Session 6 The Bookends (Part 2)

So, we can see that we are not doomed to see God’s wrath. What does that mean when it comes to

when the Rapture will take place relative to the Tribulation? We need to look at some important

scriptures to understand how we can be confident in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. We will start by

studying scriptures describing a central figure in the end times. Then we will learn how this person

relates to our timeline and the Rapture. We will review some more scriptures that relate to the Rapture

as well as drill down into the way the bible words the Rapture. I think this will squarely place the

Rapture into the relative time frame in relationship

to the Tribulation.

We will first lightly touch the topic of the person

known as the Antichrist. In a later session we will

delve more specifically into this person and his

traits. You may recall that Revelation 6 gives a broad sequential outline of the Tribulation. Let’s see

what it says about this person in Revelation 6:1-2.

1. If Revelation 6 is sequential, and most prophesy scholars seems to agree on that. Where in the

Tribulation does the Antichrist make his entrance onto the world stage?

So, we see when the Antichrist is revealed during

the Tribulation. Now we need to look at

somebody else that we should all know well.

Please read John 14:16-17.

2. Who did Jesus give to us, to abide with us?

3. How long will he abide with us (and in us)?

Now we use logic again to arrive at our goal of

determining when the Rapture takes place in

relationship to the Tribulation. Please read 2

Thessalonians 2:5-8.

Revelation 6:1-2 NIV

1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I

heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder,

“Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its

rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a

conqueror bent on conquest.

John 14:16-17 NIV

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper,

that He may abide with you forever 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the

world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him;

but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 NKJV

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you

these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may

be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is

already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is

taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,

whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and

destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Notice we use NKJV to help make the next question more obvious.

4. Who prevents/restrains the Antichrist (The Lawless One) at this time?

Here we must use some pretty straightforward logic. God the Father is Omnipresent (everywhere)

including heaven, where Jesus sits on his right hand since Ascension Day. Holy Spirit has been on earth

in the hearts of Christians since the first Pentecost. Holy Spirit restrains the Antichrist until the day he

is “taken out of the way”. If he “abides with you forever” then you must tag along if he moves… right?

Logically speaking, the Rapture apparently moves not only us to Heaven but also Holy Spirit. I would

guess that as soon as new Christians are born in the Tribulation world (aka Tribulation Saints) that he

would indwell them again. At least for a moment however He will be taken out of the way. That will

be long enough for the evil one to be revealed.

There are some people that simply do not believe that this mystery called the Rapture is real. So, lets

proceed once again into showing that this event has biblical backing. This will lead us into a word

study that will help us understand what the Rapture will be like. First remember the story of Enoch. He

was “no more” because God “took” him. Next

let’s look into the Old Testament again to see

another example of where God took a faithful

servant. Please read 2 Kings 2:9-12.

5. What are the two descriptions related to this

story of Elijah that are identical to the story of

Enoch?

6. What was the speed of this situation?

7. After Elisha had witnessed the event how would you describe his emotional state?

8. Why do you think Elisha was feeling this way?

2 Kings 2:9-12 NIV

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I

do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double

portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a

difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken

from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” 11 As they were

walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and

horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah

went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out,

“My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And

Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore

it in two.

Now let’s review another story in scripture

that describes a Rapture like situation. This

time in the New Testament. Please read

Acts 8:39 (emphasis mine).

9. What word do the stories of Elijah and

Phillip share that relate to the speed of their “Rapture” events.

10. All the witnesses to the stories of Elijah and Philip (Maybe Enoch as well) all shared something in

common. What was that?

Here we will take a few minutes to do a quick

word study. We will review one scripture and

read some new short sections. Each of them

including the word we will focus on. Please read

1 Thessalonians 4:17, Acts 23:10 and 2

Corinthians 12:2-4. Please notice the phrases

that I have emphasized (also in Acts 8:39). These

phrases were all derived from one word in the

Greek Septuagint. This word is called harpazo

if transliterated or if you read actual Greek

ἁρπαγησόμεθα

. This word has a Strong’s

concordance number of 726 and has several main

meanings

I. to seize, carry off by force

II. to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly

III. to snatch out or away

11. If you take the four sections of scripture that contain this Greek word together. What do you see

about the speed of the Rapture?

Acts 8:38-40 NIV

38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the

eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When

they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took

Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his

way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled

about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached

Caesarea.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 NIV

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we

shall always be with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NIV

2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to

the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do

not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in

the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4

was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things

that no one is permitted to tell.

Acts 23:10 NIV

10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid

Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go

down and take him away

from them by force and bring him into the

barracks.

12. Look closely at the circumstances of Acts 8:39 and Acts 23:10. Let’s do some “biblical speculation”.

(The best kind of speculation!). What kinds of circumstances might be present to promote the timing

of the Rapture?

Wrap up

So, at this point you may be wondering if there are any precursors to the Rapture that we could be

looking for. Perhaps there are signs that it was days or hours away. As far as I can tell, I would say

there are none. Certainly, no obvious ones. You might also be wondering if what we see in the

prophesies pointing to the Tribulation and Christ’s return during the Day of the Lord have a bearing on

how to watch for the Rapture. One thing I would like to leave with you however is a quote from Dr.

David Jeremiah:

Future events cast their shadows before them. The best answer is that these things that are going to be

happening in the Tribulation period that signal the second advent of Christ, some of them are probably going

to be going on in incipient form long before the Rapture takes place. They are going to spill over back into the

world in which you and I live. And, so when you have a sign for the second advent, in an essence, it is almost

like a subtle sign for the Rapture.

Now let us begin to look more into the prophesies of the Tribulation. We will start by looking again,

more closely, at the Son of Perdition, The Lawless One also known as The Antichrist.