In response to http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2011/bruceb77.htm

 

Bruce,
 
I completely agree with you.

I think the first event takes place on the Feast of Pentecost (before the Tribulation) and the second one on the Feast of Trumpets (probably about seven years later). Two separate raptures (not including the rapture of the Two Witnesses). The Feast of Trumpets is the moment that the 7th Seal is opened and the Wrath of God is poured on Earth.

The first event is like the Days of Noah (a type of the first Rapture, when couples and marriages are mentioned, because everyone went in pairs to the Ark, as the Bride is going to enter Heaven accompanied by the Bridegroom), when everything seemed normal and then suddenly it began to rain. 

The second event is like the Days of Lot (a type of the second Rapture), when God sent His angels to rescue Lot and his family from Sodom and instants after Lot had left the city, fire and brimstone (a symbol of the Wrath of God) were sent by God to destroy that place.

These are clear types and shadows in Scriptures.

Even if you read the Book of Ruth (a type of the Bride of Christ), we must remember that she had a sister in law, Orpah (the widow of Chilion), who decided not to follow Naomi to Bethlehem, but stayed in Moab (a type of the world). Although Orpah didn’t follow Naomi and Ruth and we never hear about her in the story, it is interesting to read (in verses 9, chapter 4) that Boaz (a type of the Christ, the Kinsman Redeemer) bought all that was Elimelech’s, all that was Mahlon’s and all that was Chilion’s of the hand of Naomi.

Maybe Ruth is type of the Bride and Orpah is a type of the Tribulation Saints.
 
I’m not trying to restart the discussion about who gets left behind etc. Even if one thinks that the entire Church is removed from Earth at the first Rapture, one must admit that Scriptures plainly say that many people are going to believe in Christ after the Rapture and have the chance to be saved (the Tribulation Saints). Of course many Tribulation Saints will be killed during the Great Tribulation, but there will be survivors in the end, and instants before the Wrath of God is poured on Earth (Feast of Trumpets), the surviving Tribulation Saints are raptured to Heaven, because they simply can’t be on Earth at the moment that God unleashes His Wrath.

 

Blessings in Christ,
 

Eliane