RAPTURE BEFORE TRIBULATION:
A SURE WORD FROM THE LORD

He hath said unto me: ‘Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet and tell this people what is now come.’ Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: Both low and high, rich and poor, together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. For now shall the Lord my God come. O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. Yea! He hath gathered them unto Himself. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God. Thou art worthy, O Lord, that liveth for ever and ever. Thou art worthy to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created . Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto His Lamb for ever and ever. Thy throne O God is forever and ever: the scepter of thy kingdom is the scepter of righteousness. F or thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth for ever and ever. Even so, now I come, saith the LORD. Amen.

It is written in Rev 1:11 ” I am Alpha and Omega , the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea ”. In this scripture, John the Apostle was commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to write in a book what he was about to see and send it to the 7 churches of Asia Minor ( Rev 1:10-11). What was he about to see? The next verses ( Rev 1:12-18) revealed what he saw: it was a vision of the glorified Christ holding in His right hand 7 stars which were the pastors of the 7 churches ( Rev 1:20). This is the first vision that was shown to him. This is the first thing he saw and was commanded to write. That this person speaking with him in the vision is our Lord Jesus Christ is proved beyond doubt by Rev 1:18, Acts 2:25-36, 1 Corinth 15:1-23, Col 2:14-17, Eph 2:14-15.

It is written in Rev 1:19 “ Write the things which thouhast seen , and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter ”. Here, John was commanded to write again. In the first scripture quoted above ( Rev 1:11), John was told to write what he was about to see. But what did he see? He saw a vision of the glorified Christ holding in his hand 7 stars. Now in this scripture ( Rev 1:19) he was told to write what he has already seen (which is the vision of the glorified Christ mentioned above), and to write the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. So then, what are the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter that John was commanded to write above? O ye people, open your eyes, hear with your ears, understand with your heart, that you may be converted and be healed. The Lord Himself began to explain to John the things which are. He declared in the next verse ( Rev 1:20) “ The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches”. After saying these things, the Lord commanded John to begin to write to the 7 churches what He (the Lord) was about to say. These things are written in Rev 2:1-3:22. These letters are what we refer today as the last epistles or letters to the churches. Now, understand and know that these are the things which are, even till now as we speak. These letters to the churches have a local application to the churches in John’s day. They portray the actual conditions in 7 local churches in Asia Minor in those days (Rev 1:4, 11, 20). The letters also have a prophetic application to all churches throughout this current dispensation to the rapture of the church, revealing spiritual conditions in local churches all around the world today (Rev 1:9, 12:17, 19:10). It is written that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. These letters are called the testimony of Jesus. The phrase “things which must shortly come to pass” written in Rev 1:1, 22:6-10 also prove these letters to be prophetic for they have not yet come to pass at that time. Most of the things written in the book have never happened till this day as we speak. Does this not prove beyond doubt that this book is very prophetic? Therefore, every individual in any church today must take heed to these letters and attend to the warnings therein and profit from them. Therefore we say unto you again as it is written: the mystery of the churches are the things which are. The messages to the churches were given immediately after the vision of Christ of Rev 1, which is the first vision that John saw. Rev 2:1-3:22 make up what followed after the vision of Christ above and contain only the things which are, that is, all the things concerning the church on earth until its rapture (1 Corinth 15:23, 51-58, 1 Thess 4:13-17, 2 Thess 2:7). This is the dispensation we are in today.

Now it is written in Rev 4:1 “ After this I looked, and, behold, a doorwas opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne ”. This is one of the most important scripture in the book of Revelation, for it shows and proves beyond reasonable doubt when the rapture of the church shall be. This we shall reveal to you by the Spirit of the Lord shortly. The phrase “after this” as quoted above refers to “after the things of the churches”, for this was what the Lord has just finished speaking to John about, commanding him to write. So then, after the things of the churches, John, who was on the earth in Rev 1-3 suddenly saw a door opened in heaven, and he heard a voice like a trumpet commanding him to come up, and immediately he was in heaven before God’s throne. Righteous Father: let him that read these things understand. What do all these things mean? The voice like a trumpet that spoke to John told him: “I will show thee the things that must be hereafter”. Hereafter what? Here-after the things of the churches. According to the word of the Lord alone, the visions of Revelation from Chapters 4 to 22 MUST BE after the churches. They WILL COME TO PASS after the rapture of the church. Every event mentioned in Rev 4-22 will be fulfilled after the rapture of the church. No historical or present event could possibly be a fulfillment of any event of Rev 4-22. Is this not the counsel of the Lord? Why would men not understand? Why do they not know the counsel of the Lord? Why have they not marked His words and heard it? Why have they not searched it out? This is what the Lord has commanded us to say. Shall we not make known what we have received from Him?

