Biblical Forensics©


“Deliverance before Judgment”

Part 10


A primary consideration readers will want to first be aware of is that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not the same event as the Rapture of born-again Believers or what we call the Bride (Church) of Jesus Christ. The Rapture precedes the Second Coming by Seven years. The following chart compares and contrast specific differences that are unique to each event. Scriptural evidence is provided for further evaluation.


The Rapture

Second Coming

  1. At the Rapture, Jesus comes FOR His Bride (Church) (John 14:1-3; 1st Thessalonians 4:14-17).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing (Second Coming) Jesus comes WITH His Bride (Church) (Zechariah 14:5; Colossians3:4; Jude 14; Revelation 19:14).

  1. At the Rapture, Christians are caught up to meet Jesus in the air. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).

  1. At the Second Coming, Jesus’ feet touch the Earth. (Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 19:11-21).

  1. At the Rapture, Christians (dead and alive) are taken first and unbelievers are left behind. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).

  1. At the Second Coming, the wicked are taken first, but the righteous (the Tribulation saints are left behind. (Matthew 13:28-30).

  1. At the Rapture, Jesus will gather His Bride, the Church, unto Himself in preparation for the Marriage of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:6-9).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing or Second Coming, Jesus will execute judgment on the Earth and establish His Kingdom. (Zechariah 14:3-4; Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-21).

  1. The Marriage of the Lamb takes place in Heaven AFTER the Rapture of the Church. (Revelation 19:6-9).


  1. War on Earth comes AFTER the Marriage of the Lamb at the Glorious Appearing when the King of kings and Lord of lords lays the smack-down on evil! (Revelation 19:11-21).

  1. The Rapture of born-again believers will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. (Blink, and it’s over!) (1st Corinthians 15:52).


  1. The Glorious Appearing will be a slow coming. Everyone will see Jesus coming with great power and great glory! (Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7).

  1. At the Rapture, only those who are looking for Him (Christian Believers) will see Him. (1st John 3:2; Jude 1:21; Titus 2:13).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing, every eye will see Him and those who have rejected Him will wail. (Revelation 1:7).

  1. At the Rapture, Jesus will descend from Heaven with a shout, the voice of an archangel (calling for the saints at the Resurrection). (1st Thess. 4:16).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing, no shout is mentioned, although the Lord does slay the wicked with the sword of His mouth. (Revelation 19:11-21)

  1. At the Rapture, a resurrection will take place. (1st Thess. 4:13-18; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing, there is no resurrection spoken of. (Zechariah 12:10; 14:4-5; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-21).

  1. The Rapture can happen at any time … maybe even now which is why we are to be WATCHING for the return of Christ Jesus! The doctrine of imminence is foundational to the Pre-Tribulation view. (1st Corinthians 1:7, 16:22; 1st Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:3; 1st Thessalonians 5:4-6).

  1. The Glorious Appearing will occur at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:29-30; 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-8).

  1. At the Rapture, no angels are sent to gather the Church. (Only the reference to the Archangel appears in 1st Thessalonians 4:16).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing angels will be sent to gather people together for judgment. (Matthew 13:39-41, 49; 24:31; 25:31; 2nd Thessalonians 1:7-10).

  1. At the Rapture, those who died as Christians will return with Jesus to recover their resurrected bodies. (1st Thessalonians 4:14-16).

  1. At the Glorious Appearing, Christians will return with Jesus already in their resurrected bodies riding on white horses. (Revelation 19:11-21)

  1. At the Rapture, Jesus does not return riding a white horse. He does not touch the ground. (1st Thess. 4:17)

  1. At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus returns riding a white Horse. (Revelation 19:11).

  1. The Rapture will bring with it a message of hope and comfort. (1st Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13; 1st John 3:3).

  1. The Glorious Appearing will bring a message of judgment. (Joel 3:12-16; Malachi 4:5; Revelation19:11-21).

  1. The world is deceived. (2nd Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 13:11-14).

  1. The Devil and Satan are bound for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:1-3).

  1. The focus is on the Lord and the Church (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18).

  1. The focus is on Israel and the Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14; Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27).

  1. No signs precede the Rapture. (1st Thessalonians 5:1-3).

  1. Signs precede the Second Coming. (Luke 21:11, 15; Particulars noted in the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24 and 25).

  1. The Tribulation begins. (Matthew 24:29; Revelation 3:10, 6:16-17).

  1. The Millennial Kingdom begins. (Revelation 20:2-7).

  1. The removal of believers. (1st Thessalonians 4:17).

  1. The manifestation of Christ Jesus. (Malachi 4:2).

  1. Jesus claims His Bride. (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:6-10).

  1. Jesus comes with His Bride (Revelation 19:11-14).

  1. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb follows the Rapture. (Revelation 19:6-10).

  1. The Great Supper of the wicked follows the Tribulation. (Revelation 19:17-18).

  1. The world will not see Christ Jesus at the Rapture but rather, believers ascend and meet Him in the air. (1st Thessalonians 4:17)

  1. Jesus will descend bodily and visibly for all to see, just as He ascended bodily and visibly. (Acts 1:9-11 – dual prophecy stated).

  1. The Judgment Seat of Christ Follows the Rapture. (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11).

  1. The Judgment of the Nations follows the Tribulation. (Joel 3:2; Matthew 24:32-46; Revelation 19:15).

  1. Believers receive a new, immortal glorified body fashioned like unto the Lord’s. (Philippians 3:21; 1st Corinthians 15:51-54).

  1. Saints are saved during the Millennium Kingdom with their earthly bodies. (Isaiah 65:20).

  1. The Antichrist is revealed after the Rapture. (2nd Thess. 2:8).

  1. The Antichrist is defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire at the Second Coming. (Revelation 19:20).

  1. Israel is persecuted during the Tribulation. 2 out of 3 Jews in Israel are killed. (Zechariah 13:8-9).

  1. Israel is regathered. (Jeremiah 23:5-8).

  1. World government (the New World Order) follows the Rapture. (Revelation 13:15).

  1. Christ Jesus’ reign and government follows the Second Coming. (Daniel 2:34-35).

  1. World famine, pestilence, war, sorrow follow the Rapture. (Matthew 24:6-10; Luke 17:31).

  1. World peace follows the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 11:6).



Pastor Bob

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