One of the most debated events in the New Testament, the whole Bible for that matter, is if there will be a Rapture. If so, does it happen before or after the wrath of God is poured upon the earth? Forget about all you have been taught during your life and just read what the Scriptures say. Let’s begin with a quote that is familiar to almost every Christian.
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1 Th 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
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This verse tells us that the righteous people will be caught up to the Lord. This establishes that there will be a "Rapture". The reason for this posting is to find out if the Rapture happens before or after Jesus descends to earth. Therefore, it is important to notice the portion of the above verse that says, "and with the trump of God:". The Bible is full of trumpets, including seven in Revelation, so the next logical question is this: Which biblical trumpet is this one? Of all the trumpets in the Bible, at which one is the Church taken to be with the Lord?
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1Co 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
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Now we know when Jesus Christ will descend to earth to reign forever and ever; "at the last trump"! This is using just scripture people. It is the TRUTH, no matter what you believed before you read this posting. If you need more evidence from scripture read the verses below. These things happen in sequence as they are written.
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Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days ...the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet [a great trumpet, NASB], and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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Notice the sequence:
(1) Tribulation.
(2) After the tribulation.
(3) Great trumpet.
Here are the events of the last trumpet as described in Revelation.
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Revelation 11
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. *************************************************************************************
Revelation 11
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
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The 7th angel sounds, and the Lord reigns forever. If there is no time anymore, then we know this is the last trumpet. Right then, forever! After that trumpet blows, there won’t be time for a tribulation, or for a 1000-year millennium. We will be going straight into the eternal Kingdom of God when that last trumpet sounds. Despite differing doctrines, that is the chronological picture as declared in the Bible.
