THE RAPTURE

Pre or Post Tribulation? What if it’s BOTH?!

John Paul Cook

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBER 7 BEING THE NUMBER OF PERFECTION AND COMPLETION AS IT RELATES TO THE RAPTURE, AND THE RESURRECTIONS, BOTH OF THE SAVED AND THE UNSAVED 

“The times of restitution of all things” is at hand. Acts 3:21

There is great controversy and sometimes confusion in the church over the issue of “end time” events, one of which is the issue of the rapture of the church and when it takes place, that is before or after the Great Tribulation, and where does the Wrath of God fit into this great subject? The majority of the church comes down on one of two sides.  Most of the church today believes in a pre-tribulation rapture.  That is where the church is taken up to be with the Lord in heaven before the end time events spoken of in many books of the bible takes place.  The lower percentage of the church, which is smaller in numbers but seems to be growing, believes that the church will be here on earth to go through what is called “the great tribulation” and then whoever has survived this time of great trouble will be raptured at that point.  This controversy has caused much division in the church.  It is my prayer that God will use the words in this booklet to bring not only light on the subject, but unity in the body of Christ  that is much needed for the days ahead.

One of the reasons for this division is that there are places in the scriptures that speak of Christians being preserved or kept from these trials that are coming.  So I do not fault Christians for believing in a pre tribulation rapture when scriptures exist like: 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ”, or Revelation 3:10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”  The problem arises when there are verses that also speak of Christians being persecuted during the time that the Antichrist is on the earth. Such verses as Matthew 24:29-31 which says that the rapture takes place “after the tribulation of those days”, and Revelation 6:9-11 that talks about servants and followers of Jesus whose lives will be taken (killed) during these end time events.  Still others read about how God preserved the children of Israel in the land of Goshen while He inflicted plagues on the Egyptians in Exodus 8:22,23 and might see a similar set of circumstances being played out.   Logic would say that there can only be three possible scenarios:  1) There is a rapture that takes place before the great tribulation starts, 2) The children of God are preserved or even hidden supernaturally on the earth while these trials are happening, or 3) The children of God will go through these final days enduring the great tribulation while some are martyred, and then those that survive will be raptured at the end. My goal is to show that all three will happen.

Before I get started on making a case for all three, I need to touch on a subject that would appear from scripture is near to God’s heart.  That being the importance of the number seven (7) in the bible. I’m sure that when you mention the number 7 in relation to events like the rapture or resurrection a lot of ‘alarms’ go off in people’s minds, but with a quick review of certain passages in the bible it would be easy to show most believers that they already believe in 6 events that pertain to a rapture or resurrection, and that should set off an alarm, in light of reviewing the importance of the number 7 in the bible. If one does a quick review of the book of Revelation alone, it becomes quite obvious just how important the number ‘7’ is. One researcher claims that if you ignore repeated sevens of things in the same verse, the number obtained is seven times seven, or 49; so, it would appear, it’s a big deal to God. So let’s get started.

The First Event that took place in the bible that pertains to our subject is found in Genesis chapter 5, and it pertains to a man named Enoch.  Now not much is said about this man of God (unless you want to look to the apocryphal books of Enoch, in other words, those books that were not considered to be among the canon or authoritative scripture included in some bibles). It’s obvious that he walked very close with God for He did not allow Enoch to even experience death.  It says in Genesis 5:24 “And Enoch walked with God and he was not; for God took him.”  Now I would like to interject here that when I use the word ‘rapture’ I am speaking of a person still being alive when they are taken up into heaven, and when a resurrection is spoken of it is referring to a person being raised from the dead, and then ascending into heaven.  Also, the word rapture is not mentioned in the bible, the word was coined from what the apostle Paul was talking about in 1Thessalonians 4:17 which says in talking about the return of the Lord “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:  and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”  The phrase “shall be caught up” is taken from a greek word Harpageesometha which itself is from the greek word Harpazo which means:  to catch away, catch up, pluck, pull, take (by force).  The word resurrection is from the greek word Anastasis which means:  a standing up again, i.e. (literally), a resurrection from death; raised to life again, rise from the dead.  So Enoch would be the first of the events and would pertain to a rapture.  Now might also be a good time to say that I am not going to count saints such as Lazarus being raised from the dead (John Chapter 11) or Phillip being caught away from the presence of the eunuch after baptizing him (Acts 8:39) as being included in the seven (7) events, because they remained on the earth after these miracles took place.

The Second Event recorded in the bible in keeping with our topic was that of
Elijah in the book of 2 Kings.  In chapter 2 we read that the time had come that “the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind”, and it goes on to say in verse 11 “And it came to pass, as they (Elijah and Elisha) still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”  This would also be described as a rapture or a catching away because Elijah was taken up bodily into heaven before he tasted death.  Although these two events are the only two of the seven listed in the old testament, they both represent pictures or types which have relevance to the days we live in (the last days), as we shall see later.

