Do all Christians keep the patient word? "Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3 10; see Luke 21.36). "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread (typifies repentance and abhorrence of sin accompanied by a desire to get rid of it), and in the feast of weeks (two wave loaves signify first rapture and the last trumpet resurrection, see Lev. 23.17), and in the feast of tabernacles (type for being sheltered in the reward of the millennial reign of Christ); and they shall not appear before the LORD empty" (Deut. 16.16). First rapture is explained in Rev. 14.1-5; 7.9; Matt. 37,40-41.
The final harvest is the rapture occurring near the end of the Great Tribulation at 7th trumpet, before the bowls are poured, as indicated in these verses: Rev. 11.15,14.14-16; 1 Cor. 15.50-52; 1 Thess. 4.15-17. Then, a great ingathering of Jews and Gentiles, seen with the blowing of trumpets feast, occurs after the 7 trumpets of the last week-seven years of the Tribulation. After the final three trumpets (3 woes) are blown (1260 days of the second half of the Tribulation called the Great Tribulation), there is a gleaning of fragmentary raptures of the saved over approximately 30 days as God administers judgment from the 1260th (Rev. 11.2,3; 12.6,14) to 1290th day (Dan. 12.11). This last month of judgment after the Great Tribulation will be used to separate the goats and the sheep - Matt 25.31-46. From the 1290th to the 1335th day, the ingathering takes place whereby the nation of Israel then receives her glory.
Of the different partial rapture views, the reason my spirit is led to, "first rapture between the 5th and 7th seal of the (1) living overcomers, (2) martyrs from past 20 centuries, (3) 144,000 firstfruits (living and resting), and (4) during the Tribulation martyrs are raptured three and half days after their death" was several, in addition to the hope of escaping the seven year Tribulation based on being ready to be received to the throne which commences the parousia of Christ and initiates the Tribulation.
The living and resting 144,000 firstfruits (Rev. 14.1-5) are ready to be received at first rapture; who had been and will be closest to Christ in the millennium. The 144,000 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 before resurrected life, that is, before the resurrection of Christ, though the cross is eternal. The 144,000 are attained at first rapture since it is this pinnacle reached which sets off the seven year Tribulation - the number God is looking for to begin His parousia. If you were wondering, this would mean David, for example, would not be one of the firstfruits closest to Christ to be in the camp with Christ, reigning from Jerusalem, even though he was a man after God's own heart. Even so, he shall reign during the millennial kingdom over cities. The reason being is that none from the OT period had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Though the Holy Spirit had come upon men, He never dwelt in men then.
The main reason martyrs are also 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 receiving to 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). (1 Cor. 15.23, "afterward they that are Christ's at his coming"). In Christ, the overcomers give comfort in Hades-Abraham's Bosom-while waiting for the promise of resurrection together from timeless unawares.
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 (7th seal opens the 7 year tribulation of trumpets) are those whom are most prepared and overcoming to take on Satan in heaven. Therefore, we should expect a great attack by Satan as a consequence for being fought in 2nd heaven by these armies of heaven. He will be cast out at Rev. 9.1 (after the first 42 months) so the "abomination of desolation" can be set up (Matt. 24.15) which is an talking idol (a computer of some sort) that speaks for the first beast (Deut. 29.17; 1 Kings 11.5-7; 2 Kings 23.13; Jer. 4.1, 13.27) - an image of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2.3-4,9; Rev. 13.1-6) which causes destruction to "maketh desolate" (Dan. 9.27). That's what idols do.
These first rapture armies of heaven have either already been martyred, are those closest to Christ (the 144,000), or who receive the hope of not having to go through the Tribulation. They are raptured alive, not needing to be tested in the time or hour of trial of testing. They can no longer be hurt by the second death so there is nothing to test. 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. If raptured alive, they will not go down to Hades - the place of rest and timeless unawares - for they kept the Word of His patience, remained watchful, were accounted worthy (Rev. 3.10, 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 works God set for them.
Very spiritually motivating. Praise the Lord! Amen.
Troy Brooks