When I was young in faith, I believed in the pretrib rapture, but as I matured in faith, I ceased from relying on my own understanding and harkened to the leading of the Lord.
God revealed to me thi... View MoreWhen I was young in faith, I believed in the pretrib rapture, but as I matured in faith, I ceased from relying on my own understanding and harkened to the leading of the Lord.
God revealed to me this. He reminded me of the great flood that covered all things on the earth, from the lowest of lows to the highest mountain peaks. All things were covered by the waters that sprouted from the deep depths of the earth and from the water canopy that melted and rained down upon the earth some forty nights and days.
God reminded me that he destroyed all of mankind because their hearts had become extremely evil with the exception of eight individual. These eight was the family of Noah. Noah was righteous in the eyes of the Lord and God loved him greatly. So instead of destroying all of mankind, God spared Noah and his family.
God commanded Noah to build an ark. This massive ark took years to build for it was so large it housed two species of all life on earth.
God revealed to me that just as he saved the eight before executing his wrath, judgment upon the world, he would do the same for true believers who loved not themselves unto death, who were known for their testimony, and their robes were continually made white by the washing of the blood of the lamb.
So from that time I have believed the rapture will happen at a time in the middle of the Tribulation prior to God unleashing his wrath. I believe the rapture will be the event that signifies that God is about to bring judgment on the nations.
What is the rapture? I have heard so many believe it will be like the resurrection, that the believers will be taken up into the clouds, their bodies being changed at the twinkling of an eye. Yet, I believe this contradicts scripture. I believe that the resurrection is a very special blessed event when all believers both death and alive on the earth are changed from corruptible to incorruptible, receiving our earthen vessels that slumber in the grave that are changed, resurrected the moment the quickening spirit, Christ Jesus joins our souls/spirits in our eternal bodies. Oh what a wonderful day that will be.
Now, I don't believe the rapture is the resurrection. Some say it is the first resurrection, well maybe I am wrong and maybe that may be, but I have not discerned that to be so. I believe the rapture will be like that of Noah. Just as Noah was sealed in the Ark, our Lord has a place prepared for the blood bought to be placed, sealed until the day of the resurrection. I believe the resurrection will happen just before the battle of Armageddon. I believe we are resurrected to the marriage feast and after will stand with our Lord as he marches upon the armies of the devil.
Rev 19:15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.