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave Apostle John 3 commands to write. The first command was: Write the things which thou hast seen, that is, the vision of Christ in the midst of the candlesticks ( Rev 1:19). The second command was: Write the things which are, that is, the things concerning the churches, which John wrote in Rev 2-3. The third command was: Write the things which shall be hereafter, that is, the events which MUST BE after the churches (Rev 4:1-22:5). After John had written the things which he hast seen in Rev 1, and after he had written the things which are (the things concerning the churches in Rev 2-3), he was told and we quote: “come up hither into heaven, and I will show thee things WHICH MUST BE HEREAFTER, (that is, after the churches)”. It is written in Rev 4:1: “AFTER THESE THINGS (after writing the vision of Rev 1 and the things of the churches in Rev 2-3)…come up hither, and I will show thee THINGS WHICH MUST BE HEREAFTER (after these things)”. According to the word of the Lord, if the things from Rev 4:1 and upward must be after the things of the churches, then they will not be fulfilled in the church age but after it, for it is written that they must be after the churches. This is the counsel of the Lord and only this shall stand. All other words of men shall fall to the ground and shall be forgotten. But the counsel of the Lord, it shall stand and abide forever, even forever and ever. As it is written, so shall it be.

The Greek word for after these things as used in Rev 4:1 is meta tauta. It is the same word used for after this in the beginning of same Rev 4:1. This scripture literally states: “After these things (after writing the things concerning the churches of Rev 2-3), I looked…a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice…of a trumpet…said to me, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be after the churches”. This is a very clear picture of the rapture of the church. Is it not written in Rev 11:12 concerning the two witnesses that will be slain by the Antichrist in the days to come that: they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them “Come up hither”? Is this not the same phrase (Come up hither) that John just heard in Rev 4:1 above that he was caught up into heaven? Did John not say that this voice was like that of a trumpet? Did Apostle Paul not teach that the church shall be raptured at the sound of the trumpet of God? Is it not written that immediately this voice spoke the dead bodies of the two witnesses that had been dead for 31/2 days rose up and ascended up into heaven in a cloud? Did the scriptures not say that many men saw them go up literally into heaven? Is this not a literal rapture? Then why would some professed Christians not believe in a literal rapture? Hear now and attend: The church will be raptured BEFORE the tribulation. Any man that teaches otherwise has not heard from the Lord but has taught from his own heart. Because he has done this, his words shall fall to the ground and shall be forgotten but the counsel of the Lord shall be done. In the days to come you shall fully consider these words when they are fulfilled before your eyes. All these scriptures confirms and settles the question as to the timing of the future tribulation, the coming of the Antichrist and the false prophet, the rise of Islam, the fall of Babylon which is Iraq, the desolations of Edom, the abomination of desolation, the building of the Jewish third temple, the war that shall cover the whole earth and kill a quarter of mankind, the meteor that shall strike the earth, the sun that shall scorch and kill men, the beheading of many saints, and all other events of Rev 4-22. All these events SHALL and WILL BE after the rapture of the church. The church is no longer on the earth when these events take place. Many men that claim that the church will be raptured after the tribulation have no understanding of God’s truth in this. If you are such man, we beseech you in the name of the Lord to hearken to this testimony today and believe. Lest the Lord come to you suddenly and discover your nakedness. The Lord my GOD shall come shortly and by this you shall know that this is the word of the LORD. Remember therefore what you have received and heard today. Hold fast, and repent of any sin you. Begin to watch and pray. Abstain from every appearance of evil and lustful desires, for the Master of the house is at the door. He comes from afar off. Watch therefore and be ready. Thus saith the LORD: If therefore thou shall not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. If any man has an ear, let him hear. Now, the Lord keep the record of this testimony which he has sent us to say to all men. He that hath an ear let him hear.

Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said the things of Rev 4-22 must be hereafter, that is, after the churches. Therefore, the church is raptured before the things of Rev 4-22 and after the things of the churches of Rev 2-3. Interestingly, the words church and churches are found 19 times in Rev 1-3. Not once is this word found in all the book of Revelation from Chapters 4 to 22:5. The word is mentioned again in Rev 22:16after the conclusion of all events revealed in the entire book. This is right and true, for the word of the Lord is perfect. If Rev 4-22 contain the things which shall be after the churches, that is, after the rapture, is it not just for the Holy Spirit not to make mention of the church in all these chapters? For the church is in Heaven at this time? Yet, the church was mentioned 19 times in Rev 1-3 for that would be during the dispensation of the church. If the church were on the earth during the fulfillment of Rev 4-22, it certainly would be mentioned at least once.

Rev 4-19 and a greater part of Matt 24-25 will be fulfilled during the 70 th week of Daniel. This week mainly concerns Israel and their final redemption, NOT the church. Therefore, the church must be raptured before this week as in Rev 4:1. Our Lord Jesus Christ promised in Luke 21:34-36 that the saints will be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man. The things they will escape are the troubles and plagues of the entire tribulation period. Are these things not written in Matt 24:4-26, Luke 21:4-19, and Rev 6-19? Shall the word of the Lord not be done? Shall it fall to the ground? GOD FORBID.

