Most believers don’t know the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a relatively recent theological concept. It suggests that Jesus will return secretly to take all believers to Heaven BEFORE the Tribulation period on Earth. The historical context of the ‘Pre-Trib Rapture’ is that it emerged from a misinterpretation of Biblical prophecy during in the 19th century. John Nelson Darby is considered the father of the Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine, which he developed in the 1830s as part of his end-times theology. This idea has gained popularity in the last 200 years but is not explicitly found in the teachings of Jesus. The Pre-Trib Rapture doctrine claimed Christ will return to … gather up all ‘the living and dead Christ believers to heaven’ BEFORE the Tribulation Period Begins on Earth. It is often associated with a supposed two-phase return of Christ; 1) a secret event Rapturing believers to heaven, 2) to be followed later by a visible second coming to earth.

This is not supported by the “rightly divided” Biblical texts when viewed in their Dispensational context. The Pre-Trib idea relies heavily upon Paul’s Acts period ministry and Thessalonian epistles written while he was still going “to the Jew first” regarding “the day of the Lord” (cf. 1Thes. 5:2), preaching the kingdom “Hope of ISRAEL” (Acts 28:20). Jesus’ 1&2 Thes. 2^nd coming “in the air [Gk. aer, atmosphere]” includes His coming to “be revealed” and “take vengeance.”   2Thes. 1:6-8 … that ye [the believers of Israel] may be counted worthy of ‘the kingdom of God,’ for which ye also suffer: ⁶Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; ⁷ to you who are troubled rest with us, WHEN THE LORD JESUS Shall Be REVEALED From Heaven with his mighty angels, ⁸In Flaming Fire Taking Vengeance on them that know not God…

Jesus Himself clearly speaks of His return to earth but He Never Mentions a ‘Secret Rapture of Believers’ to heaven. Jesus plainly said He had come to earth to address ONLY “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (cf. Matt 15:24), and He instructed His 12 Apostles likewise (cf. Matt. 10:5-6). Together they announced and offered the long-promised “Kingdom come on earth” to “ye men of Israel” (cf. Acts 2:22). He spoke

Not a word of rapture to heaven, but Jesus emphasized His return to earth in a visible and public manner.

• John 14:3: Jesus promises, “I will come again and receive you unto myself.”
• In Matthew 24:30: Jesus describes His return as a visible event where “all the tribes of the earth will mourn,” indicating that it will not be a secretive occurrence. This confirms His coming as prophesied in Zecharia 12:10 when “… They Will SEE The Son of Man coming.”

Jesus spoke of His return to earth, but He did not prophesy of ‘the Rapture to heaven.’ Jesus’ teachings did include His Openly Visible Return To Earth when “every eye shall see Him.” Here are some Scriptures supporting Jesus’ ‘Visible Return.’

Matthew 24:30 “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.”

Zecharia 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 [Israel] 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.

Zech. 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain [of His blood] opened to the house of David [Israel] and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM, even those who pierced Him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him.”

Acts 1:11: “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so COME in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

All this emphasizes the universal VISIBILITY of Jesus’ return, that nobody will miss it. Jesus’ teaching consistently indicates His next ‘coming’ will not be secretive. The emphasis is on visibility and the recognition of Him. This is in stark contrast with Darby’s ‘secret’ coming in a rapture. There is no exclusive ‘coming again’ for the believers of today’s ‘Gentile age’ that came to be when Israel was set aside in Acts 28:28 and Paul turned to the Gentiles as … “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13).

Israel’s Christ-believers will ultimately see and receive Him at His 2^nd coming to earth. As you will later see, He will shelter them while He sets up His Millennial Kingdom on earth. Note that The 1Thes. 4:15-17 offer of Jesus and the kingdom expired when the Nation Israel rejected Christ as seen with Acts 28:26-28.

In our study of the Bible’s Dispensational timeline, we note only ‘Two Comings’ of Jesus to earth. Yet, the traditional end-time view of most Christians today mistakenly adds what would be a sort of Third Coming, set between Points 1 and 3, to make room for the so-called ‘rapture’ (see 2 below).

1. Jesus came in His Incarnation. This is where God became flesh in person of Jesus of Nazareth. In this first coming Jesus revealed Himself physically to humanity when “the word [Jesus] became flesh” (Jn. 1:14).
2. Many today claim 1Thes. 4:15-17 to insert the ‘Christ coming’ of the so-called Pre-trip Rapture. So, confusion abounds as noted by these two most common views among the so-called Pre-Trib Rapture believers.

