The sun’s rays remind me of the coming Rapture! While the world’s leaders will try to explain away our disappearance, we need to be clear about the truth now. Like my friend Bruce says, the world needs a warning so they’ll recognize exactly what’s happening when we are gone.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about the Rapture versus the Second Coming. It’s vital to study this personally instead of just ‘consuming’ what others have already processed for you. You have access to the Author Himself! I don’t want you to rely on my insights alone; I want you to get into the Word and experience the Holy Spirit teaching you truth firsthand.

2 Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Apostle James tells us that we CAN know and we CAN ask for wisdom from the One who provides it liberally!

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Let’s ask the Lord for wisdom as we look at what the Bible actually says. What are the real differences between the Rapture and Christ’s Second Coming? While we look at both the Old and New Testaments, keep in mind that the New Testament specifically describes the Rapture as a ‘mystery’ revealed to us.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  (51)  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  (52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  (53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  (55)  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

In the King James Version, the word ‘mystery’ is found exclusively in the New Testament. These were truths mentioned but not fully revealed in the Old Testament. To help clarify how a mystery works in scripture, consider this quote:

The New Testament is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed. ATTRIBUTED TO ST. AUGUSTINE (EARLY 400’S AD)

Believers today have the benefit of hindsight; we see Christ throughout the Old Testament in ways the Jewish people didn’t and still don’t. To them, these truths were veiled because they were, and still are, looking for a Messiah to come. They missed His first arrival and are waiting for the second. Hopefully, that clears up why ‘mysteries’ exist in Scripture!

As a former Pharisee, Paul was an expert in the Old Testament. Once he followed Christ, he saw that the Hebrew Scriptures were actually the preface to the Messiah’s story. Since the New Testament hadn’t been written yet, Paul and the Apostles used the Old Testament to prove Jesus was the Savior. You won’t find the Rapture in those older books, though, because it was a mystery specific to the Church. God temporarily set Israel aside due to their disobedience, creating a ‘pause’ that allowed the Gentiles to receive grace. We can thank God that Israel’s rejection led to our opportunity for salvation!

These verses are a personal favorite of mine because they beautifully reflect the hope of the Rapture. Though the Old Testament writers didn’t yet have the full picture, we can now see these truths ‘hiding in plain sight.’ Whether or not everyone agrees they are prophetic of the Rapture, they certainly offer a powerful perspective on God’s plan for His Bride.

Song of Solomon 2:10-13  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  (11)  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;  (12)  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;  (13)  The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Zephaniah 2:2-3  Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.  (3)  Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.

Isaiah 26:19-21  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.  (20)  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.  (21)  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

If you’re a believer in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, don’t these verses just get you excited? This is an event that could happen at any moment. It’s a time no one knows, not even Christ Himself. If you’re still on the fence, remember it’s all about the timing. Jesus was clear that NO ONE knows the day or the hour. That makes the Rapture ‘imminent.’ If it were set for the middle or end of the seven-year Tribulation, we’d be able to calculate the exact day, wouldn’t we?

Mark 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Friend, the Second Coming isn’t a mystery when it comes to timing. Once the Antichrist establishes a covenant with Israel, the seven-year Tribulation officially kicks off. That specific event marks the beginning of the final countdown to the Messiah’s return.

Daniel 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

God’s judgment on Israel, known as Daniel’s 70th week, begins with a seven-year treaty. Using the 360-day Jewish year, that’s a total of 2,520 days. If the Rapture was in the middle or at the end, we’d have a predictable date. But because the Rapture is a ‘surprise’ event with no set date, it must happen before the Tribulation clock even starts ticking!

Israel will be enthralled with the Antichrist. They will be deceived by him and will be fooled to think that he is their Messiah. For those of you who believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation or that we are currently in the Tribulation, you have set a date. That means that you must know more than the Lord because He does not know the hour He is coming for His Bride. Mark 13:32 says otherwise “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

Daniel 7:13-14  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  (14)  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Jesus’ Second Coming is a global event where He stands on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to begin His reign as King. Don’t confuse this with the Rapture, where He meets believers in the clouds. One is a visible return to earth; the other is a meeting in the sky!

Zechariah 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

When the Lord returns at the end of the Tribulation, He won’t be alone: He’ll be coming with His Church! These are the same saints who met Him in the clouds seven years prior. As Christ’s Bride, the Church returns by His side because, from the moment of the Rapture on, we are never to be separated from Him again.

Jude 1:14-15  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,  (15)  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

The ‘ten thousands of his saints’ mentioned here aren’t angels. Since angels never needed to be redeemed, they aren’t called saints. This term specifically refers to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and were saved by His grace. Since believers are seen descending with Christ, they had to have been raptured previously. Furthermore, a Rapture at the end of the Tribulation doesn’t work logistically—it would leave the earth empty of people to enter and start the Millennial Kingdom. The timing has to allow for a remnant to remain.

Revelation 19:6-8  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.  (7)  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  (8)  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

I pray these devotionals have blessed you, especially if you’ve never studied the Rapture or Christ’s Second Coming before. It isn’t a coincidence that you’ve found this information today; I believe God brought you here specifically so you could understand His plan and be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!