This is Not a Rapture Verse — and Why
When you rightly divide the Scriptures, placing the contents under the microscope of Study, comparing scripture with scripture, you will find out the TRUE MEANING of any passage of Scripture.
Many today do not rightly divide the Scriptures, but run headlong into confusion, teaching some things not meant to be taught.
Confusion is not of God, but we know from Scripture that the devil is the author of confusion!
He wants to TWIST the Scriptures to say what he wants said about them, and he will ignore the Truth and will play foul with it, bringing doubt.
When considering this following Scripture:
“13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of The LORD, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of The LORD shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 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: 17 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet The LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with The LORD.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
First point to rightly understand about the above Scripture is that this is talking not about a rapture event, but it is primarily talking about The Resurrection.
It should be noted that the writer said: “Don’t sorrow for those who are sleeping [dead] for when Jesus comes back…. He will bring them with him.”
Fact is, it is all about The Timing of The Resurrection, and the resurrection itself.
Second point to rightly understand is, it is talking about people who will be alive at this Resurrection Event, who must be changed and given their glorified bodies before entering Heaven.
It must be noted that it is talking about poople who are still living upon the earth at The Time of The Resurrection.
The point we must then ask is: When does the Resurrection take place?
Does the Scriptures tell us for sure? I believe it does.
Look at the timing of the Resurrection as wrote in Scripture by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, which is a Scripture argument for the Resurrection.
In this chapter Paul teaches the Truth of the Resurrection to defend it against those who deny there will be a Resurrection.
Now read what he says:
“22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:22-24.
Note the “order” of The Resurrections:
1) Christ arose from the dead and is called the Firstfruits. When Christ then came out of the Grave, he was The First to be Resurrected.
2) After Christ’s Resurrection, then it says, “They that are Christ’s……….. at His coming!”
So, this places the actual Resurrection of All Others who are Believers to a time “at His coming”, [the literal, or revelation, of Christ at his coming back to Earth].
It is clear to all honest Bible Students then that the coming of Christ is when the Resurrection of all Believers who have died will take place, and His Coming will be at the end of Tribulation Days and before He sets up His earthly Kingdom.
3) Then cometh the end... This is in reference to the Great White Throne Judgment of all the wicked dead.
They will be raised up to stand at the Judgment Seat. Judged for their works and then thrown into the Lake of Fire.
It is Important to Note this:
To teach then that the 1 Thessalonian 4 verses speak about a Pre-Tribulation Rapture and a Resurrection, would not only “Add a Resurrection”, but it would also then of necessity make the time of the Resurrection out of its order.
This would be moving Scripture around to suit your conclusions. it is called twisting the Scriptures.
The fact is there are no Scriptures that talk about a Resurrection “before” the Tribulation days, or any other than the actual Resurrection of Christ.
4) There will be a third Resurrection [in Scripture it is referred to as the “Second” Resurrection], this resurrection is mentioned in the Order mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:24,
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”
The final end can only come after God judges all sinners and put them down, and their power. See it described here:
“2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:2-6.
This Scripture event is called “The Great White Throne,” which will be made up of all the wicked dead who will be raised to stand before this Judgment Seat.
It must be pointed out then that the reason for this Judgment, is to punish the Wicked in the Lake of Fire.
“11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Revelation 20:11-14.
The Conclusion of This Study
The Scriptures do not mention any Resurrection “before” the Tribulation.
The only Resurrections mentioned are the First and the Second, and the First is at the end of the Tribulation.
To teach that 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 happens before the Tribulation, is to add a resurrection and to take away from The Bible Truth, that there is only two Resurrections.
This renders the Pre-Tribulation Rapture as a false teaching.
Postscript
Note this : I am not one that believes in a “rapture”. The Word does not appear in Scripture. One thing for sure is this, I have come to know that there is NO Pre-Rapture before the Tribulation.