1. Many today falsely presume that with the Pre-Trib Rapture they are going to heaven with Jesus even though ‘Heaven’ Is Not Mentioned at in 1Thes. 4, only a ‘meeting in the aer,’ Greek for ‘atmosphere,’ not heaven.
2. Many others mistakenly say they will be raptured and come back to earth with Jesus in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on earth.

Neither a. or b. are true per the Dispensational Timeline; there is no ‘Pre-Trip’ Rapture.

3. There is His 2^nd Coming To End of the Great Tribulation is “in wrath” to; 1) resurrect and save the dead and living of Israel’s believing “little flock” remnant, 2) judge the living UNbelievers, and 3) set up His long-promised Millennial Kingdom where Israel will be His reigning agency On Earth (cf. Rev. 5:10, 20:6).

While having fragments of truth in 1 and 2 above, they misconstrue the timeline of events. Most still claim that in Christ’s 2^nd Coming to contend at the Battle of Armageddon to end of the Tribulation period, save Israel and proceed in setting up His Millennial kingdom on earth. Jesus told His Jewish disciples; John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will ‘come again’ [on earth] and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” But again, Lord Jesus was addressing only “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” (cf. Matt. 15:24), not today’s Gentile Christian believers.

Correctly, as prophesied, Jesus’s 2^nd Coming to earth will be “in wrath” to end the Tribulation period. In the course of His coming, He will resurrect and ‘shelter’ the dead & living believers of Israel to save them from genocide, while He gathers and ‘burns’ the ‘chaff’ unbelievers (Matt. 3:12) of the ‘goat’ nations (Matt. 25:32).

So, misconstruing and inserting the so-called Pre-trib. Rapture of 1Thes. 4 creates what would erroneously add a Third Coming to; 1) His Incarnation and 2) His undeniable end time 2^nd Coming. The verses claimed to support a ‘Pre-Trib Rapture’ actually are ‘Part and Parcel’ with the events of His 2^nd COMING To Earth to end the Tribulation Period. Paul’s 1Thes. 4 applied to “The Jew First” Believing Remnant of the Nation Israel (with some Gentile proselytes), being sheltered (see below) … unto the “Millennial kingdom.”

Matthew 24:42-44 echoes Isaiah 26:20-21 which says “Come, my people [Israel], 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. ²¹For, behold, the LORD Cometh out of his place [in heaven] to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity…”

Many think Petra in Edom (Jordan) this “chambers” (above) prepared for Israel’s fleeing living believers.  Matt. 24:15 “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea Flee Into The Mountains:” Israel was long-promised the “Kingdom of [from] heaven” to “COME DOWN to be “On Earth” not to ‘GO UP’ to the Highest Heaven of the Lord’s abode. Rather than being Promised Heaven, Israel’s living believers at His coming will be hid, ‘sheltered’ until “the Millennial Kingdom” is readied for them on earth.

With Paul’s Act 28:26-28 judicial declaration of Israel’s ‘fall,’ God POSTPONED Christ’s 2^nd Coming, setting Israel’s Kingdom hope aside. Acts 28:28 was the ‘sell-by date’ for Israel to receive Christ and His “kingdom come on earth” during the Acts period. The Kingdom offer was rejected by Israel and ‘expired,’ setting Israel aside, blinded … delayed until the after today’s “Mystery” age concludes (cf. Rom. 11:25).

Today’s Post-Acts spiritual, heaven-bound, “church, which is” “the body of Christ” has an entirely different, silent resurrection (no trumpets, no shout of the archangel). The members of “His body” simply “Shall Appear [simultaneously] With Him In [Heaven’s] Glory,” “When He [Christ] Appears” (cf. Col. 3:4). Well before the “great tribulation” (Matt. 24:21) begins, we of His International, Spiritual, “Body” will “appear with Him” In [Heaven’s] Glory.” (Col. 3:4, below). Consider the ‘heaven’ related verses below and the Gentiles they apply to.

Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in HEAVENLY places in Christ.”

Ephesians 3:1-2: “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you GENTILES, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward.”

Philippians 3:20: “For our conversation [Old English for citizenship] is in HEAVEN; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Col. 3:4: “When Christ, Who Is Our Life, Shall Appear, Then Shall Ye Also Appear With Him In [Heaven’s] Glory.”

