PS News-144

#144:
7 RAPTURES OF REVELATION
SUMMONSING OF THE BRIDE
The Purpose of the Raptures in Prophecy

How many 'Raptures' are there in the Bible?
What does the Bible say about 'Raptures' and their purpose?
Is there 7 'Raptures' or translations in the book of Revelation?

by Luis B. Vega
for PostScripts News (PSN) | www.PostScripts.org
EMAIL: vegapost@hotmail.com

‘I, Jesus, have sent my Angel to give you this Testimony for the Churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! And let the one who hears say, Come! Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the Water of Life. He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus’. – Revelation 22:16-17, 20

The purpose of this study is to layout the 7 Raptures of the book of Revelation as disclosed in the narrative chronemically and in outline format with some inferences to possible interpretations. It is the risen Jesus Christ that is revealing what is to come to the last Apostle, John. The book of Revelation is a book of numbers, of 7 primarily. It has deep mathematical symmetry and is not just some arbitrary scroll put together without intelligent design. Foremost, it is a vision that originates outside of the space-time continuum. The unveiling is of divine origin. The authorship and authentication is given by none other than the Logos of the Creation, the Son of GOD, Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of the Rapture is perhaps one of the most studied and misunderstood portions of the entire Bible. Many Christian churches avoid the study of this phenomenon due to controversy and the ominous implications of coming catastrophes related to them. Others seek to avoid the contention the topic of the Rapture brings due to interpretations as some of the language is vague, metaphorical and/or encrypted. The notions of the Raptures in Revelation are surrounded by mystery and intrigue but nonetheless it is a revelation foremost of Jesus. Jesus makes the topic of the Raptures so important that He personally conveyed His revelation to the Churches. The study of the Rapture doctrine and patterns provide a deeper understanding of who is Jesus Christ; of what He did, is doing, and will do.

Thus to avoid studying the notion of the Rapture ‘pictures’ throughout the Old and New Testament preaching as the LORD prescribes it has shortsighted the Gospel message and its purpose. The purpose the Rapture typologies throughout the Bible, are to delineate time and bring prophecy to the conclusion of all things and the testimony of and to Jesus Christ. If at least, if a Disciple of Jesus seeks to know his or her LORD, then the reading and studying the concepts of the 7 Rapture as portrayed prophetically in the book of Revelation will avoid confusion and division within the Church Body. Others believe the Raptures are just a series of allegorical innuendos to hide the commentary of the political and religious undercurrents of the early Church. To others it is all that plus much more as with all other prophecies.

Prophetic Patterns
The concept of the Raptures are about an ‘exit strategy’ and are always accompanied by multi-layers of meaning and time applications to it. The Rapture of the Bride of Christ casts its shadow right from the start of the Church Age to the end of time or the conclusion of all things at Christ’s return. The Bible states clearly that the aim of any Biblical prophecy is to testify of Jesus. Thus a true appreciation and perspective of the Rapture typologies is all about Jesus and not the Church Body. This is where many Believers are in error of ascribing the purpose and plan that is self-centered. It thus takes away from Christ Jesus and focuses on one’s ability ‘to endure to the end’ and that ‘after the Tribulation of those days’ it depend on the works and actions of those left to ‘save’ themselves in essence. The Rapture of the Bride of Christ that this study strongly suggests correlates to the summons of the ‘Beloved’ Apostle John in chapter 4 of Revelation.

It is those subsequent ‘Raptures’ that are all centered on the person of Jesus or leads one to Jesus. This is how false prophecy can be discerned from genuine ones. Fundamentally, the doctrine of the Rapture is an unveiling of Jesus as part of His many corresponding enigmas of the secrets of the Bible; a true mystery revealed and shared with those Jesus loves. The Rapture is about the good that Jesus Christ did, does and will do to overcome evil on behalf of not only Humanity but bring to a conclusion the Angelic Rebellion of Lucifer once and for all Eternity. The Rapture is also about the Overcomer and the rewards to be obtained in Heaven.

