Keith's Comments
Horse Sense
We occasionally encounter those who have interpreted Scripture to say that the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of Christ are concurrent events. Let's investigate this by looking at two events which are seldom explored together...the Ascension and the Second Coming.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." ( Revelation 19:11 KJV )

There is no disagreement that the above verse is describing the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation. What a glorious event it will be, our Lord and Savior returning to earth astride a beautiful white horse, ready to judge and make war against those who have denied Him!

Now, read the Scriptures describing the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven:

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." ( Acts 1:9-11 KJV )

One must take instant notice that Jesus was taken up in the air, into a cloud, and disappeared from the disciples sight...plainly and simply, not on a horse. Two men, angels most probably, appeared to the disciples and stated Jesus would come again "in like manner"...in the air, in a cloud. There is one instance in the Bible that describes a return of our Lord in this way:

"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: 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." ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV )

The verses above are describing the resurrection of deceased Christians, the translation of living Christians, and their meeting the Lord in the clouds, in the air. When our Lord returns for His own at the Rapture, He does not come on horseback ready to make war as He does at the Second Coming. He comes first as was told to the disciples at His ascension...in the clouds, in the air.

So, when someone attempts to argue that the Rapture and the Second Coming are simultaneous events, tell them you know differently, and you got it straight from the horses mouth...or in this case, the lack thereof.

Keith

01-27-2003

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