An End-Time Blog

A Brief Overview of the Rapture

Jesus himself describes in the Christian bible an initial period of tribulation that takes place before saying “after the tribulation” the elect will be gathered (Mathew 24: 29 & Mark 13:24-25). The word elect is defined as those sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 1:2.
The sun-moon-stars event in Mathew 24: 29 & Mark 13:24-25 takes us to the same event described in Revelation chapter 6 at the 6th Seal.
Then, the Rapture of the church is revealed in chapter 7 just before the 7th Seal is opened.
Because the rapture is at the 6th seal, the ‘tribulation period’ that Jesus describes is limited to Seals 1 thru 5 (at the beginning of the overall end-time timeline).
The 6th Seal Rapture takes place in Revelation chapter 7 before the Wrath of God begins. It also happens before the mention of the ‘mark of the beast’ that is much further up the end-time timeline in Revelation chapter 13 at the 2nd beast. This ought to be of comfort to today’s church.

Two Rapture Groups?

In end-time biblical study, it never made sense of seeing the resurrection/rapture take place at the 6th seal in chapter 7 of Revelation but then another scripture further up the timeline indicates “at the last trumpet” (1 Corinthians 15:52). There must be an explanation.

The 6th seal rapture of the church in Revelation 7 is obvious of “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and languages”. Then much further up the timeline In Revelation 14 you find a sickle harvest that is often considered to be the ch 7 rapture but facts say not.

Consider This…

The 144,000 return ‘from heaven’ with Jesus the Lamb in Revelation ch 14. They are described as “a voice from heaven” and “were redeemed from the earth” as ‘firstfruits’.

This establishes that the 144,000 were sealed and then included in the 6th seal rapture of Revelation ch 7 in order for them to come back with Jesus in presence in chapter 14.

Thus, the major church rapture already took place in Revelation Chapter 7 at the 6th seal, therefore Revelation 14 and it’s verse 16 sickle harvest are in a different latter time-frame.

The verse 16 sickle harvest thus indicates a new group of born-again believers that formed after the major rapture of church. They are also spared from the other sickle harvest that follows of “the great winepress of the wrath of God” of Revelation 14:19. They responded to the gospel being preached by an angel of Revelation 14:6 and/or the two witnesses.