Thus far in my study of the rapture I’ve introduced what the rapture is as well as the 4 differing views in terms of the timing of the rapture relative to the tribulation period.
In A Rapture Study: The Tribulation and The Tribulation II, I explained that the tribulation is a period of time that’s appointed for the Jewish nation (for their salvation) and for the judgment of an unrepentant humanity. It’s due to these 2 reasons that I believe the church plays no part in this time period and is taken out before it.
Unlike the previous 2 articles in this series, this one will be a bit different. My goal here isn’t to necessarily offer another argument for why I believe a pre-trib rapture is scriptural (which is the primary focus of this study) but instead to address what I believe is a problem when this discussion arises.
That problem is that some opponents of the pre-tribulation rapture either believe the rapture and the second coming of Christ occur at the same time or that they’re both the same event. This would mainly be for those who hold unto the post-trib view – that the church is raptured at the end of the 7 year tribulation.
Again, although my goal here isn’t to make an argument for a pre-trib rapture in this article, I want to address this view that some have because I believe it’s inconsistent with scripture.
If you want to hold unto a post-trib view that’s fine. I may feel that it’s incorrect, but you have the freedom to do so. However, despite that I do not believe one can say the rapture and Christ’s second coming are the same event with a plain reading of scripture. At the same I understand that some believers simply don’t know what the differences are between the 2 events.
For these reasons I hope to use these next 2 articles to clearly define these 2 events and clear misconceptions that often arise regarding this topic. Let’s first take a look at Matthew 24:29-31, a passage many who adhere to a post-trib view reference to defend their point. It’s also a passage that again confuses many who aren’t familiar with eschatology.
Difference in Events
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the numbImmediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:29-31)er of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)
Let’s dissect this passage further by highlighting several key events that occur sequentially.
- After the tribulation, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, the powers of heaven will be shaken
- The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven
- All the tribes of the earth will mourn and see the Son of Man
- The Son of Man will come with the clouds
- The Son of Man will send his angels with a trumpet to gather his elect
These are the sequence of events that will transpire at Christ’s second coming. Now, let’s shift focus to 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2 passages where Paul discusses the rapture as well as the events that take place during it.
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 we’re given a completely different set of events that take place with the rapture:
- The Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with a trumpet of God
- The dead in Christ will first be raised from the dead
- Those who are alive will be caught up together with those who were resurrected and meet them and the Lord in the clouds
When we take a look at the differences between Matthew 24:29-31 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we already see some issues with the view that they’re the same event but before comparing these 2 I want to also take a look at the 3rd passage – 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
What Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 mirrors some of what we’ve read about in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He references a group of people who will be alive when this event takes place, a trumpet that will be sounded, and the dead being raised.
- The dead will first be raised incorruptible in a twinkling of an eye
- We who are alive will be changed at the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the trumpet
In Matthew 24:29-31 we’re told clearly that at Christ’s second coming there will be disturbances in the heavens, with the moon and stars (Matthew 24:29). The sign of the Son of Man that will appear in heaven and the tribes of the earth will see him coming with the clouds and mourn (Matthew 24:30). Then Jesus will send his angels with a trumpet to gather his elect (Matthew 24:31).
Some may latch unto the mention of “clouds” and “trumpets” to make the argument that it’s the same event as the rapture but we have several problems. Neither 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 or 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 mention anything concerning celestial disturbances, the sign of the Son of Man in heaven or that people on earth will see this event.
Although clouds are mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, it’s in a different context. It must also be noted that neither of the 2 passages refer to angels as being a part of this event.
The passage in Matthew makes no reference to the dead in Christ being raised first and then believers who are alive being caught up after or that believers at this time receive their glorified bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 also specifies this to a length of time, being a twinkling of an eye while Matthew 24 makes no indication of that but rather seems to encapsulate a series of events that will take place over a longer period of time (i.e. angels gather elect, battle of Armageddon, judgment of the goat and sheep nations, etc).
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 also specifies that we will be “caught up” – seized or carried by force, snatched away – to meet other believers and the Lord in the air while in Matthew 24:31 the “elect” are gathered together by angels at Christ’s second coming. In contrast to Matthew 24:31, in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 the one doing the “snatching” or “seizing” in this case would be the Lord himself, no other external agent interferes in this event.
Gather Together vs Caught Up
Now that we’ve quickly gone over the differences between these 3 passages I want to start looking at specific portions to draw further distinctions. An important part to understanding the rapture and second coming of Christ as 2 different events is identifying the use of “gather together” in Matthew 24:31 and “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
- gather together: episynagō – to gather together besides, to bring together to others already assembled, to gather together in one place
- caught up: harpazō – to seize, carry off by force, to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly, to snatch out or away
We’ve seen the words defined but what will help us further is to see how they’re used in other parts of the bible, if possible the same book or even passage. In Matthew 23 we see episynagō used once again by Jesus. The use of the word itself and the context it’s being used in will help us better identify what the author wanted us to glean from this.
