When Will The Rapture Occur?

The Rapture  (excerpt from the 'Book Revelation In the Night')

When faced with the inevitable deadly threat of being struck by the Python, I escaped through the power of Jesus Christ in His Rapture. 

“But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:” (Romans 2:10)  

“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)  

“And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” (Matthew 27:53)  

However, in the mind of God it is imperative that His promised Covenant with Abraham is never violated.  According to Scripture, all of those who have ever risen as Yeshua Jesus from the dead, up to the present, have been Messianic Jews, hence, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.  Thus, the promise being kept, then the next event of ‘Fruits from the Dead’ can be generalized, both Jew and Gentile, and is evidenced at the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet in the Book of Revelation.    

“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18)  

Going forward, at the Feast of Pentecost in the ‘Upper Room’ the ‘Firstfruits of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit’ was according to God’s Covenant with Abraham and were again Messianic Jews, hence, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.  This event was/has been followed by many subsequent ‘Fruits of the Spirit Baptism’ of both Jew and Gentile alike, even until this present day. 

To this end, herein lies a major mystery and concern.  According to Biblical Scripture, there has NEVER YET been a recorded ‘Rapture’ as revealed by Apostle Paul, hence, the ‘Firstfruits Caught Up’ (Changed - Raptured). 

“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.” (1 Cor. 15:52)  

Why would God now, regarding a Rapture, choose to violate His eternal Abrahamic Covenant - to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile?  

“And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered...    And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. (Rev. 12:2-5)  

“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits [Jews] unto God and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 14:4)  

These 144,000 Messianic Jews referred to in the above Scripture are of the Male gender.  However, the term 'Virgins' used in this passage has nothing at all to do with their literal sexual activity.  The virginity of these 144,000 Messianic Jews is their purity from the pagan religious defiling influences of the 'Woman', (the Scarlet Harlot) Mystery Babylon and her harlot children.  Apostle Paul reveals the 'Virginity' of the Church in the same perspective.

These are God’s ‘Reserved Remnant Messianic Jews of National Israel’ which are the ‘Firstfruits Caught Up’ in the Middle of Daniel’s 70^th Week (to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile) and are shortly thereafter followed by the mixed group of second ‘Caught Up Fruits’ – both Jew and Gentile alike.  This concept of God reserving Jews unto Himself is seen in Yahweh’s response to the Prophet Elijah.

“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18)  

Herein is a Great Truth, these 144,000 Messianic Jews are sealed at the ‘BEGINNING’ of the 7 year Tribulation period before the 7 Trumpets ever begin to blow. 

Therefore, it begs the question, if these 144,000 Messianic Jews are as ‘Pure’ as God Yahweh declares them to be at the BEGINNING of the 7-year Tribulation period, (and reading their characteristics they have been Pure Virgins), why were they not taken in the alleged Pre-Tribulation Rapture – hence, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile? 

One of the greatest misconceptions facing the Church today is the doctrine of ‘Replacement Theology’ – the Jews are totally broken off and the Gentiles have replaced them.  This theology has no regard for God's reserved remnant.  

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. [15] And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe [xeraino - withered]. [16] And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." (Rev. 14:14-16)  

Here we see the Son of Man, Yeshua Jesus, sitting on a white cloud with a golden crown ready to reap and shout for the rapture of His withered harvest (Church).  The Greek word for 'ripe' and its definition in the above Scripture is as follows: 

It is worth noting, the Greek word 'xeraino' (dried up/withered) applied as a descriptive term for the condition of the latter day Church, is only used here (Rev. 14:15), throughout the entirety of the New Testament.  To this end, the concept of Christ coming to rapture a 'Withered' Church cannot be ignored according to what Apostle Paul had earlier prophesied regarding this coveted 'rapture' event. 

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition..." (2 Thes. 2:3)  

While as Christians, we may find the association between the term ‘withered’ and the latter day Church distasteful, Apostle Paul’s prophecy will nonetheless come true, and is being evidenced even today.  Therefore, when analyzing the above passage we see that Apostle Paul revealed that before the 'Day of Christ' could come, there would have to be two conditions met – 1^st a Falling Away (apostasia) of the Church, and 2^nd the Man of Sin revealed (Antichrist).  

