Rapture VS Second Coming

This book proclaims that the Rapture of the Church occurs before the Second Coming of Christ. The period between these two events is known as the Great Tribulation. If the Rapture and the Second Coming are two distinct events, we should be able to discern differences between them in the Bible. This chapter explores these differences. Despite differences, there are also similarities between these events. In both events, Jesus plays a central role, and references to clouds are made in the texts concerning both the Rapture and the Second Coming.

Difference 1: (Un)expected

In Chapter 8, we read that the Rapture of the Church can happen at any moment. Jesus Himself says that He is coming quickly, and no one knows the day or the hour. The Rapture could happen today.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. (Mark 13:32-33)

Even Paul believed he would belong to the generation that would experience the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 4:17). This means that the Rapture can occur at any moment, and no prophecy needs to be fulfilled before the Rapture takes place.

No one knows when Jesus will come to take us. People don't know, Jesus doesn't know, and the angels don't know. Mark 13 speaks about the Rapture. The Second Coming is not an unexpected event. Anyone with knowledge of the Bible can precisely calculate when Jesus will return, as Chapter 12 discusses. This can't be done today because the Rapture of the Church and the revelation of the Antichrist must occur first. Once the Antichrist strengthens the covenant, it will be seven years until Jesus returns. Based on the signs in Revelation, everyone will know that Jesus is coming soon, even unbelievers.

"And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?' (Revelation 6:15-17)

Difference 2: Hidden and Manifest

The Rapture of the Church is a mystery. It's a secret coming of Jesus, and only His followers will see Him. Jesus comes for His followers to protect them from the Great Tribulation and takes His bride.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

The Rapture takes place in the blink of an eye. No one on Earth can see Jesus, and no one knows that Jesus is in the air. No one sees the believers being caught up to the Father's house of God.

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52)

The emphasis of the Rapture of the Church is the meeting of Jesus with His followers. It is a joyous event where there is no mention of wrath or anger. This Bible verse doesn't mention unbelievers; they are left behind and don't realize that Jesus has returned to take the believers.

During the Second Coming, Jesus returns to Earth, and all people will see Him appear. Jesus doesn't come for the believers; He comes to put an end to the reign of the wicked on Earth. Instead of the Bridegroom coming for the bride, it's the King and Warrior who establishes His kingdom on Earth definitively. Everyone sees Him appear; it's not an event lasting less than a second.

"Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)

"And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him (Jesus) who sat on the horse and against His army. (Revelation 19:19)

Difference 3: Destination

During the Rapture of the Church, Jesus fetches us and takes us to the Father's house in heaven. Our destination is in heaven.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3)

The Lord Jesus spoke very clearly about the Rapture of the Church. He states that in heaven, He is preparing a place for the believers in the Father's house of God. When He is finished, He will return to take the believers with Him, so that they will be where Jesus is. The Lord Jesus does not return to Earth; instead, He meets us in the air (1 Thessalonians 1:10). During the Rapture, believers ascend into the air, and from there, they go to heaven.

During the Second Coming, the Lord Jesus does not take people to heaven, nor does He return to the Father's house of God. The Lord Jesus sets His feet on Earth, and believers follow Him. For seven years, believers are in heaven, and afterward, we all return to Earth to reign with the Lord Jesus.

"And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south." (Zechariah 14:4)

During the Second Coming, the Lord Jesus returns to Earth and stands on the Mount of Olives. He then reigns for a thousand years from Jerusalem.

Difference 4: Taken and Left Behind

This difference can be divided into two aspects: who gathers or takes people from the Earth, and who is taken and who is left behind.

During the Rapture of the Church, the Lord Jesus gives the command for all followers to go up into the air to meet Him. This is not done by an angel or a messenger, but by the Lord Jesus Himself.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

During the Second Coming, the Lord Jesus does not instruct His followers to meet Him in the air. Instead, He sends His angels to gather the chosen ones. It is not mentioned that these followers are gathered in the air. They likely remain on Earth because the Lord Jesus is on Earth.

"And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Matthew 24:31)

"Then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven." (Mark 13:27)

Moreover, there is a distinction between those who leave the Earth and those who remain on Earth. During the Rapture, followers of Jesus leave the Earth (John 14:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), while the ungodly remain. During the Second Coming, the ungodly nations and people leave the Earth, and the righteous nations and people remain. We discussed this in Chapter 11. The kingdom the Lord Jesus speaks of in the following Bible text is the thousand-year millennial reign that takes place on Earth.

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (...) Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."" (Matthew 25:31-41)

Difference 5: The Timing

The Rapture and the Second Coming consist of different components that occur sequentially. There are differences in the order of events that take place. During the Rapture of the Church, followers of the Lord Jesus receive glorified bodies during His call, and then the Rapture occurs.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

During the Rapture, the dead in Christ rise first, followed by the living believers who are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. In contrast, during the Second Coming, the sequence is reversed. First, the Lord Jesus returns to Earth, and then the resurrection of the dead occurs. It is possible that the resurrection of the dead takes place hours or even days later; it does not happen instantly upon His return.

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He (Jesus) who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." (Revelation 19:11)

"And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4)

Revelation 20:4 can only refer to the dead in Christ who died during the Great Tribulation. This conclusion is drawn from the fact that it is stated in Revelation 20:4, and also because the order of events differs from that of the Rapture of the Church.