However, the purpose of the Raptures are to also signify the coming catastrophes that await the Earth or in the case of the 6 subsequent ones after the initial 1st of the Bride of Christ. It is Jesus Christ who is the prime example of the Overcomer. The purpose of the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to unleash the Hour of Trial. Jesus told His Disciples, in essence the Sons of Jacob about the Hour of Trial that is coming, i.e., for Israel, not the Bride of Christ. Prophetically, Jesus was as Joseph addressing His Brethren in Egypt during the Olivet Discourse. However it is in fact the Church of Philadelphia that is to be spared this coming ‘Hour of Trial’ to test those inhabitants of the Earth and the Sons of Jacob for all the evil they have done. That ‘Open Door’ is and will be the Rapture event of the evacuation of the Bride of Christ first.

This is another example of a prophecy casting its shadow down the halls of time. At the end of the Church Age dispensation, the purpose of the Rapture will be to warn those ‘Beloved’ of Jesus to ‘watch’. There is a need to be constantly admonished to heed the call to ‘Come up here’ as the Bride is translated through the gate (portal) and escape that wrath to come by way of the Rapture. This is the same prophetic protocols of the LORD as He provided an ‘Open Door’ for Lot, for Ruth, etc. The Time of Jacob’s Trouble also correlated to Daniel’s last prophetic Week of Years. This study strongly suggests that the initial Rapture event as seen in chapter 4 of the revelation of Jesus to John is in essence to be summonsed to be a ‘Witness’ to the reading of the will. Whose will? It is of the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. For a will to be read, the respected parties of the inheritors have to be present as well as the mediator of the deceased.

The Heavenly Calls
The Rapture ‘scene’ in chapter 4 of the book of Revelation depicts Jesus as not only the deceased but resurrected one that functions not only as the mediator, or lawyer or arbitrator but judge and the inheritor. In this case, what is at stake is the Inheritance and Rewards of the LORD, the dominion over the Earth and His heavenly ones as well. It is no longer the issue of sin the Church is dealing with; that was paid for at the Cross of Calvary. It took this instrument used by Lucifer that attempted to destroy Jesus with that actually destroyed Lucifer. In this civil court analogy, the Defendant, the Bride that stands accused day and night before the Judicial Throne on YHVH is required and summoned or ‘raptured’ to appear before her Accuser, in this case Lucifer. This is one supposition why the Rapture of the Bride of Christ has to occur before the Hour of Trial is to commence upon the Sons of Jacob.

The purpose of the 1st Rapture of Revelation, that of the Bride of Christ is to be the agent that sets in motion the judicial proceedings and the breaking the Seal Judgments. The purpose of the initial 1st Rapture that of the Bride of Christ will also serve to adjudicate Lucifer and his Fallen Angels from Heaven. This is where thereafter the Devil is cast to the Earth where there is no more ‘Church’. Now there will be those that will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus as they figure-out that the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Bride took place and for whatever reason, such were either not truly saved or will be as a result. To reiterate, the initial Rapture of Revelation is for the Bride to be seated at court and witness the breaking of the Seals by the Lamb of YHVH, the Lion of Judah that adjudicates or absolves the Bride of all Luciferian accusation.

Moreover this typology of the last will and testament becomes the judgment of the world and the death sentence proclaimed against Lucifer and his Fallen Angels. This was retro-actively accomplished at the Cross of Calvary but will be implemented in real time on Earth to coincide with the judgment of the inhabitants as well after the Rapture of the Bride of Christ. Additionally, this expulsion of Lucifer and his Fallen Minions corresponds to Revelation chapter 12 in the part that .33 of the ‘Stars’ are cast down to Earth but not without 1 last fight between Lucifer and his Fallen Angels and Michael and his Holy Angels, etc. It is only at this time that Lucifer and his Fallen Angels are once and for all expelled from having any more access into Heaven; they are evicted. It is for this reason that Lucifer thereafter seeks to devour the Sons of Jacob on Earth.

