The Rapture is God’s plan to save His Church from the wrath that is coming to earth. The wedding comparison is even more appropriate than previously indicated, as we view the Church as the Bride of Christ.
PART IV – MARRIED TO THE KING
Jesus compared that event to ten virgins waiting for the unknown, but imminent arrival of the bridegroom returning for his bride according to Jewish custom. Understanding the Church as Christ’s bride, is essential for understanding the purpose of, and therefore the timing of the Rapture event. In Revelation 19:7-8, John paints us a picture of the Church as bride at the coming marriage supper. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” But before that celebration, we, the true believing Church, – must be joined with Him. Recall that in John 14:2-3, Jesus makes a solemn promise to His bride. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” This passage is best understood in a wedding context.
Now a traditional Jewish wedding had several phases, all with parallel meaning for the marriage of Christ and the Church, – and hence the Raptrue, which is when Christ comes to take His bride to the “Father’s house.”[i]
- The Katuba – This was the commitment phase, often undertaken years in advance. In John 14:3, recorded above, we see the commitment Christ made to come and redeem us, His bride.
- Purchase Price – The groom would pay a dowry, or price for the privilege of possessing the bride. Of course, that was Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the Cross. 1Corinthians 6:20 reminds us “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
- The Marriage Covenant Sealed With Wine – Toasting with wine was a sign of the sealing of the marriage promise. As He took the wine at the Last Supper, Jesus sealed with us, “…the new covenant in My blood.” When we take communion we acknowledge and remember His promise, proclaiming “…the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1Corinthians 11:25,26) He is coming for us!
- The Bride Set Aside – After the covenant was sealed, the bride was set aside to live in purity, awaiting the return of the groom. So Christ has cleansed us and set us aside for Himself, “…as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)
- The Groom Builds A Room – The groom would then return to his father’s house to build an addition for the new family. “I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)
- Waiting For The Groom – There is a time of waiting; – perhaps a year or more. The bride did not know when the groom would return. The 10 virgins of Matthew 25 are awaiting the arrival of the groom. He could come at any time. The message is: Imminence. He could return for his bride at any moment.
- The Groom Returns – Usually at night, as in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
- His Arrival Preceded By A Shout – In the parable of the virgins we read, “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’” (Matthew 25:6) Here is the description of the Rapture found in 1Thessalonians 16:17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
- To A Separate Chamber – The bride is then taken to a separate chamber to consummate the marriage. “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3)
- The 7-Day Marriage Supper – The marriage supper of the traditional Jewish wedding lasted 7 days. The marriage supper of the lamb is to last the 7 years of the Tribulation.
Not Appointed To Wrath
One of the most compelling arguments that the Rapture is to occur before the Tribulation hour can be found in the promises of Christ himself. The Tribulation is the expression of that very wrath of God “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18) The ‘righteous’ are those that have been declared righteous, – justified by God himself through faith in His Son. The wrath of God is for those who “hold the truth in unrighteousness” – those who willfully believe the lie. Ephesians 5:6 tells us that God’s wrath is for the “children of disobedience.” John 3:36 informs us that wrath is for “he that believeth not the Son.” But God’s children are promised something much better. “[B]eing now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:9) 1Thessalonians 1:10 tells us we are to “wait for his Son from heaven” because He has “delivered us from the wrath to come”. That seems to be Christ’s clear promise that we will not see the Tribulation. This is confirmed again in 1Thessalonians 5:9. “For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Then there is this. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus is giving messages to the various churches. There is a very significant passage in the letter to the church at Philadelphia, long acknowledged to represent ‘The Faithful Church’, and one of the types of churches that will remain until Christ’s return. In Revelation 3, John writes words of comfort for everyone who has truly committed his or her life to Christ. “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.” (Revelation 3:8) This is a description of the true and believing Church. Then in Revelation 3:10 comes this promise. “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world,” (the Tribulation), “to test those who dwell on the earth.” This is Jesus’ promise to keep His faithful from the time of testing that will come in the last days.
Now those holding to the Post-Tribulation Rapture position, say that God will protect Christians through the Tribulation period. But this is not what is suggested by the original Greek. According to John MacArthur, the construction of the verb ‘to keep’ definitely conveys the added meaning of ‘out of’ or ‘from’. [ii] To believe that it meant “to keep through” as Post-Tribbers suggest, would make curious the statement of Revelation 13:7 in which the Antichrist is given power “to make war with the saints and to overcome them.” This would seem to contradict Matthew 16:18, in which Jesus promises His Church that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Again, it appears that the saints of Revelation 13 are not the Church, – but rather are those who come to saving faith during the Tribulation itself.[iii]
Finally there is this promise of Divine protection, found in Isaiah. Remember, in Matthew 25, Christ told us that He was going to prepare a place for us, – much like the chamber that a groom takes his bride to on their wedding night. “Come my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.” (Isaiah 26:20-21)
The Sum Of It All
The arguments given for the Pre-Trib Rapture are by no means exhaustive. But remember, God has not determined to subject His bride to wrath. Rather He has promised to pull out the Church before that wrath is exercised upon a world that rejects Him. The tribulation (small t) and persecutions we face now and before His return are the work of Satan. The wrath of God of the Tribulation (capital T), is the work of God; reserved for the “children of disobedience.”
He is coming for us at an unknown hour. He has gone “to prepare a place” for us. He promised to return! “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” (1Thessalonians 5:9) For the time is coming when, in Paul’s words, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1Cor.15:51-52)
[i] The following section taken from a taped teaching by Chuck Missler, The Rapture: Christianity’s Most Preposterous Belief, Kononia House, 2002
[ii] John MacArthur, Notes taken from the MacArthur Study Bible, pg 1,997
[iii] An expansion upon thought taken from Todd Strandberg, The Pretribulation Rapture,Rapture Ready
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