(arniem;43804)
The rapture is taught in the bible. The timing of it is not.Anyone who says the rapture occurs at the end of the tribulation will have a problem populating the Millenium Kingdom. It cannot be done. The rapture must occur before the end of the tribulation although we are not told exactly when that will be.Also , The book of Revelation begins with :.... what you have seen,... what is now ... and what will take place later...John then records the words of Jesus directed exclusively to the seven churches. The church is clearly mentioned and is being addressed.At the end of the messages to the churches it is written "I will show you what must take place after this "The church is not mentioned again throughout Revelation. This does not prove the church has been raptured , but it is something to consider. If there was a special strategy for the church to adapt during the tribulation I would expect it would have been mentioned. It is not. Maybe the church has been removed. This is a possibility.
If you think there is scripture proving rapture Arnie you will have to show me because there isn't to my knowledge secondly the idea the church isn't mentioned is not completely true the terminology changes. The Church is plainly described in Revelation Chapters 5 through 19, but not by the word church. The following various groups are identified as portions of the Church because of their clear relationship to Jesus Christ. • Under the altar at the fifth seal in Chapter 6, we see the souls of those who have been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had maintained. This identifies them as a portion of the Church. The word of God is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the testimony of Jesus Christ that gets people in trouble, just as Jesus said it would. • At the sixth seal in Chapter 7, we find a great multitude, so vast that no one could count them, appearing in heaven having come out of the great tribulation. They are identified as having washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. These are obviously a portion of the Church. • The two witnesses of Chapter 11, who prophesy standing before the Lord of the earth and are described as lying dead in the streets of the great city where also their Lord was crucified and are then taken up to heaven, are obviously part of the Church. • The saints of Chapter 14, whom the beast wars against and who are encouraged to keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus, are obviously part of the Church. • Those harvested at the end of Chapter 14, who are heard in heaven singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb having emerged victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, are obviously part of the Church. All of these groups are found in Chapters 5 through 19, and they all fit descriptions of portions of the Church based on their relationship to Jesus Christ. The bride is revealed in Chapter 19, having made herself ready at last. She didn’t just jump there from Chapter 5. She has been implicitly involved in the purification and refining processes mentioned in Chapters 5 through 19. The white linen she is clothed in is described as the righteous acts of the saints. She is, at least in part, made up of those saints who have just emerged victorious from the great tribulation.And what are you talking about repopulation? There is only one part to the Word ALL will be changed in to spirit bodies there will be no flesh on earth after the 7th trump ALLLL are changed.Arnie you said you came here to learn If you want to see this clearly you must clear your mind of preconceived rapture doctrine it will only confuse you ,If you dont agree after you learn it without a rapture involved you can always go back to believing in a rapture.and you have lost nothing but if you hang on to a Rapture believe you wont understand it . Ask your questions assuming there is NO rapture and you will come to see what is written