Rapture and Coming of Christ Questions to Ponder

The Rapture is a topic of interest for many people. I think it would be useful to provide people who are interested in the Rapture a list of questions to consider. Answering these questions will help you to develop a more refined Rapture viewpoint as you consider different issues surrounding the Rapture.

1. What is the “last trump”?

Paul suggested that the “last trump” will sound just before the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52:

“(51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) 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.” (1Corinthians 15:51-52)

Some believe the seventh trumpet, which is spotlighted in Revelation 11, represents the “last trump” while others believe that the “last trump” is not connected with the seventh trumpet.

2. Will Christ’s coming and the Rapture occur at the same time?

Some believe the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture will occur at the same time while others believe that the Rapture will come before Christ’s coming.

3. Who are the saints that the Antichrist will make war with during his 42 months of dominating the world?

The Antichrist will be allowed to persecute his enemies following his rise to power. The verses in the table below suggest that the Antichrist will be able to make war with the “saints” for a period of 42 months or 3.5 years:

War With the Saints	42 Months
Revelation 13:5-7: (5) And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months (6) And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. (7) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
Daniel 7:21, 25-26: (21) I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;…(25) And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (26) But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.”

Some believe that the saints represent people who will turn to Christ following the Rapture. Many people who believe the Rapture won’t transpire until the latter part of the end times believe that the saints represent Christians who will find it challenging to survive until the time of the Rapture.

4. How many Rapture-type of events will transpire?

Many people believe that the Rapture will be the only evacuation of Christ believers that will take place in the future. However, I’ve read the thoughts of some who think there could be more than one evacuation of Christ believers. For instance, I’ve read someone who believes a large evacuation of believers will occur prior to Christ’s coming and that a secondary evacuation of believers will occur at Christ’s coming.

5. When will the “wrath” that Christians will be delivered from begin?

The Bible indicates that Christians will be delivered from “wrath”.

“(9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

“(8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10)

“(9) For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; (10) And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

The general idea is that a person can approximate when the Rapture will transpire in an end times timeline by finding when the wrath spoken about in these passages will begin. There are a wide variety of opinions about when the “wrath” will begin:

• Some believe the wrath will begin at the start of the seventieth week of Daniel.
• Some believe the wrath will begin after the breaking of the sixth seal
• Others believe that the wrath of God will begin after the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

People’s answers to these questions vary significantly, which is unsurprising since the Rapture is one of the most debated Bible prophecy topics today.