Views on The Return of Christ

KINGDOMPRE-

MILLENIALA-MILLENIAL

KINGDOMPRE-

MILLENIALPre-TribMid TribPost TripPartial RapturePre-Wrath

A-MILLENIALHistoric A-MillPreteristDominion

The Key = Hermeneutics

• Literal or Allegorical?

RAPTURE

CHURCH AGE

Dan’s 70th Week

Treaty Desecration

RETURN

Mid-Trib

Mid Trib

• Frequent mention of 3½ years

• No immanency• Not spared from

wrath

RAPTURE

CHURCH AGE

Dan’s 70th Week

Treaty Desecration

RETURN

Post Trib

Post-Trib

• Similarities Matt 24/ John 14

• Believers go up then come down

• Rev 19:11-21 – No Rapture• Wrath• Why Bother rescuing the

Church?

RAPTURE

CHURCH AGE

Dan’s 70th Week

Treaty Desecration

RETURN

Partial Rapture

Partial Rapture

• Faithful Matt 25; 1 Thess 5:6; Heb 9:28; Jam 1:12; Rev 2:10

• Confusion of Rapture/ 2nd Coming

• Divides the Body of Christ

• Arbitrary

RAPTURE

CHURCH AGE

Dan’s 70th Week

Treaty Desecration

RETURN

Pre-Wrath Rapture

Pre-Wrath Rapture

• Cosmic disturbance of 6th seal = Rapture

• Only Trumpet and Bowls are God’s Wrath

• Thessalonian Confusion• All Trib is God’s Wrath

Pan-Trib Rapture

RAPTURE

CHURCH AGE

Dan’s 70th Week

Treaty Desecration

RETURN

1000 yrs NEW

Pre-Trib Rapture

Pre-Trib

• Place of the Church in Rev

• Rapture vs. Return• Exemption from Wrath• Time gap between

Rap and 2nd Coming• Removal of Restrainer• Immanency• Blessed Hope

Place of the Church in Rev

• Rev 4:1• No Church in 4-18• Ekklesia 19 times in

Rev 1-3, 0 in 4-18• 24 Elders in 4:4, 10;

5:5-6, 8, 11, 14: 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4

Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)

Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)

Comes For Saints Comes With Saints

Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away

Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)

Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT

No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)

Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)

Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)

Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)

Comes For Saints Comes With Saints

Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away

Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)

Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT

No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)

Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)

Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)

Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)

Comes For Saints Comes With Saints

Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away

Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)

Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT

No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)

Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)

Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)

Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)

Comes For Saints Comes With Saints

Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away

Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)

Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT

No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)

Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)

Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)

Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)

Comes For Saints Comes With Saints

Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away

Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)

Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT

No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)

Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)

Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)

Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)

Comes For Saints Comes With Saints

Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away

Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)

Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT

No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)

Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)

Exemption from Wrath• 1 Thess 1:9-10• 1 Thess 5:9• Rev 3:10

Time Gap between Rap and Trib

• Judgment Seat• Preparation of Bride

Rev 19:7-10• Mortals in Kingdom

(Isa 65:20-25

Removal of the Restrainer• 2 Thess 2:1, 3-8

Imminency• Acts 1:11• 1 Corinthians 1:7• 1 Corinthians 16:22• “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from

the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10, NIV84)

• “while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” (Titus 2:13, NIV84)

• “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28, NIV84)

• Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 21, NIV84)

Blessed Hope• John 14:1• 1 Thess 4:13• Titus 2:13