Jesus Prophesied the Rapture

by David Weimer

Even among those of us who view the rapture as imminent (the pretribulational view) there remains disagreement concerning whether Jesus Himself ever prophesied of this blessed hope. The debate primarily involves the Lordís Olivet Discourseóin particular, verses 36-51 of Matthew 24.
Few deny that Jesus, in His humanity, knew of the rapture and alluded to it at least once in the Upper Room to comfort His disciples: ìAnd if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be alsoî (John 14:3). Many, however, insist that the Messiahís sermon on the Mount of Olives was meant exclusively for the nation of Israel and not the ìchurchî, so He could not have been referring to the rapture. This argument fails to acknowledge that the message He preached was in response to questions raised by His disciplesóthose believing Jews whom He would one day receive unto Himself ìin the cloudsÖ in the airî (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Some might also argue that the rapture was a ìmysteryî until the apostle Paul revealed it later in his letter to the church at Corinth. But of all the various mysteries presented in the New Testament, each refers to doctrines not previously disclosed in the Old Testamentónone preclude prior New Testament teaching of some facet of that doctrine. By divine design, ìcluesî are needed to unveil this mystery concerning certain details of the rapture. Although the apostles supply many of these clues, some essential pieces of this puzzle can be obtained only from our Saviorís teachings.
For clarity and brevity, allow me to assign definitions to the following terms: ìPhase 1î will refer to the first part of Christís future appearing, which we call the rapture. This is His return for believers (occurring prior to the tribulation period) to resurrect and/or glorify their physical bodies and take them back to Heaven with Him (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). ìPhase 2î will refer to the second part of Christís future appearing, which is often called the ìsecond adventî. This is His return with believers (occurring at the end of the tribulation period) to destroy Satanís armies, rescue His chosen people, and establish His earthly kingdom, reigning over all nations from the Throne of David in Jerusalem (see Isaiah 9:7 and Daniel 9:24b for starters).
I believe that Jesus prophesied both Phase 1 and Phase 2 in the Olivet Discourse. To assert that He spoke only of Phase 2 requires the explaining away of many ìapparentî contradictions. But the inspired Word of God is without error. And since our faith is entirely reasonable, it is unreasonable to settle with interpretations of Scripture that are full of logical contradictions.
Verses 4-34 of Matthew 24 speak, indisputably, of signs pointing to both the tribulation period and Phase 2. There are both definite and indefinite signs that must precede Phase 2. A definite sign, for example (a major one), that is implied in this passage (and explicitly declared elsewhere) is the reestablishment of the nation of Israel. Another is ìthe abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophetî (verse 15). Examples of indefinite signs that ìmust come to passî can be found in verse 7: ìnation shall rise against nationÖand there shall be famines, pestilences, and earthquakesÖî This type of sign is more general in nature and is measured by increased frequency and/or severity. In this portion of His sermon, I believe the Lord clearly answers the discipleís second question, ìWhat shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the age?î
When we come to verses 35 and 36 the literary intent is unmistakableóa transition takes place. In verse 35 Jesus takes us beyond the Millennium to when the heavens and Earth will be destroyed and remade, but He reminds us that the words He spoke would never be destroyed; His Word would stand true forever (see also Psalm 119:89, 152, and 160). Surely, the Creatorís words can never fail and therefore can never be contradictory. But He continues His sermon with words that would be just thatócontradictoryóif not understood correctly.
The very next words He speaks, ìBut of that dayî could have been easily translated from the Greek as follows: ìBut concerning that day...î Which day? Of course, He is not speaking of the day when the heavens and the Earth pass away. He gives us a clue: No one will know ìthat day and hourî (verse 36), but many will know the day and hour of Phase 2óìwhen ye shall see all these things [signs], know that it [Phase 2] is near, even at the doorsì (verse 33).
At this point in His sermon, it seems clear that Jesus is introducing a new subject. This same sense is felt in Mark 13:31-32 and Luke 21:33-34. It is here, I believe, that Jesus begins to answer the disciplesí first question: ìWhen shall these things be?î He prefaces His answer by telling them that no one knows when. Apparently, we should always be ready for that day to take place, always ìwatchingî, just as the ìmaster of the houseî needed always to watch because he did not know when ìthe thief would comeî (verse 43). It is no wonder that both the apostles Paul and Peter warn, ìthe day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the nightî (1 Thessalonians 5:2, see also 2 Peter 3:10).
Consider for a moment the concept in verse 36 that ìno one knowsî. Is this true of Phase 1? Yes. What about Phase 2? No one? What about those who dwell on Earth during the tribulation? They can know from the Bible how to calculate in advance the exact number of days that will elapse from the day Antichrist confirms a covenant with Israel (a major definite sign) to the very day of Phase 2. That is, Phase 2 will occur exactly 2520 days after the tribulation period starts (360 days per prophetic year x 7 prophetic years). Again, when they see all these things (signs) that precede Phase 2 they will ìknow that it is nearóeven at the doorsî (verse 33).
Jesus begins to present the last days from a broader perspective. ìThat dayî mentioned in verse 36 refers to when all ìthese thingsî will be, starting with Phase 1 of His returnónot Phase 2. Although no one knows when that day will occur (or when it wonít occur), Jesus offers some indefinite clues (because we cannot know definitely) as to its timing by comparing the societal conditions that will precede that day with those conditions that existed prior to the day of the Great Flood: ìBut as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man beî (verse 37). See also Luke 17:26-27 and 21:34-35. It is worthwhile to reiterate that Jesus does not specify definite signs prerequisite to that day. Instead, indefinite signsóindeterminate moral conditionsóare given so as to maintain an imminent view of that day.
