Your question:

There will definitely be a pre-tribulation Rapture. The Lord will call Christians home before the Tribulation begins. Here are some verses that would be good for you to look up: I Thessalonians 4:16,17, I Corinthians 15:51,52 and Revelation 3:10. The book of Revelation was written chronologically. Revelation 1:19 says: "Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter" (past, present and future). Chapter 1 speaks of the past and chapters 2 and 3 speak of the present. Time wise, we are approximately at Revelation 3:15,16 and 17-the cold, lukewarm, lackadaisical Laodicean church. The future is shown in chapters 4-22.

The next event is Revelation 4:1 where John says: "After this I looked, and behold the door was open and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither..." This is the Rapture. Some people think this passage is speaking only to John but if you read ahead you will see that verses 10 and 11 talk about the 24 elders casting their crowns before the throne. This scene must take place after the Judgment Seat of Christ in order for the 24 elders to
have crowns to cast at Jesus feet. The Judgment Seat of Christ cannot take place unless all Christians are present. This would mean that the Rapture has taken place.

The next event in Revelation, after the Rapture, is chapter 6, which is the Tribulation. Since chapter 4 comes before chapter 6 (the Tribulation) then we must conclude that the Rapture does take place before the Tribulation.

 My answer:

Hello my friend,
Thanks for the e-mail.

You said: There will definitely be a pre-tribulation Rapture.

My response: To use the word 'definitely' is to presume that you have irrefutable facts based on Bible verses in their proper context. Maybe you will present them in your next correspondence.

You said: The Lord will call Christians home before the Tribulation begins.

My response: Where is your evidence? Surely the verses you provided do not support this notion whether they were in context or not.

You said: Here are some verses that would be good for you to look up: I Thessalonians 4:16,17, I Corinthians 15:51,52 and Revelation 3:10.

My response: Aspiring to be as noble as the Bereans (Acts 17:11) I have indeed read these verses, again. The following is a short synopsis of each:

I Thessalonians 4:16,17:
These verses by themselves depict the resurrection but do not define whether it is pre or post tribulation. If you would continue reading the context you would see that in verse 5:2-3 that destruction comes suddenly. In verses 4-9 we are told that the true believers are not in darkness so that "day" will surprise them like a thief. We should be alert by watching for the signs given by Jesus of His coming. Verse 9 concludes that we are not appointed to wrath (context shows the wrath to be destruction that comes suddenly, the day of the LORD. verses 5:2-3). We are to receive salvation. Our salvation comes when we are rescued on the day of wrath through the resurrection. It is a rescue operation, not an evacuation. We are being saved from God's wrath (see Romans 5:9. 1 Thessalonians 1:10.). You also assume that Jesus makes three appearances, but that is a direct contradiction to scripture. Appearance number one was the LORD's work on the cross. On appearance number two we receive salvation (Hebrews 9:27-28). You may also be confusing God's wrath during the tribulation. God's wrath will be against Israel through her enemies during the Tribulation and other judgments will befall the earth, but the primary focus is Israel. On the day of the LORD God's wrath is poured out on the entire earth but He shelters Israel and rescues the believers. Believers should not shy away from tribulation (Romans 5:3-8).

I Corinthians 15:51,52:
This is a clear verse in support of a last day resurrection if read properly in context. The last trumpet (seventh trumpet) announces the final act as the day of the LORD has arrived and He comes to rescue His own and destroy His foes. Revelation 11:15 shows the scene in which the seventh trumpet announces what is about to happen. One of the things that is to come is the reward for the servants and saints (verse 18) and then is followed with an "and for destroying those who destroy the earth." The sequence is temporarily broken by another sign from heaven that replays the events up to this point and then resumes in 14:1-20 before another break for another marvelous sign.

Revelation 3:10:
'The hour of trial' in this verse is to come upon the whole world whereas the desolation (tribulation) will be primarily against first the Jews and then against the gentile believers. This is referring to the day of the LORD.

You said: The book of Revelation was written chronologically.

My response: Absolutely not. This would contradict the prophets. Revelation must be read in the same fashion as it was written and as the other prophets were given revelation. The following is an illustrated example:

Most prophecy has a dual purpose. It speaks to the people and events of the near future of the prophet who delivers the message. And it usually doubles in its meaning by delivering a message to and about the distant future - the end times.

Most of the prophets received revelations that came in a pattern of waves or cycles. The purpose of these cycles is to give multiple perspectives of the same events in the prophecy.

