Hi Ed:
Thanks. I never thought of it that way. However, there are
two Raptures, the Pre-Trib Rapture and the Pre-Wrath Rapture. I'll have to
mull that over. Here is the way I "read the revelation".
Revelation is like a prophetic miracle play. It's
dramatic. It has a title, Director, script-dictator, scribe, narrator, cast of
actors, extras, action, two-story set, props, Setting, Introduction,
Preview, three Acts and a Finale.
TITLE: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:1)
CAST:
JESUS CHRIST, DIRECTOR, PROPHET, SCRIPT DICTATOR AND ACTOR
He "sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant
John" (1:1)
"Write" (1:11,19) (2:1,8,12,18) (3:1,7,12,14)
(10:4) (14:13) (19:9) (21:5)
JESUS' MONOLOGUE; (2:1-3:22)
JOHN, NARRATOR, SCRIBE AND ACTOR
"Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony
of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw" (1:2)
EXTRAS: men and angels
SET: Two-story, Earth below, Heaven above, elevator between
the stories, props
SETTING: when the Pre-Trib Rapture is "at hand", maybe 10
days before it takes place (2:10)
Almost the whole script is bookended by "THE TIME IS
AT HAND" (i.e., the time of the Pre-Trib Rapture)
First chapter: "THE TIME IS AT HAND" (1:3).
Last chapter: "THE TIME IS AT HAND" (22:10).
Surely I come quickly" (22:20). He comes quickly at the
Rapture; "behold, I come quickly" (3:11)
INTRODUCTION:
JOHN INTRODUCES JESUS CHRIST (1:4-7). Verse 4 says, "John
to the seven churches which are in Asia (meaning muddy, i.e., on Earth): Grace
be unto you, and peace, from him (Jesus) which is (at the Rapture), and
which was (at the First Advent), and which is to come" (at the Second Advent).
JESUS TELLS US WHO HE IS: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come,
the Almighty" (1:8)
PREVIEW: THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE (1:9-18)
JOHN TELLS US WHERE HE WAS WHEN THE RAPTURE TOOK PLACE
On Patmos, which means mortal (i.e., John was mortal and
on Earth)
JOHN ACTED OUT THE RAPTURE: "I was (lit., became) in
the Spirit on the Lord's day (Day of Christ, i.e., the day of the Rapture),
and heard behind me a great voice (of Jesus), as of a trumpet, Saying, I am
Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" (Lord of the Old Testament and Lord
of the New Testament) (1:10,11). John heard Christ's trumpet voice
(4:1 tells us that it said, "COME UP HITHER." John became in
the spirit and was lifted up to Heaven. He then describes the scene he sees
in Heaven. The candlesticks (churches) are in Heaven. Jesus is standing in
the middle of the raptured saints. He has the 7 star performers in his hand
for he has just snatched them up.
JOHN DESCRIBED CHRIST as he saw him in Heaven: "in the
midst of the seven candlesticks (churches, 1:20) one
like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle (gold is a symbol of Deity). His head
and his hairs were
white like wool, as white as snow (like "the Ancient of days" in Dan. 7:9);
and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And
his feet like unto fine brass" (1:13-15) (Brass is a sign of judgment,
"For the time is come that judgment must
begin at the house! of God" (1Pe 4:17). The wise virgins are caught up in
the Rapture. The foolish virgins are left behind at the 1st Rapture. By the Pre-Wrath
Rapture, they will have "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood
of the Lamb" (7:14).
ACT ONE: THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN: before the 1st
Rapture
ACT TWO: THE THINGS THAT ARE: at the 1st Rapture
ACT THREE: THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER: after
the 1st Rapture (1:19)
THE RAPTURE AND THINGS THAT FOLLOW THE RAPTURE:
"COME UP HITHER, and I will shew thee things which must
be HEREAFTER" (4:1); i.e., after the Pre-Trib Rapture
CIRCLE CLOCKS: The seals, trumpets and vials are organized
by circle clocks. Draw as large a circle as will fit on an 8.5 x 11 sheet
of paper. In the large circle draw 6 smaller circles in a ring. Make them
as large as possible. In the middle of those circles draw a 7th circle, as
large as will fit. That is the first circle clock. Label each of the 6 circles
Seal 1, Seal 2, etc. The 7th circle in the middle is Seal 7, but label it
elsewhere and draw a line to it. Why? Because there is another circle clock
in that 7th circle. Label these 6 outer circles Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, etc.
