Are Christians Raptured before the Tribulation?

Today many people are teaching that Christians will be taken away in a secret rapture, seven years before the return of Jesus, and that they will escape the Earth’s final tribulation period.

Is this what the Bible really says?

After describing the “persecutions and tribulations” which the early believers where enduring, Paul wrote: 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

This shows that Paul was expecting that the church would be enduring persecution and tribulation right up until the coming of Jesus at the very end of the world.

The idea that the church will be raptured away before the period of tribulation sounds good, because no one wants to go through persecution or hardship, but the fact is that throughout history Christians have suffered for their faith, and there will be no relief from that until the end of the world.

Almost every time the word tribulation is used in the New Testament it is referring to things that Christians go through, not that they escape from.

Matthew 24:21-22 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”

Revelation 2:10-11 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death”. Paul is showing clearly that Christians must ‘overcome’ the tribulation and remain faithful even unto death.

Revelation 7:14 “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”.

These verses and many others all clearly indicate that the church will have to endure and overcome the time of tribulation.

The thing that the church will be protected from though, are the seven last plagues, because the angels seal all of God’s people before the plagues are unleashed. It will be just like the time of the ten plagues in Egypt, where God did not allow His angels to harm any of His people, and where the angel of death passed over the Jews who had marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb in obedience to God’s instructions.

We need to study the Word of God so that we are prepared what will take place in the final events of Earth’s history.

For more information on this topic please visit http://www.rapturetruth.org/

Debra Lohrere is the author of Peace, Prophecy and False Fire http://www.lulu.com/content/333221 and Christian Investing and Money Management http://www.lulu.com/content/378757

Is the Secret Rapture Biblical?

One of the most controversial subjects in relation to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus, is whether or not there is a Secret Rapture of Christians seven years prior to His return.

We know from Paul’s writings that at the last trump, when the trumpet sounds the dead in Christ will rise first and those believers on earth will be changed in an instant and receive our new immortal bodies 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

This raises the question, if there had already been a Christian rapture seven years earlier, why would Paul be telling them that he expects them to still be on earth (remembering that Paul did not know the timing of the Lord’s return and wrote with the expectation that perhaps it would be during his lifetime)?

Paul states clearly that these events takes place “at the last trump,” not seven years before it. He shows that, “the trumpet shall sound.” So it will be loud, not quiet or secret.

Some teach that Jesus Christ will return secretly in the twinkling of an eye, but Paul actually says it is the changing of the bodies of believers from mortality to immortality that happens in the twinkling of an eye. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 does not teach of Christians mysteriously vanishing at all. Rather, it reveals an extremely loud, audible return of Jesus Christ during the final sounding of the last trumpet and the instant transformation of believers into their new immortal bodies at the end of the world.

Paul also wrote 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 5:4 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write to you. For yourselves know that the day of the Lord so cometh like a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then cometh sudden destruction upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief”

So as well as again telling the people that they will be on earth when Jesus comes, he is also telling them that they should be ready for his return, so that it will not be unexpected the way it will be for the unbelievers. It describes a loud audible return of the Lord and the Christians meeting him in the air. He says that Jesus comes down from heaven, true believers are caught up together, and sudden destruction comes upon the lost. Again this does not depict a secret rapture in any way, and he is saying that the Christians will still be on earth at the final trump.

We need to study the Word of God so that we are prepared for what will happen in the final events of Earth’s history.

For more information of this topic please visit http://www.ChristianRapture.com
Debra Lohrere is the author of Peace, Prophecy and False Fire http://www.lulu.com/content/333221 and Christian Investing and Money Management http://www.lulu.com/content/378757

Mark of the Beast Revealed.

Amid the vast array of symbols in the book of Revelation there is a severe warning relating to anyone who takes the “Mark of the Beast”. Revelation 14:9-11 “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name”.

You will notice from this text that there is more than just taking the mark. It also refers to worshiping the beast or his image or receiving the mark of his name.

There has been a lot of speculation about the mark of the beast and whether it will be a computer chip implanted under the skin, or a bar code or some sort of tattoo. These ideas revolve around the concept that whoever does not receive the Mark of the Beast will not be able to buy or sell, so therefore it has to be something that will be used to track those who pledge allegiance to the beast. There is a hole in this theory however, because even though some sort of technology may play a part in the prevention of commerce, there is more to the mark than just the buying and selling issue. As you can see from the verse above, the real issue with taking the mark, worshiping the beast or his image or receiving the mark of his name, is that it will doom you to eternal damnation.

