Thread: Rapture
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Old 04-14-2008, 05:41 PM
jerry
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The rapture is God catching ALL of His true church up to Heaven. The saints in the Tribulation are those who got saved during those seven years.

All the dead in Christ are raised, not all the dead throughout history.

The verse says God will keep them from the hour of temptation, not keep them safe within it.

Compare Revelation 1:19 with 4:1.

Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Chapter one is the things which thou hast seen - the glorified Christ.
Chapters two and three are the things which are - the churches - the church age is typified here.
Chapter four onwards are the things which shall be hereafter (seeing as the church will be caught up after the church age is over, and 4:1 makes reference to what will come after, it is reasonable to believe that verse is a picture of the rapture - when compared with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

In eternity, all God's people will be one - they are not so right now. There is Israel, and there is the church, then there will be the Tribulation saints. But in eternity, all will be together in the new heavens and the new earth.