The Third Event along these lines has a connection to the most important event in history, that being when Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.  Although all four gospels contain the accounts of our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, only Matthew includes another major event which occurred at our Lord’s resurrection, and that event has to do with our subject.  The passage I’m referring to is in Matthew 27:52,53 where it says “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” I can only conclude, due to our being given little information in these two verses, that after a period of time (we’re not told how long), these saints would continue on their journey to heaven. This, of course, is a resurrection, and it obviously included the saints of old, or from the Old Testament, and gives but a vague hint as to what transpired when our Lord descended “into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:9) for those three dark days, after which, He gloriously arose and “led captivity captive” (Eph. 4:8), ascending “up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things” (Eph. 4:10). So much is packed into this mysteriously veiled event that leads us begging for more; more insight into what transpired during those three dark days, in which “He (Jesus) went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19). We will have to wait; however, for a detailed answer to this great event, as it is with so many other questions we have in this life, that will be answered, when we finally see our great Redeemer face to face and finally know as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12). I might also add that if our Lord had chosen not to put this passage in the bible we would end up with ‘six’ events that pertain to a rapture or resurrection, because our subject or theme deals with His creation or children.

So far I don’t think I have mentioned anything that would surprise anyone or be considered too controversial, but as this topic pertains to the rapture of the church, which has proven to be a source of contention among believers, so now we must look at the next in order of events in relation to our topic.  This will be the most delicate of the seven because it deals with a passage of scripture that has been greatly misunderstood, and has been taken out of context and used as doctrine in some religions causing some to doubt their salvation.

The Fourth Event that we will look at, admittedly, is the hardest to see. The passage of scripture I’m referring to is found in Revelation chapter 14 and it deals with a group of people that number 144,000. Now there are two references to a group of people numbering 144,000 found in the book of Revelation.  One is found in chapter 7 and the other is found in chapter 14.  I believe the two references are talking about two different groups of people. The first group found in chapter 7 describes a group of Jewish believers that are sealed out “of all the tribes of the children of Israel”, verse 4.  This Jewish remnant that is ‘sealed’ or protected from the judgements that God is pouring out on the earth during the great tribulation / Jacob’s Trouble are a ‘deposit’ of a sort, or a ‘first fruits’, if you will, of what God will do at the end of the time known as “Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7) and the great tribulation, when a nation (Israel) is born in one day (Isa. 66:8; Isa. 30:26; Rom. 11:25,26).  This group of 144,000 is not the one I want to focus on, for now, because of our topic.  The group I want to focus on is the latter in Revelation chapter 14.  This passage along with others I will mention is speaking of a group of believers that will be raptured before the great tribulation begins.  So yes, there is a pre-tribulation rapture, but it will only be 144,000, and it is not an “any moment rapture” (or one that could happen at any time) that many have been taught to believe in.  Also, this event takes place within the confines of ‘Daniel’s 70th week’ (final 7 years) just before the great tribulation begins (final 3 ½ years).  Daniel’s 70th week is a reference to a 7 year period of time that is outstanding or remains to be fulfilled, found in Daniel chapter 9:27. It is also the final 7 years of history before the millenium (the thousand years talked about in Rev. 20) begins.  It is broken down into two 3 ½ year periods.  The first 3 ½ years being a time of relative “Peace and Safety” (1 Thess. 5:3), followed by 3 ½ years of “Great Tribulation”, which also will be known to Israel as “the time of Jacob’s Trouble”.  This company of 144,000 found in Rev. 14, who I will also refer to as the ‘manchild’ company, is raptured or taken up just before the middle point of the final 7 year period, and just before the Great Tribulation begins (final 3 ½ years).

Now, while I realize that the entirety of the book of Revelation is not in chronological order, it is important to see that chapters 14-16 are, while also seeing that the events in chapter 12 correlate with the events in chapter 14. It’s as if the apostle John is seeing these events from two different vantage points, one, looking up from the ‘earthly Mount Zion’ in Jerusalem (chapter 12), and the other, looking down from ‘the heavenly Mount Zion’ (chapter 14). In chapter 12 he is seeing the beginning of these last days events (beginning of the great Tribulation [final 3 ½ years]) emanating from the vortex, which is Mount Zion in Jerusalem and the future temple that will be built; and in chapter 14 he is in heaven looking down on the earth as these things begin to happen, while beholding the ‘manchild company’ of Revelation 12 which has just been “redeemed from the earth” (Rev. 14:3) and “caught up unto God, and to His throne” (Rev. 12:5). There is a chronological order to Revelation 14 that begins with this rapturous event (verses 1-5), then continues with three messages from three angels. The first angel flies throughout heaven (our atmosphere) with the ‘everlasting gospel’ to preach to all of mankind, that serves as a warning, that they will be without defense or excuse if they refuse this message. The second angel proclaims the fall of Babylon (see Revelation chapter 17,18), “Babylon is fallen, is fallen”, repeated twice to mean that this is both a present fulfillment when Satan takes up residence in the body of the AntiChrist thus becoming Satan in the flesh and beginning the final 3 ½ years; and a future fulfillment, when this man, who represents a city and a kingdom, will be judged at the end of that time period. This city (or God’s people in this city), who is inextricably connected to this man, receives a clarion call from God to “Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4), which serves as a final warning from God before He destroys Mystery Babylon ‘that great city’ (Rev. 18:21) and she is utterly annihilated at the end of the great Tribulation never to be found again. The third angel (verse 9) warns the people on the earth not to take the ‘Mark of the Beast’ which is a form of worship, and that if they do, they will be subjected to the ‘wrath of God’ (as found in Revelation chapter 16), and ultimately be sentenced to hell or the lake of fire (Rev. 14:10,11). Rev. 14:12,13 goes on to describe “the patience of the saints” and those that keep “the faith of Jesus” that runs the entirety of the final 3 ½ years and includes the proclamation of verse 13, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them”. Then, continuing to run chronologically, in verses 14-16, we see Jesus (verse 14) and an angel in verse 15 proclaiming to Jesus to thrust in His sickle upon the earth “for the harvest of the earth is ripe”, and He does so in verse 16: This is ‘the rapture’, and it precedes the next event, which is the wrath of God poured out (verses 17-20) as described in more detail in chapter 16.