Another timing difference is that the Rapture occurs before the Great Tribulation, while the Second Coming takes place after the Great Tribulation. The following two Bible verses show that the Rapture takes place before the Great Tribulation.

"And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

"Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

While the Rapture occurs before the Great Tribulation, the coming wrath, and the hour of trial, the Second Coming takes place after the Great Tribulation.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days (...) the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, 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." (Matthew 24:29-30)

Difference 6: Blessing or Judgment

The Rapture is a moment of great joy and blessing. Jesus, as the Bridegroom, welcomes His bride. It's understandable that the texts about the Rapture do not speak of judgment. Some Rapture texts even speak of believers escaping the judgment and wrath of God. In contrast, the texts about the Second Coming do mention various judgments. For example, there is the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25), and the Lord Jesus passes judgment on the antichrist and his followers (Revelation 19).

Difference 7: Changes on Earth

During the Rapture of the Church, there are no notable changes on Earth. There is no mention of earthquakes, falling stars, or other topographical changes. However, during the Second Coming, significant events occur on Earth, as indicated in the following Bible passage:

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken." (Matthew 24:29)

In addition to signs in the heavens, remarkable events also take place on Earth. The Mount of Olives splits in two, creating a great valley.

"And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south." (Zechariah 14:4)

The Second Coming has consequences for nature and topography, which the Rapture does not.

8 Other Arguments

The Rapture and the Second Coming have many differences. If they were the same event, important details would not be mentioned during the Second Coming as they are in God's Word. This implies that the Rapture and the Second Coming must occur at different times.

The Rapture in the Air
The Rapture in the air is not mentioned in the key verses about the Second Coming. When reading Revelation 19, which describes the Lord Jesus returning to Earth, there is no mention of the Rapture taking place. This is noteworthy because this is one of the most significant prophecies yet to be fulfilled.

No Resurrection
The texts that speak of the Second Coming do not mention the resurrection of the dead in Christ, which is a major event occurring during the Lord Jesus' coming (1 Thessalonians 4:16). This implies that the resurrection of the dead in Christ must take place at a different time. This point was discussed in Difference 5.

The Rapture Mentioned in Revelation
Initially, the book of Revelation speaks about the great tribulation and the return of Christ. However, there are two instances in this book where the Rapture could be implied. In Revelation 2 and 3, John wrote letters to the seven churches on Earth. Directly after this, something happens that takes place after the church age but before the great tribulation with all its judgments and wrath.

"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."" (Revelation 4:1)

I believe this text is not direct proof of the Rapture before the tribulation. However, it may contain an indirect reference to the Rapture, and this might be a hidden image of the Rapture.

The image of the Rapture of the Church can be found in Revelation 12, which describes the woman in labor, the male child, and the dragon. I see the Rapture of the Church in this image, as discussed in Chapter 3. There are two examples in Revelation that could speak of the Rapture, even though it is not mentioned in the chapter that discusses Christ's return. This suggests that the Rapture occurs at a different time.

The Church is not mentioned after Revelation 3
In the book of Revelation, John initially wrote to the churches on Earth. After Revelation 3, the church is no longer mentioned, and John refers to "those who dwell on the Earth." This is after the moment when John saw an open door in heaven and was in a state of spiritual transport. It is remarkable that during the most dreadful period on Earth, Jesus does not provide any encouragement or guidance to the church. This can only happen if the Rapture of the Church occurs before the tribulation and is not the same as the Second Coming after the tribulation.

Furthermore, in Revelation 19, when Jesus returns to Earth, there is no mention of believers waiting for Him on Earth and anticipating Him as the Bridegroom. The tone in Revelation 19 is one of war, with Jesus coming as King and Warrior, whereas we should be expecting Him as our Savior.

"while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13, NIV)

If the Rapture and the Second Coming were to occur simultaneously, shouldn't John in the book of Revelation be more focused on the Church? He would explain how the Church endures this difficult time and how the Second Coming is the moment when the Church is rescued from the ungodly. After Chapter 3, John no longer mentions the Church on Earth. This is because the Rapture has already taken place before the great tribulation.

Summary

The Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of Jesus are different events. In this chapter, we've examined the differences, indicating that the Rapture and the Second Coming are not the same event. These are two distinct events that cannot be reconciled with each other. In this chapter, we've discussed the following differences:

1. The Rapture comes unexpectedly, while the Second Coming can be calculated.
2. The Rapture is a hidden encounter, and at the Second Coming, everyone can see Jesus.
3. The Rapture takes place in the air, and from there, believers go to the Father's house. The Second Coming occurs on Earth, with Jesus setting His feet on the Mount of Olives.
4. During the Rapture, Jesus takes believers to heaven. During the Second Coming, angels gather the chosen ones, who remain on Earth. The ungodly are removed from the Earth.
5. The Rapture occurs before the great tribulation, and the Second Coming occurs after the great tribulation.
6. During the Rapture, the dead in Christ rise first, followed by the Rapture. During the Second Coming, Jesus returns first, followed by the resurrection of the dead in Christ.
7. The Rapture is a time of blessing and escaping judgment, while the Second Coming is a time of judgment.
8. During the Rapture, there are no signs in the sky or on Earth, whereas during the Second Coming, there are significant signs in the heavens, and the Mount of Olives splits.

Finally, we discussed reasons why the Rapture and the Second Coming cannot occur simultaneously.

Also read: