTER the Marriage of the Lamb at the Glorious Appearing when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords lays the smack-down on evil! (Revelation 19:11-21).
6. The Rapture will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. (Blink and it's over!). (1st Corinthians 15:52).	6. The Glorious Appearing will be a slow coming. Everyone will see Jesus coming with great power and great glory! (Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:30; Revelation1:7).
7. At the Rapture, only those who are looking for Him (Christian believers) will see Him. (1st John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:52).	. At the Glorious Appearing, every eye will see Him and those who have rejected Him will wail. (Revelation 1:7).
8. At the Rapture, Jesus will descend from Heaven with a shout (calling for the Saints at the resurrection). (1st Thessalonians 4:16).	8. At the Glorious Appearing, no shout is mentioned, although the Lord does slay the wicked with the sword of His mouth. (Revelation 19:11-21).
9. At the Rapture, a resurrection will take place. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54).	9. At the Glorious Appearing, there is no resurrection spoken of. (Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 14:4-5; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-21).
10. The Rapture can happen at any time ... maybe even now which is why we are to be WATCHING for the return of Christ Jesus! (Revelation 3:3; 1st Thessalonians 5:4-6).	10. The Glorious Appearing will occur at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:29-30; 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-8).
11. At the Rapture, no angels are sent to gather the Church.	11. At the Glorious Appearing, angels will be sent to gather people together for judgment. (Matthew 13:39, 41 & 49; Matthew 24:31; Matthew 25:31; 2nd Thessalonians 1:7-10).

12. At the Rapture, those who died in Christ Jesus will return with Jesus to recover their resurrected bodies. (1st Thessalonians 4:14-16).	12. At the Glorious Appearing, Christians will return with Jesus already in their resurrected bodies riding on white horses. (Revelation 19:11-21).
13. At the Rapture, Jesus doesn't return riding a white horse.	13. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus will return riding a white horse. (Revelation 19:11).
14. The Rapture will bring with it a message of hope and comfort. (1st Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13; 1st John 3:3).	14. The Glorious Appearing will bring with it a message of judgment. (Joel 3:12-16; Malachi 4:5; Revelation 19:11-21).
15. The world is deceived. (2nd Thessalonians 2:3-12).	15. Satan is bound. (Revelation 20:1-2).
16. The focus is on the Lord and the Church. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).	16. The focus is on Israel and the Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14).
17. No signs precede the Rapture. (1st Thessalonians 5:1-3).	17. Signs precede the Second Coming. (Luke 21:11, 15).
18. The Tribulation begins.	18. The Millennial Kingdom begins.
19. The removal of believers. (1st Thessalonians 4:17).	19. The manifestation of Christ Jesus. (Malachi 4:2).
20. Jesus claims His Bride.	20. Jesus comes with His Bride. (Revelation 19:6-14).
21. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb follows the Rapture. (Revelation 19:9).	21. The Great Supper of the wicked follows the Tribulation. (Revelation 19:17).
22. The world will not see Christ Jesus at the Rapture; but rather, believers ascend and go to meet Him in the air. (1st Thessalonians 4:17).	22. Jesus will descend bodily and visibly for all to see, just as He ascended bodily and visibly. (Acts 1:9-11).
23. The Judgment Seat of Christ follows the Rapture. (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11).	23. The Judgment of the Nations follows the Tribulation. (Matthew 24:32-46).
24. Believers receive a new, immortal glorified body fashioned like unto the Lord's. (Philippians 3:21; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54).	24. Saints saved during the Tribulation enter the Millennium kingdom with their earthly bodies. (Isaiah 65:20).

25. The Antichrist is revealed after the Rapture. (2nd Thessalonians 2:8).	25. The Antichrist is defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire at the Second Coming. (Revelation 19:20).
26. Israel is persecuted during the Tribulation. Two out of three Jews in Israel are killed. (Zechariah 13:8-9).	26. Israel is regathered. (Jeremiah 23:5-8).
27. World government (the New World Order) follows the Rapture. (Revelation 13:15).	27. Christ Jesus' reign and government follows the Second Coming. (Daniel 2:34-35).
28. World famine, pestilence, war, and sorrow follow the Rapture. (Matthew 24:6-10), (Matthew 24:6-10; Luke 17:31).	28. World peace follows Christ's Second Coming when He reigns from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 11:6).