The coming AntiChrist will seek to amass his demonic legions for one last frontal assault against the Gates of Heaven and against Jesus at His return to possess the Earthly Jerusalem. This speaks for the ‘Virgin’ in the Revelation 12 typology in how she flees to the Wilderness much like the case of Exodus. Thus the purpose of the Rapture of the Bride is to confront Lucifer and there has to be a mediator that can adjudicate her, in this case Jesus Himself the Lion of Judah as the Overcomer of sin, death and Satan. Thus this study does agree that the ‘Come up here’ calling of John is the metaphor for the 1st Rapture out of the 7 in the book of Revelation as far as this study is concerned. Others will disagree which is part of the ongoing study of the mystery of the book of Revelation. This study will also show that there are numerous other ‘raptures’ occurring during the Tribulation or the 1st half of the last Week of Years per Daniel.

Raptures also occur in the 2nd half of the timeline which is called the ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’. There is a Rapture or translation in almost every segment of the unit values of events which are 7 in total spanning the sections that constitute the book of Revelation. In each segment, there a Rapture event or a translation of peoples as suggested by the narrative of the book. The word translation is referred to as having a person or peoples changed from the moral state to the immortal state. This study strongly suggests that the 1st of the 7 Raptures is that of the Bride, which commences not only the count, but the countdown to the return of Jesus with the Bride of Christ. This is substantiated by the book of Enoch and reiterated in Titus of the New Testament for example.

This is the preeminent Rapture that correlates to the Church of Philadelphia that was provided with an ‘Open Door’ of escape from the Hour of Trial to come. This ‘Hour of Trial’ is a euphemism for Daniel’s last Week of Years. Thus there is the Rapture, the Blessed Hope that is at the beginning before the Seal Judgments start the countdown to the last battle, Armageddon. This argument of the presented and suggested 7 fold Raptures is the reason why there is such confusion which one is designated for the Bride of Christ. And this is only considering the New Testament. There many ‘Rapture’ types also found in the Old Testament, especially those concerning Enoch and Elijah, etc. The following list is of those Raptures or translations in questions.

chapter 04:01 The Rapture of the Bride
chapter 07:09 The Martyrs out from Great Tribulation
chapter 11:12 The 2 Witnesses after 3.5 days (a 1260 coefficient)
chapter 12:09 The Man-Child of the Virgo Vision
chapter 14:01 The Overcomers singing the Song of Moses
chapter 14:16 The Sickle Harvest
chapter 20:04 The Beheaded

The translation or escape of the ‘Philadelphian Church’ typology of the Bride of Christ is the singular Rapture event unlike the rest to follow during the ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’ or the entire Tribulation period. There is a translation at the beginning, at the middle and at the end in the book of Revelation. Is it any wonder why there is such a confusion if the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to occur either pre-Trib, pre-Wrath or post-Trib within the chronology of the Apocalypse interpretation? This study submits the notion of the Rapture of the Bride of Christ as typified by John the Revelator is the translation of the Bride because the ‘revelation’ of Jesus is given to the Church of what is to come, not to the Sons of Jacob.

It is the Bride that Jesus chose to be the ‘Witness’ to testify of what trouble is to come due to the rejection of the ‘Greater Joseph’ that was sold for silver by his brethren. It is John, the Bride type that is also not only the witness of the last will and testament of Jesus but is the beneficiary as the Bride along with the risen Jesus of all the inheritance and rewards of the promises of YHVH through and in Jesus. John was the youngest of the Apostles during Jesus’ ministry and one of the sets of brothers in the group. The type of the Beloved, the Apostle John was the last Apostle of the original 12 to remain alive. He was on this island of Patmos in the Aegean to which John was banished by the emperor Domitian around 95 AD.

