Repent, Watch and PrayThe Main Rapture event where all are raised together is the "gathering together of the elect" which is where every living born again Christian, as well as the Dead in Christ, who are raised first, go to meet the Lord in the air. This term is used by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:29-31, as well as by the Apostle Paul, and is synonymous with the beginning of the 2nd Coming.
Matt 24:29-31 (KJV) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
2 Thess 2:1 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him..."
1 Thess 4:13-17 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up (and gathered) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
This "gathering together" follows the Sixth Seal, just prior to the beginning of the Wrath of God.
Rev 6:12-17 "And I beheld when he had opened the Sixth Seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
The Apostle John tells us that after the opening of the Sixth Seal is when these signs occur and then a great multitude is seen in heaven. The Wrath of God begins after the opening of the Seventh Seal.
Rev 7:9-10 "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; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."
Rev 7:13-14 "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 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."
Rev 8:1-2 "And when he had opened the Seventh Seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given Seven Trumpets." The Wrath of God includes the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Bowl judgments which all follow the Seventh Seal.
Earlier "Open Door"Rapture events were revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ to the Apostle John in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. I now believe there's more than one Open Door Event, and they are conditional on being found worthy to escape the Great Tribulation.
Rev 3:10 (KJV) "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation (Great Tribulation), which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
The "Open Doors" will be opened up for those worthy to escape the Great Tribulation at the proper time. This will not be like the "gathering together of the elect" in the sky per Matt 24:29-31, which happens later. We need to watch for it. The churches of Philadelphia and Smyrna were both found worthy, and were not told that they needed to Repent. The rest of the churches were told that unless they Repent, they will have tribulation. Unfortunately, most endtime Christians are being told that they're all Philadelphians, so they're not watching and not repenting. Also, most people have been taught that the whole Great Tribulation is the Wrath of God. Not true, most is the persecution of Antichrist. The Wrath of God follows the persecution, and they don't overlap. The Great Tribulation (persecution) is cut short for the elect by "the gathering together of the elect" at the Sixth Seal per Rev 6:12-17, and "after the tribulation of those days" per Matt 24:29-31. The Great Tribulation ends, then the Wrath of God begins following "the gathering together of the elect".
The letters to the Seven Churches are a Near/Far prophecy. In Revelation chapters 2 & 3, Five of the churches receive warnings from the Lord to Repent, and those living at the end of the age who fit the descriptions of the churches being warned must also Repent. Repenting when needed should be a lifestyle.
Rev 3:7-13 NKJV "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":"I know your works. See, I have set before you an Open Door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make [those] of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial (great tribulation) which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And [I will write on him] My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
1 Thess 5:6 KJV "Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us Watch and be sober."
Mark 1:15 KJV "And (Jesus) saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: Repent ye, and believe the gospel."
Revelation 3:19-21 KJV "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and Repent. Behold, I stand at the Door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and OpentheDoor, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
Luke 21:34-36 KJV "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and Pray always, that ye may be accounted Worthytoescape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."