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Last Trump of God is at the Rapture at END of the Great Tribulation. The Wrath of God THEN starts.
The Last Trump in 1 Cor 15:52 describing the rapture is the only place where the words "the last trump " is used. It is evident that this corresponds to the same time of the rapture in 1 Thess 4:16 which says "the trump of God." So these terms must be referring to the same trumpet sound at the rapture. The only other "last trump" that most are aware of is the "Seventh trumpet" of a series of seven ending in Revelations 11:15 with the Temple of God opened in Heaven in Rev 11:19, ending parenthetic chapters 12 through 18. But these terms "last trump" and "trump of God" cannot be referring to that seventh trumpet because that occurs at the end of the wrath of God to which we know the church will not be subjected (1 Thess 5:9) .
Also, the term "the trump of God" tells us that God may have blown the trump, and in Revelation 11 concerning the seven Trumpets, the angels blew their trumps. Interestingly, the only place that God can be found blowing a trumpet is in Zechariah 9:14-16 thought to be referring to the time God came to Israel's defense against the blasphemous Antiochus Epiphanes, the forerunner of the Antichrist who sacrificed a pig on the alter in the temple during the Maccabean period. This would exactly fit the same time period as an absolute type of the antichrist performing Abomination in the restored temple at the onset of the "Great Tribulation," with this reference to "the Trump of God" to point out the timing of this event. This is the second and "last trump" that God Himself blows in the scriptures under the same circumstances. This places the rapture ( 1 Thess 4:16) well into the Great Tribulation after the man of sin is revealed as Paul plainly said in 2 Thess. 2:3.
There is no scripture for a "secret" rapture unknown to the remaining wicked in the world. Acts 1:11 plainly says He will return just as you have seen Him depart. This was spoken to the believers. In Luke 21:25-28, Christ clearly says, "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they (men of the earth) see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then (you brethren) look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." If you can get a secret rapture from that, "Houston, we have a Problem!"
The "thief in the night" whine from the pretribulationists (Dispensationalists) doesn't apply, because it is to the world that he will come as a thief, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief (1 Thess 5:4)." The true brethren will be noting the signs of His coming as the scriptures plainly describe. Imminency is "nothing" invented by allegorical Dispensational doctrines of men. "Nothing" in the scriptures teaches imminency. Since the cannon of scriptures were settled, the OT alone has had over 40-50 specific prophecies (excluding all the first coming prophecies) fulfilled preparing toward the present state of things. And there are many more in OT and NT to be fulfilled before His "parousia" can occur. Imminency is the overt obvious blindness of those deceived by apostate totally allegorical Dispensationalism. Make note of anyone that speaks of "imminency of the Lord's return," no matter how erudite and knowledgeable they seem. We may learn much from certain of these brothers (??), but they are deceived by these "grace" regardless teachings in this and also many other matters. They respect the doctrines and approval of men more than the doctrines and approval of God alone, therefore, must be avoided (Rom 16:17) .
After the resurrection of the dead with the rapture of the living, the wicked will experience the full horror of being left in the world (Luke 13:23-30) and know the following Wrath is from God Himself, and they will remain unrepentant. Only the unrepentant wicked of the world that are left (after the visible return and rapture) to suffer God's wrath, killing 1/3rd of all the earth's people, while the remaining 144,000 sealed Jews of Rev 6 and the two witnesses will be protected from the months of this terrible suffering of Wrath upon the deserving unrepentant. Despite their hardness, God still leaves them a witness of His Longsuffering Love by the 144,000 and the 2 witnesses into HIs wrath to fully make their sure perdition fully and Justly manifest to them.
And the evil nations will rejoice when the 2 witnesses are killed by the beast (antichrist), and the nations will joyously demand that their dead bodies remain for three and one-half days lying in the street while they celebrate and give gifts. Read Rev 11. Then after the 2 witness come back to life and ascend into Heaven, the seventh trumpet sounds and verse 18 says, "the nations are angry and thy Wrath is come." Then we have the final Battle of Armageddon and the end of the present age.
The resurrection of the dead with the rapture of the living is at the "fullness of the Gentiles" when He shall gather together both OT and NT saints, both dead and alive (see Eph 1:10; Rom. 11:12 and 25; and Luke 14:23 ).before His Wrath of Seven Trumpets is poured upon the lost world. The antichrist and the totally demonized world will in anger be gathered against Israel, "and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).
Notice "the times of the Gentiles" and "the fullness of the Gentiles" are two distinctly different times as described in the scriptures above.
Dear ones, the Wrath of God upon this evil world will not be administered by anyone but God upon the antichrist and the remaining Godless world who will know their sure end. God will not share His Glory with another in That Day (see Isa. 2:17-21). The Wrath of God is not to be in any way confused with the tribulation by the antichrist upon God's saints.