Illustration: Picture yourself seated alone in a circle of chairs and staged in the center is a play which is always performed facing the same direction. When the play is over you get up and move to the next seat and the play will start all over again. The play won't change, but each time it ends you move over to the next seat until you have sat in all the seats. The major sequences of the storyline will always be familiar to you, but the details will differ, even between just one seat and the next. If you put all of the varying details together you will have the benefit of a deeper meaning of the story. So it is with prophecy, the basic chain of events always appears to be similar but the change of perspective in each cycle changes the details and thereby enhances the big picture. In doing this God has furnished us with an amazing amount of details about what is to come.

There are clear breaks in the vision where John is sent or brought into a differing perspective. Third, How can one read Revelation in a linear chronological fashion since the visions are broken into spiritual and physical perspectives?

You said: Revelation 1:19 says: "Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter" (past, present and future). Chapter 1 speaks of the past and chapters 2 and 3 speak of the present.

My response: Although Revelation is split into what is now and what is to come I cannot contradict scripture by agreeing with you as to where the split occurs. First, one must understand that 'the things which are' meant when the book was written after John had seen them. This would take us to Rev. 4:1 which starts "After this . . ." denoting a change from now to future. The verse continues by telling John that he must be shown "thee things which must come hereafter." In reading chapter 1 there is no indication of past other than what John had just seen. Chapters 2 and 3 are also in the our past but John's present. They were real churches and were never intended to be a figurative demonstration, but instead to be direct admonitions to those churches as can be seen by the actual use of names and the like and they are to be an example to us today.

You said: Time wise, we are approximately at Revelation 3:15,16 and 17-the cold, lukewarm, lackadaisical Laodicean church. The future is shown in chapters 4-22.

My response: Where is your evidence? Based on what can you say this? I do agree with the future being chapters 4-22, an area we are now nearing rapidly.

You said: The next event is Revelation 4:1 where John says: "After this I looked, and behold the door was open and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither..." This is the Rapture. Some people think this passage is speaking only to John but if you read ahead you will see that verses 10 and 11 talk about the 24 elders casting their crowns before the throne. This scene must take place after the Judgment Seat of Christ in order for the 24 elders to
have crowns to cast at Jesus feet. The Judgment Seat of Christ cannot take place unless all Christians are present. This would mean that the Rapture has taken place.

My response: What? I can see that it is what the resurrection will be like but no indication whatsoever to support your assumption that this is the actual resurrection. You also assume that the twenty four elders are resurrected saints - this is not supported by scripture. A gold crown does not indicate resurrected saints. This is not the Judgment Seat of Christ. If you would please read the continuing context it would give its meaning. Verse 5:1 indicates by the use of the word 'and' a continuation. Now we enter the tribulation of the future where the seals can only be broken by Jesus. The Judgment Seat of Christ does not happen until after Jesus comes back, rules for a thousand years and then the second resurrection takes place. The judgment seat is for the wicked of the second resurrection (see Revelation chapter 20).

You said: The next event in Revelation, after the Rapture, is chapter 6, which is the Tribulation. Since chapter 4 comes before chapter 6 (the Tribulation) then we must conclude that the Rapture does take place before the Tribulation.

My response: Jesus told the pharisees that they were in error because they did not know the scriptures or the power of God. My friend, yes chapter 6 shows the desolation (tribulation) but it is also the summation of the entire period and the last day. It is clear that the 'fellow servants' have not been resurrected yet and there is no one left behind because there are only two resurrections not three. One for the righteous and one for the wicked (Revelation chapter 20). The clincher is in verses 12-17. In verses 12-14 we see the heavenly signs in the sky. When these things happen then our resurrection follows. Want proof? You will find the same signs followed by our resurrection in Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28. In verses 15-17 we see the the inhabitants of the earth scatter, mourn and attempt to hide because the great day of wrath has come! Should we tell Jesus Christ that He will not raise up his own on the last day even though he said he would four times alone in chapter six of John?!

Please pray on these things. I used to think as you do but in seeking God in His word I found contradiction after contradiction. I asked God to help me unlearn all that man had taught me so that God himself could teach me. He clearly showed me these things and many more. I cannot turn a page in the Bible without seeing it, it is the essence of the gospel itself. I have only scraped the tip of the iceberg here and would be happy to help you further should you choose to. I have amassed an extensive reference chart that would be of certain help. Here is a direct link: http://lastday.info/chartintro.html (this helps you understand how to use the charts). http://lastday.info/refchart.html (the chart itself).

I pray I have served you well.

In the love of the LORD Jesus,

Randy