Greetings pastor Rendon,
This is Peter Chvostovsky. I would like to share with you my study on the timing of the Rapture and it's purpose. Many believe that the Resurrection / Rapture is Pre-tribulation, before the coming of antichrist. Others believe it is after the Great Tribulation when the Lord returns in the 2nd Advent. Some say it is not important when it takes place, just as long as you are ready, living for the Lord when it happens. I call this the any time Rapture. This is what I want to share with you. In 2Tim.2:15-18 we have a warning from the Lord not to subvert the faith of the Saints.
[2Ti 2:15-18 KJV] 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
I use the King James Bible because I believe it is the most accurate, even though it is Middle English. To "rightly divide" simply means to be accurate with the Word Of God. Inaccurate handling of the Word leads to ungodliness that eats like a cancer. The apostle names two men who are in error, saying the resurrection already took place. Please note the result of such teaching: They overthrew the faith of some ( saints ). I think we both agree that no one should make shipwreck of some ones faith, God Forbid.
What does this mean? We are not told of what resurrection they may be speaking of. It maybe Christ's resurrection, or the one in Matt.27.
[Mat 27:52-53 KJV] 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Either way, by saying the resurrection is Past Already, they were implying that there is no more hope, YOU ARE LEFT BEHIND. Please understand pastor the Pre-tribulation doctrine is not a new error, but an ancient one being spread in Paul's day. Today it is packaged for modern day consumption as in HOLy WooD movies of Left Behind Religious Fiction. If there is no Rapture before the Tribulation, what will happen to all the saints that have put their trust in teachers and pastors who have taught them this error? They OVERTHREW the faith of some.
A pastor of the Plymouth Brethren, John, Nelson Darby first (in modern times) In the 1830's taught the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Then in the early 1900's C.I. Scofield Reference Bible popularized the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
After some years of teaching this error the Lord began to convict me something is not right. So I began to study the Resurrection/ Rapture. Let us look at some common scripture that supposedly teach a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
[1Th 4:13-18 KJV] 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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.
In vs.13 Paul does not want us to be ignorant concerning the Resurrection/Rapture or to be fearful without hope of our "catching up" at the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of our loved ones who have died (as if the resurrection is past already). The rest of the scripture tells us when; 1) the Lord descends from heaven, 2) with a shout, the voice of the archangel, 3) the dead in Christ Rise First, 4) Then we who are alive and remain (Greek: survive) are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The reason I call this the Resurrection/ Rapture is because the Dead in Christ rise 1st. This is the General resurrection of Rev.20, called the 1st resurrection.
[Rev 20:4-6 KJV] 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Please note: In 1Thes.4:13-18 there is no mention of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. The Whole Bible from Gen. to Rev. only knows of Two resurrections. People are reading it into the text, it is not there.
[Jhn 5:28-29 KJV] 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Then in Rev. 20 the Lord gives us more information; The two resurrections are separated by a 1,000 years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
We must take off the glasses of Pre-Tribulation teaching and pray for the Lord to see things as they are plainly written. Here are some other popular pre-tribulation scriptures.
[Mat 24:36-39 KJV] 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
In Noah's day there was no resurrection/rapture. The Ark was a type of Christ in carrying them through the tribulation. Please note vs. 39) and knew not till the flood took them all away. Away to glory? Lk. 17 gives us the answer. They all drowned.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Again, reading into the text a presupposed type of Pre-Tribulation rapture. The same with Enoch and Elijah. They were caught up, but not in a resurrection of the Dead 1st (general resurrection).