The Menorah Messages
According to research, Patmos means the ‘place of my killing’. The very name of the place of the revelation alludes to his killing that to some historians occurred at the hands of the evil Roman Emperor. As the representative of the Church, he does ‘live on’ as the Gates of Hell will not overcome the Church and will remain until the very end of the Church Age. One has to realize that the end of time as one knows it, aside from the last 7 years of Daniel’s Week of Years is incumbent upon the Rapture of Christ’s Bride from the Earth. This is only based on the metaphor that John is seen throughout the Gospels as the ‘Beloved’, as the Bride of Christ. John, like Jesus is a type of the Church that is and will be an Overcomer because as the Bride, she has washed her robes and has been faithful since her inception through Jesus, the 2nd Adam at the Cross or Calvary.

A clue as to when the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to occur could be pegged to a particular Feast of YHVH. This clue is seen when Jesus appears to John in ‘the midst’ of the Menorah. The center stem corresponds to Pentecost. Thus perhaps the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to occur within the timeframe of a Pentecostal ‘harvest’ time. Such a season goes well into the end of summer. The scene of the Menorah and the 7 Churches are part of the pattern of number 7s but constitutes the prelude to the prophetic patterns of the Raptures and other facets of the unveiling of Jesus’ prophecy of the end of time. The intricacy of the Biblical numerology of the book is clearly beyond human design and is mind boggling. In the revelation of the 7 fold Church, the LORD Jesus is in the midst as the 4th Servant Stem of the ancient Menorah given to Moses.

It was a facsimile of the true original in Heaven that stands before the Throne of YHVH. It also corresponds to the 7 Spirits that are spoken of in Isaiah. They have within them the 7 Thunders and speak and come with the 7 Angels that are ever before the Throne at the service of the King. The Church is likened to this Menorah which is a metaphor of an almond tree that was seen in the region of Mt. Sinai. The book of Revelation also can be a typology of the remaining Fall Feast appointments yet to be fulfilled by Jesus as they were in the Spring Feasts with Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread and First Fruits. The current Feast, that of Pentecost corresponds to the present Church Age. This Pentecostal Age incorporates the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit and is the time of mercy, grace and reconciliation allotted to mankind before the Hour of Trial is to befall the inhabitants of the Earth and the Sons of Jacob.

The Age of Pentecost and the Menorah typology also represents the vine and the branches that Jesus alluded to Himself as being the Water of Life that nourishes the branches of Believers with the anointed oil of the Holy Spirit to produce fruits of righteousness. It is also reminiscent of the Tree of Life that was lost by Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden. The book of Revelation is about how Jesus restores these elements specifically and all things in general on behalf of Humanity but because of Jesus through His humanity. Thus, the 7 Raptures are agents that accomplish this end. This present Church Age is about a harvest maturing, more appropriately, how Jesus is ‘maturing’ or being ‘birthed’ in a Believer. The Church Age is a time of when the Wheat and the Tares have been allowed by the LORD to operate and grow along side by side. This is the cause of their being wolves amongst the sheep in the Churches.

The Heavenly Call
As noted, the Raptures in prophecy have are and will be about a turning point. They are about ‘harvest’ types. For example, it will only be at the end of the harvest of the present Church Age where the fruit of Lucifer and Christ’s Disciples will be evaluated. Meanwhile, the only true test of which will be differentiated now is based on the fruit that can be discerned. Also consider that what separates the sheep from the wolves in the Churches is persecution. It is only those that are truly saved and wiling to lay down their lives for Christ Jesus that have, do and will endure such degrees of persecution that often lead to martyrdom; no wolves would do this for Jesus. This one reason among many that this study suggests suffering is allowed by the LORD so that the fire of persecution leads to genuine faith and fruit unto righteousness.

The notion of the Raptures especially the initial one subject to the evacuation of the Bride of Christ is also about Keys. There are several innuendoes about how Keys play an important part in the narrative of the Apocalypse for the purpose of prophecy and testimony of and to Jesus. Keys are used to lock and unlock doors. The one who has the Keys is one that has authority to use them above all others. It is seen in the book of Revelation how the LORD Jesus has the Keys. These in part are the Keys of Death, Hyades, of the ‘Open Door’ for Philadelphia, and of the Bottomless Pit, etc. These Keys are applied at certain times to open and close certain doors, gates or portals for the purpose of furthering the culmination of the fulfillment of the prophecy. What is the ‘Key’ to the Rapture? The Bible teaches that it is a ‘Hope’, a ‘Blessed’ one in which a Believe is watching and waiting.