At the end of Matthew 23, Jesus is lamenting over Jerusalem. He laments over their disobedience throughout history and how he wished he would have gathered them together, but they weren’t willing.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ (Matthew 23:37-39)
Jesus uses episynagō here to talk about gathering Jerusalem’s “children” as a hen gathers her chicks. Who are Jerusalem’s children here in this context? It would be the Israelites, the Jewish people. However, he gives a stark warning that they won’t see him again until they say “‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!‘” (Matthew 23:39).
This happens at the end of the tribulation once the remnant of the Jews believe in their messiah and call on his name (Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 13:9). I delve into this point further in A Rapture Study: The Tribulation II as I make the case that the tribulation – Daniel’s 70th week or Jacob’s Trouble – is meant to bring the nation of Israel to belief in their messiah.
A Jewish Context
In Matthew 24, Jesus gives an outline of the tribulation and specifically notes to us what occurs “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…” (Matthew 24:29), his “elect” are gathered together! The use of the word episynagō in Matthew 23:37 in the context of the Jewish people, I believe, should hint to us that it’s being used in a similar fashion in Matthew 24:31.
Many Christians get stuck on the term “elect” and attribute it only to the Church without realizing Israel has also been called God’s “elect” in the Old Testament (Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 45:4, Isaiah 65:9, Isaiah 65:22). I will delve into this more in a separate study but needed to touch upon it here to make an important point. I plan to briefly touch on this again later in the article in the context of the judgment of the goat and sheep nations.
We also need to keep in mind that in various places in the Old Testament, God has promised to bring back his people to the promised land in places such as Isaiah 27, “And it shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will thresh, From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem”, (Isaiah 27:12-13).
Dr. Constable also makes this point clear in his commentary regarding this passage, “The Lord would assemble the remnant of His people from the Promised Land as a farmer gathers up (gleans, cf. 24:13) his crops. Not only will He destroy His enemies then, but He will also gather redeemed Israelites into His kingdom (cf. Matt. 24:30-31; Rev. 14:15-16)”.
Isaiah 27:12-13 also gives us an interesting detail – the use of a trumpet as a signal to gather the Jews together. In Numbers 10:1-10, God instructs Moses to make 2 silver trumpets “for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps,” (Numbers 10:2). This portion of Numbers 10 introduces us to the use of trumpets being used to gather.
When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you…And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but not sound the advance. (Numbers 10:3-4, 7)
Although in the context of Isaiah 27:12-13 and Matthew 24:31, the trumpets used are supernatural in origin, the idea remains the same – a trumpet is blown to signal the gathering of the Jews. We find this same idea in Matthew 24:31. Isaiah 11:11-12 is another place we see this promise from the Lord to regather the Jews back into their land, verse 12 even stating, “From the four corners of the earth”, which mirrors what Jesus says concerning from where the elect will be gathered at His second coming (Matthew 24:31).
Another similarity to note is that both Isaiah 11:11 and Isaiah 27:13 list Egypt and Assyria as two of the locations that the Jews will be gathered from by God. When we understand the background given to us in the Old Testament, that God will one day bring his people back to their land before the kingdom of God comes to the earth, it should clarify what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 24:31. In reality, Jesus is fleshing out what they should’ve already had a base knowledge of from the Old Testament relating to God’s future saving hand upon them in the last days.
Add to this point that Matthew 24 is very Jewish in nature, a point I’ve explained already in previous articles. From the destruction of the Jewish temple (Matthew 24:1-2), to the abomination of desolation in the rebuilt Jewish temple with a reference to Daniel and his 70th week (Matthew 24:15, Daniel 9:27), to a warning to those in Judea to flee (Matthew 24:20), to the observance of the Sabbath (Matthew 24:15) – it all has a clear Jewish focus. I firmly believe that when we apply the proper context, the picture becomes clear to us.
In summary, I initially broke down Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 to better highlight the sequences of events between the 3 passages as well as note their differences.
Then I took a look at both episynagō and harpazō and showed how they mean different things and are used to convey different ideas. We also saw that based on how episynagō is used in both Matthew 23 and 24, and based on the specific Jewish context, the connection can be made that those being gathered are the Jewish remnant, not Christian believers.
In part 2 of this study I’ll continue to build off of the aforementioned points as I take a look at how the glorification of believers at the rapture, the return of the saints with Christ at his second coming, and finally the judgment of the goat and sheep nations at the end of the tribulation can help shine even more light into this issue.
Other articles in this series:
- A Rapture Study
- A Rapture Study: The Tribulation
- A Rapture Study: The Tribulation II
- A Rapture Study: Rapture vs Second Coming II
- A Rapture Study: One Taken, One Left
- A Rapture Study: One Taken, One Left II
- A Rapture Study: Parable of the Wheat and Tares
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