One then must ask the question, "Why will another angel come out of the Temple of God in Heaven at that moment and declare to Yeshua that it is time for Him to 'Rapture His Withered Church'?"  Jesus Himself gives us the answer when He was responding to a question asked by Peter, James, John and Andrew concerning His Coming.  In the following passage, Jesus reveals that no one other than the Father knows of the timing of this event. 

In addition, it must be stressed that these seven feasts have their fulfillment in the Jewish feastal calendar rather than in the Jewish civil calendar.  The first month of the feastal calendar was the month of Abib and the seventh month of this same calendar was Tishri.  However, the civil calendar was just the opposite.  Tishri was the beginning month and Abib was the seventh month.            

It must be noted, the Feast of Trumpets was established by God to take place exactly at the rising of the New Moon on the first day of the month of Tishri.  As such, in order for the new month to begin, the Sanhedrin (highest Jewish Court) would have to declare 'Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hashana, which literally means 'Head of the Month.'   The Talmud therefore refers to the process of declaring a New Moon as 'Sanctifying the New Moon.'

Referring back to the sounding of the 'Seventh Trumpet' (Feast of Trumpets) we not only see the rapture of the church, but the unfortunate release of the fallen angel Artemis (New Moon goddess - Queen of Heaven - female expression/manifestation of the male Apollo/Apollyon) from the bottomless pit.  Now begins the wrath of God and Satan and the Great Tribulation.

According to Biblical scholars, the name Jericho is most likely derived from the Hebrew word 'Yerah', meaning Moon or month or New Moon.   Early inhabitants of Jericho in all likelihood worshiped the Moon god/goddess, whom they believed controlled the cycles of the moon and therefore the agricultural seasons.

In an additional comparison with Jerusalem, Jericho was the home of Rahab, a prostitute (harlot) who played a critical role in Joshua's conquest of the city.  According to Scripture, she occupied a house upon the city wall, where she gave lodging to the two spies sent into Jericho by Joshua on a reconnaissance mission.  She hid the spies under stalks of flax on the roof, and when questioned by the king’s soldiers concerning the two men she told them that they had already left the city.  For her part in helping the two spies to escape, Rahab was granted the promise that she and her family would be spared when Joshua's army attacked her city.

To this end, when Joshua stormed into Jericho, Rahab moved her entire family inside her house where she left a 'scarlet chord' hanging from her window, as had been agreed upon between her and the two spies, to signify to the Israelite soldiers that they were not to harm anyone inside the house.  Rahab and her family survived the destruction of Jericho, where she continued her life among the Israelites. 

Herein lies a great symbolism, just as Rahab the harlot and all her family escaped the impending doom of the pagan Moon city of Jericho, by Joshua's army, through her faith in the 'Scarlet Cord', following the blowing of the 'Seventh Trumpet', such will be the case of God's Church.  They also shall escape (rapture) the destroying wrath (Great Tribulation) of God, Satan, Apollyon and the Antichrist, upon the earth and Mystery Babylon (fallen Jerusalem) through their faith in the 'Scarlet Cord'- the shed blood of Yeshua Jesus, following the blowing of the 'Seventh Trumpet'.         

"...seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. [5] And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast [the seventh blast] with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him." (Joshua 6:4-5)

"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." (Rev. 10:7)

"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." (Rev. 11:15)

"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; [rapture] and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." (Rev. 11:18)

"And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:" (Rev. 6:16)

"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." (Rev. 12:12)

"And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it." (Joshua 6:26)

"Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. [21] And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all... And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." (Rev. 18:20-21, 24)

Joshua declared that the man who would rebuild Jericho would lose his firstborn when the foundation was laid and he would lose his younger son when he set up the gates.  In addition, the Hebrew word for 'adjured', shaba, means,

It cannot be overstated, that the sounding of a 'Trumpet ' throughout the history of Israel was God's prescribed method of calling His people together and, "Warning them of impending danger - hence, the Seven Trumpets of Revelation prior to the advent of God's and Satan's wrath - 3½ year Great Tribulation."

