The challenge faced in scriptural interpretation is balance.  How do you read the whole of scritpure and balance it against the whole of scripture.  Because you cannot do full justice to intrepetation until you have an understanding of the whole text.  It almost sounds like a circlualr arguement, you cannot understand scripture until you have a working knowledge of the whole of scripture. 

I follow an ideal known as the plain understanding of scripture.  Which means take the interpretation that makes the most common sense and use that as the understanding until scripture or the Holy Spirit  make some other understanding more consistenat with the greater understanding of scripture.

I am a semi literalist, which means expect where the scripture is obviuosly poetic or prophecical I understand the scripture literally.  More Later.

During this last week I have been reviewing 'eschatology' the study of end times.  Several people I know have challenged different positions that I believe to be true about the end times.  Before I begin, I believe the true Christians can have very different opinions about the interpretation of and times prophecies and not call into question the validity of their salvation or the depth of their spituality.  Very devout Christians of serious conviction, have had greatly varied opinions of how to properly interpret prophecy.  I as the simple man that I am full of my own failings and short comings I try to approach scripture simply and let the Bible under the guidance of the Holy  Spirit interpret itself when possible.  The use of other portions scripture can frequently add great insight to scripture.  With this in mind I will try to layout my understanding of the Rapture and Rapture timing in the light of scripture.

Matthew 24

24:3 As⁷ he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things⁸ happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 24:4 Jesus answered them,⁹ “Watch out¹⁰ that no one misleads you. 24:5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’¹¹ and they will mislead many. 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come.¹² 24:7 For nation will rise up in arms¹³ against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines¹⁴ and earthquakes¹⁵ in various places. 24:8 All¹⁶ these things are the beginning of birth pains.

Persecution of Disciples

24:9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations¹⁷ because of my name.¹⁸ 24:10 Then many will be led into sin,¹⁹ and they will betray one another and hate one another. 24:11 And many false prophets will appear and deceive²⁰ many, 24:12 and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold. 24:13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved.²¹ 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations,²² and then the end will come.

The Abomination of Desolation

24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation²³ – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 24:16 then those in Judea must flee²⁴ to the mountains. 24:17 The one on the roof²⁵ must not come down²⁶ to take anything out of his house, 24:18 and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 24:19 Woe²⁷ to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 24:20 Pray²⁸ that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 24:21 For then there will be great suffering²⁹ unlike anything that has happened³⁰ from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. 24:22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’³¹ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe him. 24:24 For false messiahs³² and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 24:25 Remember,³³ I have told you ahead of time. 24:26 So then, if someone³⁴ says to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’³⁵ do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe him. 24:27 For just like the lightning³⁶ comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures³⁷ will gather.³⁸

The Arrival of the Son of Man

24:29 “Immediately³⁹ after the suffering⁴⁰ 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 heaven will be shaken.⁴¹ 24:30 Then⁴² the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,⁴³ and⁴⁴ all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They⁴⁵ will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven⁴⁶ with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven⁴⁷ to the other.

.....

24:36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven⁵³ – except the Father alone. 24:37 For just like the days of Noah⁵⁴ were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:38 For in those days before the flood, people⁵⁵ were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 24:39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away.⁵⁶ It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man.⁵⁷ 24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left.⁵⁸ 24:41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill;⁵⁹ one will be taken and one left.

24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day⁶⁰ your Lord will come. 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief⁶¹ was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.⁶²

Matthew 25

25:31 “When³² the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 25:32 All³³ the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 25:33 He³⁴ will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 25:34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 25:36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him,³⁵ ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 25:38 When³⁶ did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 25:39 When³⁷ did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 25:40 And the king will answer them,³⁸ ‘I tell you the truth,³⁹ just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters⁴⁰ of mine, you did it for me.’

25:41 “Then he will say⁴¹ to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 25:44 Then they too will answer,⁴² ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 25:45 Then he will answer them,⁴³ ‘I tell you the truth,⁴⁴ just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 25:46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew seems to give the impression that the Great Tribulation begins, that some where the great shout of the Arch Angel and the Believers will meet Jesus, then sometime later will be judgement ( Sheep and Goats).  I have added the bold text to help draw attention to the critical points.

1 Thess. 4

The Lord Returns for Believers

4:13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed,¹⁴ brothers and sisters,¹⁵ about those who are asleep,¹⁶ so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that¹⁷ God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.¹⁸ 4:15 For we tell you this by the word of the Lord,¹⁹ that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep. 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel,²⁰ and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 4:17 Then we who are alive, who are left,²¹ will be suddenly caught up²² together²³ with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 4:18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Paul gives no timing hear other than the association with the shout of the archangel.  This does tell us that the dead in Christ and the alive in Christ shall both be called suddenly first one then the other both to the Lord.

