Timtofly
Well-Known Member
The description of the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the catching up of those in Christ still alive in 1 Thessalonians is not a description of an extra coming again of Christ. Paul does not teach that Christ actually comes to the world at that time. He teaches that those who are in Christ, alive and dead will caught up to meet Christ "in the air", wherever that is. Because Paul would have had no real conception of the cosmos, "in the air" could mean either in space just above the earth, or somewhere beyond the known universe. But what he does teach is that rather than Christ coming to earth at that time, the church of true believers is taken up and transported to where Christ is. I believe that Christ comes nowhere near the earth at that time.
What proposes a problem to post-tribulation theologians is that the Scripture says that when Jesus comes back to earth He comes with tens of thousands of His saints (ie: the true believers in Christ). So, if true believers are still on earth when Christ comes again, where do the glorified believers who are with him come from, if they weren't taken up previously to meet Him somewhere in space?
The reason why post-tribulation theologians convenient ignore Paul's teaching to the Thessalonians, is that it does not fit their theology, and they have no real answer to it, because Paul teaches that at some time in human history, those in Christ who have died, and those still living will suddenly disappear from the world. Post Tribulation theologians can't tell us exactly when that will happen, because it doesn't fit with their time line of events. This is because when Christ comes again, He comes to intervene in the attempted destruction of Israel by defeating and destroying the armies of the AntiChrist, and then sets up His thousand year reign on earth. So, Paul's teaching of a rapture of the dead and living in Christ doesn't fit, so they deny that such a rapture is going to take place. Yet Paul clearly teaches that a rapture will take place, so they have to either say that Paul is mistaken or his teaching is so obscure that we cannot be understood.
The Second Coming is not at Armageddon. Armageddon is the clean up at the end of Satan's 42 months. The clean up should take the place of a "secret" rapture. By that I mean Christ is coming for the final harvest, not just mopping up after 42 months. The main event is not at the end. Move the main event to before the Trumpets and it works out. If you have not been chosen, by the last Trumpet, the 7th Trumpet, you have to have your head cut off. The 7th Trumpet is the end of the Second Coming, not the first Trumpet itself. The Second Coming includes the 6 Trumpets, because they are the time of the final harvest. The final harvest is the years leading up to the 42 months. Armageddon is just the "last stand" of those with the mark and who worship Satan. Christ is not coming back to rescue any at Armageddon. He is here to kill the last of Adam's flesh and blood.
The restoration is not before Satan's time, but a lot of destruction happens years before Satan's 42 months.