Just as the 'two witnesses' on the Feast of Trumpets would proclaim to the Sanhedrin that they had seen a new moon rising, so will the 'Two Witnesses' of God soon declare that a 'New Moon' (Beast Out of the Abyss) has risen over fallen Jerusalem (spiritual New Moon City – Mystery Babylon).

In addition, when we look at the concept of the ‘middle of a week’, we find that God created the Moon, etc. on the ‘fourth day of the week’.  The fourth day of course being the median day between one and seven, 

If what I have seen in the dream and revealed in this little book is true, the coming of our Lord is close at hand.  However, my rapture did not occur until I had seen the woman call the Beast out of the bottomless pit.  So what does this mean?  Contrary to popular opinion, There will not be a rapture at the beginning of the 'Seven Year Tribulation' known as the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, but just moments after the revelation of the Antichrist and the Beast Queen Out of the Abyss, marking the beginning of the 'Great Tribulation'.     

Apostle John testified to this same lawless spirit, when he declared,

⁶kai <2532> {AND} nun <3568> {NOW} to <3588> {THE} katecon <2722> (5723) {RESTRAINED} oidate <1492> (5758) {KNOWN,} eiV <1519> to <3588> {FOR} apokalufqhnai <601> (5683) {TO BE REVEALED} auton <846> {HIM} en <1722> {IN} tw <3588> eautou <1438> {HIS OWN} kairw <2540> {TIME.}

⁷to <3588> gar <1063> {FOR THE} musthrion <3466> {MYSTERY} hdh <2235> {ALREADY} energeitai <1754> (5731) thV <3588> {WORKS} anomiaV <458> {OF LAWLESSNESS;} monon <3440> {ONLY]} o <3588> {HE IS} katecwn <2722> (5723) {RESTRAINED} arti <737> {AT PRESENT} ewV <2193> {UNTIL} ek <1537> {OUT OF]} mesou <3319> {MIDST} genhtai <1096> (5638) {ARISES,}

Using Strong’s Greek Lexicon we find the following word definitions for Apostasia and Ginomai:

αποστασια      Strong's Number: 646
Pronunciation: apostasia   ap-os-tas-ee'-ah
Total Occurrences: 2
KJV Word Usage: to forsake (1) + 575 , falling away (1)
feminine of the same as 647 ; TDNT-1:513,88; n f

Definition:
1) feminine of the same as apostasion - apostasion 647; defection from truth (properly, the state) ("apostasy"):--falling away, forsake.

For myself, when I thoroughly researched the Greek word Apostasia I found that nowhere in any dictionary does this word ever imply a positive connotation, but rather a negative.  There is no mention at all in any derivation that remotely suggest this word could have a truncated joyous positive ‘departure’ meaning, such that could support a claim of a translation and transformation of physical bodies, souls and spirits from one world to another, hence, Rapture.  This has to do with a defection from a mental ideology.

How can we as faithful students of the Bible look at the above word definitions, as well as the context of the word itself, and ever arrive at a celebrated positive definition of departure for this word.  The word actually shows and means a Defection as a negative form of departure.  The word is derived from the Greek word Apostasion, denoting ‘Divorce’, and clearly reveals another negative connation.  

The transliterated English word ‘Depart’ is used no less than 38 times throughout the New Testament, and in no single circumstance, is the word ever deployed as the Greek word Apostasia.  In addition, the transliterated English word ‘Departing’ is used six times in the New Testament, and once again, not a single occurrence as Apostasia.

The Greek word Apostasia occurs only twice throughout the NT (2 Thes. 2:3; Acts 21:21) and in both cases it means defection from an ideology in a negative connation and never a positive catching away or a rapture of human beings. 

Turning now to the Greek word ‘Ginomai’ that is implied to be ‘taken out’ or ‘gone’ we see the following word definitions.

