Page 68 - Heavenly Signs II by Mel Gable

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Joel 2:1 “Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the LORD is coming; Surely it is near,
2 A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people;
There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it
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To the years of many generations.”

Therefore, their view is incorrect as well as the timing of events, that we will see later in this book because the
Day of the Lord will begin on the opening of the seventh seal and not after the seventh trumpet.

Mid-tribulation scholars believe that the Rapture will occur halfway through the Tribulation, but before the
worst part of it occurs. The seven year period is divided into halves - the “Beginning of Sorrows” or “Tribulation” and
then followed by the “Great Tribulation.”

Post-tribulation scholars believe that Christians will not be taken up into Heaven, but will be received or
gathered by Christ into the Kingdom of God on earth at the end of the Great Tribulation. “Immediately after the
Tribulation ... then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man which is Christ ... and he shall “gather his elect” which comes from
the following scripture: Matthew 24:29–31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-27. Post-tribulation scholars argue that
the seventh trumpet mentioned in Revelation is also the last trumpet mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52, and there
is a strong correlation between the events mentioned in Isaiah 27:13, Matthew 24:29-31, and 1 Thessalonians
4:16- thus creating a strong parallel, proving that the Rapture occurs after the Tribulation. Therefore, post-
tribulation scholars see the Rapture happening during the seventh trumpet, which would only mean that the
Rapture can never happen during the Tribulation according to their view. The idea of a post-tribulation Rapture
can also be read into 2 Peter 3:10-13 where Christ's return is equated with the “elements being melted” and the earth
being burned up. They don’t seem to understand that Peter is referring to the “New Heaven and Earth”, which is
stated in Revelation 21. If this is true, then who is returning with Christ as His armies which are “clothed in fine
linen, white and clean”? It also gives heed to the question who is His bride during the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?
This supper is described in Revelation 19:7-10, which occurs prior to his armies coming to earth? It must be the
Rapture of the Bride of Christ which occurs prior to the Marriage Supper and his conquering return to the earth.

The Bible knowledge commentary from Dallas Theological Seminary states the following: The second coming of
Christ is anticipated in the words, for our Lord God Almighty reigns. John used the word “Almighty” (pantokratōr; also in
Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:15; 21:22). Along with the exhortation to rejoice, announcement is made that
the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. The fine linen with which the
bride will be adorned is explained as representing the righteous acts of the saints (Rev. 19:8). (In the OT the high priest’s
clothing included linen: Ex. 28:42; Lev. 6:10; 16:4, 23, 32.) While some think this refers to the fact that the saints are justified by
faith, the plural expression “the righteous acts” seems to refer to the righteous deeds wrought by the saints through the grace of God.
Though all this has been made possible by the grace of God, the emphasis here seems to be on the works of the bride rather than on
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her standing as one who has been justified by faith.
In pre-tribulation and mid-tribulation views the Rapture and the Second Coming (or Greek, par[a]ousia) of
Christ are separate events, while in post-tribulation beliefs the two events are identical or simultaneous. For a
more complete view of these Three Views on Pre-, Mid- and Post-Tribulation, there is a book available written
by Stanley Gundry and Gleason Archer Jr. entitled “Three Views on The Rapture.” These diverse views are why I

106 New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Joe 2:1–2). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

107 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures
(Re 19:6–8). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.