Nowadays you got to be careful even among apostolics. Many oneness apostolics have adopted trinitarian teachings into their view of endtime prophecy. This is why I was focusing in on what the Scriptures says about the second coming and the catching away of the Church. There is no such thing as a catching away of the Church BEFORE the second coming, and there is no such thing as a second coming BEFORE great tribulation.

I know some people try to get around Matthew 24:29 when it says “immediately after the tribulation of those days” and they say “it says ‘tribulation‘ not ‘great tribulation.” Here is how to easily prove that the “tribulation of those days” is “great tribulation.”

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in THOSE DAYS! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except THOSE DAYS should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake THOSE DAYS shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)

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:(Matthew 24:29)

In Matthew 24 “those days” is “great tribulation.” The “tribulation of those days” is “great tribulation.” There is no second coming BEFORE the great tribulation, and there is no gathering together/catching away BEFORE the second coming. Everything is IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE [GREAT] TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS.

Pre = Before
Post = After

Pre-Trib = Before tribulation
Post-Trib = After tribulation

The focus is the timing of the catching away of the Church. When is the Church going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air? Simple! At the second coming of the Lord! Let us examine 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and understand what the apostle told us would happen.

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 together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

#1) Lord HIMSELF descend from heaven
#2) The trumpet of God sounds very loud
#3) Dead in Christ rise first
#4) Both the dead in Christ & living in Christ caught up together.

From this we learn that there is NO SUCH THING as a “secret rapture” where people mysteriously disappear like the so-called “Left Behind” series has deceived people to believe. There is no catching away BEFORE the second coming. Once Jesus comes back “a second time” He is not coming back a third time. There is NO SUCH THING as the Church being caught up BEFORE the “dead in Christ rise first.” If someone teaches a so-called “rapture” BEFORE “THE DEAD IN CHRIST RISE FIRST” they are teaching a false doctrine.

I wanted to explain 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 to prove that the catching away is at the second coming, and not before the second coming. Following along? Now that we know that the dead in Christ, and us that are “alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord” will be caught up at the second coming, to put the whole puzzle together all we need to know is when is the second coming. The second coming is after the great tribulation!

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. (Matthew 24:29-31)

I will write more when I get back from work. Peace be unto you.
(To be continued…)