part 2: the four corner pieces (part a) - a study on the rapture
puzzled about the end of the age, April 22 2020
“Who is the best and most well-known prophecy teacher who has ever lived?”
Main Texts: Matt. 24:29-31; 2 Thess. 1:4-10, 2:1-8
In the previous message, “Are you puzzled about the End of the Age?” I used the illustration of putting together a jigsaw-puzzle with the process of making sense of end times prophesy: I suggested that we begin with the corner and edge pieces in order to build a framework into which everything else should fit. It is vital that we search the scriptures. We must be Bereans!
The four corner pieces:
We will begin by considering the four corner pieces that are most commonly used in defense of the “Pre-Tribulation Secret Rapture” (PTSR)—being gathered together from the four corners of the earth. We will look at the first two “corners” today, and the other two next week. We will also examine the four edge pieces - four statements by Jesus that clearly mark the “edge” or “boundary” that defines when these events will occur.
Questions to consider:
Does the Bible teach a Pre-Tribulation “secret rapture” (PTSR) of the church to heaven prior to the time of great tribulation and the coming of Antichrist? Note that PTSR is the majority view in western “pop-culture Christianity” today… but is it biblical? Is this what Jesus and the Apostles taught?
Why does all of this even matter if it all “pans out” in the end? It is important because we are commanded by Scripture to test everything and only hold on to that which is true and good. If the PTSR is true, then “we’re outta here” before the tribulation and the revealing of the Antichrist and His war against the saints. But if it is wrong, and the Bible actually teaches and commands watchfulness, endurance and engagement rather than escape, then we are in danger of great confusion, disillusionment, and offense that will come at the time of Antichrist’s Great Tribulation and the Mark of the Beast… This is a matter of life and death and eternal consequences!
A) The First Corner Piece: Matt. 24:29-31
Who is the best and most well-known prophecy teacher who has ever lived? Jesus! So, it makes sense that we would begin by looking look at what He taught on the subject. In Matthew chapter 24, the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of His coming and the end of the age:
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”
This is important, because Matthew chapters 24 and 25 are essentially one long sermon of Jesus expounding (in many different ways, and using different parables and illustrations) what they were to look for in the days prior to His coming and the end of the age. And that was a very Jewish understanding - that the Messiah would come at the end of the age, and restore the kingdom to the son of David. So everything that Jesus answers from that point on is to answer the disciples’ questions: What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?
Jesus’ response to their question in verses 4-14 included both general signs and global signs. We will look at those in days to come, in another message.
Beginning in verse 15-31 are what I have called the specific signs. Beginning with the abomination that causes desolation in Jerusalem, which kicks off the final three-and-a-half year great tribulation period to the end. Those are specific signs (Matt. 24:15-31) that, once these things happen, you know that the other things are going to follow.
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
Note in verse 15, that Jesus is referring back to a prophesy made by Daniel, Daniel 9:27, where Daniel prophesied about this abomination that causes desolation. But Jesus is placing this abomination in the future, and right before His return.
Note the timing in verse 21: Then (at that time) there will be great tribulation. That is the final three-and-a-half years prior to the second coming, when antichrist rules and reigns with an iron fist, and when he institutes the mark of the beast and makes war against the saints.
i. Abomination that causes desolation (v.15)
ii. Great tribulation (v.21, 29)
Note in verse 27 that Jesus is now about to introduce the signs of His coming. He says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27) Jesus is saying that His coming is going to be as visible as the lightning that shoots across the sky. Note that we have not seen anything to suggest a “secret” coming of Jesus that is only visible to believers to catch up the church prior to His coming. This event is going to be visible and recognizable.
“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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.”
Note: Verse 29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days.” What days? The days that He just talked about - the days of the abomination that causes desolation, the days of the great tribulation such as has never been on the earth before, the days of antichrist. Jesus says that His coming will be after the tribulation of those days. And notice how visible His coming will be. There will be:
i. Celestial disturbances to sun, moon, and stars (v.29)
ii. Visible appearing/coming of the Son of Man on the clouds (v.30)
iii. Great trumpet blast (v.31)
iv. Angels are sent forth to gather the elect from the four winds (“four corners”) of the earth (v.31)
Note: There is no evidence of a “secret rapture” in the order of events put forth by Jesus in this passage. And notice that the final thing will be the gathering of the elect.
Summary/chronology:
GENERAL SIGNS → SPECIFIC SIGNS → GREAT TRIBULATION → CELESTIAL DISTURBANCES → VISIBLE APPEARING OF SON OF MAN (“THE SIGN”) → GREAT TRUMPET → ANGELS → GATHERING OF THE ELECT
Note: Jesus does not include all the details of the Second Coming here. This is simply a brief summary of the events of the Day of the Lord. We must look for “pieces” to this puzzle in other passages in both the OT and NT to fill in the gaps.
b) The Second Corner Piece: 2 Thess. 1:4-10, 2:1-8
“4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”
Notes:
• 1:4: “trials” (NIV), “afflictions” (ESV) → Gk. thlipsis = tribulation
i. The Thessalonian church was already in tribulation when Paul wrote to them.
