Dear Doves,
I was reading Douglas Henney’s interesting post about raptures and was surprised to see that he thinks that there will be a ten year framework prior to the return of Christ. I also believe that there will be a 10 year framework – from the time of the Rapture to the Second Coming of Christ – but I base my conclusion on Biblical models and patterns. The 7 year Tribulation would be incorporated into the latter part of this period. I also think that the marriage of the Lamb will take place at the beginning of the 10th year. Here is my basis for coming to this conclusion:
1. Pursuant to the book of Daniel, there are 7 years remaining from the prophecy of the 70 weeks. This prophecy applies to Daniel’s people – Israel. But what prophetic period applies to Gentile believers after the Rapture? I think that the 7 Churches of Revelation give us a clue. I suspect that they will all exist simultaneously during the last days – the same way they all existed together at the time John wrote Revelation. Out of all of the 7 churches, only Philadelphia is kept from the hour of trial; so, it can be assumed that the other 6 are to go into the Tribulation. The individuals who become believers after the Rapture could be the ten bridesmaids of Matthew 25 (as they are closely associated with the Bride, but are not the Bride) and the future Jewish believers could be the wedding guests, along with the believers prior to Pentecost.
The Church of Smyrna is specifically told that it will suffer persecution: "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2: 10. While I am sure that the 10 days represented 10 literal days at some point in Smyrna’s history, it is curious that it would be warned about a such an inconsequential amount of time. I think that this numeric figure was put into Scripture to serve as a flag. In the Bible, one day can represent one year. See Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:5-6. Perhaps these 10 days are also 10 years. After the Rapture, there will be new converts to Christianity. They can expect to be persecuted, since the restrainer will be taken away. See 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9. The thing is that I have always thought that there must be some transition time between the Rapture and the Tribulation. I cannot logistically see how the Tribulation can start within days of the Rapture – especially if the Antichrist will not be revealed until after the Rapture. If the 10 year framework is correct, however, then there will be a lead time before the 7 year Tribulation. The persecution of new believers in Christ, however, will not wait for the official start of the Tribulation. Rather, it is bound to start as soon as there are new believers to persecute. Thus, they will be persecuted for a period longer than the Tribulation.
2. (I have to give credit to Pastor Chuck Missler who has compared Ruth, a Gentile bride, to the Church and her husband Boaz to Jesus Christ.) If we look at Ruth and Naomi as an analogy for the Bride and Israel, we can see another 10 year framework. In the book of Ruth, Naomi and her family leave Bethlehem because of a famine and move to another country. During the ten years that she is away, her sons marry, but her husband and sons die. See Ruth 1:3-5. When she decides to return to her homeland, her Gentile daughter-in-law Ruth, who has accepted the God of Naomi, insists on returning with her. There, Ruth meets Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi, who marries Ruth and restores Naomi to her inheritance. Interestingly, it takes an increment of 10 years before either the marriage and restoration could take place for Ruth and Naomi. Perhaps it too will take a final increment of 10 years before Jesus will marry His Bride and restore Israel. (Note: it can also be inferred that Israel will be present for the Wedding of Christ and the Church, because Naomi was present for the wedding of Ruth.)
3. (I also have to give credit to Pastor Chuck Missler who has compared Rebekah to the Church, the servant who finds her to the Holy Spirit, and Isaac to Jesus Christ.) If we look at Isaac and Rebekah as an analogy for Christ and His Bride, we see indicators for the timing of the Wedding and another 10 day period. In that story, Abraham sends his servant out to locate a bride for his son Isaac. The servant finds Rebekah who agrees to marry Isaac. Genesis 24. Rebekah’s brother Laban asks that she stay for 10 days before they go, but the servant asks that they not be detained (Genesis 24:55-56). It is later mentioned that Isaac is 40 years old when he marries Rebekah (Genesis 25: 20). I have often heard that Jesus was 33 years old when he was crucified. According to Daniel 9:24-27, there will be a total of 70 seven-year periods of prophetic history concerning Israel. The Messiah will be "cut off" at the 69th period. See Daniel 9:26. The final 70th period has yet to occur. If we add the 7 remaining prophetic years to the age of the Messiah when he was executed, He will be 40 years old when he returns to earth -- exactly the age that Isaac was when he married. Furthermore, from this passage, we can also see that the servant (or Holy Spirit) makes sure that bride does not stick around for an additional 10 day period, but immediately leaves to meet her betrothed. As a side note, it took the Holy Spirit 10 days from the time that Jesus ascended into heaven to the time He arrived on Pentecost. See Acts 1:3-4 and John 16:7.
