Firstfruits and Later Harvest

People can read the trumpets blown and the corresponding events of the Tribulation when they happen. The Tribulation doesn't happen until just after the first rapture (Rev. 7.9) before the first trumpet is blown. First rapture commences the parousia of Christ.

The literal clouds Christ does come in through. Starting from the throne in heaven, Jesus will break into creation, first on, then in the clouds, like lightening does, then He will step down on the mount of olives for all to see. This process will take 84 thirty day months.

The last week is not complete because no abomination of desolation was set up at any time, nor at 70 AD, nor has 1/3 of the people of the earth died in a cataclysmic event, nor has there been army machines of 200 million amassed in the middle east over oil.

In Daniel we see the temple is complete (started construction before the tribulation and is completed something in the tribulation, before the last 2300 days of the 7 year Tribulation. Remember it did take 46 years to build the temple which started in 19 AD. 46-19 (don't include the zero) = 28 or 29 AD. This is when Jesus' ministry began.

The Antichrist will be revealed at the start of the Tribulation. He will be a peacemaker to deceive. Half way through the Tribulation, the false prophet will set up his abomination of desolation, which is the idol of the Antichrist which can speak.

Some people say that the rapture of the church cannot be divided because the body of Christ cannot be divided. It should be noted in reply, however, that the body is a figure of speech which signifies one life, If the body is taken literally, then there is already division today because the Lord is now in heaven, Paul has already died, we remain living on earth, and some believers are yet to be born. We can speak of at least 12 raptures in the Bible.

God does not warn you about something wherein some fulfill the condition of Rev. 3.10 and some do not for no reason at all. They are saved, but this warning is given because some Christians will be able to escape the hour of trial who had kept the Word of His patience and be raptured like an Enoch or an Elijah. Elisha was left and Noah was left through the tribulation. God does not vainly given this heeding for no reason at all. He really wants you not to enter the time of testing, to be raptured at first rapture (Rev. 7.9, Luke 21.36, Matt. 24.40-41). Yet you can still overcome in the Tribulation if you were not ready at first rapture.

Others object that rapture is part of redemption, that since redemption is according to grace, rapture cannot be based on the concept of worthiness. In reply, it needs to be pointed out that while the act of changing (see 1 Cor. 15.51-52) is indeed according to grace, the act of being taken (rapture) is according to works. I Corinthians 15.23, say some, only mentions “they that are Christ’s” and that nothing is said about works. But let us be aware that this verse does not speak of rapture, it speaks of resurrection. Rev. 14.1-5 there is the firstfruits at the start of the Tribulation an a later harvest at the end of the Tribulation (14.14-16). First there is the man-child overcomers (12.5). First rapture therefore is according to readiness and the rapture at the 7th trumpet is a matter of completion of the rest awaiting resurrection in Abraham's bosom and who are alive and left (1 Thess. 4.15-17). We need not be concerned with prideful claims how long someone says they were a Christian. Let the Scriptures reveal the truth.

Our conclusion is assured: Those Christians who are ready to be received will be able to escape the hour of trial of the Tribulation while those saved before the Tribulation who are alive will go through the Tribulation and even possibly be martyred. There is a distinction made in the Bible between wheat and tares, some say, but no difference made between wheat and wheat; consequently, all wheat must be raptured. In reply, it should be noted that the times of ripening for wheat are not the same. Thus there are the firstfruits and the later harvest.

Jesus gathers the elect in reference to the Jews (Matt. 24.31) to keep His promise to save Israel. He will also save His elect Christians (who already have eternal life) either at first rapture or through the Tribulation (rapture at the last harvest 7th trumpet), just as Enoch was rapture first then Noah went through the Tribulation of the flood.

You can't accuse someone who believes of first rapture according to readiness because we believe Christians will both be raptured at first rapture and go through the Tribulation for not being ready at first rapture.

There will be those raptured at first rapture for keeping the word of His patience to escape the hour of trial. And there will be those saved Christians not raptured at first rapture because they are not ready yet to be received. Sounds fair.