Rapture on a Routine Day

Rapture on a Routine Day by Alan Yusko In this article we will discuss the events in the world when the rapture will occur. Keep in mind that no one can know the exact day that it will occur. That information belongs only to the Lord and He has instructed His people to watch and be ready. We live in a very turbulent world. Many see the prospects of a World War 3 in the not-too-distant future. It is easy to assume that during the chaos of this major war that the rapture could possibly occur. On the other hand the rapture may very well happen on a normal, boring, routine day at a time when it is not expected. There is Scripture evidence for that scenario and we will look at some in this article. There Are Two Separate Events Related to the Rapture of the Lord Jesus One of these events will be the rapture of the Church. This is a time when the Lord Jesus returns to take home His people. This occurs before the rise of the antichrist and before the final 7 year period referred to as the tribulation period. Events in the world will be calm and routine when the rapture occurs. The second event will occur at the climax of the battle of Armageddon. At this point in time the earth will be devastated by all the judgments in the book of Revelation. Life will not be normal at this time. For example all the green grass will be burnt, all the waters will be polluted, and every living thing in the seas will be dead. When the Lord Jesus returns to earth to setup His Kingdom, it will not be on a calm and routine day! Lets look at some Scriptures related to the return of the Lord Jesus to see the return of the Lord Jesus in rapture and in revelation at the battle of Armageddon. Routine Day But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:36-39) God destroyed the world by water in the days of Noah. It took Noah over 100 years to build the ark. During that time people were warned but no one listened. One day the ark was completed and it was time for judgment to begin. The animals and Noah were in the ark and God Himself closed the door. After this the waters in the heavens and in the earth were released and the earth was flooded for 40 days and 40 nights. According to the above Scriptures all this happened on a routine, dull, normal day in the lives of the people in that day. People got up in the morning (like usual) and prepared for the events of the day. Some went to work, others cared for children, others planned to go shopping, others had wedding plans, others had made plans for dinner. It was just another normal day. Then all of a sudden the judgment of God began. The end result was the death of everyone outside of the ark. The above Scriptures say that when the Lord returns those days will be similar to the days of Noah. The Lord will rapture His church home to heaven on a normal, busy, routine day. No one will know which day it will happen but the Lord. But the rapure will happen and many will be surprised! Next lets look at Lot and the day he fled from Sodom: And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30) In the verses above another mention is given about Noah and his days before the flood. Then Lot is mentioned as he left the city of Sodom. In Sodom it was a normal routine day when judgment fell. People got up and tended to their chores and daily activities. It was just another busy day in the city of Sodom. However, God led Lot out of that city and as soon as Lot was safely away, judgment fell. God destroyed Sodom with fire and brimstone. The earth literally exploded and consumed the city of Sodom. It was a big surprise to the people who lived in that city. Everyone had plans for tomorrow and for the rest of their lives. Yet Divine judgment fell unexpectedly, swiftly, and thoroughly. We are told that the conditions of the days of Lot and the days of Noah will be the same when the Lord returns. The rapture will occur on a normal routine day. The rapture will happen before the rise of the antichrist. Even though the technology is present to support the kingdom of the antichrist, it is still not time for him to rise to power. The presence of God's blood bought Church in the world is the restraint keeping the antichrist from rising to power. We currently live in days where people are falling into apostasy, witchcraft, and sexual sin while rejecting God, His Word, and His people. Yet, it is still not time for the antichrist to rise. That time will not be set until God removes His blood bought people at the rapture. We are told that the day of the rapture will come as a thief in the night. No one will know the exact time or the exact day. It will be a routine day where people go about their business. Then suddenly, the Lord will rapture home His people! Here are the Scriptures that describe the rapture! 