Revelation 19

19:11 Then²⁶ I saw heaven opened and here came²⁷ a white horse! The²⁸ one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice²⁹ he judges and goes to war. 19:12 His eyes are like a fiery³⁰ flame and there are many diadem crowns³¹ on his head. He has³² a name written³³ that no one knows except himself. 19:13 He is dressed in clothing dipped³⁴ in blood, and he is called³⁵ the Word of God. 19:14 The³⁶ armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen,³⁷ were following him on white horses. 19:15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations.³⁸ He³⁹ will rule⁴⁰ them with an iron rod,⁴¹ and he stomps the winepress⁴² of the furious⁴³ wrath of God, the All-Powerful.⁴⁴ 19:16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

This passages plainly shows that this is the Lord returning as conquer.

19:17 Then⁴⁵ I saw one angel standing in⁴⁶ the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky:⁴⁷

“Come, gather around for the great banquet⁴⁸ of God,

19:18 to eat⁴⁹ your fill⁵⁰ of the flesh of kings,

the flesh of generals,⁵¹

the flesh of powerful people,

the flesh of horses and those who ride them,

and the flesh of all people, both free and slave,⁵²

and small and great!”

19:19 Then⁵³ I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. 19:20 Now⁵⁴ the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf⁵⁵ – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.⁵⁶ 19:21 The⁵⁷ others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged⁵⁸ themselves with their flesh.

Revelation 20

The Thousand Year Reign

20:1 Then¹ I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding² in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He³ seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel⁴ then⁵ threw him into the abyss and locked⁶ and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

20:4 Then⁷ I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.⁸ I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These⁹ had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They¹⁰ came to life¹¹ and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.)¹² This is the first resurrection. 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part¹³ in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them,¹⁴ but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Remember from the earlier passage that the Rapture is associated with and is part of the First Resurrection.  If the Dead in Christ are to assist in the ruling of the millennial Kingdom them they must have been resurrected and/or Raptured prior to the millennium Kingdom.

Satan’s Final Defeat

20:7 Now¹⁵ when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 20:8 and will go out to deceive¹⁶ the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,¹⁷ to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.¹⁸ 20:9 They¹⁹ went up²⁰ on the broad plain of the earth²¹ and encircled²² the camp²³ of the saints and the beloved city, but²⁴ fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.²⁵ 20:10 And the devil who deceived²⁶ them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,²⁷ where the beast and the false prophet are²⁸ too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne

20:11 Then²⁹ I saw a large³⁰ white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven³¹ fled³² from his presence, and no place was found for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then³³ books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life.³⁴ So³⁵ the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.³⁶ 20:13 The³⁷ sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death³⁸ and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 20:14 Then³⁹ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire. 20:15 If⁴⁰ anyone’s name⁴¹ was not found written in the book of life, that person⁴² was thrown into the lake of fire.

This is the great Judgement Throne where the unredeemed will face ultimate and permanent separation from God.

1 Corthinians 15

15:50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters:²⁸ Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 15:51 Listen,²⁹ I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep,³⁰ but we will all be changed – 15:52 in a moment, in the blinking³¹ of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 15:54 Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen,

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”³²

15:55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”³³

15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 15:58 So then, dear brothers and sisters,³⁴ be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Paul only says to timing that at the last trumpet we will all be changed, most believe this is a rapture passage and it is associated with the last trumpet.  There is a trumpet associated with the Return of Christ and there are 7 trumpet blasts that announce judgements during the Tribulation.  The simple answer appears that the blast of the trumpet blown buy the archangel announcing the return of the Christ must come after the seven trumpet blasts that announce judgement if it is to be the last blast or the 7th blast announcing the 7th judgement and the blast announcing the return are the same.

1 Thess 1

:9 For people everywhere¹⁸ report how you welcomed us¹⁹ and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.²⁰

Some have used this passage to mean that the Rapture must occur before the Tribulation because Jesus will deliver us from the coming wrath of God.  I believe that this promise concerns the wrath of God that is the final judgement and or that he will preserve us in the midst of the calamities that will occur during the Tribulation.  Paul stated that God preserved him when the ship sank that he was sailing to Rome in.  God did not preserve him from all the side affect of the ship sinking.  He was delayed, there was loss of property, at least in the ship and there was the hardship of being on the ship during the rough sailing.

There are well meaning Christians who place the Rapture at many different times around the Tribulation.  I have given you many of the scriptures used in support of the Rapture.  Now you and the Holy Spirit will need to decide for your self.  What ever your decision is I look forward to seeing you in Heaven, if your name is in The Lords Book Of Life.

John 20:26-28

'A week later his disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood amoung them and said "Peace be with you!"   Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe." 

Thomas said to him.  "My Lord and my God!"'

Many people say that Thomas was merely using a common expression, not proclaiming Jesus a God.  What internal Biblical evidences show that Thomas was in fact proclaiming Jesus as God and not using a common expression?