Second Coming and Rapture
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.
Revelation 1:7
In the body of Christ there seems to be confusion today regarding the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture of the Church, with many believing they are two separate events. This Bible study aims to address this confusion by providing a comprehensive examination of all relevant scriptures and analyzing the passages that speak directly about the Second Coming and the Rapture. By highlighting key points and contextual details, we hope to construct a clear picture of the sequence of these events. If you would like to learn more details surrounding the Second Coming you can visit our page about the Day of the Lord.
Second Coming and Rapture on the Prophetic Timeline
The prophetic significance of God's feasts in the biblical calendar gives us a framework for understanding the timing and nature of the second coming of Christ, defining its role in God's redemptive plan for humanity. While the spring feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Weeks are connected to Christ's first coming, signifying His death, resurrection, and establishment of His church, the fall set of feasts including Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles point to His second coming, the judgment of humanity, and finally, God's eternal dwelling with men.
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Passover-Crucifixion-Sin Offering
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Unleavened Bread-Redemption-Freedom from Sin
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First Fruits-Resurrection-Spiritual Birth
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Feast of Weeks-Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
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Feast of Trumpets-Christ's Second Coming
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Day of Atonement-The Judgement Day
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Tabernacles-Heavenly Jerusalem on New Earth
Scriptural Basis for the Second Coming and Rapture
Summary of Events Surrounding the Second Coming of Christ
If you read through the passages that describe the Second Coming and rapture, you will find certain repeating themes or points. Below is a summary of these points in chronological order of events.
Events before the Great Tribulation:
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False messiahs and prophets
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False claims about the Day of the Lord
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Wars and rumors of wars
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Famines and earthquakes
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Persecution of the saints
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Lawlessness will increase
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Betrayal and rebellion
Events during the 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation:
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The man of lawlessness will be revealed
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He will sit in the temple of God claiming to be god
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He will come with every kind of power, signs, and false wonders
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People will be deceived
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Abomination of Desolation
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Signs in the sun, moon and stars, darkness
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Nations will be in anguish
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All nations will be gathered to fight Jerusalem
The Second Coming of Christ and Rapture of the saints:
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Heaven will be open
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The Lord will go out to fight against the nations
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The Lord will descend from heaven with the trump of God
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The Lord will come on the white horse with thousands upon thousands of his angels with power and great glory
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At the last trumpet the dead in Christ will rise first
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The living in Christ will be instantly transformed and gathered by the angels with the resurrected saints to meet the Lord in the air
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The Lord will stand on the Mount of Olives
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Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him
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All nations will mourn because of him
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The Lord will repay each one according to their deeds
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The Lord will be given eternal dominion and kingdom
Second Coming of Christ in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament Daniel describes the second coming as the "Son of Man" arriving with the clouds of heaven to establish an eternal dominion and kingdom, and Zechariah describes the Lord standing on the Mount of Olives to fight against the nations gathered against Jerusalem, accompanied by all the holy ones. These are the only prophecies that directly describe Christ's arrival, however this event is also referred to as the Day of the Lord in the Bible and there are multiple prophecies referring to it, you can see them here.
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Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven
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He is given eternal dominion and kingdom
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
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All nations are gathered to fight Jerusalem
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The Lord will go out to fight against the nations
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The Lord will stand on the Mount of Olives
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The Lord will come with the holy ones
2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
Second Coming and Rapture in the New Testament
When it comes to rapture we can only find it's description in the New Testament. In the timelines we are given rapture is always mentioned together with the second coming of Christ and after the events of the Great Tribulation as you will see in the scriptures below.
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Son of man will come with his angels
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He will repay each one according to their deeds
For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
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False messiahs and prophets
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Wars and rumors of wars
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Famines and earthquakes
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Persecution of the saints
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Lawlessness will increase
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Abomination of Desolation
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Great tribulation
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Darkness
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Son of men coming on the clouds of heaven
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His angels will gather the elect
3 While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, 11 and many false prophets will arise and mislead many. 12 Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. 13 But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 15 So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’a described by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. 18 And let no one in the field return for his cloak. 19 How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. 23 At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you in advance. 26So if they tell you, ‘There He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other….36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39 And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
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False messiahs
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Wars and rumors of wars
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Famines and earthquakes
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Persecution of the saints
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Betrayal and rebellion
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Abomination of Desolation
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Great tribulation
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Darkness
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Son of men coming on the clouds of heaven
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His angels will gather the elect
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. 20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. 24 “But in those days, following that distress,“ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
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Signs in the sun, moon and stars
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Nations will be in anguish
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People will faint from terror
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Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
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Jesus will come back in the same way he went up into heaven
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
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At the last trumpet the dead in Christ will rise and living in Christ will be instantly transformed
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed
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The Lord will descend from heaven with the trump of God
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Dead in Christ will rise first
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Alive in Christ will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. 15 By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17 After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
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False claims about the Day of the Lord
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Rebellion
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Man of lawlessness revealed
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He will seat in the temple of God claiming to be god
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He will come with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder
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People will be deceived
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Coming of Jesus
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Saints are gathered to Him
1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. 4 He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you? 6 And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, 10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. 11 For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, 12 in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.
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The Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones
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He is coming to judge every one
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
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He is coming with the clouds
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Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him
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All peoples will mourn because of him
7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.
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Heaven is open
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White horse
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King of Kings and Lord of Lords
11 Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses. 15 And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Second Coming Interpretations
Different Christian traditions and theologians interpret Second Coming in various ways. Here are some key interpretations:
1. Premillennialism
This view holds that Christ will return before (pre-) the millennium, a thousand-year reign of peace and righteousness. Premillennialism is often associated with a literal interpretation of Revelation 20.
