Rapture Vs Jesus' 2nd Coming
This is arguably the hardest thing to figure out in the whole Bible: are the rapture and Jesus' 2nd coming 2 different events or do they happen at the same time? I have spent countless hours learning various teachings on this and studying the book of Revelation and I believe I have finally found the answer to this challenging question.
If this intrigues you too, then get ready, this is a long ride but it is definitely worth it!
This is a tricky subject which many intelligent people have gotten totally wrong (as evidenced by many opposing viewpoints). Much understanding and wisdom from God is needed here.
The best teacher that I've found on this is Chuck Missler and his 24 hour study of the book of revelation. It's excellent and there is a 400 page handbook that goes with it that costs only a few dollars.
I got an interesting idea from his teachings which was to take every single passage there is on the possible pre-trib rapture passages and every passage that there is on the second coming passages (and he has sorted them out but I did not sort them for this task).
Then you take the 70 weeks verses from Daniel 9:24-27 as a guide and see if there appears to be two separate events between the rapture and Jesus' second coming. What I found out was pretty cool, especially the part on who/what the “restrainer” is as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians, as that is the linchpin or smoking gun of this entire debate.
This is a long debate so rather than putting it all on this page, you can read it in a Google document that I created as it has clickable links which makes it easier to navigate.
Click here for the Google document which contains the following questions/answers and topics
Q: Is “Rapture” in the Bible?
A: No, but the Greek word “Harpazo” is in the Bible
Q: Are these end times passages likely referring to 1 event or 2 separate events?
A: Some Believe in 1 Event, Others Believe in 2 Separate Events
Q/A: What if AI had to choose which it thought was most likely, 1 or 2 events?
Sam Shamoun believes in 1 event of rapture and 2nd coming at the same time
Q: So the antichrist is revealed and THEN the Great tribulation occurs leading to the Day of the Lord. But is the rapture and the Day of the Lord the same event?
A: This depends on your interpretation of scripture including who the restrainer is!
Q: What about THE RESTRAINER? Who/what is that?
A: Either the government/law OR the Holy Spirit/church
A2: Microsoft Copilot’s answer to: “What do you think is the most logical answer to who/what the restrainer is?”
Q: If they’re 2 events, are they simultaneous or is there some time between them?
A: They appear to be be two distinct events separated by a tribulation
Q/A: What about the possibility of a mid-trib rapture?
The distinction between God's program for Israel and the Church
Final thoughts on the church's response to teachings on the rapture and Jesus' 2nd coming
