What is the Biblical difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?
The rapture and the second coming of Christ are not the same. Sometimes there's difficulty in determining whether a scripture verse is referring to the rapture or is referring to the second coming. However, in studying end-times Bible prophecy, it is very vital to differentiate between the two. Listen, After Jesus left this earth as the disciples watched Him ascend 2000 years ago if he's to return now, do you know that it isn't the true second coming but the rapture? Let's first define rapture and second coming with bible reference.
What is the Rapture?
The rapture is the time when Jesus Christ returns to remove the church (all believers in Christ) from the earth. Which is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (1Th 4:13 Brothers and sisters, we don't want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don't want you to grieve like other people who have no hope.
1Th 4:14 We believe that Jesus died and came back to life. We also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring back those who have died. They will come back with Jesus.
1Th 4:15 We are telling you what the Lord taught. We who are still alive when the Lord comes will not go into his kingdom ahead of those who have already died.
1Th 4:16 The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life.
1Th 4:17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way, we will always be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 So then, comfort each other with these words! ) and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. (1Co 15:51 I'm telling you a mystery. Not all of us will die, but we will all be changed.
1Co 15:52 It will happen in an instant, in a split second at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will come back to life. They will be changed so that they can live forever.
1Co 15:53 This body that decays must be changed into a body that cannot decay. This mortal body must be changed into a body that will live forever.
1Co 15:54 When this body that decays is changed into a body that cannot decay, and this mortal body is changed into a body that will live forever, then the teaching of Scripture will come true: "Death is turned into victory! ) Believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected and, along with believers who are still living, will meet the Lord in the air. This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. After
What is the Second Coming?
The second coming is when Jesus returns to defeat the Antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His millennial kingdom. The second coming is described in Revelation 19:11-16. (Rev 19:11 I saw heaven standing open. There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity, he judges and wages war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes are flames of fire. On his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him, but only he knows what it is.
Rev 19:13 He wears clothes dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven, wearing pure, white linen, follow him on white horses.
Rev 19:15 A sharp sword comes out of his mouth to defeat the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter and tread the winepress of the fierce anger of God Almighty.
Rev 19:16 On his clothes and his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.)
The important differences between the rapture and the second coming are as follows:
1) At the rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). (1Th 4:17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord.) At the second coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth (Revelation 19:14).(Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven, wearing pure, white linen, follow him on white horses. )
2) The second coming occurs after the great and terrible tribulation (Revelation chapters 6–19). The rapture occurs before the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9;(1Th 5:9 It was not God's intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.) and Revelation 3:10).(Rev 3:10 Because you have obeyed my command to endure, I will keep you safe during the time of testing which is coming to the whole world to test those living on earth.)
3) The rapture is the removal of believers from the earth as an act of deliverance (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 5:9). The second coming includes the removal of unbelievers as an act of judgment (Matthew 24:40-41). (Mat 24:40 "At that time two men will be working in the field. One will be taken, and the other one will be left.
Mat 24:41 Two women will be working at a mill. One will be taken, and the other one will be left. )
4) The rapture will be secret and instant (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). (1Co 15:50 Brothers and sisters, this is what I mean: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. What decays cannot inherit what doesn't decay.
1Co 15:51 I'm telling you a mystery. Not all of us will die, but we will all be changed.
1Co 15:52 It will happen in an instant, in a split second at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will come back to life. They will be changed so that they can live forever.
1Co 15:53 This body that decays must be changed into a body that cannot decay. This mortal body must be changed into a body that will live forever.
1Co 15:54 When this body that decays is changed into a body that cannot decay, and this mortal body is changed into a body that will live forever, then the teaching of Scripture will come true: "Death is turned into victory! ) The second coming will be visible to all (Revelation 1:7;(Rev 1:7 Look! He is coming in the clouds. Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. Every tribe on earth will mourn because of him. This is true. Amen.) and Matthew 24:29-30). (Mat 24:29 "Immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.
Mat 24:30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the people on earth will cry in agony when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds in the sky with power and great glory. )
5) The second coming of Christ will not occur until after certain other end-times events take place (2 Thessalonians 2:4;(2Th 2:4 He opposes every so-called god or anything that is worshiped and places himself above them, sitting in God's temple and claiming to be God.) and Matthew 24:15-30; (Mat 24:15 "The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. When you see this (let the reader take note),
Mat 24:16 those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains.
