I view the rapture as occurring at an unknown time in the midst of the known occurrences to unfold prior to the events leading to the setting up of Christ’s kingdom. Matthew 24 points to an ingathering of saints. Job speaks of seeing God “in his own skin” despite the fact that he had died” in the “latter days”. We also know that the final 7 years is actually cut shorter which means that while we have the scenario laid out, God in the end will bring the whole process to a halt “lest no life should be saved”! Paul speaks of the ‘dead in Christ arising first and then those that remain alive will be caught up to meet with him in the air’.
In short....no one knows the exact time of His coming for his saints, we just know that they are caught up at some point...the dead first and then the remaining living!
IT COULD BE TODAY! The rascals may have the whole Beast System apparatus ready to go just as soon as the “spiritual atmospherics(as occultists may describe it)” allow them to move to take control....then the 70th week begins in earnest. In short...the last trump may be blowing now with the “mop up” action taking 7 years (minus what ever time God cuts short)....
I’m not pre-trib... I’m “trans trib” rapture...meaning it will happen at some point across that period! So we should prepare to stand strong and die or be imprisoned for our faith...but know that He is coming, sooner or later than we may expect!
This is exactly what Paul told the Thessalonians. The man of sin has to be revealed before anyone can be resurrected.
Every event in YHVH’s plan occurs on one of his Appointed Times.
Nothing is secret; everything is revealed.
Every one of his obedient disciples should know that he will gather us at Tishri 1, the end of the trib. That is what ends the trib
The only thing that could have been called secret was the crucifixion, which was kept from Satan because he would have prevented it if he understood its result.
Yeshua’s return was never imminent. That is 19th century foolishness by Darby.
The event that begins the 70th week is Satan's ejection from the presence before the Father, when he is cast down to Earth. The man of sin is revealed at the midpoint of the 70th week, which begins the trib.
At that point no one on Earth should be unaware of when Yeshua returns, because it is the new moon, 42 months after Antichrist does his abomination.
These things are all well laid out in the scriptures, both by Paul, and by John.
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>> “So we should prepare to stand strong and die or be imprisoned for our faith” <<
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Not if you are obedient to his Torah, and study and keep his Appointed times!
We will be taken to that place in the desert. He explained it in his letter to the Philadelphian church.
He keeps his promises.
Those that dismiss Matthew Ch 5 will likely experience what you said, and it will be up to them to figure it out. That is what happens to those that disbelieve the word.