γινομαι      Strong's Number: 1096
Pronunciation: ginomai    ghin'-om-ahee
Total Occurrences: 678
KJV Word Usage: be (255) , come to pass (82) , be made (69) , be done (63) , come (52) , become (47) , God forbid (15) + 3361 , arise (13) , have (5) , be fulfilled (3) , be married to (3) , be preferred (3) , not tr (14) , misc (4) , vr done (2)

a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; TDNT-1:681,117; v

Definition:
1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being
2) to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen
2a) of events
3) to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage
3a) of men appearing in public
4) to be made, finished
4a) of miracles, to be performed, wrought
5) to become, be made 

What is clearly implied in the above definitions for the Greek word ‘ginomai’, is something that is about to come into being, or existence.  Therefore, a careful reading of the text reveals Apostle Paul was prophesying to the Thessalonians that ‘The Apostasy’ that was occurring even in their day would continue, and grow worse the closer the revelation of the Antichrist became. 

Thus, the absolute ‘restrainer’ (Holy Spirit) will continue to restrain the mysterious lawlessness through the Church even up to the appointed time when, 'Out of the Midst between the warring factions of the Church/Holy Spirit and the Mystery of Iniquity, the Antichrist will come forth (arise).'

Therefore, a paraphrased reading would be, “The Holy Spirit who now restrains iniquity will continue His restraint through the Body of Christ up until the appointed time, when out of the midst the Antichrist will appear.” 

Clearly, the above Greek word ‘ginomai’ has nothing to denote regarding a joyous ‘departure or leaving’ of some entity, but rather the negative emergence or coming into existence of something or someone, resulting from the weakness Apostasia of the restraining force.  Notice the old Greek text below and note what has been added to ‘He Be’ (come into existence),  

In summary, please allow me to elaborate just a bit further regarding my concerns for the doctrine of an ‘Imminent Pre-Trib Rapture’. 

I am suggesting that the doctrine of ‘Imminent Return’ and a ‘Pre-Trib Rapture’ go hand and hand.  However, I am in NO way implying that there will not be a Rapture, only that the backbone of the Pre-Trib supporters is woven to the belief that Jesus can come to get His Church at any given moment, hence Imminent. 

Therefore, if this doctrine is valid for us today then it had to be equally valid for the early Church.  Jesus Himself declared that the Kingdom of God is comparable to a ‘mustard seed’. 

“Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? [19] It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.” (Luke 13:18-19)  

To this end, Jesus revealed that the Church (mustard seed) would grow into a ‘Great Tree’.  This being the case, if the return of Jesus was then and is now ‘Imminent’ as those who hold to the Imminent Pre-Trib view suggest, then if Jesus would have returned to get His Church immediately following His ascension to the throne of God or even at Pentecost etc., when was the prophecy of the ‘Great Tree’ to be fulfilled? 

In addition, Jesus declared to His Disciples NOT to expect His Imminent Return: 

"And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading." (Luke 19:11-15)  

"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept... After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them." (Matthew 25:5, 19)

The early Church knew that they must take the Gospel to the world before Jesus Returned. 

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Christians in Thessalonica erred when assuming the Return of Christ was Imminent. 

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5)

The doctrine of the Pre-Trib Rapture of the Church cannot be valid for only the last three or four generations, but had to reach all the way back to the first Christian born into the Kingdom of God.  If this doctrine of an Imminent Pre-Trib Rapture be true then the infant Church (mustard seed), just as we today, had to be looking for the ‘Immediate’ return of Jesus irrespective of any prophecies yet to be fulfilled.  

Even today, most all Biblical scholars who support an Imminent Pre-Trib Rapture admit that the ‘signs’ (prophecies) of the Second Coming have only manifested themselves in the last 60 years – Israel became a nation, weapons of mass destruction, mass apostasy, global economy, etc.  

I in no way dispute the fact that the Rapture will occur and that it will come at an hour and a day that no man expects, but we as Christians are to be alert and watch for the prophetic season.