One might observe at this point that I am isolating the bowls of wrath found in Revelation 16, and you would be right. For a condensed understanding of my view of the seals, trumpets and bowls and their order, I see it this way: The seals encompass the final 7 years leading to the Rapture, the trumpets cover the final 3 ½ years or the Great Tribulation / Jacob’s Trouble, again leading to the Rapture, and the bowls are a separate, shorter, condensed portion of time, in which the undiluted wrath of God is poured out without mixture for a period of, let’s say, approximately 30 days (this would answer to the mysterious 30 day extension found in Dan. 12:11 that runs past the final 3 ½ years, 42 months, or 1260 days), in which the wrath of God is poured out on the people that have taken ‘the Mark of the Beast’ while the ‘Church’ is in heaven participating in the ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’. This interpretation gives a reasonable answer to the verse that has caused much confusion and contention in the body of Christ that the apostle Paul spoke of in 1 Thess. 5:9 “For God has not appointed us to wrath…”. This is also the time that the other group of 144,000 people (Jewish) found in Revelation 7 will be utilized; to minister, protect, (while being assisted by God’s holy angels), as well as to prepare the remnant, who have survived Jacob’s Trouble (Zech. 13:8,9) and now have come to believe on their Messiah, after having seen the Rapture, to return to the land (Israel). This will take a little time, obviously, as witnessed by the final extension of days found in Daniel 12:12, a period of 45 days, in which will be fulfilled such scriptures as Zech. 12:10-14 where the remnant will be processing all of this. It will take some time to get the remnant that are in other countries (America has almost 50 % of the Jewish population) back to Israel, at which time such scriptures as found in Isaiah chapter 60; Psalm 45:12-17; and Isaiah 18:7 will be fulfilled. So, by using and ‘seeing’ this interpretation we find an understanding or ‘key’ to the mysterious extension of days found in Daniel 12 that has perplexed Christians for generations.

I mentioned ‘key’ in the preceding paragraph, another ‘key’ in seeing that the bowls of wrath that are talked about in Rev. 16 are separate is understanding that Rev. 16:15 is parenthetical, and is meant to hide this mystery, just as verses that are found in Rev 22:7,12 are. We see this pattern of God inserting parenthetical scriptures into texts that pertain to the last days in order to hide what He is doing (Prov. 25:2). Another example would be in 2 Thess. 2:8 it reads “And then shall that Wicked (a reference to the Antichrist) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”: so when he is revealed, he is destroyed? No; the Antichrist is (ultimately) revealed at the middle of the final 7 year period, or when the Great Tribulation begins, and he is destroyed at the end of the final 3 ½ years. So, if you didn’t know that, reading that verse at ‘face’ value would be rather confusing being that verse 9 goes right back into the activities of the antiChrist during his reign for the final 3 ½ years. There are also other important examples of parenthetical verses like Dan 11:16; Dan 11:42,43, but a discussion on the all important passage of Daniel chapter 11 will be brought up in a coming project. 

Another example I would like to mention, proving the bowls of wrath are separate from the seals and trumpets is found in comparing Rev.16:20 with the often thought companion verse of Rev. 6:14. Many have thought that this is speaking of the same event due to the similarities in wording of the two verses, but upon closer examination of the Greek words ‘pheugo’ which means  ‘fled away’ or ‘vanish’ in talking about the islands in Rev. 16:20, and the mountains were ‘not found’ Greek word ‘ou heurisko’ which interpreted means ‘never to be seen’ is quite different from the Greek words used in Rev. 6:14 in talking about the mountains and islands being ‘moved out of their places’; moved (Greek word kineo) (to move to and fro, or wag) out of their places (Greek word topos) (spot or location). This observation when coupled with the verses found in Rev. 21:9 which says “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials (or bowls) full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”, and Revelation 15:1 which describes seven angels having “the seven last plagues” containing the ‘wrath of God’; serves to confirm that the 7 vials or bowls of wrath are separate and happen at the end of the final 7 years. The Greek word for ‘last’ in the phrase ‘last plagues’ is ‘eschatos’ which is where we get our word for eschatology from, which literally means ‘last in time, or the last, the end’. So, if we take these two verses (Rev. 15:1; Rev. 21:9) and combine them with the above aforementioned explanation that Revelation chapters 14-16 are chronological, we have a three fold witness that the bowls of wrath found in chapter 16 are indeed separate.