The spiritual aspect of the mark, is also highlighted by the fact that everyone gets a mark, not just those who worship the beast, the true believers are also marked, Revelation 7:3 “Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads”.


Also the distinction between those who take the mark of the beast and those who get the seal or mark of God is shown to be directly related to obedience to the Ten Commandments. Straight after the warning about not taking the mark of the beast it shows the difference. Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”.

The mark of the beast will not be obvious, because it will deceive many. Revelation 19:20 “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone”.

All of the symbols used in Revelation are explained elsewhere in the Bible, for instance a Beast represents a kingdom or a political or religious power.

Daniel 7:23 “Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces”.

Therefore the beast described in Revelation 13:1, which also correlates to the fourth beast of Daniel 7 relates to an apostate religious system, one that blasphemes God, puts the rules of men above the Word of God, and one that claims to have the authority of God on earth.

All of the early Protestant reformers clearly identified the first antichrist beast of Revelation to be none other than the false system of religion, and persecuting power found within the Roman Catholic Church. During the dark ages millions of people were tortured and killed as ‘heretics’ for not bowing down to all of the precepts the church.

The Catholic Church say that the mark of their authority, is the fact that without scriptural support they changed the Seventh Day Sabbath of God to Sunday. Therefore, by their own admission, Sunday keeping (which is worshiping on a counterfeit day of worship, on the day that the pagans worship the Sun god) is the “Mark of the Beast”.

Note again that those who are saved and sealed by the angels are those that obey the Ten Commandments and that the seal (Name, Title and Realm) of God is listed in His fourth commandment, the one the Catholic Church changed. Exodus 20:10 –11 “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” This shows that God (name) is the Creator (title) of Heaven and earth (realm).

For more information on this topic please visit http://www.666Mark-Of-The-Beast.com
Debra Lohrere is the author of Peace, Prophecy and False Fire http://www.lulu.com/content/333221 and Christian Investing and Money Management http://www.lulu.com/content/378757

Is there really a Secret Rapture?

The secret rapture doctrine teaches that the coming of Jesus will be in two separate stages. The first, a secret rapture of the Church at the beginning of a seven year tribulation period followed by His glorious, audible, triumphant return to Earth accompanied by the Church at the end of the seven years.

It also teaches that during this seven-year period the Antichrist is going to come into power, sit in a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and declare himself to be God. It says that the war of Armageddon is a literal war of nations against literal Israel, which occurs near the end of the seven years and is ended abruptly by Christ’s return with His Church. It says that literal Israel accepts the Lord as the Messiah and enters with Him as His covenant people into the 1000-year reign on earth. Those who ultimately reject Christ’s rule will be judged and destroyed at the end of the Millennium.

Is this what the Bible really shows?

In Matthew 28:20 Jesus said “…and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Why would He promise to be with the church until the ‘end of the world’ if He intended to come seven years before the end to take them out of the world?

The Bible shows clearly that God’s church will still be on earth when Jesus returns. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

It shows that when Jesus returns His angels will gather His people from the earth. Matthew 24:31 “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” How could they gather the church from the earth if the church had come back with Christ?

Every eye will see Jesus when He returns. This includes all of the non-believers and all of the believers. Revelation 1:7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

The Bible shows that His return will be sudden, and unexpected for unbelievers and those who have not studied His prophecies. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 says “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” This verse also shows that the unbelievers will be destroyed when Jesus returns.

When the Lord returns there will be nothing secret about it. The dead in Christ will rise first, those of us who have overcome the time of tribulation and persecution and are still alive will be caught up to meet Him in the sky. All of the unbelievers will be destroyed and the earth will melt. 2 Peter 3:12 “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”

We will then go with Him to heaven where we will reign for a thousand years and the books will be opened and we will judge the nations. Revelation 20:4-5 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus (definitely shows that they were on earth during the tribulation), and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”

The Bible shows that Jesus comes and gathers His people and that the unbelievers are all destroyed and are not raised again until the end of the millennium. The believers reign in heaven for a thousand years, as the earth has been destroyed. At the end of the millennium God makes a “new heaven and a new earth”.

All Bible references are from the King James Version.

For more information on this topic please visit http://www.secret-rapture.com/
Debra Lohrere is the author of Peace, Prophecy and False Fire http://www.lulu.com/content/333221 and Christian Investing and Money Management http://www.lulu.com/content/378757