Those who read The Olivet Discourse, know and understand that Jesus is coming for His Church, after the Tribulation of those days, which is the biggest sign of His coming.
24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and
gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven. Mark 13:24-27
The gathering of His Church, at His coming, is the resurrection of the dead in Christ first, then those who are alive and remain, will be caught up together.
This catching up together, is the gathering, that takes place at His coming.
- The antichrist will also be destroyed by Jesus, at this same coming, by which He gathers His people.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive
and remain until the
coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive
and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
Now, brethren, concerning the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for
that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains
will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and
destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Point Number 1:
- The resurrection of the dead in Christ will take place at His coming, before the rapture.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And
the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:16
Point Number 2:
- The rapture takes place, just a moment after the resurrection, in which all His people will be gathered together to be with Him, in the air. The resurrection/rapture is one event, at His coming.
Then we who are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Point Number 3:
The same coming of the Lord, by which the Lord gathers His people at the resurrection/rapture, also destroys the antichrist.
- Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 Thessalonians 2:1
- And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8
The
coming of the Lord to gather together His people unto Himself; the resurrection/rapture is the same coming that destroys the antichrist.
JLB