In Revelation chapter 14 the apostle John is given a vision of “The Lamb” or Jesus standing on mount Zion with a group of believers numbering 144,000.  This group of people it is said in verse 3 are given a song to sing before the throne of God which no man can learn but them.  It is also said that they “were redeemed from the earth”.  Here is the pre-Tribulation rapture, if you are looking for one, but not, an any moment rapture.  It goes on to say in verse 4 that they were “redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”  Now I am not dogmatic about the phrase in vs. 4 which says “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins”, is meant to say that this group of people cannot be married or they must be celibate, for I am reminded of what the apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:2 in speaking to the church at Corinth where he stated that he wanted to present them as a “chaste virgin to Christ”.  But rather, I believe that John is talking about a group of believers that are consistently (by the grace and enabling of God) demonstrating a level of sanctification that is extremely rare in the body of Christ.  One must keep in mind that if the apostle Paul were alive today, he most assuredly would have been included in that company.  When I said above, ‘by the grace and enabling of God’, I am reminded of what the apostle Paul said about his own walk in 1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am:  and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain:  but I labored more abundantly than they all:  yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”  It would have depicted the kind of life that Enoch lived as well.  To quote another passage: Jesus, in speaking to the seven churches in the beginning of the Revelation, says in chapter 3:10, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”  I do realize that this is one of the scriptures used by many Christian teachers and believers today to argue for the entire church being removed before the great tribulation begins, but notice that Jesus is only addressing one of the seven churches here, which in comparison to the whole body of Christ (or at least the seven churches He was addressing), is but a remnant.

Another passage I would like to look at is Revelation chapter 12, which is the companion chapter to this event. Here we find John beholding a vision of a mysterious woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and wearing a crown of twelve stars, which is commonly taken to be Israel.  This woman (whom I believe is the church [predominantly Gentile], and the crown of 12 stars symbolizes that she is inextricably connected to Israel as pictured in Romans 11:16-18). The woman is pictured travailing to give birth to a child which we find out in vs. 5 is a man child:  this is commonly interpreted to be Jesus because the child is “to rule all nations with a rod of iron”.  However, to say that ‘this’ child is Jesus, I believe, is to do great damage to the text and commit the common error of taking a certain portion of scripture out of context from the rest.  Clearly from the context of verses 6 and 14 the apostle is speaking of a period of time known as “the Great Tribulation” which will last    3 ½ years with further proof of this being vs. 7-12 where Michael and his angels fight against Satan and his angels, and cast them out of the heavens for good (Daniel 12 is the companion chapter to Revelation 12).  Now since Satan is to be cast out into the earth for good, and since we have not seen this happen yet, we can assume that this is a future event, especially if we keep the whole chapter in context.  Therefore, the question that arises if this view is taken, what does the manchild represent? 

Again, Revelation 12 and the “man child who was to rule all nations with a “rod of iron” has been interpreted by most to be Jesus, but if one does a search for the words ‘rod of iron’, you will find four (4) references in the Bible. Two, in Psalm 2:9 and Rev. 19:15 which clearly are referring to Jesus; and two in Rev. 2:27 and Rev. 12:5 which, I will say, are referring to the body of Christ or His children. The Revelation chapter 2 reference is easy enough to see, that it is referencing believers in the church of Thyatira, but the other reference in Revelation 12:5 is better hidden or veiled by the imagery, but becomes clearer if you place it in the context of Revelation chapters 14-16. By this I mean that if you can see that there are two separate groups of 144,000 people, one in chapter 7, and one in chapter 14, it will give you a better understanding of Revelation chapter 12. So, in this view, Revelation 12 becomes something entirely ‘other’, to use a word that the late Art Katz often used (artkatzministries.org) (I strongly recommend making yourself available to his writings and videos if you haven’t already) who, when he had read the first several pages that I had started writing of this booklet some years back, asked if he could one day put it into one of his future books, having said it was the best thing he had ever read on the subject of the Rapture and was frequently asked about it when he preached and taught abroad. I shared with him that I received this revelation some years back after a 21 day fast (which sadly has been the only fast past 7 days that I have ever done). I’m just sorry that I never finished it before he passed and went home to heaven, so as to fulfill his request.  Sorry Art; here it is…..finally. 

