Views on The Return of Christ
KINGDOMPRE-
MILLENIALA-MILLENIAL
KINGDOMPRE-
MILLENIALPre-TribMid TribPost TripPartial RapturePre-Wrath
A-MILLENIALHistoric A-MillPreteristDominion
The Key = Hermeneutics
• Literal or Allegorical?
RAPTURE
CHURCH AGE
Dan’s 70th Week
Treaty Desecration
RETURN
Mid-Trib
Mid Trib
• Frequent mention of 3½ years
• No immanency• Not spared from
wrath
RAPTURE
CHURCH AGE
Dan’s 70th Week
Treaty Desecration
RETURN
Post Trib
Post-Trib
• Similarities Matt 24/ John 14
• Believers go up then come down
• Rev 19:11-21 – No Rapture• Wrath• Why Bother rescuing the
Church?
RAPTURE
CHURCH AGE
Dan’s 70th Week
Treaty Desecration
RETURN
Partial Rapture
Partial Rapture
• Faithful Matt 25; 1 Thess 5:6; Heb 9:28; Jam 1:12; Rev 2:10
• Confusion of Rapture/ 2nd Coming
• Divides the Body of Christ
• Arbitrary
RAPTURE
CHURCH AGE
Dan’s 70th Week
Treaty Desecration
RETURN
Pre-Wrath Rapture
Pre-Wrath Rapture
• Cosmic disturbance of 6th seal = Rapture
• Only Trumpet and Bowls are God’s Wrath
• Thessalonian Confusion• All Trib is God’s Wrath
Pan-Trib Rapture
RAPTURE
CHURCH AGE
Dan’s 70th Week
Treaty Desecration
RETURN
1000 yrs NEW
Pre-Trib Rapture
Pre-Trib
• Place of the Church in Rev
• Rapture vs. Return• Exemption from Wrath• Time gap between
Rap and 2nd Coming• Removal of Restrainer• Immanency• Blessed Hope
Place of the Church in Rev
• Rev 4:1• No Church in 4-18• Ekklesia 19 times in
Rev 1-3, 0 in 4-18• 24 Elders in 4:4, 10;
5:5-6, 8, 11, 14: 7:11, 13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4
Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)
Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)
Comes For Saints Comes With Saints
Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away
Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)
Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT
No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)
Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)
Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)
Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)
Comes For Saints Comes With Saints
Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away
Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)
Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT
No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)
Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)
Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)
Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)
Comes For Saints Comes With Saints
Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away
Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)
Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT
No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)
Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)
Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)
Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)
Comes For Saints Comes With Saints
Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away
Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)
Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT
No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)
Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)
Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)
Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)
Comes For Saints Comes With Saints
Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away
Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)
Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT
No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)
Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)
Rapture Vs. ReturnComes in Air (1 Thess 4:16)
Comes to earth (Zec 14:4)
Comes For Saints Comes With Saints
Believers taken away Unbelievers taken away
Christ gathers (1 Thess 4) Angels gather (Mat 24:31)
Not in OT (1 Cor 15:51) Predicted in OT
No signs. Imminent Many signs (Mat 24)
Believers see Whole world sees (Mat 24:27)
Exemption from Wrath• 1 Thess 1:9-10• 1 Thess 5:9• Rev 3:10
Time Gap between Rap and Trib
• Judgment Seat• Preparation of Bride
Rev 19:7-10• Mortals in Kingdom
(Isa 65:20-25
Removal of the Restrainer• 2 Thess 2:1, 3-8
Imminency• Acts 1:11• 1 Corinthians 1:7• 1 Corinthians 16:22• “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from
the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10, NIV84)
• “while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” (Titus 2:13, NIV84)
• “so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28, NIV84)
• Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 21, NIV84)
Blessed Hope• John 14:1• 1 Thess 4:13• Titus 2:13