The Great Tribulation starts at mid seven year period and lasts approximately 12 to 16 months. The Great Tribulation for the church is less than three and one-half years since they are raptured out of it so that "even all the elect might not be killed" by the antichrist and Rev 3:10 says saved "from out of the midst" (ek) of the tribulation. This tribulation imposed by the antichrist is then followed by the Wrath of God (seven Trumpet and Vial judgments FROM GOD ONLY, lasting sometime longer than 18 months).
During the Seven Trumpets and Vials of the Wrath of God upon the world must be the Bema seat judgment (1 Cor 3) is in Heaven, and the Marriage Supper with the Bride with His Visible return with all His saints (previously raptured Old Testament and New Testament saints) to destroy the antichrist at Armageddon with the last of the seven Trumpet judgments upon the unregenerate left in the world and the antichrist.
During the Wrath of God, after the visible world wide return of Christ and world-recognized rapture of all the church (OT and NT), there is only lost unrepentant mankind left upon whom the Wrath is showered, except for the 144,000 witnessing Jews sealed to escape the Wrath while remaining on earth and the 2 witnesses left to preach to Israel and to help them recognize Jesus as Messiah and repent, then He will Visibly return at Armageddon for Israel (Hosea 5:15), who will then recognize Him, and He will fulfill His promise to Israel of an His earthly reign from Jerusalem for a Millennium..
The Lord's return is never spoken of in 2 phases to the disciples or in the writing of the apostles because His world-wide Visible return at the fullness of the Gentiles is the end of this age of salvation through the grace of faith in OT and NT. Salvation by faith ends at that time. Period !! As far as the world system is concerned, there is no salvation after that, only a knowing fearful judgment of His wrath upon them. Thereafter, the antichrist and the rest of the unrepentant world are only given to His Wrath (seven Trumpets and Vials) until Christ Visibly sets up his Kingdom (rule) physically upon the earth.
The following Millennial age of Christ's rule from Jerusalem, taking the Throne of David, starts at the end of this Wrath of God upon all the earth. Then all people living will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and all shall know him from the greatest to the smallest, and have faith of Christ to live by for the Millenium. They will NOT be living under a natural man's following the OT law as the Dispensationalists falsely teach.
When the Kinsman Redeemer of Jeremiah 32 and Leviticus 25:25-26 (in Rev 5 only the Lamb is able to take the owners deed to open it) begins to claim His Land (the earth) He first takes His kinsman to saftey (raptured); second, expells the usurping land owner (satan and his children) by His Wrath of God; then assumes ownership and rulership of His redeemed land. The present age of salvation by faith ends at the Visible second coming and rapture of all saints. Period !! There will be nothing hidden from world wide understanding at His second coming, a Visible parousia for His people and His Land. And all the world will know, they are lost forever and doomed to hell, during His following Wrath upon them.
This is quite unlike the popular movies and books and New Age doctrines taught today by New Age Dispensationalists; or even a very long indefinite period between the secret rapture and the antichrist, taught by many proud Dispensational Bible teachers in their arrogance today of adding to the Bible. Dispensationalism is totally unscriptural. It is all assertions of lying demons in these latter times as spoken in 1 Tim 4:1. Behold, TODAY is the day of salvation, NOW is the accepted time (2 Cor 6:2) !!
The raptured saints (OT and NT) will return with Christ from Heaven at Armageddon which is said to be the marriage feast of the Lamb, but this after the second coming (the rapture) for them. They are now reigning with Him from the Heavens and are simply seen returning with Him. Period !!!! The ages of salvation by faith for OT and NT saints, the only means of salvation for anyone, ends with the rapture.
The period between His world Visible return with rapture of the church and His establishment of an earthly Kingdom is to give His Just Wrath upon the evil rebellious world and prepare Israel by the 144,00 and the 2 witnesses to receive Him. All of this has nothing to do with His Church of OT and NT saints. They are already in Heaven. The age of OT and NT salvation by faith ended with the rapture.
The Great Tribulation is the smaller portion out of the last 3 ½ year time period under the 7 year ruler ship of the antichrist who will be "plainly" revealed in the middle of this last 7 year period of the times of the Gentiles, when he commits abomination within the Jewish temple, just as his OT type, Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria, referred to by Daniel the prophet and detailed in the revolt of the Maccabees in 168 BC.
This time of persecution of the church by the antichrist is shortened by the time alloted for the seven Trumpets and Vials which precedes the end of the end of this three and one-half year period. The four trumpet lasts over one and one-half year time period itself, so that the time taken by the Trumpets and simultaneous Vials will considerably shorten the Great Tribulation upon the church. The Wrath of God Himself (the seven Trumpet judgments) upon the anti-Christ and all the unregenerate unrepentant remaining world brings it to an end. The antichrist is given 1260 days (3 1/2 years from the middle of the last 7 years of Daniel, so we can approximate the place of the rapture (minus the time used for the Wrath of God upon the antichrist to end as 7th Trumpet at Armageddon).
The Day of the Lord occurs after His second return with rapture of the church. The Day of the Lord in the Old Testament, beginning with the Wrath of God upon the world and antichrist, is also stated to include the following Millennium and then the future Great White Throne Judgment (second resurrection) before the new Heaven and new earth.
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