Revelation 12 is loaded with prophetic mysteries or symbolism, including, and I know this will upset some, has reference to America. Many have wondered, if we are living in the last days, where is America in the Bible? After all, we have been the strongest super power for some time, and we are home to roughly half (50%) of the world’s Jewish population, which is greatly significant when speaking of their place in bible prophecy and the events of the last days. We also have been arguably the greatest promulgator / dispenser of Christianity in history sending multitudes of missionaries abroad. Would God not have included her in the holy scriptures? And if she’s in there, what happened to her? Well, I believe that America is in the Bible, in multiple places, just hidden. I will seek to address this further in a booklet coming out in which I will try and show 7 signs that will lead us to the final 3 ½ years or the Great Tribulation, but for now I will just say that the ‘wings’ that the woman are ‘given’ in Rev. 12:14 are the same ones that are ‘taken’ in Daniel 7:4 (it is my belief that Daniel chapter 7 is a parallel or companion chapter to Revelation chapter 13 which I will go into more detail on in the future project I have highlighted above) and are symbolic of America, or more specifically, the church in America, that will aid the fleeing Jewish people that will be trying to escape the coming persecution (Jacob’s Trouble). There are many places in scripture that reference the Jewish people in and around Israel during the final 3 ½ years; this (Rev. 12), is given to us to know that God will also be dealing with his people (Jewish) here in America, and I will try and show in the future writing I mentioned that America has a special place in God’s providence, even in the millennium. Now, what I am not saying is that Rev. 12 is only about America, it has global implications concerning the church which will be undergoing persecution while also being provided divine protection for many during that time for the purpose of not just survival, but to be a witness for Christ and provide comfort and refuge to the Jewish people in flight while also being able to provide answers to anyone who will be searching for the truth as to what’s going on in those days. For, Rev. 7:9-17 speaks of a harvest of souls or “a great multitude which no man could number” coming out of that period of time.

So, Rev. 12:2 speaks of a woman in travail, which as I said before, many have seen as Israel, but I am saying is the church, with special attention being paid to the church here in America, but let’s look at another place in scripture that speaks of travailing, where I do believe we find Israel. That place is Jeremiah chapter 30 where in verse 7 it mentions ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ that I have mentioned numerous times already and which runs parallel to the time of the Great Tribulation (the final 3 ½ years). I want to draw your attention to verse 6, however, where it talks about a man, of all things, travailing with child; this is Israel. In the same verse, however, it mentions a woman in travail, this, I am saying is a hidden mystery, and is speaking of the church in the last days that corresponds to Rev. 12. For further proof of this mystery we will skip ahead to Jeremiah 31:22, where we are still in the context of the last days, and find God talking about creating a “new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man”. Now we can see the ‘bigger picture’ of both a ‘man’ (Israel) travailing and bringing forth the remnant company of the 144,000 mentioned in Rev. 7, and the ‘woman’ (church) travailing and bringing forth the 144,000 found in Rev. 14, and this ‘woman’ it also says in Jer. 31:22 “shall compass a man”, that word ‘compass’ has protective connotations, and in the Hebrew it literally means “a woman protects a man”. So, in this context, the woman (the church) has to be here on earth to provide comfort, protection and a Stephen / Philip type of witness (Acts 7:55-8:1 / 8:26-39 to the man (Israel).

I mentioned earlier that the raptures of Enoch and Elijah would be brought up again due to their prophetic relevance, and what significance these events would bring to the events of the last days. Well they are meant to serve, in both examples, as ‘types’, and a representation of a pictorial view of Old Testament imagery given to us as a witness and confirmation of this last days mystery of two biblical principles. One, a catching away of a small remnant of believers to escape what’s coming on the world, and the other of preservation, while being empowered by the Spirit of God to an unprecedented degree, to go through the Final Trial as in a Goshen type of environment (Exodus 8:22), where God’s people are supernaturally protected (although some will be called to martyrdom) while the unrepentant masses are being dealt with by the trumpet judgements as a warning to not take ‘the Mark of the Beast. In Enoch’s case, we see after his rapture (a representation of the ‘manchild’ company of the 144,000 found in Rev. 14) that Noah came on the scene, which would serve as a picture of God’s people being protected in the midst of  ‘outpouring’ judgement (I recall what Jesus said in John 17:15 “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil”). Then in Elijah’s case we see, again, a representation of the remnant (144,000) being “caught up unto God, and to His throne” (Rev. 12:5), and then Elisha bursting onto the scene with a ‘double portion’ of God’s Spirit as representing the church that will be here, empowered by God, to be, not only the witness that the Gentile people will need to be converted through miracles, signs and wonders that will be restored to the church (fulfilling what I believe Jesus was referring to in John 14:12 “and greater works than these shall he do”); but also the witness and protection that the Jewish people will need while they are in flight seeking refuge. 

