Hi Bruce

I still do not see where you get the rapture from Matthew 24.The Gospel of Grace and the rapture are a "mystery" until the Lord showed it to Paul.

Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

And again in 1 Corinthians

1Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1Corinthians 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

and then we have the "mystery" of the rapture

1Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

In Matthew 24 Jesus was teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom NOT the Gospel of Grace which was still a mystery.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

We are in the time period of the Gospel of Grace that was taught to Paul. AFTER the rapture the Gospel of the Kingdom will again be preached until Christ comes back. Then the ones who will be killed during the Tribulation will be resurrected and be priest with Christ for 1,000 years.

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Anyway this should be enough to prove my point here but once we separate God's plan for Israel versus God's plan for the Church it becomes much clearer.The Jews look for the resurrection and the Church looks for the rapture. Not positive but that seems to be making more and more sense the longer I study it.

 

thanks

Mike W