[ Bottom of Page ]

By God's grace, still presenting the same old message from the same old Book...

Thoughts Of The Rapture

The sequence of events as I understand, is first, the rapture when all believers will be taken off the earth, the hope of the church, then on the earth a period of seven years referred to as the tribulation period, then the return of Christ bringing the saints with Him to the earth, to establish the thousand year reign of Christ, His kingdom and the hope of Israel that they expected at the first coming, on the earth. One thing that has impressed me, is that with the rapture, there is mention of translating those saints that are alive on the earth, and the resurrection of those that previously died in Christ that they all would meet the Lord in the air (1Thess 4:17). 

With the final phase of the second coming when Christ will be on the earth and not merely in the clouds, in the air, after the seven year interval of the tribulation, there is no mention of translation of those saints that were saved during the tribulation period and remain alive at the bodily and physical coming of Jesus Christ on the earth. By translation I am not referring to resurrection but instead I refer specifically to those that live being changed and given a new glorious body (Phil 3:21; 1Cor 15:51-52). During this final phase, Christ coming on the earth, the coming is for judgment of the wicked, and after that the establishing of His thousand year visible kingdom on earth, the hope of Israel (Zec 14:9). Those that remain alive will be set in the kingdom that Lord Jesus will establish, and will not be in translated bodies. 

The seventh from Adam spoke of the second coming, when he said, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 1:14-16), and that speaks of the final phase of the second coming and is referred to as bodily, and physical, and there is no mention that I have seen of bodies of the saints that remain alive after the tribulation being translated at that time, for the righteous that remain alive during the final phase of the second coming will be established in the kingdom in their mortal bodies. 

The righteous that died during the tribulation period are resurrected at the time of the final phase of the second coming, and will live and reign with Christ a thousand years on earth (Rev 20:4). The kingdom will be established with saved, born again people of mortal bodies that will marry and bear children, and also those with new glorious bodies (Matt 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:35). The rapture is hidden, Christ not seen by the world, and as we will receive a body like unto His glorious body, there certainly would be no need for tearing up graves to be resurrected, that would be evident to any, and such like, but even as Jesus in His glorified body was able to appear in a room (mentioning the atonement and other matters), appearing without breaking down a wall (Luke 24:36-48), that resurrection at the time of the rapture will be without digging up the earth; but there will be pandemonium with all the living ones translated, changed, simply disappearing that did have a part in day to day life on earth. At the rapture we which are alive and remain shall be translated, changed (1Cor 15:51-52), and those in the grave shall be resurrected, together our having a new body like unto His glorious body (Phil 3:21). And so shall we ever be with the Lord!

With the rapture Christ Jesus will not appear to the world when resurrected and translated saints will meet Christ in the air, and there is no signs preceding, but with the final phase when Christ comes the second time it will be bodily and physical to the earth when He will put His foot on the mount Of Olives (Zec 14:4), there is first many signs of His coming (Isa 29:5-8; 31:4-5; Zec 14:1-2; Rev 11:3-13 etc), and at His coming lost men mourning and sorrowing over their imminent destruction, their seeing the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt 24:30), and for those that are to perish, this is worldly sorrow (Isa 33:14; Jude 14,15; 2Cor 7:10).

Zechariah 14:4 (KJV) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Realize, before a person is saved, before they receive Christ, there is first the revealing of sin, and with that mourning and sorrow, godly sorrow, the sin being abhorred. Thank God for His mercy, mourning and sorrow is not the end for the elect (Isa 25:8; 33:17; 65:17; Jer 29:11; 1Cor 15:54, 57; Rev 7:17; 21:4).

There are many being taught, deceived, into thinking they are saved of their own power, so that God is subject to them in matters of salvation. This is a horrible error of our day, a wicked deception, where man is exalted and taught their destiny is in their power. 

Daniel 4:35 (KJV) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Romans 9:18 (KJV) Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Romans 9:21 (KJV) Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Of unsaved men, it is said of them that there is none righteous, none that understandeth, none that seeketh after God, all gone out of the way, unprofitable, none that doeth good, no, not one, their throat is an open sepulchre, they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips, mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, the way of peace have they not known, no fear of God before their eyes, when they see Jesus there is no beauty that we should desire Him, He is despised and rejected of men - Isa 53:2-3; Rom 3:10-18 – 

Yet men imagine they will come to Christ on their own, without their receiving any more attention from God than the one that will never be saved – 1Cor 4:7. Man is exalted and God is debased.

As God reveals the heart to sinful man, pride vanishes. There is no room for self promotion when the contents of ones own heart is discovered. Much that is advanced by religion as gospel is no more than the promotion of self-adulation, merit mongering. Words such as, “God has done His part now you must do yours,” “accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour,” “ask Jesus into your heart” and “if you were sincere you are saved” are simply not supported by Scripture, and are words used t0 deceive multitudes. The deceived person will imagine their action has made them holy, but instead they are simply deceived. Such deception is flesh mongering, self adulation, merit mongering, and is not of God. God being subject to man in salvation is the height of folly but is advanced as gospel to much of the religious world, even among those generally thought of as orthodox in their faith. Deception is not orthodox. Those that are dead in trespasses and sins do not contribute or cooperate in any way to their being made alive. Ye must be born again. The new infant has no active part in their becoming an infant, and the dead in sins have no part in their being made alive in Christ (Rom 5:18,21). The new birth is essential and salvation is all of God.

The grace of God actually brings salvation to the sheep, and does not merely try to bring salvation. I am a sovereign grace Baptist, finding that salvation is wholly of God’s grace, His working repentance and faith in us; I believe in total depravity of man (Isa 53:2-3; Rom 3:10-18; Mark 7:21; Deut 29:18; Rom 7:5, 24; Eph 2:1, 5; Col 2:13), their natural position being dead in trespasses and sins, being at enmity towards the things of God and toward God Himself; unconditional election (Rom 9:11,16,18-24); particular redemption, Christ died for the sheep, His own people, and not the goats (Ps 111:9; Isa 53:5,6,8,11,12; Matt 1:21; 20:28; 26:28; John 10:14-16; 17:9; Eph 1:4-7; Rom 8:29-30; Gal 1:4; 3:13; Tit 2:14; Heb 9:12-14; 10:14-15; 1John 4:10; Rev 5:9-10); effectual calling whereby the sheep hear His voice, know Him and follow Him, their certainly coming, being drawn to Christ (John 6:39-40,44,45); and perseverance of the saints (Phil 1:6; Rom 8:29-30; 1Pet 1:5; John 6:37; Jer 31:3; Heb 13:8). 

Ephesians 2:5 (KJV) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

For the elect: Isa 25:8; 33:17; 65:17; Jer 29:11; 1Cor 15:54, 57; Rev 7:17; 21:4

By grace,
Bob Krajcik
Mansfield, Ohio
August 20, 2005

Bible Study Letters

A message of comfort from the Scriptures,
that we through patience and comfort
of the scriptures might have hope.

Come and hear, all ye that fear God,
and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Psalms 66:16

[ Home Page ] [ Main Menu ]

Bob Krajcik
[ Bible Study Letters ]
 Your Comments Welcomed
Your Privacy Respected
Send Your Comments, Questions,
Praise Reports or Prayer Requests

[ Top of Page ]