Now I would like to briefly talk about Revelation chapter 12:7-9, and compare it to a portion of scripture found in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9.  There’s a good number of Christians who have been taught that 2 Thess. 2:7 “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” is talking about the removal of the Holy Spirit when the church is raptured, but if we look at the broader context of verses 1-9 and compare it with Rev. 12:7-9 it paints another picture; we’ll call it The Restrainer (this phrase I borrowed from Reggie Kelly mysteryofIsrael.org, and if you are not familiar with his writings, you would do well to avail yourself of them; God has deposited much into this vessel), Satan is described in scripture as “the prince of the power of the air” in Eph. 2:2, and if we think of him along these lines while considering also the great struggle that occurred in Daniel 10:13 in which the angel that was talking to Daniel described how he was resisted (obviously by a fallen angel or demon) for 21 days, but the archangel Michael finally was sent to help him so he could deliver his message, a message from God. This event is sandwiched between Daniel chapters 9 and 11, which I will say are the two most important chapters on prophecy and are the ones which are attacked the most. Chapter 9 talks about the all important 70 ‘week’ prophecy and chapter 11 is the longest chapter on prophecy and discusses not only events before the time of Christ coming to earth the first time, but also recent history, and finally ends up describing detailed events of the Antichrist in the last days, the days we are in. If you recall, I mentioned earlier in this writing, a period of time known as the final 7 years or the 70th week of Daniel, as it is often referred to, found in Dan. 9:27, at the end of which time, the Lord returns and Satan is bound for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3). Now, it’s not hard to imagine that Satan doesn’t want this to happen, and he will do everything in his power to ‘resist’ or ‘hold back / restrain’ events to keep this final time period (final 7 years) from starting. That’s exactly what the word ‘letteth’ means in 2 Thess. 2:7. So, if we keep all of this in mind, it describes   2 Thess. 2:7 as something entirely different than the Holy Spirit. 

Now concerning this outpouring of a  ‘double portion’ of God’s Spirit I made reference to earlier, I believe there are numerous references in scripture that describe this event, that’s still yet future, and that the church will need to propel her through those times in a way, that will not, by the grace of God, be described as the church ‘cringing’ and hoping to ‘just get through it’, but on the contrary, will be of such a nature, and of such a witness as to make the principalities and powers of darkness stand with their mouths gaped open, to fulfill in an ultimate way what the apostle Paul spoke of in Ephesians 3:10 when he said “to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”. Only at this future time, these fallen spirits will no longer be ‘in heavenly places’, but here on the earth, and the church will not only be demonstrating ‘the manifold wisdom of God’, but the power of God as well. 

It says in Zechariah 10:1 “ask ye of the LORD rain, in the time of the latter rain”.  This is a reference to the great move of God that is coming, by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, in a measure even greater than Pentecost, that will empower His people to be an effective witness in these last days.  This witness will be needed to not only win many to Christ and fulfill Rev. 7:9-14, but to be the witness and protection that God’s original people (the Jewish people) will need as they are in flight from persecution worldwide, the greatest number of these being here in America and in Israel, of which, at the end of this 3 ½ year period known as Jacob’s Trouble, “all of Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26) when they “look upon Him whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10) as the rapture of the church takes place, confirming to them once and for all that this Jesus (Yahshua to them) whom we preach is not only our Savior, but their Messiah as well (Acts 17:3).  This happens no doubt due to the holy ‘seeds’ planted in them by the church during this time of flight and refuge.  

There are several other passages of scripture that we will look at that point to this life changing event.  The passage above instructs us to ask, and so I believe the time has come for the church to start to come together just as the early church did at Jerusalem on Pentecost, and start to cry out to God for this power that the early church walked in which will propel us through the days ahead in His power that we might bring glory to Him!  James 5:7,8 is another portion that refers to this topic which says “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord (notice the context here – the return of Jesus). Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.  Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh.”  In these verses, in the context of the return of the Lord, it talks about the ‘early and latter rain’, which I am saying is a reference to not only the outpouring of God’s Spirit at Pentecost, but is a clue or hint of another great event like that one coming in the near future.  In Acts 3:19-21, as we continue to look at this great subject, it says “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:   Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”  Here the apostle Peter in the first sermon he preached after the first miracle he performed spoke of  ‘times of refreshing’ coming from the presence of the Lord in the context of the return of Jesus (vs. 20,21); this is another reference to this great outpouring of God’s Spirit at the end of days.

