Question #7 Rapture and Second Coming Contrasted

OK, are you current now and have you followed all of the Rapture Question so far? Because the Rapture is so important to our beliefs concerning the HOPE we have in Christ, knowing what you believe is so important. Now today, I want to contrast the Rapture or Translation to the Second Coming of Christ. Many people try to harmonize these two by suggesting they are one in the same, but those who attempt to do that must resort to wholesale spiritualization of details that do nothing but clash and they have to turn a blind eye to the striking differences as described in Scripture.

(a)At the time of Rapture (translation), the saints will meet the Lord in the air.
(b)At the time of the Second Coming, Christ will return to the Mount of Olives which on that occassion will undergo a great transformation, a valley being formed to the east of Jerusalem where the Mount of Olives was formerly located. (see Zech. 14:4-5

(a)At the Rapture,(Christ coming for His church, the living saints are also Raptured (translated),
(b)At the coming of Christ to establish His Kingdom, there is no translation whatever

(a) At the Rapture (translation)of the church, Christ returns with the saints to heaven.
(b) At the second coming, Christ remains on the earth and reigns as King.

(a)At the time of the Rapture(tranlation), the earth is not judged and sin continues,
(b)At the time of the second coming, sin is judged and righteiousness fills the earth.

(a) The Rapture(translation) is before the day of wrath from which the church is promised deliverance.
(b)The second coming floows the great tribulation and outpoured judgement and brings them to climax and culmination in the establishment of the millennial kingdom.

(a)The Rapture(translation) is described as an imminent event.
(b)The second coming will follow definite prophesied signs.

(a) The Rapture(translation)of the church is revealed only in the New Testament
(b)The second coming of Christ is the subject of prophesy in both Testaments.

(a)The Rapture(translation) conccerns only the saved of this age.
(b)The second coming of Christ deals with saved and unsaved.

(a)At the Rapture(translation), only those in Christ are affected.
(b)At the second coming, not only men oare affected but Satan and his hosts are defeated and Satan is bound.

Now agreed, there are some similarities in the two events, but contrary to some opinions, that doesn't prove they are the same. There are some similarities between the first and second coming of Christ, but these have been separated by almost two thousand years. After the church is Raptured(translated), tribulation saints will be able to see the distinction of the coming for Rapture(Translation) and the coming to establish the kingdom in full clarity.

Now just a small note to really confuse you, some Pre-Trib believe in what is called a partial rapture meaning that only those who are faithful in the church will be raptured or translated and the rest will either be raptured sometime during the tribulation or at its end. They believe "The saints will be raptured in groups during the tribulation as they are prepared to go." I do not intend to give any more mention of this because, again, I believe our HOPE is in Christ taking us away from the Great Tribulation.

That's enough for today and I hope this is interesting to you. If it is, please let me know, It helps just to know that someone is actually reading this and getting something out of it. Just say "hey" just to let me know you want me to continue.