In circle 7, draw in one more circle clock. Label it's circles Vial 1, Vial
2, etc. Now it's easy to see that the trumpets come out of the 7th seal and the
vials of God's wrath come out of the 7th trumpet judgment.
Jesus is not given the Title Deed of the Earth, with its
7 seals until AFTER the Pre-Trib Rapture (See Rev. 4:1; 5: 7). Therefore,
no seals could possibly be broken until after the Pre-Trib Rapture
in Rev. 4:1. The breaking of the seals follows Rev. 5, the scene in Heaven
after the Pre-Trib Rapture.
"AFTER THESE THINGS" (7:1)
PRE-WRATH RAPTURE (7:9,14)
PARENTHETIC PORTIONS: we need to look for matchmarks to
see where to place them in time
Between the 6th and 7th seals, trumpets and vials are parenthetic
portions to give details necessary to understand the action that is taking
place consecutively.
Between seal 6 and 7:
6:12-17 MATCHMARK: "the great day of his wrath
is come", i.e., it's the Day of the Lord
7:1-17 MATCHMARK: "These are they which came out of
great tribulation", i.e., it's the Pre-wrath Rapture
Between trumpet 6 and 7
10:1-11 MATCHMARK: "in the days of the voice of the
seventh angel...the mystery of God should be finished", i.e., it's
the Day of the Lord
11:1-14 MATCHMARK: "I will give power unto my two witnesses",
i.e., it's the 1st half of the Tribulation
Between vial 6 and 7
16:13-16 MATCHMARK: "spirits of devils...gather them
to the battle of THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY...Armageddon", i.e., preparation
for the coming Second Advent of Christ, after which Armageddon takes place
We need to look for matchmarks to find out the settings
of these chapters too:
CHAPTER 12: "the great dragon was cast out", i.e.,
Mid-Trib (12:6,14)
CHAPTER 13:
First half of the Tribulation (13:1-10); "beast...seven
heads...ten crowns...name of blasphemy", i.e., the Beast
Last half, the Great Tribulation (13:11-18); "another
beast...he spake as a dragon...he exerciseth all the power of the first
beast", i.e., the False Prophet
CHAPTER 14: 144,000 "were redeemed FROM THE EARTH...Babylon
is fallen", i.e., the Pre-Wrath Rapture is just before Babylon is
destroyed on the Day of the God's wrath
CHAPTER 17: "ten kings...have received no kingdom as
yet...they that ARE WITH HIM ARE called, and chosen, and faithful" (17:14),
i.e., it is right after the Pre-Trib Rapture
"AFTER THESE THINGS" (18:1), CHAPTER 18
Destruction of the Harlot Church after she is moved
to the desert, Babylon, Iraq
"AFTER THESE THINGS" (19:1)
CHAPTER 19, "I heard a great voice of much people in
heaven...the marriage of the Lamb is come", i.e., it's the scene in Heaven
on the Day of the Lord
RETURN OF CHRIST AND HIS ARMY OF SAINTS (19:11-16),
i.e., the Second Advent
BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON (19:17-21), follows Second Advent
CHAPTER 20;
"judgment was given unto them", i.e., SATAN CHAINED
(20:1-3), i.e., the Judgment Seat of Christ at the beginning of the Millennium
AFTER THE MILLENNIUM (20:7-22:5)
GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT (20:11-15)
THE FINALE:
"the time is at hand" (22:10)
"behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me" (22:12)
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,
the first and the last (22:13)
"I am the root (YHWH) and the offspring (Jesus) of
David" (22:16).
"the Spirit and the bride say, Come" (22:17)
Jesus signs off with, "Surely I come quickly. Amen" (22:20).
John signs off with, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (22:20,21).
Agape, Marilyn Agee