When Is The Rapture Going To Take Place?
This is the rapture:
Then we who remain alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. (1 The 4:17)
… in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (1 Cor 15:52)
The rapture is related to both the first resurrection and the second coming of Jesus. 1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet; for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.
1 The 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
The dead rise up in the spirit body and change with the living resurrected into angel-like spirits. Both groups are gathered in the clouds to meet Christ and they will always be with the Lord Jesus. However, Jesus does not yet come to earth right away.
The Bible does not specify the exact date, but describes the conditions on earth where the resurrection takes place.
Only when the 7th trumpet is sounding the resurrection takes place – it follows that the believers will have to be on the earth for a long time, waiting for the rapture. The resurrection/rapture takes place according to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians close to Jesus’ coming:1 Cor 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
1 The 4:16 Because the Lord Himself shall come down from Heaven with a commanding shout of an archangel’s voice, and with God’s trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise again first. Matthew also writes about what happens after the days of the great tribulation: the sun is darkened, the powers of the heavens are shaken and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and people see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Mat 24:30 KJV).
Mat 24:29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
30 And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the land will wail. And they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another.
Verse 29 fixes the time of these events in time after the tribulation. Then in the sky happen something which all people see: the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky … Then the sign of Christ appears in the sky, and people will see Christ coming in the clouds of heaven in glory. The cry is loud. Jesus sends His angels when the seventh i.e. the last trump sounds, then his angel compile previously selected survivors from all over the country. Even before them, dead in Christ have risen up, and these living ones are combined with them. All the resurrected have changed and have received their new spirit bodies.
Is the great trumpet of Mat 24:31, the same and final trumpet, of which is spoken of in Cor 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. – The seventh and last trumpet (Hebr. Zophar) are the one and same. The Bible does not speak of the eighth trumpet. When we consider what happens when the last i.e seventh trumpet is sounding loud, the answer is:
1) The dead referred to by the Cor. letter rise up and immediately with Christ the living ones on earth will be transformed into spiritual bodies, and they will rise (together) up to meet Jesus.
2) When the resurrected are meeting Jesus is in the clouds, Jesus sends His angels down to the earth to assemble the chosen Christians, the so-called great multitude of saved ones. Many of them are spared at the very last moment. They shall continue living on the earth, and they shall be gathered in mount Zion in Jerusalem.