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Dispensational Premillennialism: This interpretation includes a belief in a rapture (where believers are taken up to meet Christ) before a period of tribulation, followed by Christ’s return to establish a literal thousand-year kingdom on Earth.
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Historic Premillennialism: Unlike dispensationalists, historic premillennialists do not usually include a rapture before the tribulation. They believe Christ will return, defeat the Antichrist, and then reign for a thousand years.
2. Postmillennialism
In this view, Christ will return after (post-) the millennium. Postmillennialists believe that the millennium is a period of peace and righteousness that comes through the gradual improvement of the world through the influence of the Church.
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Optimistic Postmillennialism: This interpretation is optimistic about the Church’s ability to bring about this golden age through evangelism and social reform.
3. Amillennialism
Amillennialists interpret the millennium symbolically rather than literally. They believe the millennium represents the current church age, the period between Christ’s first and second comings.
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Inaugurated Eschatology: This interpretation holds that Christ’s kingdom was inaugurated at His first coming and will be consummated at His second coming. The “millennium” is seen as the spiritual reign of Christ in the hearts of believers.
4. Preterism
Preterists believe that many prophecies of the Bible, including those concerning the Second Coming, were fulfilled in the past, particularly in the first century AD.
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Full Preterism: This view holds that all biblical prophecies, including the Second Coming, were fulfilled by AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem.
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Partial Preterism: This view believes that most prophecies were fulfilled in AD 70, but some (including the final judgment and resurrection of the dead) are still future.
5. Futurism
Futurists believe that most of the prophecies concerning the Second Coming are yet to be fulfilled. They see the events described in Revelation as future occurrences.
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Literal Futurism: This interpretation takes the apocalyptic prophecies in a more literal sense and expects them to unfold in a specific sequence of events leading to Christ’s return.
6. Idealism
Idealists interpret the Second Coming and related prophecies symbolically, representing the ongoing struggle between good and evil rather than specific future events.
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Spiritual Idealism: This view sees the prophecies as timeless truths about the spiritual realities of God’s kingdom, which is always present and manifesting in the world.
7. Orthodox Christian View
Eastern Orthodox Christianity typically holds a view similar to amillennialism, focusing on the mystery and transcendence of Christ’s return without adhering strictly to a particular timeline or sequence of events.
8. Roman Catholic View
The Roman Catholic Church does not strictly define a particular eschatological view but tends toward an amillennial understanding. It emphasizes the ongoing presence of Christ in the Church and the sacraments while awaiting His final return.
Rapture Interpretations
Different interpretations of the rapture arise from varying understandings of the timing, nature, and relationship of the rapture to other end-time events. Here are the main interpretations:
1. Pre-Tribulation Rapture
This view holds that the rapture will occur before the seven-year tribulation period described in the Book of Revelation.
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Beliefs: Believers will be taken up to heaven before the period of great tribulation.
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Proponents: This view is common among dispensationalists and many evangelical Christians.
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Key Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 3:10.
2. Mid-Tribulation Rapture
This view posits that the rapture will occur halfway through the tribulation period, at the three and a half year mark.
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Beliefs: Believers will go through the first half of the tribulation but will be taken up before the worst part of the tribulation (the Great Tribulation) begins.
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Proponents: Some dispensationalists and evangelical Christians.
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Key Scriptures: Daniel 7:25, Revelation 11:15-19.
3. Post-Tribulation Rapture
This interpretation asserts that the rapture will happen at the end of the tribulation period, just before the Second Coming of Christ.
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Beliefs: Believers will endure the entire tribulation and will be raptured to meet Christ as He returns to establish His kingdom on Earth.
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Proponents: Many historic premillennialists and some evangelical Christians.
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Key Scriptures: Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
4. Partial Rapture
This view holds that only faithful, watchful Christians will be raptured before the tribulation, while other believers will go through it.
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Beliefs: There are multiple raptures, with more faithful believers being taken first and others being taken later.
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Proponents: Some dispensationalists.
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Key Scriptures: Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 21:36.
5. Pre-Wrath Rapture
This interpretation suggests that the rapture will occur before the outpouring of God's wrath but after the tribulation has already begun.
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Beliefs: Believers will experience the tribulation but will be raptured before the most intense part of God's judgment (the wrath).
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Proponents: Some evangelical Christians and proponents of pre-wrath eschatology.
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Key Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Matthew 24:29-31.
6. Amillennial and Postmillennial Views
These views typically do not emphasize a distinct rapture event separate from the Second Coming of Christ.
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Amillennialism: Views the “rapture” as synonymous with the Second Coming, occurring simultaneously without a distinct tribulation period.
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Postmillennialism: Also sees the rapture and Second Coming as the same event, following a period of increasing righteousness and gospel success.
7. Historic Premillennialism
This view often overlaps with post-tribulation rapture beliefs but may vary on specific interpretations of tribulation events.
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Beliefs: Believers will be raptured at Christ’s return after enduring the tribulation.
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Proponents: Some early church fathers and modern theologians.
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Key Scriptures: Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
As you can see, there are a variety of interpretations regarding our topic. These interpretations cannot all be true, so how can we discern what the truth is? Can one scripture contradict another? If you believe it can, then you could make the Bible say anything, whether true or not. However, if you believe that scriptures are complementary, then using simple logic, you can sift out the lies and discard doctrines that, while using scriptures out of context, contradict other scriptures.
To learn more about the end times, you can visit the following pages: