"Rapture & Resurrection"

I figured now was as good a time as any to tackle as controversial a topic as the "Rapture."

It has been a topic that has stirred up much emotion and debate in some circles, so I figured I'd give it the good old college try myself.
Everyone else has.

Possibly I can offer some new insight on the topic that you have never heard before.
Maybe even change your mind on the subject.
Maybe I cannot.

What I can guarantee you is that I will spur some discussions concerning the matter and its scriptural basis, and that is what's most important.

Unfortunately, to me, it just seems that a Pre-Tribulation rapture is dogmatic in many churches without adequate basis besides tradition and repetition (The same applies with "One World Government." This phrase or idea is mentioned nowhere in the Bible. It is only wrought by the contortion or misinterpretation of scripture, nor will it ever come to pass).

Let me first state that I believe in a "Pre-Wrath" rapture. That "wrath" being "The Day of the Lord," or the prophetic one-year time frame (according to the biblical "Day-for-a-Year" principal)  of the 7 bowl judgments commencing after the rapture, and finishing with the Battle of Armageddon and the establishment of Christ's Earthly kingdom.

That being said, after some meticulous research and study, it seems to me that the church will indeed be present when the peace treaty is signed between Israel and her neighbors, the three and a half years of peace following, and lastly the 2 and half years of the Great Tribulation (or wrath of the Beast, or Satan) following the Abomination of Desolation (Mark 13:14-37, Daniel, elsewhere).

I want to continue with a pertinent passage, loaded with some important factual nuggets. That's 2 Thessalonians 2.

(What is this "truth" that they refused to "love" and "believe?")

Concerning the rapture (& resurrection), the passage makes it clear to believers that they would not be gathered unto Christ until certain things first took place in the future:

1) A major "rebellion," or "falling away" within the church itself.
2) The removal of "he who now restrains" (or "he who now letteth," KJV) from the picture.
3) The Abomination of Desolation takes place at the temple (thus revealing the identity of the Antichrist).

I have seen some try to rationalize that the individual in point number two is the church of God, paving the way for the launching of World War III while the church sits up in Heaven watching as the whole ordeal goes down.

The issue I have with this is that the church is traditionally referred to as a "she," not a "he."
Who could this be referring to in the masculine?
A friend of the bridegroom, not the church body as a whole.

That's the bad news.
It looks to me that the church is faced with dealing with the wrath of the Beast.

Good news?
He will not control the entire world, as I have repeatedly said.

I would like to delve further into the sequential order of events that I have talked about to back myself up a bit, and read from Revelation 14: 14-20. The first angel represents the 7th and last trumpet, rapturing the believers just before the Day of the Lord's wrath. The second angel representing God's judgment of the nations following just after the rapture of his believers, imagery replete with waves of flowing blood to drive the point home: the year of bowl judgments will not be fun for anyone left behind and not sealed. Point blank.

Because Revelation can be a bit to digest and sort through, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 also makes it clear that the living believers will be raptured at the 7th trump, right before the Day of the Lord bowl judgments.

So, since it seems Christ never promised the church at large zero hardship or suffering, it's clear it is in the believer's best interest to plan and act as if they still need to be around to take care of themselves, their families, and their country until they get a call from upstairs telling them otherwise: that they can finally leave all of their troubles behind for good.

That's not going to be for a while.

Until then, the mortgage still needs to be paid, your credit score still matters, and the Chicago Cubs are still unlikely to win a World Series.

See: The Bible Codes