Such a future expectation helps determine the present comportment to ensure that one is living a sanctified life, confessing sin and ‘walking with the LORD’. This amounts to keeping the ‘white garments’ metaphorically clean and pressed. It speaks of not allowing the sins that so easily entangle a Believer and/or those sins that are allowed to be weighted to trip one from completing the ‘Race of Faith’ as the Apostle Paul put it into such terms for one’s understanding. In chapter 4, the call to ‘Come up here’ is indeed a Rapture typology if at least that. It is also the same phrase used of the 2 Witnesses after the finish their witness. The imagery is amazing and does lend to a picture of the Rapture of the Church or Bride of Christ before the start of the ‘Time of Jacob’s Troubles’ or Tribulation period.

As noted, what lends credence to this calling being that of the unique Rapture of the Bride is how only out of a 12 Disciples is John typified in ‘Bride’ language or nuances and references in the Gospels. It would thus be befitting to have John relate the typology of the Church diagnostics and what is to occur in the ‘Last Hour’. Thus the book of Revelation is about what is occurring in the Throne Room of YHVH. This scene is what Daniel was shown, the ‘Court in Session’. Seated is the Bride of Christ as the 24 Elders; although such detailed language was not articulated to Daniel as it was not until Paul that specially was allowed to understand and teach the Mystery of the Bride of Christ. What is seen is that that purpose of the initial 1st Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to allow the Bride, the Redeemed of Jesus see the future event. This will be when the veils of Eternity are drawn back from Heaven.

The Witnesses of the Apocalypse
The purpose of the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to have the veil or curtain of the time-space continuum pealed-back for the Bride is the one that will be allowed to see the future and the judgments fall upon the Accuser of the Brethren on Earth. This study suggests that the Raptures of the book of Revelation are all about witnessing, as in being a testimony or even a martyr. Such is the case specifically of the subsequent 6 Raptures of Revelation that occur. Another clue that lend credence to the notion that the 1st Rapture, that of chapter 4 of Revelation pertains to the evacuation of the Bride of Christ has to do with how the AntiChrist reacts to such an event. In one place the AntiChrist is quoted as stating that he speaks blasphemously against the Lamb enthroned in Heaven from where the judgments are being pronounced from.

What is astonishing is that the AntiChrist not only slanders the Name of YHVH, then YHVH’s place but those that are living in Heaven. This could be ascribed to the Angels but that would be a given and a common understanding. There has to be someone or somebody that is there also living or existing in the midst of the Throne of YHVH, so peculiar that they are singled out to the same level of slander as is the Creator Himself. This study suggests that this is no other than the Bride of Christ. Why Lucifer is upset about these ‘living ones’ is that they are the ones that took up the vacated thrones and powers that Lucifer and his minions once occupied before being evicted from Heaven. This assertion would be collaborated by Isaiah 26:20 in how the LORD instructs His ‘Beloved to hide in the Chambers until the indignation or wrath has passed’.

What is even more reveling is that this cohort in Heaven, the Saints already glorified are distinct from the Saints that are being persecuted on Earth during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. As the Pentecostal Age of the Church ends with the Rapture, another clue as to the uniqueness of the 1st Rapture, that of the Bride is that it pertains to the promise of Jesus that the Gates of Hell would not prevail over the Church are not in effect during the Tribulation thereafter. This is why the AntiChrist is given total power for 42 months specifically the last half which is the ‘Great’ part to ‘wage war against the Saints and overcome them’. This could never been said of the Church Age despite horrific and constant persecutions. During the Tribulation, there will be a time when Israel will be cared for as she flees to Petra and is taken care of for 1260 days.

