A Candid Conversation About the Rapture

One of the most controversial and hotly debated questions among Christians in the recent past has been the timing of the rapture. It is very important to have a correct rapture view—very important. Below is a hypothetical rapture conservation which I hope will help Christians come to a better understanding of the rapture’s timing.

Question: Do you believe the scriptures, God’s Holy Word, the Bible, are the final authority in all matters of doctrine?

Answer: Yes, of course I do.

Question: According to the scriptures below, is the rapture part of an event known as the Day of the Lord?

15 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.

16 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:

17 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.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 1 Thes 4:15-5:2

1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 2 Thes 2:1,2

Answer: Yes, I see that the rapture is part of the Day of the Lord event.

Question: According to the scripture below, what happens before the Day of the Lord begins?

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: Acts 2:20

Answer: Well, it says that the sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood before the Day of the Lord begins.

Question: According to the scripture below, when is the sun darkened and the moon turned to blood?

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; Rev 6:12

Answer: The sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood after the Sixth Seal is opened.

Question: Does scripture tell us that there Is any other time during the end times that the sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood?

Answer: No.

Statement: We can therefore conclude that according to scriptures, the rapture, as an event of the Day of the Lord, must occur after the sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood, which we know occurs after the Sixth Seal is opened.

Question: Do you agree with this statement?

Answer: I am not sure, that is a new concept to me, I have never had it explained to me like that before. I have always believed that the rapture will occur at the beginning, before Seal 1.

Question: I understand what you are saying. Let me show you a confirmation that the rapture occurs after Seal 6 is opened. According to the scriptures below, what do people see after the Sixth Seal is opened?

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Answer: They see the Lord.

Question: From your knowledge of scripture, during the end times when do people see the Lord?

Answer: At the rapture and at Armageddon.

Question: Which one of the two is the passage above referring to?

Answer: The Sixth Seal does not involve Armageddon, so it would have to be the rapture.

So you have affirmed;

1. The rapture is part of the day of the Lord.

2. That the sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood before the day of the lord.

3. The sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood after the opening of Seal 6.

Therefore sound logic dictates that the rapture/day of the Lord event occurs after Seal 6 is opened and the sun is darkened and the moon turns to blood. And to confirm this you have also just agreed that Jesus appears in the sky after the opening of seal 6 and that this is not at Armageddon, so it has to be at the rapture.

Thus; you have just logically concluded and thereby proved that the rapture does not occur until after the opening of Seal 6. What do you believe now about the timing of the rapture?

Answer: __________________________.

So if the rapture will not happen until Seal 6 is opened, that means that all that are alive at the time will be faced with living through Seals 1 to 5. And there is a possibility that at least one of the Seals have been opened.

The Rider on the White Horse was Given a Crown! Has Seal 1 Been Opened?

Remember; the truth shall set you free.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

Not sure that you will go to heaven? The end times are knocking on the door and so is Jesus. He wants to save you; will you let him in?

Find out what you must do to be saved, click here.

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To find out about The Coming Epiphany, click here.

About the author: William Frederick; M.Div. has been preaching and teaching the Word of God for over 30 years. He has dedicated his life to serving God and helping others come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and understand essential end times Bible Prophecy truths. He is the author of several books including The Coming Epiphany and The Dollar Code. His articles are originally published on The End Times Forecaster Blog. From there, his articles are published and referenced on various prophecy related websites. If you would like to republish his articles, please feel free to do so, just please include the original link to the article. The more people that see this information the better, and we need to wake more people up while there is still time.