One of the important questions that the End Times poses to Christians is, what will happen to the Church during the great tribulation? Will it be raptured before the onset of these terrible events, or will it be left until the coming of the Lord and endure all the judgments that Almighty God will pour upon the Earth and humanity?
The Order of Events at the End of Times
On one hand, we read in 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 that the sequence of events is clearly defined – first, Christ comes, then those who belong to Christ, meaning His disciples, will be resurrected. Starting from verse 51, Paul unveils the mystery: at the last trumpet (the seventh trumpet mentioned in Revelation 10:7), the dead (the righteous) will be raised, and those who are still alive will be transformed “in the twinkling of an eye.”
The information regarding the coming of the Lord at the end of the Great Tribulation and the seventh trumpet, which also occurs at the end of this tribulation, clearly indicates that before these events, the righteous will not be resurrected, and thus, living Christians at that moment will not be transformed.
In his letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), Paul adds that at the last trumpet, first, Christ will descend, then the righteous will be resurrected, and only after these events will everyone be caught up “in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
However, objections arise from some Christian circles, maintaining the view that the Church will be raptured before the Great Tribulation begins. They cite an argument based on examples, referring to “as in the days of Noah,” “as in the days of Lot,” and suggesting that “so it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”
In other words, the righteous were taken to a safe place first, and only then did God’s judgments commence. It’s worth noting that neither Noah nor Lot were raptured but were led to a safe place.
Riddles of Revelation
Can the Word of God contradict itself? Which of the statements is erroneous? Let’s address these questions:
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No, the Word cannot contradict itself.
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No, none of the statements are erroneous.
So how should we understand all of this? Another question must be asked, one that is often overlooked by researchers of this topic. If both statements are true, is it possible that the Church, like Noah or Lot, will be taken away, but the rapture will only occur at the very end after the coming?
Yes! The woman in Revelation Chapter 12 is often mistakenly interpreted as the story of the Israeli people fleeing from the red dragon, and the child being Jesus. However, this is an incorrect interpretation. In Chapter 12, it describes the Church, which is destined to be on Earth for salvation for 1260 days, almost the entire duration of the beast’s rule (42 months, as mentioned in Chapter 13).
In Isaiah 43, it is said:
“But you have not called upon me, Jacob, and you have not wearied yourself for me, O Israel. You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense.”
Here, it is clear that the passage is addressing Jacob and Israel, and it suggests that they have not called upon God or made offerings to Him.
Through Isaiah, God speaks about the Church and the plan of salvation for people during the great tribulation.
Revelation 12 and Isaiah 43:18-21 speak to us about the same event.
Conclusion:
The Church will remain during the great tribulation but will not suffer all the plagues that will come upon all the living, as the Church will be taken by God to “wilderness places” where it will be sheltered for 3.5 years during the reign of the beast.
At the end of this time, first the Lord comes, then the dead in the Lord are resurrected, and then those who were alive at that moment receive new glorious bodies, and all ascend to meet the Lord. Now, everything is logical, and none of the verses of Scripture contradict other parts of the Bible.
The Church’s exit from the world will be similar to how Noah or Lot were saved, or how the entire Israelite people were led out of Egypt! This will be an incredible event, but is there anything impossible for God?