The Pre-Tribulation Harpazo (Rapture) Of Church Age Believers.
Jesus The Christ is coming back to Earth TWICE. (John 14:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Titus 2:13. ) First at the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, for His Bride; the saved in our current dispensation of grace, where believers are taken off Earth in a twinkling of an eye, to meet Him in the air, to be with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Titus 2:13). Second at His Second Coming when He places His foot on Earth when those previously Raptured return with Him to Earth to setup His Earthly 1000 rule of Earth in the Kingdom Age to come. The Kingdom Age of Christ is predicted to be a 1000-year time of peace when Jesus himself will rule over all the nations in perfect righteousness. (Revelation 1:7, Isaiah 11:4-5, Psalm 46:9, Isaiah 2:4)
The Second Coming Of Jesus, The Christ, To Earth
Our Lord Jesus Christ will bodily return to rescue Israel at Armageddon and to establish His 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth. This future time period we see Christ reigning over this earth from David’s throne in Jerusalem. Old Testament Saints and those martyred during the Tribulation Period for their belief on Christ and refusal of the Antichrist Mark of the Beast, will be bodily resurrected at the Second Coming event of Christ and will be Priests on Earth. Survivors of the Tribulation Period who refused the Mark in belief on Christ (The Sheep in Matthew 25) will repopulate the Earth during the Kingdom Age in mortal bodies.
Matthew 24 and 25 Is Not About Church Age Believers (The Bride Of Christ). It is about the Tribulation Period and After Until The Second Coming Event.
Matthew 24 and 25 is Jesus answering the disciples question about when the Kingdom Age and Christ’s Second Coming will be. The disciples only understood the 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth after Messiah took control of the world. This is the prophecies they knew and what they looked forward to; The Kingdom Age on Earth with Christ ruling and reigning on the Earth in the future.
The disciples at that time in Matthew 24 and 25, knew nothing about an event called the Harpazo nor what we refer to as The Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Church Age believers. We know this because Paul was given this information from the risen Christ and he described the Harpazo Rapture as a mystery, not yet revealed to humankind. It was new information not known!
Paul describes the Pre-Tribulation Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Titus 2:13. So the disciples were not asking Jesus when the Rapture, the great snatching off Earth of believers, would be. They were asking about only what they knew which was The Kingdom Age to come on the Earth. In fact, Old Testament Saints have a destination at their resurrection at Second Coming of being on Earth as PRIESTS. Church Age believers will be returning to Earth with Christ at the Second Coming. Their destination and eternal home at their bodily resurrection at the Rapture Event is the HEAVENLY New Jerusalem, the place Jesus went to prepare for us (John 14) which will be in space hovering at a distance above the Earth (Scripture tells us it will be the light for the world as the sun was darkened.)
Old Testament Saints & those martyred during the Tribulation Period on Earth are bodily resurrected as The Second Coming of Christ to Earth occurs and will reside on the Earth as priests. The Bride Of Christ, Church Age Believers, will reside in the Heavenly New Jerusalem, not on Earth. These will go too and from Earth during the 1000 year Kingdom Age as Kings and Priests.) Old Testament saints are not mentioned as Kings during the time period of the Kingdom Age on Earth.
The survivors of the Great Tribulation (last 3 1/2 years of 7 year Tribulation Period) are the Sheep and Goats of Matthew 25. This is not about Church Age believers nor the Bride Of Christ. The sheep helped others in need because they refused the Mark Of the Beast and refused to worship him or his image. They visited those imprisoned. Help feed each other etc. The goats were the ones that took the Mark of the Beast and worshipped him. They turned in those who refuse the mark. They persecuted the sheep believers. They imprisoned them. They refused to sell the sheep goods and food etc.
At the Second coming we see the Sheep and Goats Judgment of the survivors of the Tribulation Period. The sheep will repopulate the Earth in mortal bodies. The goats will be killed by Christ and will one day be found at The Great White Throne Judgment of the unbelieving, wicked.
Matthew 24 and 25 is all about Israel and those living during the Tribulation Period and after (Matthew 24:29). Even the Parable of the Ten Virgins is NOT about the Bride of Christ, nor the Rapture. The very first word in Matthew 25 is the English word ‘THEN’. So when… is the then? We go backward into Matthew 24 to verse 29, ‘after the tribulation of those days’. It is about the Virgins (always referred too as Israel in the Bible) and Bridesmaids (not the Bride of Christ). The Five wise virgins remained in belief of Christ to come, refusing the Antichrist and his mark to buy and sell. They have to endure Antichrist persecution until the end and remain in belief or be lost. The other five virgins fell and worshipped the beast and took the Mark to buy and sell. They did not endure in belief and will end up taking the Mark of Antichrist and will be refused entry to the 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth.
The Second Coming Of Jesus, The Christ, To Earth
Our Lord Jesus Christ will bodily return to rescue Israel at Armageddon and to establish His 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth. This future time period we see Christ reigning over this earth from David’s throne in Jerusalem. Old Testament Saints and those martyred during the Tribulation Period for their belief on Christ and refusal of the Antichrist Mark of the Beast, will be bodily resurrected at the Second Coming event of Christ and will be Priests on Earth. Satan and his fallen angels will be locked up in chains of darkness in the Abyss (Rev. 20), no longer able to interfere with human civilization for 1000 years. Survivors of the Tribulation Period who refused the Mark of the beast on their hand or forehead, in belief on Christ (The Sheep in Matthew 25) will repopulate the Earth during the Kingdom Age in mortal bodies. Christ will rule and reign on Earth and restore the Earth to the conditions before the fall of humankind. Peace will reign supreme under Christ’s rule.