• 1:6: “troubles” (NIV), “afflictions” (ESV) used for the second time → Gk. thlipsis = tribulation
i. Tribulation is God’s just repayment on the wicked for their treatment of the saints. Paul clearly connects this tribulation with the coming of Jesus (v.7-8), when He is revealed from heaven in flaming fire with His powerful angels, inflicting vengeance and eternal destruction on the wicked (v.8-9).
• 1:7: “revealed” → Gk. apokalypto = revelation, unveiling
i. God will grant relief to His suffering saints when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire (v.7-8).
• 1:10: “comes” → Gk. erchomai = to come, to go, to return
i. “…when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed”
ii. NOTE: RETRIBUTION and RELIEF, DESTRUCTION and DELIVERANCE ARE SIMULTANEOUS ON “THAT DAY” - THE ONE FINAL DAY OF THE LORD (DOTL) - WHEN GOD JUDGES THE WICKED AND SAVES THE SAINTS (See also Exodus 11:6-7; 12:12-13).
iii. “blazing fire” - Jesus used the same word in Matt. 24:30, referring to His glorious appearing on the clouds of heaven—NOT SECRET!
“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”
Notes:
• 2:1: “coming” → Gk. parousia = advent, presence, in NT it is used almost exclusively to refer to the Second Coming of Jesus
• 2:1: “being gathered together” → episynagogue = to be assembled/gathered in one place.
• 2:2: “quickly shaken” → Paul was addressing a false teaching that was causing the Thessalonian believers to be shaken in their faith.
• 2:2: “prophecy” → Gk. pneuma = spirit, breath, wind
i. It is interesting to note that Paul attributed this false teaching to a “prophecy” or demon spirit (See 1 Tim. 4:1)—this is similar to the origin of the pretribulation rapture (See Puzzled…End of the Age—Part 1)!
ii. The Thessalonian believers were shaken in their faith because they had believed the lie that the false teachers were promoting that essentially taught that Jesus would come back and rescue them before (pre-)tribulation!
• 2:3: “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day (The day of the Lord) will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness (antichrist) is revealed, the son of destruction…”
i. Paul clearly warned against this deception and said that two events must precede the day of the Lord: (1) the rebellion (apostasy) and (2) the revealing of the antichrist.
• 2:3: “Revealed” → Gk. apocalypsis = to be unveiled, revealed (same word as used in reference to second coming of Christ in 1:7).
• 2:4-5: The antichrist will desolate the temple of YHWH in Jerusalem and exalt himself above every “god” (See Dan. 11:31, 36-38) and will demand worship.
• 2:6-7: The antichrist will be revealed when the “restrainer” is taken out of the way. There have been many theories of who this “restrainer” is, but the one that has the best biblical support is SATAN HIMSELF (See Daniel 10:13; 12:1; Rev. 12:7-17).
• 2:8: “Then the LAWLESS ONE (antichrist) will be REVEALED, whom the Lord Jesus will KILL with the BREATH OF HIS MOUTH and bring to nothing by the APPEARANCE OF HIS COMING.”
i. This event does not happen until the BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON (See Rev. 19:11-21), when the Lord Jesus appears and destroys the ANTICHRIST—the SAME DAY the SAINTS are DELIVERED (See 2 Thess. 1:6-10)! This event simply CANNOT be 7 YEARS PRIOR in a “PRE-TRIB SECRET RAPTURE”!
Q: Where did Paul get his theology from? - From Jesus (See 1 Thess. 4:15)! Where did Jesus get His theology from? - From DANIEL!! (through the Holy Spirit).
Summary/Chronology: Daniel 9:27; 11:31-12:3
RESTRAINER REMOVED (MICHAEL) → ANTICHRIST REVEALED → TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM DESECRATED → REBELLION (FALLING AWAY) → DOTL: JESUS’ VISIBLE APPEARING IN BLAZING FIRE WITH POWERFUL ANGELS; SIMULTANEOUS DESTRUCTION & DELIVERANCE OF SAINTS (RESURRECTION & GLORIFICATION) ON THE FINAL DAY / DAY OF THE LORD.
Conclusion
Based on the Scriptures we have looked at, it is my conviction that the Bible does NOT teach a Pre-Tribulation “secret rapture” of the church seven years (or 3.5 years) prior to the second coming. Rather, it clearly teaches a POST-TRIBULATIONAL RESURRECTION-RAPTURE on the LAST DAY/DAY OF THE LORD/SECOND COMING, when Jesus appears in blazing fire with His powerful angels to simultaneously judge the wicket and deliver the saints!
This means that those who teach a “secret coming” of our Lord to “rapture” the church to heaven are (knowingly or unknowingly) teaching a lie that is deceiving millions and setting them up for the great falling away during Antichrist’s GREAT TRIBULATION! I believe this picture will become even clearer as we continue in our study to add more “pieces” to the “prophecy puzzle”. May the Lord Jesus Christ, through His Word and the Spirit of truth, open our eyes to the truth! And may we love and hold fast to the truth for Jesus’ honor and glory and the sake of His people
The four corner pieces (matt. 24:29-31, 2 thess. 1:4-10, 2:1-8, (3) 1 Thess. 4:13-18, 1 Cor. 15:20-28, 50-55)