In 1 Thess 5:1-11, we have another definite promise assuring us that saints will escape the wrath of God (of Rev 6-19). God has not appointed us unto his wrath but to obtain deliverance through Jesus Christ so we can live and abide with Christ in the New Jerusalem in Heaven (1 Thess 5:9-11). How could saints comfort one another as stated in this scripture and in 1 Thess 4:16-17 and Tit 2:13 if the hope they have is the coming wrath of God in the future tribulation? How can this hope comfort them? How can this be? Shall the Word of God be a lie? Shall it not come to pass? Shall it not deliver the just from wrath? GOD FORBID. If the Lord my GOD be righteous, shall He deliver the righteous to wrath and destroy the righteous with the wicked? GOD FORBID. That be far from my GOD to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked. That be far from the Lord my GOD. Shall the Judge of all the earth not do right? My GOD shall do right. He will deliver the just from the wrath to come.

In 2 Thess 2:6-8, it is proven beyond doubt that the rapture takes place before the revelation of the Antichrist and before the 70 th week of Daniel. All the events of Rev 4-19 will take place during this week. So then, the rapture must take place before all these things. There is a marked change in God’s attitude toward humanity in general from that of mercy (Rev 1-3) to that of judgment (Rev 4-19). The seals, trumpets, and vials all picture judgment throughout Daniel’s 70 th week. The church will not go through any of these things. This is why Apostle Paul commanded us to comfort one another with the word of the blessed hope of the rapture.

Nevertheless, as we testify of all these things by the Spirit of the Lord, many will believe and many will not. This will be so that the word of the Lord should be fulfilled. And it shall come to pass that many shall remain on that day that the Lord comes to take the church from the earth. They will remain because they have refused to watch, have loved the world, have enjoyed the pleasures of sin, and do unrighteousness. There will be a great multitude of saints that will be saved during the tribulation. Many will be beheaded while many will be afflicted. For they also must be PURIFIED and TRIED. They will be a separate company from the church that will be raptured shortly, for the rapture itself shall be a sign unto them, and they shall believe in those days. It shall be after the rapture. Now that we have testified of these things as written in Rev 7:9-17, 14:13, 15:2-4, 20:4, all men are without excuse. Count yourself out of this number for they shall be many. Thus saith the LORD: Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are. This, the Lord has commanded us to say. Now, woe is me if I do not declare the Word of the Lord my GOD.

Let all men understand and know that there is no prophecy today that is required to be fulfilled before the rapture can occur. Even Apostle Paul that wrote most of the New Testament that we all read today, such that many have cast away the Old Testament and by doing so do not understand God’s ways of old, he (Paul) was looking for the rapture in his days. He taught believers in those days to continue steadfastly in holiness for the Lord would soon return. If indeed the church was to go through the tribulation and the tribulation did not come in the days of Paul, would it then not be foolish for Apostle Paul to be waiting for the Lord to come and taught the same to believers? Would he not be expecting the tribulation to come first and when he has seen it he would know the rapture would follow? But yet he was looking for the blessed hope of the rapture, proving that the tribulation must certainly come after the rapture of the church and not before it. All ye men that claim to know God, do you claim to know more than Apostle Paul? Do you claim to understand the mysteries of God more than this man? Yet you read the New Testament today and you claim to believe it. How can you say you believe the Word of God like the Pharisees and yet you do not believe the one He has sent to you? He who does not receive him whom the Lord has sent does not receive the Lord that sent him. Shall God do a thing in the earth and not reveal it to a man that His people may know? When it is evening, you say, it will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye men that are asleep, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you not discern the signs of the times? That the coming of the Lord is at the doors? As it is written that a wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah, so also no sign shall be given unto you concerning this word except that which is written in the Book of Praises: For as David prophesied the gathering of the redeemed of the LORD whom He hath gathered from the lands, so also shall all these words come to pass before your eyes when all the saints of the LORD my GOD are gathered together. Repent O ye earth. Repent of all your sins. Follow peace and holiness without which none shall see the Lord. Fear and Worship Him that is glorious in holiness. Tremble at His Word and do them. Live and walk by them. Then you shall live. Then shall you abide with Him in His holy hill, forever. Repent O earth! Repent unto supplication and depart from all your works of iniquity. You cry unto God but your hearts are far from Him for you do not live and walk according to His statutes. Thus saith the LORD: Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.

Righteous Father: Testify to everyone that belong to you that these words are TRUE. Let no man add unto these words for this is the word of the Lord. Now, the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For the Lord testify unto every man that heareth the words of this epistle that they are true. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.