Then in Hosea 6:1-3 we find an extraordinary promise related to this coming blessing combined with a time reference of when it will happen.  It reads “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.  After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.  Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is  prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”  Here is a promise of the restoration of Israel that will come in these days…our days!  I base this on numerous passages along with the evidence I set forth in my booklet on The Final 7 Years. Such passages like Israel being the ‘fig tree’ Jesus talked about in Matthew 24:32-34 becoming a nation again in 1948, and this generation (a biblical generation being 70-80 years – Psalm 90:10) not passing away until all these things are fulfilled, well, if you add 80 years to 1948 you come to 2028, but you must include the fulfilling of the final 7 years, which would bring us to 2021! When you consider the events that started in 2020 with the riots and Covid, it’s as if Someone is shouting, “something big is about to happen, pay attention, watch”. Then in Psalm 90:4 it states that a thousand years in God’s eyes are like a day, and in verse 13 the psalmist asks “how long o LORD before you return?”  The apostle Peter picks up on this theme in his second epistle where we read in   2 Peter 3:4-10 starting with a reference of the beginning of creation, then in verse 8 that one day is with the Lord as thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; this he said in the context of the last days and the return of the Lord going through verse 10.  Now if we go by the creation model that God created all things in six days and on the seventh day He rested and relate it to the above information, we could say that six thousand years are given to man and after that would come the millennium (1000 year rest and reign of Christ on the earth).  Now if we go back to the Hosea 6 reference and look at verse 2 it says after two days (2000 years) will He revive us (the Jewish people):  in the third day (1000 year millennial reign of Christ) He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.  That is after 2000 years of being blinded while God reached out to the Gentiles (Romans 11:25), He would in these days turn back to His people and take the veil off of their eyes. His people (the Jewish people) will be saved at the end of the period known as ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ (Jeremiah 30:7) which runs parallel to the time known as ‘The Great Tribulation’ – the final 3 ½ years of the final 7 years, and they shall rule and reign on the earth with Christ for a thousand years.  While all of this is important, the topic here is the coming great outpouring of God’s Spirit.  If we look at Hosea 6:3 we find that this ‘latter rain’ is mentioned again, only this time it is worded a bit different.  It says ‘He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain’, but notice the order.  He lists the latter first and combines the latter and former, as if to say there will not only be an outpouring like in the early days, but it will be a greater or double portion of His Spirit (like Elisha received 2 Kings 2:9-11) which will be a ‘must have’ for the church, to meet the perilous and dark days at hand that Jesus Himself said would be the most challenging times the world has ever seen (Matthew 24:21).

Moving on to Joel 2:23 we read “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain (Pentecost) moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain (here we have another reference to an increased or doubled portion) in the first month (taken from the Hebrew word ri’shown which means as it happened before, or in other words, as it was in the early days, yet in greater intensity).”  Then, verses 28-32 clarify what this event being talked about here is, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.  And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD (Jesus) shall be delivered (saved): for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Many would recognize this passage as the proclamation the apostle Peter gave in Acts 2:14-21, but upon closer examination it becomes clear that verses 19-20 as with Joel 2:30,31 would clearly apply to the last days or ‘the day of the Lord’ (synonymous with the final 3 ½ years, which is the great tribulation).  This would mean it has a double fulfillment – one for the opening of the ‘church age / age of the Gentiles’ and one for the close of it – but also having application for Israel as the context of Joel 2 points out, leading into the millennium, that will truly unite us by His Spirit as the ‘one new man’ (Ephesians 2:15).

This dual fulfillment happens in another place, in Luke 4:16-19 at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He went into the synagogue and stood to read from Isaiah 61:1-2, but He stopped at ‘the acceptable year of the LORD’, and didn’t finish the sentence, ‘and the day of vengeance of our God’ was left out because it has its application in the end of days.  These ‘days of vengeance’ that Luke also talks about in Luke 21:22 are synonymous with ‘the day of the Lord’, final 3 ½ years, or the days of great tribulation.  On a positive note, found in the same chapter of Luke in 21:17,18 it is said that ‘we shall be hated of all men for His name’s sake.  But there shall not a hair of your head perish’.  In other words, nothing can happen to you even during this troublesome time without God allowing it and making provision for it (empowering you to go through it in an overcoming fashion) – He is in control!  We can trust Him.

With the introduction of the pre-tribulation rapture teaching which came about in the late 1800’s and has grown in popularity in the last 100 years or so, it seems to have had the effect of ‘lulling the church to sleep’, and because of this many in the church do not deem it necessary to even read the portions of the bible relegated to prophecy, which make up about 27% of the scriptures.  This is tragic because the church is missing a great opportunity to witness to unbelievers using current events and prophecy.   With the rise of natural disasters many unbelievers are paying attention to world events and are not only disturbed by them, but are looking for answers.

The words of Jesus in Luke 12:54-56 ring ever so true today where He rebuked those He was talking to about how they were able to discern when a storm was coming because of clouds gathering in the West, or when it was going to be hot because of a prevailing south wind, and went on to say:  “ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?”  True, no man knows the particular day or hour, not even Jesus (Mark 13:32), but we are called and commanded to know the time and the season (1 Thess. 5:1,4) and are commanded to WATCH!  (Mt.24:42; Mk 13:37; Lk. 21:36). So, let us be about, not a passive ‘watching’ as like watching television, but an ‘active watching’, through prayer, studying of His word, while also preparing physically with food, water, shelter as well as bibles, for the days ahead.