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 4:15-18) Return at the Climax of Armageddon We have looked at the return of the Lord to rapture home His people on an unknown and routine day. Next lets look at the return of the Lord Jesus at Armageddon. When the Lord returns at the climax of the battle of Armageddon things will be very different. All the judgments of God will have been poured out on the world. These judgments will occur after the rapture and during the 7 year kingdom of the antichrist. These judgments are: The 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, and the 7 bowls of the wrath of God. Here is a detailed list of the judgments that will hit planet earth during the reign of antichrist: Seal Judgments: 1st Seal: White horse (Antichrist) to conquuer 2nd Seal: Wars on earth 3rd Seal: Worldwide economic troubles 4th Seal: Death released. 1/4 of the world's population to die by plagues, disease, beasts of the earth etc. 5th Seal: Persecution and killing of God's people worldwide 6th Seal: Massive earthquake 7th Seal: Silence then the 7 trumpet judgments Trumpet Judgments: 1st Trumpet: Hail, fire, and blood. 1/3 all grass and trees burned up 2nd Trumpet: Great mountain hits sea. 1/3 all ocean becomes blood. 1/3 all sea life dies, 1/3 all ships destroyed. 3rd Trumpet: Wormwood star hits earth. 1/3 all freshwater poisoned. 4th Trumpet: 1/3 of sun and moon darkened 5th Trumpet: locust beasts that sting and torment men loosed from the pit 6th Trumpet: demons released and 200 million Eastern army kills 1/3 of the world's population 7th Trumpet: Cries from heaven and 7 bowl judgments to be released on earth Bowl Judgments: 1st Bowl: Terrible and painful sores break out on all who worship the beast (antichrist) 2nd Bowl: Entire ocean becomes blood. All sea life dies 3rd Bowl: Fresh water becomes blood. No more fresh drinking water 4th Bowl: Sun increased in heat and scorches and burns people 5th Bowl: Supernatural darkness on earth 6th Bowl: Great Eastern army heads toward Armageddon in the Middle East for the final battle 7th Bowl: Babylon destroyed, massive earthquakes, and 100 pound hailstones devastate earth. As you can see life will be far from normal or routine when the Lord Jesus returns to setup His kingdom on earth! The judgments of Revelation will cause massive death and suffering. When the Lord returns, the armies of the world will have gathered for that final battle of Armageddon. The book of Revelation gives a good description of the return of the Lord Jesus (see below): And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11-21) The Rapture Will Take Many People by Surprise Many will be surprised when the rapture occurs. It will occur on a normal routine day and no one can know the exact day. We do know the day is coming and it is coming soon! Here is the admonition from Scripture to watch and be ready: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. (Matthew 24:42-46) In the above verses the Lord warns His people to watch and be ready for His return. Just like a thief at night the Lord will return and it will be a surprise to many. A person certainly would not want to be backsliding and engaging in evil activities when the Lord returns. This hope of the return of the Lord Jesus is a purifying hope. Since the Lord Jesus could return TODAY or tomorrow, a Christian has motivation to watch and be ready! Below are another set of verses warning of the same thing. Watch and be ready! But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:32-37) We are commanded to watch and be ready because the Lord will return to rapture home His people on an unknown routine day. The unknown surprise return of the Lord will not be at the battle of Armageddon that will occur exactly 7 years after the antichrist and Israel signs the covenant of death. The unknown surprise return of the Lord also will not occur exactly 3 1/2 years after the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem midway in his 7 year reign. People can mark the date of the return of the Lord Jesus at Armageddon on a calendar after those prophetic events occur. However, the rapture will occur on an unknown, routine day sometime before the antichrist rises to power. As a result the Lord's word to the Church is to watch and be ready! Conclusion The main point of this article is when the rapture occurs the people of the world will be involved in routine day-to-day activities. The verses in Matthew and Luke cannot apply to the battle of Armageddon because those days will be far from routine, normal, or peaceful. After the Lord pours out all the judgments of the book of Revelation upon the earth, things will be far from routine! Therefore the verses that talk about the Lord returning on a normal routine day are talking about the rapture. The verses that show the Lord coming back in glory at the climax of the battle of Armageddon are talking about the return of the Lord Jesus to setup His Kingdom upon the earth. I hope this article is an encouragement to all who read it! Soon the Lord will return and we really do not know the exact day. But as we see everything being setup for World War 3 and the rise of the antichrist, how soon must the rapture be! Whatever happens I would encourage people to keep faithfully walking with the Lord. Love sound Biblical doctrine and reject error and false teachings. Be good stewards of the Lord because one unexpected routine day, the Lord will return and rapture home all His people to glory! Are you ready to stand before the Lord? Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13) He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)