It is often taught that the Rapture could occur at any moment because there are no other events that must take place in order for the Rapture to begin. This idea is contradicted by the Scriptures that tells us that the Rapture will not take place until after the trumpet call of God is sounded and the dead are raised.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thess. 4:15-17
In these verses we learn that the Rapture cannot occur until after the dead are raised. This, in turn, is followed up by the verses that tell us that the Resurrection of the dead, itself, will not take place until the Last Day.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. Jn. 6:39
For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Jn. 6:40
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. Jn. 6:44
When we read that the Resurrection of the Dead will not take place until the Last Day, it means that the Rapture will not take place until the Last Day as well as it will follow this event. Accordingly, the Rapture is not something that could occur at any moment, as all the events leading up the Resurrection of the Dead and the Last Day must pass first.
The Last Trumpet
In addition, we are told that the Rapture will not occur until after the trumpet call of God is sounded, which is later identified as being the Last Trumpet.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Cor. 15:51-52
In the Revelation, we read of Seven Trumpets that will be sounded and that will announce the judgments of God. In order to be the Last Trumpet, the trumpet that will announce the Resurrection of the Dead and the Rapture must occur after all these Seven Trumpets have sounded, and after all off their corresponding judgments have taken place. This again contradicts the teaching that the Rapture could occur at any moment.
To read more about the timing of the Rapture, click here: The Timing of the Rapture
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