The End Of The 1000 Year Kingdom Age To Come In The Future
At the end of the Kingdom Age in the future, there will be a final rebellion as Satan and his fallen angels are released from the Abyss for a short while (Rev. 20:7). All who oppose Christ will be killed and the Great White Throne Judgment of all unbelievers from all of time who rejected Christ will take place. Those found at this judgment seat will be found guilty because they never trusted in Christ by faith for salvation and are not found in the Lamb’s Book Of Life. During their life, they refused the free gift of salvation and choose to pay for their sins themselves and will be judged by their works (Rev. 20:12) and found guilty and thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15), prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). God will create a new heavens and new earth.
Two Groups Of Believers and Two Destinations Of Believers When Resurrected
Old Testament Saints looked forward to the time when Messiah would one day come and be the final payment for sins. This belief kept them saved and animal sacrifices in the Temple, year after year, covered their sins until the Messiah would come and be that final blood sacrifice for sins. The animal sacrifices never paid for their sins, but only covered them as a remembrance of how terrible sin is. It was a foreshadowing of what the Messiah, the Christ would one day accomplish on the cross (Hebrews 10). It was their belief in the foretold Messiah coming that kept them saved until their physical death. They had to remain in belief to remain saved. The Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell Old Testament Saints as we see David show in Psalm 51:11. After the Harpazo Rapture of Church Age believers, the dispensation of grace will end and a new dispensation time period will begin. God will turn back to Israel to save them. During the Tribulation Period the temple will be rebuilt and the animal sacrifices will start up again (all preparations for this are ready today in Israel!). The Holy Spirit will work as in Old Testament times and no one will be permanently saved and born again in the Spirit from the moment of their belief (Eph 1:13-14) as is the case in The Church Age dispensation of grace that we live in. That is why we see the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25, the 5 unwise are Tribulation believers who fail to remain in belief that Christ is coming again, who will instead take the Mark of the Beast. They will become goats and be judged (Matthew 25).
The Body Of Christ membership is anyone who, during the Church Age, from Pentecost to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture event, that believes on Christ for salvation apart from our works but by trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross . This is by grace through faith and not of ourselves nor our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). A person who believes the Gospel of Grace Salvation is from that very moment of belief, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and SEALED in salvation until the Pre-Tribulation Rapture (the day of our bodily resurrection), and that means forever (Eph. 1:13-14). God MADE such a person a NEW CREATED BEING in the Spirit that was MADE by God the righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21). A truth that even many believers do not understand! The most amazing truth!
God Has Something Special In Mind For Each Group Of Believers
Old Testament Saints were promised by God and were looking forward to what God promised them; an Earthly Kingdom with Messiah ruling and reigning in Earth. This is the destination when they are bodily resurrected at the Second Coming of Christ. This is what we refer to today as the future 1000 year Millennium Kingdom on Earth. The Temple animal sacrifices will take place during the 1000 year Kingdom Age on Earth (Ezekiel 45:13 – 46:15). The Law of Moses never ended but was only paused for the Church Age we now live in. This Church Age was a mystery not known until Jesus sent Paul on that road to Damascus. That is why the Disciples were shocked when Jesus said He was going to leave so the Holy Spirit would come and be the comforter (John 16:1-7) as they thought He would setup the Kingdom Age right then. The truth by Scripture is that The Law of Moses will continue in the Kingdom Age on Earth. Remember that the people will be mortal on Earth except for the Old Testament Saints and Martyred Tribulation Saints who are to be priests on Earth (Rev. 20:6) when they are resurrected at the Second Coming Of Christ, as He places His feet on the Earth on the Mount of Olives in Israel (Zechariah 14:4). Life in the Kingdom Age is described with animal sacrifices in place in the rebuilt cleansed Temple, as a remembrance and acknowledgement of their sin, which they will still have in mortal bodies. The purpose of the Law remains even today, as a mirror showing us our sins (1 Timothy 1:8-10) and how we cannot perfectly keep all the Law (James 2:10). Those born during this time period will have Christ ruling on Earth and an amazing peaceful environment, untouched by Satan and his angels who will be locked in the Abyss. They will be taught what Christ did on the cross. What many believers today fail to understand is that The Law of Moses will be in place in the Kingdom Age and Jesus will rule with a “rod of iron” (Rev. 19:15).
The Bride Of Christ, The Body Of Christ, is promised by God and are looking forward to a different destination called The Heavenly New Jerusalem (Rev. 21). This is a real physical place in our universe as it has physical dimensions of 1500 miles cubed. This place is the place Jesus promised us believers in Christ,
“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2-3 KJV)
This amazing physical and Spiritual place is the permanent home of the Bride Of Christ which will be hovering above the Earth in the Heavens (space) somewhere above the Earth as it gives light to the Earth at that time (Rev. 21:23-24). It is described in Revelation 21. There will be no TEMPLE IN IT (Rev. 21:22). No temple means no animal sacrifices because those residing in this place are the redeemed. We will be going back and forth to the camp on Earth, the Earthly Jerusalem and will be Kings and Priests. Old Testament Saints resurrected will be priests but the Body of Christ will be Kings and Priests. Two separate groups.
Why Will There Be Animal Sacrifices In The Kingdom Age On Earth?
Those on Earth will still have a sinful nature and will be mortal beings that can sin and can die. In the Old Testament times, God had showed the perfection of His character and Law. A Law no one could keep perfectly and kept them looking forward to the Messiah to save them from this. In the Church Age we now live in, God is showing us the ultimate goodness of His Grace, not under the Law but under eternal salvation by belief on Christ and His finished work on the cross and his rising again (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Scripture shows that in the 1000 Year Kingdom Age, the people on Earth at that time will have both simultaneously. Both the Law and animal sacrifices showing those born in the Millennium Kingdom how terrible sin is and their need to believe on Christ’s payment for sin and will receive God’s amazing grace.
