Question:
Dear Greg,
Could
there be two raptures that will take place?
A vertical and a horizontal? A
rapture of the church and a rapture of the Jews?
1
Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven…to
meet the Lord in the air.” This would be a vertical rapture of the church.
Matthew
24:31 “He shall send his angels.” For
the church he comes with the voice of the archangel and with “the trump of
God.” For Israel, he comes with
“a trumpet.” These are very
distinctive descriptions of two different raptures.
One for the church and one for the Jews.
The one will lead to the clouds in the heavens and the other will lead to
Jerusalem.
Just
a thought,
Chris
Answer: Dear Chris,
The
events surrounding the Second Coming are not clearly and definitively given for
us in Scripture. Questions like
who, what, when, and where or how are not specifically and dogmatically nailed
down in the Bible—notwithstanding attempts by some interpreters and Bible
teachers to do so. The rapture
itself, as popularly taught, is by no means universally accepted by all
Christians. For further background
you may check our back issues posted on this web site—Plain Truth, July-August
2001, “Will You Be Left Behind?”
In
Christ,
Greg
Albrecht