"The 70th Week, the Rapture, & the Feast of Tabernacles"
Kevin Drake wrote:
"Again, why doesn't the account in John 7 show Him going to the feast the "day before the week begins"? Which is what we would expect in regard to what we were all taught concerning the pre-Trib Rapture before a seven year Tribulation Period.
The answer should be apparent if this is any prophetic type concerning the 70th Week and leading to the millennial Kingdom!
The prophetic "type" found in John 7 indicates that Christ comes for the resurrection/rapture in the "midst" or in the 4th year (the 4th year being that whole year from Rosh 2010 to Rosh 2011) of Daniel’s 70th Week (which we believe occurs from Rosh 2007 to Rosh 2014), NOT before the 70th Week begins."
Types are ok, IF they are a true type. But types are not in ANY WAY a substitute for the real. So lets look at the real, and see if all this is a true type.
1 Thes. 4 & 5
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
After Paul writes the classic rapture scripture, he writes of times and seasons. Well, isn't TIME what we all want to know about the rapture? In fact, if we just read on, Paul is going to TELL US the timing of the rapture. It really is not a mystery. Paul tells us that a SUDDENLY happens. And when this suddenly happens, TWO DIFFERENT outcomes occur, for TWO DIFFERENT groups of people.
We see the first group of people identified in verse 3 as "THEM." It is a time of "peace and safety." Then a SUDDENLY: "sudden destruction" comes upon "them." And the flip side is true also: the "sudden destruction" does NOT come upon "us." But why? Before we answer that, notice that BOTH Jesus and the "day of the Lord" come as a thief on the night. That means SUDDENLY, without warning, at a time not expected. Now, remember, there are two different outcomes for two different groups, happening at the same time.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
This identifies the second group, "YE," and "US." They and them are of the darkness, while we and us are of the light. They sleep, while we watch. This is not speaking of natural sleep, but a state of mind. We KNOW Jesus is coming, and are ever longing for Him to come. They are not expecting Him at all. We already read that "they" and "them" get sudden destruction. Now in verse 8, we have the hope of salvation. But what exactly does Paul mean by these words? The next two words will make it clear.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Now, remember what we read in the last verse of chapter 4: "and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Compare with "we should live together with Him." Are they not saying the same thing? If we are "ever with the Lord" at the rapture, don't we then "live together with Him?" And if we "live together with Him," while "they" and "them" are getting the "sudden destruction," are we not then, ever with the Lord? Since this verse is only a few verses after the classic rapture verse, it would be silly to try and come up with a different meaning. Indeed, Paul has never left his theme: the rapture. Now he as given us he TIME of the rapture: it will come during a time of peace and safety, and JUST BEFORE the "sudden destruction" that starts the Day of the Lord. Paul is telling us that "they" and "them" DO HAVE an appointment with wrath, so they get the sudden destruction; while we in the Light have no such appointment, and get "salvation" (rapture) and are then ever with the Lord.
When will the "Day of the Lord" start? We only need to read:
Rev. 6
17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
If we dig into the verb tense of the Greek, this does not mean it starts with the world wide earthquake of the 6th seal, but that with the signs in the sun and moon, the Day of the Lord in IMMINENT: it is about to start. It starts at the 7th seal, and with the first trumpet. Therefore, Paul is telling us that the rapture MUST COME before the 7th seal. In fact, if we dig deeper, this "sudden destruction" of Paul, is the world wide earthquake of the 6th seal.
Now note that right after the 6th seal, John sees the crowd in heaven, too large to count.
Rev 7
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
This sounds like the church, because it IS the church, having just been raptured! They were rapture JUST BEFORE the world wide earthquake that caused the sudden destruction.
Some people get distracted by the two words, "great tribulation." John is NOT saying that these come of of that time that begins at the abomination, and is caused by the beast. Indeed, John as NOT YET STARTED THE 70th week! How could these come from the second half of the week, if John as not yet begun the week? Indeed, they could not. All John is telling us is that at the time of the rapture, people will be dying around the world, for their testimony. It will get great tribulation around the world. What could be greater than if you die?
Therefore, Paul does indeed give us the timing of the rapture: it is JUST BEFORE the start of the Day of the Lord. It comes just before the great worldwide earthquake at the 6th seal. Indeed, the dead in Christ rising may just CAUSE the worldwide earthquake. (See Matthew 27:51-52)
Coop