Further consider verse 37 regarding the ìdays of Noahîódoes this fit best with Phase 1 in view or Phase 2? The final 3‡ years of the tribulation period will especially be a time of great turmoil, judgment, and persecution. Multitudes of Jews will be running for their lives and going into hiding. God will be pouring out His just wrath upon all the nations of the Earth. Some judgments will be so horrific that men will attempt to kill themselves to escape it (Revelation 9:6), but God grants no escape to the unrepentant soul. The conditions characterizing the tribulation period do not seem to have as much in common with those prior to the Flood as they do with the conditions during the Flood. So, I believe this verse speaks of times prior to Phase 1, not phase 2.
Verse 38: ìÖthey were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the arkÖî Luke 17:28-29 adds, ìAlso as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from the heavens and destroyed them all.î If this describes the conditions just prior to Phase 2, then it is obviously inconsistent with the conditions we find in Revelation. Certainly, Christ is speaking of an increasingly ungodly world caught up in everyday life, denying in their hearts the reality of impending judgment. This describes the times we live in todayóprior to Phase 1. Even in many of our churches, people are so preoccupied with prosperity, health, and entertainment that there is little time left over for meditation on Godís prophetic Word, self-denial, sacrifice, prayer, and proclaiming the Gospel message. Christ warns, ìÖtake heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting [overindulgence], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawaresî (Luke 21:34).
Verse 39: ìÖthe flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.î In the Greek, the word for ìtaking awayî used here is not the same word used in verses 40 and 41, so the same meaning should not be applied to both. In fact, a distinction is being made. In this verse it means put away. In the subsequent verses the term thatís used, paralambano (Strongís #3880), means ìto receive near, i.e. associated with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation)Ö receive, take (unto, with)î.
Verse 40: ìThen shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken [paralambano], and the other left.î Question: Near the end of the tribulation, will men be in the field (I assume working, as if nothing unusual were about to take place) or will they be hiding out, struggling to survive, or joining Antichristís army to prepare for battle against Jesus and His chosen people? It is important to recognize a pattern followed here and in several other passages throughout Scripture. God, in His grace, often postpones His judgment or wrath upon nations or cities until those persons who have ìfound grace in the eyes of the Lordî have been moved out of the way to safety. For example, God tells His chosen people, ìCome, my people, enter thou into thy chambersÖ Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For, behold, YHVH cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquityî (Isaiah 26:20-21a).
Verse 41: ìTwo [shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left.î A similar observation is made in Luke 17:34 ìÖin that night, there shall be two on one bed; the one shall be taken and the other shall be left.î Christís disciples inquired as to where the ìone shall be takenî, and He answered, ìWherever the body [is], there will the eagles be gathered togetherî. This verse might be better understood as ìthe body (of the one taken and made whole) will be where the eagles gather (i.e., in the sky).î Although some render the Lordís response as, ìWhere there is a dead body, there the vultures will gatherî, this does not answer the disciplesí question, and based on the definitions of the Greek given in Strongís Concordance, we cannot be dogmatic of either translation.
It seems extremely doubtful that Phase 2 could apply to verses 40 and 41. Some may attempt to explain these verses by identifying the situation as dividing the sheep from the goats. But the actual passage that describes this dividing, which occurs after Phase 2, states the Lord will ìset the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the leftî (Matthew 25:33). It does not say that the Lord takes them away. On the contrary, the Lord speaks, ìDepart from me, ye cursedî (Matthew 25:41) and ìthese shall go away into everlasting punishmentî (Matthew 25:46).
Verse 42: ìWatch, thereforeÖî Watching is always associated with Phase 1, because we ought to watch for the Christónot the Antichrist or the tribulation. We must always watch, otherwise we are prone to think that the Lord delays His coming, possibly even until after the tribulation begins. If we fail to watch, we will likely be surprised (or unprepared) when He suddenly appears. You see, if Christ is actually instructing us to watch for Phase 2, then we must first be watching for all these things that ìmust come to passî (Matthew 24:6) before Phase 2. In contrast, however, we are told to ìWatch... that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Manî (Luke 21:36). The only way to be counted worthy (or ìreadyî) is to accept by faith the Person (Yeshua) and His Provision for my sin according to the Scriptures, and the only escape (besides death) is Phase 1.
Verse 44: ìTherefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.î If this statement, too, is a reference to Phase 2, an inquisitive mind might inquire as to why the ìhourî is so important if a person dwelling on Earth during the tribulation can know in advance from Danielís prophecy the precise day of this event. Many will be preparing for that very day, so why canít they wait until perhaps a week prior to be ready for that ìhourî? The reality is that neither the day nor the hour can be known in advance because that is the day and hour of Phase 1. To claim otherwise suggests, on the one hand, there is no way for anyone to know when that day will take place, but on the other hand, multitudes living through the tribulation hour, whether believers or unbelievers (including Antichrist, False Prophet, and Satan) will be planning an appointment (the campaign of Armageddon) with the Messiah of Israel on the exact same day as Phase 2. Herein lies the most blatant contradiction.
And so the ìPhase 2 onlyî interpretation of the Olivet Discourse will continue to confound me. I believe, however, that the contradictions and the confusion go away when we acknowledge Christ had both phases of His appearing in viewóHe just happened to talk about Phase 2 first, which is His prerogative.