MATTHEW 24, ARMAGEDDON OR THE RAPTURE?

Let's take a look at what has been going on in Matthew 24. After the abomination of desolation there is great tribulation/persecution against the elect. The days of tribulation are cut short for the sake of the elect. What happens immediately after the tribulation? The lights go out signaling the end of the age and the Son of Man comes in the clouds with His angels. Then what? The angels gather the elect from the four winds. Is this a gathering just in the sky? Let’s think here for a minute. Prior to Christ’s coming the elect are being persecuted. Does it make sense to say that the gathering of the elect does not involve removing them from the persecution on the earth just because the gathering is from the four winds? Of course not. Comparing Scripture with Scripture, Mark’s account shows us it involves a gathering from the earth.

Mark 13:27: "And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven."

Let’s go to Luke’s account. Luke 21:25 records the triple sign and also says the sea and the waves will roar. Verse 26 says the heavens are shaken. Verse 27 records the coming of the Son of Man. What does verse 28 say? “When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up YOUR heads, because YOUR redemption is drawing near.” What are “these things” and to whom is Luke talking? “These things” are the lights going out and the roaring of the sea and waves and the heavens being shaken in vv. 25-26. Luke is talking to believers. Only believers will see redemption. Verse 26 says men (unbelievers) will faint from fear but when “you”, the believer, see these things, don’t faint, look up! Our ransom in full, our deliverance is just about to occur!

When we put all three accounts together, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we get the big picture. When the lights go out signaling the end of the age look up, the persecution will end, Christ will appear, and we will be gathered by the angels.

Now let’s go to 1 Th. 4:14-18, the classic rapture passage.

Where did Paul get his information regarding the coming of the Lord and that “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air”?

1 Th. 4:15: “For this we say to you BY THE WORD OF THE LORD.” Paul’s teaching came directly from Christ and includes more information, giving us an even bigger picture. When Christ comes the elect are gathered but the dead in Christ are raised first!

Now, let’s compare Mt. 24 and Rev. 19. What is happening in each account?

Mt. 24: The persecution of the elect. The lights go out. Christ appears with the angels. There’s a great trumpet. The angels gather the elect.

Rev. 19: The beast and the kings of the earth with their armies are assembled to make war against the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS who comes down on a white horse with a robe dipped in blood and the armies of heaven are with Him clothed in fine linen and are following Him on white horses too.

The only mention of a gathering in Rev. 19 is that of birds to eat the flesh of Christ’s enemies.

Let me ask you one last thing. Does 1 Th. 4:14-18 sound more like Paul is describing Rev. 19 or Mt. 24?