Are There Two Raptures?

[John]

Re: Lively Stone @ gracecentered.com forums

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

Why this unnecessary repartition? Obviously those who are "alive" are "left". It must be because some had gone on before at the first rapture to come "before the throne" (Rev. 7.9) before the first trumpet of the Tribulation (8.7) commences. They were ready to be received up as the firstfruits (14.1-5). Whereas those who are raptured with those who are asleep in 1 Thess. 4.14-18 are to meet the Lord in the air. Two different places. The first rapture, therefore, is according to readiness as we see many conditional statements for first rapture (Matt. 24.40-42, Luke 21.36, Rev. 3.10), and the rapture and resurrection that takes place at the start of the 7th trumpet (11.15, 15.2-4) before the 7 bowls of wrath are poured is according to completion (14.14-16). Amen.

[Finestwheat]

There is one Rapture----for all believers---at the last trump---not trumpet. Then there is the Return of Christ. No one is raptured away at that time. Jesus comes with His Church and sets up the Millennial Kingdom.
Jesus doesn't differentiate between believers. If you have received His salvation gift, you go in the Rapture. If not, you are counted among the WICKED, and will suffer the Tribulation horrors.

Only Christians who "keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations" (Rev. 2.26). So not all Christians receive this reward. Therefore, Christians are differentiated.

The Bible disagrees with you. "At the last trumpet" (1 Cor. 15.52) "we shall be changed." The 7th trumpet is the last of the 7 seven trumpets. When will we be changed? At "the trump of God" (1 Thess. 4.16) which must be the 7th trumpet when "we which are alive and left shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (v.17).

Obviously, those who are "alive" are "left" (1 Thess. 4.17) so why this unnecessary repetition? Because some had been received prior "before the throne" (Rev. 7.9) before the first trumpet of the Tribulation (8.7). If "thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3.10).

It is not just tribulation, but the hour of the Tribulation itself that will come upon the whole world at the end of this age to try everyone.

Since God can't promise you won't die in the Tribulation and death is no blessing, the only way He can keep this promise to escape the hour of trial is by being raptured if one keeps the word of His patience.

God gives you the choice. He does not force early rapture on anyone. If you prefer to be tied down to the world like a balloon unwilling to be released that is your choice.