Titus 2:13: We are “Looking for that blessed hope, and the Glorious Appearing Of The Great God And Our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

2 Timothy 2:11-12 “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live [Gk. zao, have life union] with him: If we suffer [endure], we shall also Reign With Him: if we deny him, he will also deny us [from reigning].”

Plainly, Paul’s 1Thes. 4 rapture reference refers to Christ’s 2^nd COMING At The END of the Tribulation. Paul in 1Thes. 4 and Jesus in Matt 24 describe the very same long-prophesied end time event concerning Israel. This will become clear when you read my Study titled “The Better Hope that Belongs Only To ‘The Body of Christ’” at https://artlicursi.com/articles/better-hope-belongs-only-body-christ. Paul’s references in 1Thes. 4 and 1Cor. 15 to being “caught up” to “the air [Grk. aer, atmosphere]” to meet Jesus actually refer to Israel ultimately being “caught up” … only to return to dwell on earth in Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom.

The so-called ‘Catching Away’ or ‘Rapture’ of 1Thes. 4 likely is Part and Parcel With Jesus’ 2^nd Coming At The End of The Tribulation. Jesus will come to save Israel, and set up His Millennial Kingdom on Earth. He will judge and divide the ‘nations’ and ‘living mankind’ in determining as to who will enter the Millennial kingdom ON Earth ‘alive.’ He will divide the ‘sheep nations’ from the ‘goat nations.’ He by His angels will divide out the ‘wheat believers’ gathering them securely into His “barn,” [much as Noah’s ark] while the “chaff” unbelievers will be ‘burned up,’ consumed, in “everlasting destruction” (cf. 2Thes. 1:9, Mal. 4:1).

In short, Christ’s 2^nd coming is to bring about what in Scripture is referred to as “Thy kingdom come On Earth. God takes absolute rule over His earthly creation, including all humankind as “King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s,” when Jesus resurrects Israel’s ‘elect and faithful’ believing remnant (cf. Rev. 20:4, 6).

Many genuinely saved Christians today who are ‘looking for the blessings of the kingdom on earth,’ will resurrect to the Earthly Kingdom, to live and learn under Israel’s Priests of God. Most believers today have grown up being taught mostly from the Four Gospels and Psalms … so they do NOT know of and therefore can’t believe Paul ‘s Post-Acts preaching of “the heavenly places” for the Spirtual “Body of Christ.” They’ve hardly heard of these Pauline Post-Acts epistle versus; Ephesians 1:3-4, Colossians 1:5, 3:4; Titus, 2:13, Phili. 3:20-21. Thus, they do not know or believe the message of the Gentile “church, which is His body” Going UP To Heaven that applies to us today. This offer appeared only Acts 28:28 as seen in Paul’s Post-Acts prison epistles. Only such intelligized “faithful” believers are of the heaven-bound Spiritual “body of Christ.”

Israel rejected Christ right up to Acts 28:28, when the time limited offer of the Rapture into the kingdom On Earth expired. Acts 28:28 was the ‘sell-by’ date, after which The Offer Expired. With Israel’s fallen in Acts 28:28, Israel is no longer God’s nation… for about ‘two days’ (2 thousand years) as seen in Hosea (below).

Hosea 1:9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye [Israel] are not my people, and I will not be your God. Hosea 6:1-2 Come, and let us [Israel] return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days [two thousand years] will he revive us: in the Third Day he will raise us up, and we [Israel] shall live in his sight.

Jesus will return only a 2^nd time, in “wrath,” when the nations are gathered against Jerusalem (Zech. 14:2) in what we call the ‘battle of Armageddon.’ (Rev 19:11-21, cf. Matt. 25; Zech. 14:1–4; 2 Thess. 2:7–12; Heb. 9:27–28). Zech 12:4 says “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives… “

In establishing His Millennial Kingdom on earth, Jesus will judge those who are still alive on earth after the Tribulation… to determine their entry into the Millennial Kingdom. This is the judgment of the ‘wheat and chaff’ individuals, and the ‘sheep and goat’ nations (read Matt. 25:31–46). The unbelievers are consigned to be ‘burned up’ (cf. Matt. 3:12, Mal. 4:1-6). Those alive and survive this judgment will remain on earth and enjoy a time of peace and prosperity with Christ for 1,000 years under Israel’s reigning “Kings and Priests” of God (Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6), while Satan is bound, unable to act during the Millennium (Rev. 20:1–3).