Mat 24:17 Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses.
Mat 24:18 Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats.
Mat 24:19 "How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days.
Mat 24:20 Pray that it will not be winter or a day of worship when you flee.
Mat 24:21 There will be a lot of misery at that time, a kind of misery that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and will certainly never happen again.
Mat 24:22 If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.
Mat 24:23 "At that time don't believe anyone who tells you, 'Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!'
Mat 24:24 False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work spectacular, miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen.
Mat 24:25 Listen! I've told you this before it happens.
Mat 24:26 So if someone tells you, 'He's in the desert!' don't go out looking for him. And don't believe anyone who says, 'He's in a secret place!'
Mat 24:27 The Son of Man will come again just as lightning flashes from east to west.
Mat 24:28 Vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.
The Coming of the Son of Man
Mat 24:29 "Immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.
Mat 24:30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the people on earth will cry in agony when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds in the sky with power and great glory. ) Revelation chapters 6–18). The rapture is imminent; it could take place at any moment (Titus 2:13;(Tit 2:13 At the same time we can expect what we hope for-the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. ) 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
Why is it important to keep the rapture and the second coming distinct?
1) If the rapture and the second coming are the same events, believers will have to go through the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9; and Revelation 3:10).
2) If the rapture and the second coming are the same events, the return of Christ is not imminent—there are many things that must occur before He can return (Matthew 24:4-30).
3) In describing the tribulation period, Revelation chapters 6–19 nowhere mentions the church. During the tribulation—also called "the time of trouble for Jacob" (Jeremiah 30:7)(Jer 30:7 How terrible that day will be! There will be no other day like it. It will be a time of calamity for the descendants of Jacob, but they will be rescued from it. )—God will again turn His primary attention to Israel (Romans 11:17-31). (Rom 11:17 But some of the olive branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive branch, have been grafted in their place. You get your nourishment from the roots of the olive tree.
Rom 11:18 So don't brag about being better than the other branches. If you brag, remember that you don't support the root, the root supports you.
Rom 11:19 "Well," you say, "Branches were cut off so that I could be grafted onto the tree."
Rom 11:20 That's right! They were broken off because they didn't believe, but you remain on the tree because you do believe. Don't feel arrogant, but be afraid.
Rom 11:21 If God didn't spare the natural branches, he won't spare you, either.
Rom 11:22 Look at how kind and how severe God can be. He is severe to those who fell, but kind to you if you continue to hold on to his kindness. Otherwise, you, too, will be cut off from the tree.
Rom 11:23 If Jewish people do not continue in their unbelief, they will be grafted onto the tree again, because God is able to do that.
Rom 11:24 In spite of the fact that you have been cut from a wild olive tree, you have been grafted onto a cultivated one. So wouldn't it be easier for these natural branches to be grafted onto the olive tree they belong to?
The Mystery of Israel's Salvation
Rom 11:25 Brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery so that you won't become arrogant. The minds of some Israelites have become closed until all of God's non-Jewish people are included.
Rom 11:26 In this way Israel as a whole will be saved, as Scripture says, "The Savior will come from Zion. He will remove godlessness from Jacob.
Rom 11:27 My promise to them will be fulfilled when I take away their sins."
Rom 11:28 The Good News made the Jewish people enemies because of you. But by God's choice, they are loved because of their ancestors.
Rom 11:29 God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.
Rom 11:30 In the past, you disobeyed God. But now God has been merciful to you because of the disobedience of the Jewish people.
Rom 11:31 In the same way, the Jewish people have also disobeyed so that God may be merciful to them as he was to you. )
Some Similarities between Rapture and Second coming
Both involve Jesus returning.
Both are end-times events.
However, it is crucially important to recognize the differences. In summary,
The rapture is the return of Christ in the clouds to remove all believers from the earth before the time of God's wrath.
The second coming is the return of Christ to the earth to bring the tribulation to an end and to defeat the Antichrist and his evil world empire which will be followed by 1000 years Christ will reign on this earth then eternal life begins.
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