Partial Rapture Continued

Partial Rapture (cont'd)

The living (alive) and resting 144,000 firstfruits (Rev. 14.1-5) will be ready to be received at first rapture. They will be closest to Christ in the millennium. Even now they are the closest to Him. There have been 6000 years from 3986 BC to 2015 AD when the Tribulation starts. That's 120 Jubilees. 6000 year-days times twenty-four hours a day comes to 144,000. In other words, God is providing this as His timeframe for how long it will take to reach the number He has in mind. The same is true for the remnant of Israel that is also 144,000 (Rev. 7.1-8). The 144,000 "virgin...firstfruits" are not just those living at the time of the first rapture since they necessarily also must come from all the generations since Christ. Because first rapture is just for Christians, it is not for those who lived before resurrected life was given, that is, before the resurrection of Christ. The 144,000 are likely reached at first rapture and not by the end of the Tribulation since it is this pinnacle of the Church itself that incites a response, thus the 7 year Tribulation. 144,000 is the number God has in mind to begin His parousia. Even David a man after God's own heart would not be one of the firstfruits (Rev. 14.1-5). However, he will certainly reign during the millennial kingdom over the nations along with all overcomers (Rev. 2.26). None before Christ had the indwelling Holy Spirit. Though the Holy Spirit had come upon men, He never dwelt in men under the old dispensational covenant.

The main reason martyrs are also the man-child overcomers "who loved their lives not unto death" (Rev. 12.11), "slain for the word of God" (Rev. 6.9), and are included at first rapture is because there is mention of the martyrs in Rev. 6.11 who are told to "wait ye a little longer" because "precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Psalms 116.15). It grieves the Lord when the Saints die; thus, shall they be recompensed. This special mention deserves special receptions into heaven, indicating a separate rapture while waiting for the rest of their brethren to be martyred in the Tribulation, who will be raptured individually through the Tribulation three and half days after their death like the two witnesses.

The only reason the resting non-144,000 and resting non-martyred overcomers are raptured at the 7th trumpet before the bowls and not at the first rapture is so as to give the promise to the majority non-overcomers comfort to be resurrected together with overcomers in the body of Christ (1 Thess. 4.18) at the last trumpet (v.17, 1 Cor. 15.52) according to 1 Cor. 15.23, "afterward they that are Christ's at his coming". In Christ, the overcomers give comfort in Hades (the good side called Abraham's Bosom) while waiting for the promise of resurrection together from timeless unawares or paradise below (according to Jewish tradition) to meet the Lord in the air at the last trumpet.

The reason the first rapture commences is the very same reason the Tribulation commences: man is now ready to be received. Those raptured to the throne between the 5th and the 7th seal (the 7th seal opens the 7 year tribulation of trumpets) are those whom are most prepared and overcoming with the archangel Michael to take on Satan in heaven. Is this a marriage where no work need be done for the next year? Nope. Therefore, we should expect a great attack by Satan as a consequence for being beat out of 2nd heaven by these armies of saints in heaven including angels in the fight. He will be cast out at Rev. 9.1 (after the first 42 months) and the Antichrist released. There the "abomination of desolation" is set up (Matt. 24.15) which is a talking idol (3D hologram) of the Antichrist that speaks wherever the Antichrist may be (Deut. 29.17; 1 Kings 11.5-7; 2 Kings 23.13; Jer. 4.1, 13.27). It is the image of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2.3-4,9; Rev. 13.1-6) which causes destruction and "maketh desolate" (Dan. 9.27). That's what idols do. They're nasty.

These first raptured armies of heaven before the battle in heaven takes place are raptured before the Tribulation begins. They are closest to Christ and necessarily include the 144,000. Before the Tribulation they had the hope of not having to go through the Tribulation. God fulfills that promise. They are raptured alive, not needing to be tested during the the great and terrible day of the Lord. They can no longer be hurt by the second death so they need not be tested. Thus, they would be included with those of Rev. 20.4 which is a "best", "out-of", "out-resurrection" from the general raptures and resurrections at the consummation of this age. Because they are raptured alive they will not go down to Hades, the place of rest and timeless unawares, for they kept the Word of His patience (Rev. 3.10), remained watchful (Matt. 24.40-42), were accounted worthy (Luke 21.36), and can no longer be hurt by the second death (Rev. 20.6). They kept the conduct of Matt. 5-7 and abided in the will of God and works He ordained for them.

The five unwise virgins lose the reward and spend the duration in "outer darkness" (which has no fire or furnace about it), outside the light of reward of reigning during the millennial kingdom. There are consequences for Christians during the time of recompense (or accountability) that lasts 1000 years (Rev. 20.2-7). If any unwise Christians were alive at the first rapture, they would pass through the time of testing "to try them that dwell upon the earth" (3.10d) which includes everyone: both the saved and unsaved since both are on the earth. God's wrath comes against the unelect; Satan's wrath comes against the elect. Partial rapture (separate rapture) is a conditional rapture with a definite condition at the first rapture to be included. It is better we are aware of this so we have time to prepare. Those who were saved at the time of the first rapture but were "left" (1 Thess. 4.15,17) to pass through the Tribulation still remain once-saved-always-saved with eternal life which can never be lost. And even if a believer enters the Tribulation he or she still has opportunity to "overcometh," even as as a martyr or non-martyr depending on his circumstances.

Please don't give much credence to popular notions such as partial rapture implying non-OSAS or that five of the ten virgins represent partial rapture. The ten virgins are all of the same class as "virgins" with eternal life (OSAS) having at least some oil of the Holy Spirit still remaining in their lamps. But the five wise virgins receive the reward of reigning in the millennial kingdom (the "hidden treasure" Matt. 13.44) which is not the partial rapture, but the "first resurrection" (Rev. 20.4) - a "best," "out-of," "out-resurrection" from the total raptures and resurrections during the consummation of this age.

There are many in Christendom (Matt. 13) that sin bearing false witness against the correct teaching of partial rapture, but hopefully this helps clear up some of their misunderstandings in how to properly read God's Word concerning end-times.

Very spiritually motivating. Praise the Lord! Amen.

Troy Brooks