4. Pattern from conception to birth: After studying the Jewish feast days for several years, it seemed strange to me that Christ’s conception was not commemorated by any of them. I mean, the event of the Word becoming Flesh is a big deal. So how come no feast day? But maybe there is one. If we count back 9 months from the fall feasts, we arrive at the time when Hanukkah is celebrated. Although it is not delineated as a holy day in Leviticus, it was observed by Christ. See John 10:22. What we do not generally recognize is that the main symbol of Hanukkah should be the main symbol of the Church -- the menorah. In Revelation 1:20, "the seven lamp stands are the seven churches." Therefore, there may be a connection between the conception of Christ and the Church. I think that there are innumerable patterns and foreshadowing’s of spiritual truths in our physical world. Since conception and birth are so common in this world, I think that they must represent an important spiritual truth.
The imagery of pregnancy is clearly used to describe the end-times. "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:8. So the question is – the birth of what or whom? There is a real possibility that these birth pains are connected to our resurrection bodies. "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed….We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:19, 22-23.
We know is that the angel Gabriel announced Christ’s conception to Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35. John states that the "Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." John 1:14. The immortal took on a mortal body. My guess is that when this transition happened, it happened quickly and quietly. No one knew the day or the hour of his conception. Even Mary had to be told that it was going to happen. Afterward, like other human babies, Christ would have been hidden in Mary’s womb for a 9 month gestation period. Similarly, the members of the Church are looking forward to the time that they will receive their resurrection bodies. "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. No one will know the day or the hour of the Rapture either. "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2. Perhaps like Christ, we too will be hidden from the world -- not for 9 months, but for 9 years. "But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by. See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins." Isaiah 27:19-21. As He was physically revealed at His birth during the fall feasts, we too will be revealed with Him during the fall feasts at His second coming. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war… The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean." Revelation 19:11-14. If the 10 year framework is correct, then we will return with Him at the outset of the 10th year from the Rapture. (Note: it is not necessary for the 10th year to be a complete 360 or 365 days. Pursuant to this pattern, only 9 years are required to total the full number of days in a year. Reaching day one of the 10th year would still satisfy the premise.)
5. Timing of the Wedding: Although I am well versed in the concept that the wedding of Christ and the Church will occur during the 7 year Tribulation, the only support I am aware of is that the duration of the Tribulation parallels the 7 days of the traditional Jewish wedding. Don’t get me wrong – I am hardly going to complain if this turns out to be true, but its placement in the book of Revelation makes me think otherwise. Simply, the wedding is mentioned after the Tribulation is over and as an event that has yet to occur. "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready…. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb." Revelation 19:6-9. Not everyone will be permitted to attend the wedding. There is an active process of separation or elimination that will be conducted by the Lord. From the Bible, we know that there will be a Bride, friends of the Groom, bridesmaids and wedding guests. If a person does not fall into any of these categories, then they will be barred from the feast – and from the presence of God, for that matter. I believe that there is reason to believe that the Wedding of the Lamb could occur on the Feast of Tabernacles or Hanukkah. While I believe that biblical feast days can have more than one prophetic fulfillment, I also believe that the fall feasts will be fulfilled in "real time" during His second coming – the same way that Jesus fulfilled the spring feasts on the actual, chronological days that they fell on at the time of His passion. Therefore, a 7 day wedding feast can easily fit into either the Feast of Tabernacles or Hanukkah, which are both 8 day celebrations. (I figure that the 8th day could be the first day of the Millennium Kingdom. Also, since one day is like a thousand years to the Lord.)
In the parable of the ten virgins or bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13), all 10 are waiting to join the bridegroom at his wedding banquet. He is a long time in coming, and they fall asleep. At midnight, they are awakened by a cry to meet him, but 5 of them need oil for their lamps. While they are busy procuring some, the bridegroom comes and takes the 5 who are ready into the banquet. Then the door to the banquet is shut. When the other 5 come to the door and request entry, they are turned away. I think that the virgins represent the six remaining churches of Revelation. They are not the Bride (i.e. the raptured believers), but her attendants -- and, therefore, closely associated to her. Psalm 45 is a wedding song that I believe is Messianic in nature. It talks about a bridegroom riding forth in victory and conquering his enemies. Then it talks about his bride coming to meet him. "All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you. They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king." Psalm 45:13-15. If we look to the churches of Revelation, we can see that only those who are overcomers will find a place in His kingdom. Not every member of these churches will meet this standard. Like the ten virgins, not all will enter the wedding banquet. When the Lord returns, he will conduct a process of separation. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." Matthew 25:31-32. At that point, it will be too late then to change from a goat to a sheep -- or to a virgin with oil.
Lastly, I would like to say how much I appreciate this group. It is such an encouragement to read your posts and to know that there are others who are anticipating the Lord’s return. God bless you all and Maranatha.
– Lisa Taylor