Return - Resurrection - Rescue

Rapture should be called Rescue. Definite after the last Saint has died and been resurrected immediately followed by the last living Saints rescued from burning fire. Fill in the blank. Revelation 20:9

The Day and Hour is coming when the living "changed" and "mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:53) That event has been called the Rapture. It should have been called the Rescue.

This mystery is mentioned first by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse, after the Tribulation when "Heaven and earth will pass away... but of that day and hour no one knows... but as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be... Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be... One will be taken and the other left." (Matthew 24:35-41) As Noah's troop was rescued and the others left to drown, so the living Saints will be taken in Rescue, and the others left behind in fire as Heaven and earth pass away.

That Day and Hour of the coming of the Son of Man, Jesus, was asked of Peter, who replied, "the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat." (2 Peter 3:10) Jesus is today and tomorrow working in the background, but His visible return will only happen once with RRR, Return, Resurrection, Rescue, followed by those Left Behind in fire. The Rescue can not happen earlier than the Heaven and earth passing away.

Paul had been asked by the Corinthians what would happen to them if Jesus Returned and they were still alive. After describing the Resurrection would occur first he told them of their Rescue. "I will tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-3)

The Thessalonians also knew about the Resurrection when Jesus Returned, but what if they were still alive? Paul told them of their Rescue, "By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) RRR, Return, Resurrection, Rescue.

To end the Tribulation, Jesus comes unseen from Heaven with the angelic army and kills the Antichrist and captures Satan. (Revelation 19:11-21) Satan is cast in the Abyss for 1,000 years. Then the resurrection in Heaven of only Martyrs from under the Altar of God. (Revelation 6:9-11) "The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." (Revelation 20:5) The Rapture or Rescue cannot happen until after the Resurrection. So during or after the 1,000 years. But we are here told of the later Resurrection.

The Beast from the Sea, Antichrist, was killed and the first one into the Fire. (Revelation 19:20) Yes, the "beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time." (Daniel 7:11-12) After the 1,000 years Gog and Magog "went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. _____ And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." (Revelation 20:9) Fill in the blank with the last living Saints Rescued from the devouring fire. It is the Day and Hour of RRR, Return, Resurrection, Rescue.

A look at the insertion of a Millennium Kingdom where all the Saints are Resurrected and Raptured before the Day and Hour to rule with Jesus for a literal 1,000 years. For 40 generations the world enjoys the actual leadership of Jesus with the support of a billion first-hand witnesses to preach the grace of God and brotherly love. Billions of new Christians are born into a world where they know the truth. The world is transformed with peace and joy. Yet, the countdown begins 998, 999, 1,000... and the Kingdom collapses with the world erupting with bad guys numerous "like sand on a seashore" attacking their brothers. The Millennial Kingdom was a failure. It won't happen.

Christians will live through the Tribulation, the 1,000 years, and the attacks of Gog and Magog to the last Day and Hour with the visible and noisy return of Jesus for the Resurrection and Rescue of the “still alive” Saints... immediately followed by the Left Behind burned up as Heaven and earth pass away... immediately followed by Judgment... immediately followed by the New Heaven and New Earth... and the Saints lived happily ever after. Thank you, Lord.