So I am not a traditional “Rapture” believer. If there is even something like a “rapture,” it is like a catching away. And, to say that I do not find that phrase in Scripture, would be not true, because I do find that said.
The teaching in Matthew 24 says it, and the 1 Thessalonians says it, but I am not a PRE.
But, to say absolutely there will not be a “Rapture” event as some men think of it — a sudden catching away — I cannot deny that the possibilities are seen in Scripture.
I am just not one to change The Word of God, to accept a belief.
I see the teachings about a “Rapture” that take away and change The Word.
Finally, I used to believe and teach a Pre-Tribulation message, then God changed me in the desert, and told me there was no Pre!
~ Desert Prophet Ken Dewey
The light will shine in His glory… In the desert.
Evangelist/ Prophet/ Pastor Ken Dewey is the founder of “OUT OF THE DESERT MINISTRIES“ in Belen, New Mexico, USA.
He writes on Facebook and OutOfTheDesertMinistries.com Prophetic Words, Sermons and Teachings while leading people into true Church settings and preaching in an End Time Gospel Tent Ministry.
For more information and messages, please visit OutOfTheDesertMinistries.com.
1 Corinthians
13 No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].
Speaking of the tribulation and end times how would you apply this verse in the tribulating doctrine notice the word endure that does not mean you die to overcome! I am with Paul in this discussion if I have done things worthy of death I am not afraid to die however if my death is to appease some false doctrine that is not going to happen
Thank you so much for clearing up this misunderstanding. I was hearing from the Lord that His people would be complacent, thinking they will be lifted off before any trouble begins, and would then become paralysed when they were not, and become vulnerable and inactive at the worst time. We must be ready!
It’s exhausting that so many consider they are rightly dividing the word…
one says pre rapture, the other says post or mid…
And then, a bashing of scripture with each trying to prove who’s the correct one.
How about this, keep trying to win souls….and when Jesus decides to come back, more souls will be saved.
by the way, I fervently don’t agree with your understanding, but doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to your thoughts.
You ate a man, full of fallacy, sinful, don’t know it all, just like me…if the Lord God was speaking to you/us about the topic, there would be no opposite views.
Yes, even the disciples struggled against each other over scripture, but they knew Jesus Christ is/was the center of attention.
pre or mid or post, Jesus Christ promised He would return, so how about preaching Salvation to the loss, compared to you attempting to prove other spirit filled believers are wrong.
Agreed. That’s what the Word says so we have to believe that and not the doctrines of man. Not many teach this.
It must be noted that it is talking about people who are still living upon the earth at The Time of The Resurrection.
The point we must then ask is: When does the Resurrection take place?
Your own words do not answer your own comment. If people who are living and are not resurrected but changed as corinthians says what word would you use some use the word translated which fits old testament Enoch who did not see death, but this word does not fit the new testament because of the new creature already has died and put on the new man resurrection infers that you died physically as a new creature and Jesus came and took you to Heaven personally but what about the close of the church age when there will be those living new creatures who have not died whom Jesus moves to Heaven what word would you use not translate but rapture to express this moment. The discussion in Thess is not whether Jesus returns but how He returns to those who die before his coming to get the living which Paul answers by the word of the Lord that you (the dead in Christ) rise first announced by angel and you and Jesus are paraded into Heaven together
The Lord showed me the same thing about a year or two after I got saved. People won’t let go of it. My church had an escatalogical teacher come who was teaching the pre trib doctrine. I refused to go to his sessions, but he briefly spoke in one of the regular services. I quietly prayed that he would be prevented from teaching contrary to God’s word. His sessions failed and the last one cancelled because halfway through he caught a mild illness and lost his voice. It kinda freaked me out. I certainly did not doubt his salvation, but false doctrine is rampant. 95 percent of what my church teaches is sound. The missing 5% though, is becoming more relevant by the day. I am seeing Spirit more and more in the leadership and congregation, so I am confident the Lord will complete His good works in this particular assembly.