Many who interpret Revelation 12 believe it is signaling the midpoint of the Week of Years. It remains to be seen if such ‘witnesses’ overlap each other. This is one instance in how the chronology of the layout of the book of Revelation is subject to interpretation as many believe the 144,000 will be the testimonial agent for the 1st half or the 1260 day period. The 2 Witnesses would thus be the testimony for the 2nd half of the Tribulation period which would constitute the Great Tribulation Jesus spoke about in the Olivet Discourse. It could be the case that the 7 Trumpet judgments also cast their long shadow to start the 2nd half which could be seen then as the prelude to the commencement of the Great Tribulation with the 1260 day count. This time is also alluded to the vagueness of what really constitutes the 3rd Woe and the 7x Intermission that is typified by the 3rd Rapture type of the ManChild being called to the Throne of YHVH.

The Restoration of all Things
The purpose of the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is finally about the conclusion to the rebellion of Lucifer and his Fallen Angels. The issue is over not only the Earthly Jerusalem but the Heavenly Jerusalem on the Sides of the North. The book of Revelation is about the conclusion of everything. It is a prophecy that is to come true as it testifies of the one that is true, Jesus Christ. It is the very Logos, the Word of GOD that begins and concludes the revelation as He is the ultimate Witness. As the last generation is coming into focus and the season of the Rapture, it can be ascertained that the likelihood of the effects of such scenarios foretold that will occur as depicted in the book of Revelation. The key reason is that it is originated from none other than the risen LORD Jesus Himself who is the Truth.

The purpose of the Rapture of the Bride of Christ is to unleash the Divine Wrath of Jesus Christ that is coming to Earth; upon a Christ-rejecting Humanity and the Fallen Angels, Lucifer included. These judgments, in their consummation are directed towards the last years of this world that are clocked and pegged to the Church Age. It is only thereafter that the Millennial Kingdom of Christ is to be established on Earth. Christ was slain as a Lamb of YHVH led to the slaughter at His 1st Advent; He will return to execute His vengeance upon His enemies as a Lion at His 2nd Advent. It will be the time when the ‘Humble Lamb’ that triumphed over the raging prideful ‘Red Dragon’ at Calvary will have His vengeance in the end. The rationale for the prophetic Scroll Judgments is also coming from the perspective that these divine and catastrophic judgments will happen in the natural world after the Rapture or evacuation of the Bride of Christ.

The Bible clearly states that Christ promised that His Church would be spared from such type of ‘Wrath’ that constitutes the Hour of Trial for the world, the Sons of Jacob and Lucifer. As divine revelation begins in the Paradise of YHVH, in the Garden of Eden that was lost, so now in the end, Jesus fulfills His promise to Eve to have defeated sin, death and the Shining One with good. The typology of ‘rapturing’ the ‘Bride of Christ’ as a typology of all the Believers of Jesus being female alludes to the redemption of Eve by the work performed by the 2nd Adam. Jesus conveyed and implemented this divine principle that good overcomes evil as it is higher power based on love.

Lastly this is the purpose of the Rapture, it is about Jesus’ promise and love for His People. Jesus at the LORD’s Supper promised to return for His Disciples. The beginning of Revelation fulfills this promise. The ending of the book of Revelation ends in Paradise restored and marriage as it began in Genesis with a man and a woman. The purpose of the 1st initial Rapture of Revelation, pertaining to the Bride of Christ as John the ‘Beloved’, is about a marriage; to attend a marriage. In the conclusion of what type of definition is to prevail over marriage, it is Jesus Christ’s definition that prevails. It is the Spirit and the Bride speaking as one body, one voice, one heart and mind invite all who can come to partake of the Water of Life and the Tree of Life, for free. The words of ‘It is finished’ echo the words of the Spirt as it concludes the revelation to John by stating ‘It is done’. The Spirit and the Bride, say ‘Come’.
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Main Sources
BibleSudy.org
Hebcal.com
TimeAndDate.com
Wikipedia.com

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