Hi, TJ!

 

I have never heard of a pre-Tribber who believes that the Trib Saints will be Raptured at the same time as the pre-Trib Saints (see Revelation 20:4).  This is a new one to me, since it makes absolutely no sense. And Paul WILL be Raptured when we are “gathered together with Him”.  And the Rapture and 2^nd Coming are two separate phases of His Coming.  They don’t occur simultaneously.  Again, I reiterate, how can the timing of His return be both unknown AND known?  Since we are told EXACTLY what day He will return at His 2^nd Coming, and told that we cannot know the day or the hour, how can it possibly be the same?

 

The dead in Christ and the dead not in Christ are two different sets of people.  It is the dead in Christ who are Raptured when the living in Christ are Raptured. Revelation 20:5 tells us the rest of the dead do not come to life until the end of the THOUSAND YEARS.  If all the dead are raised at the same time, why would He make a distinction by saying “the REST of the dead”? And Daniel will not be raised to life until the 2^nd Coming. 

 

Daniel and the other OT Saints were not part of the Church, in fact, the Church was still a mystery to him.  Remember, the Marriage of the Lamb (to His Bride, the Church) takes place in HEAVEN, and then we return WITH Him. Then the OT Saints will be raised, and after the Battle of Armageddon, they will go into the Wedding Supper with us, and the rest of the Saints from all times.

 

The write of Ephesians, when he talks about marriage, says it is a mystery [becoming one, as a wife becomes one with her husband and vice versa], but He is speaking of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:32), not Christ and ALL Saints.

 

1 Thessalonians 4 addresses Christians, and in specific, 4:17 states “… the dead IN CHRIST” shall rise first.  It is not talking about those who died without Christ.

 

ALL the Saints will possess the Kingdom when the Millennium begins… and throughout eternity… with the Lord.

And first and foremost, we are told by Yeshua Himself that we are not destined for the Father’s wrath, that He RESCUES us from that wrath:

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood [this is addressing Christians, TJ… we are the ones sanctified through Yeshua’s blood; the OT Saints were sanctified through faith… they were still under the Law, not Grace], we shall be saved from [notice He said saved FROM, not saved THROUGH] the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5:9)

...and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

 

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. [Where will He be living?  Reference with John 14:1-6.] Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)

 

Now we request you, brethren, [Again, speaking to Christians] with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you… (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)

 

'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

 

And we are told that life will be going on as usual when He returns at the Rapture:

 

But of that day and hour no one knows [Again, the unknown day.], not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. (Matthew 24:36-41)

 

And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. "It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26-29)

 

Be blessed, brother!

YSIC!
Peggy
www.his-forever.com