The Fifth Event that we will look at concerns the two witnesses that are mentioned in Revelation chapter 11. Much has been speculated over the years about these two fellows, and especially in recent years. Some have even dared to say that they believed that ‘they’ were ‘them’. I remember hearing about a prophecy conference some years back where two men showed up and introduced themselves as the two witnesses. It’s sad to see the level of deception that exists today that some are experiencing. Others have wondered, who are the two that will make up this dynamic duo.? I have believed for many years that it is none other than Moses and Elijah that will be granted ‘a special grace’ to finish their ministries that were never completed while they were here on the earth. Moses, after committing the sin at Meribah (Numbers 20:7-13) was not allowed to enter the promised land. The scripture says in Deuteronomy 34:5,6 that he died in the land of Moab, and that the LORD Himself buried Moses, and that no one knows where his grave is, even to this day. Now if that’s all we had in the Bible to go on, we would have to stop there, but there is a curious portion of scripture in Jude that leads me to believe something unusual happened at the passing of Moses. It says in Jude verse 9 that Satan was contending with Michael the archangel over the body of Moses. When this happened, we are not told, but I can only imagine that it was shortly after Moses’s passing. This is one verse, but God chose to put it in the holy scriptures, in the short book (Jude) that is found just before the book of Revelation. Now, there is no disputing that Elijah was raptured or taken up to heaven, we have definitive proof of this event found in 2 Kings 2:11, but something mysterious happened to the body of Moses, that God has chosen to leave out, but had God chosen to put into the scriptures that He had resurrected him (Moses), and taken him to heaven, we would not have 7 events that pertain to a rapture or resurrection, which is our subject title, we would have 8. This is just an observation, but I thought it was noteworthy. For further proof that Moses and Elijah are the two witnesses, we have the event known as the ‘mount of transfiguration’ found in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9, in which we find Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. Moses represents ‘the law’ and Elijah represents ‘the prophets’. In Revelation 11:5,6 we see that these two witnesses posses powers similar to those found in Elijah’s and Moses’s ministries found in 2 Kings 1 (fire called from heaven by Elijah), 1 Kings 17 /  James 5 (it didn’t rain for the space of 3 ½ years by the word of Elijah), and Exodus 7 (Moses turned water into blood and inflicted Egypt with plagues). The scripture says in Revelation 11:3 that they will prophesy for 1260 days, synonymous with the 42 months of the previous verse (2) (the final 3 ½ years of the final 7 years). It goes on to say in verses 9 and 11 that their bodies will lay in the streets of Jerusalem (verse 8) for 3 ½ days, then the Spirit of God (life) will enter into them, they will stand upon their feet and hear a great voice from heaven saying, “come up here”, and they will ascend up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watch (verses 11 and 12). It is hard for my mind to comprehend the thought of Moses and Elijah walking the earth again, in Jerusalem, in our days. Now, as we bridge to the next event, we must see that these two events are in close proximity in reference to the time frame that they both occur. As I said above, the two witnesses will finish their testimony after 1260 days and then be killed, and then lay in the streets of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days before being resurrected. I believe this event precedes the next one because of the magnitude of the following event, but we are not told by how much. My conviction is that it will probably be within a few days, so as to allow for the period of wrath to be poured out as I mentioned previously, found in the second paragraph of the Fourth Event, which is approximately 30 days. So, as we contemplate the dual scriptures of Matthew 24:36 that ‘no man knows the day or the hour’ and set it alongside the exhortation of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:4 ‘that we are not in darkness and that day should not overtake us as a thief’, we see that when we see all of these things being fulfilled, like as in the two witnesses being resurrected, we will know that it (the Rapture) is about to happen, without knowing the specific day or hour.

The Sixth Event we will look at is ‘the big one’, or the definitive rapture of the church. It’s referred to in Titus 2:13 as the ‘blessed hope’; it’s the ‘hope’ that Jesus referred to in John 14:2,3 when He said “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” It’s the ‘event’ that all of Christendom has awaited and looked forward to for two thousand years, but has only been promised to the final generation. It is not, as many have been led to believe, an ‘any moment’ occurrence, but will be preceded by various definitive events, as the apostle Paul warned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “for that day (the rapture) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin (Antichrist) be revealed, the son of perdition”. This ‘revealing of the AntiChrist’ happens ultimately at the 3 ½ year mark of the final 7 years and is preceded by a ‘great falling away’ of sorts. Although I say ‘ultimately’ revealed at the midpoint of the final 7 years, I do believe that there will be those who are given ‘eyes to see’ who this diabolical character is even at the beginning of the final 7 years when “he will confirm the covenant with many for one week” (Daniel 9:27) thus beginning the final 7 years, and thereby serve as a warning to the body of Christ to prepare for the days ahead. I’ll even go a step further, and say that there will be those who will see this man for who he is when he is rising to power, because the unfolding of these events will not be done in a vacuum, and those that will possess this insight will be trying to warn others even before this final 7 year time period begins and ‘the covenant is confirmed’ (For it says in Daniel 11:33 “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many”). Has the ‘great falling away’ actually begun in 2020, with the COVID lockdowns, since many have reported that up to 50% of the congregants have stopped going to church and many churches have closed permanently, fulfilling what the apostle Paul warned of in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.”? That day, he is speaking of, is the Day of the LORD, that final time period which will include the rapture. Paul also warned that when this Antichrist comes to power, he will sit in the temple of God, and seek to deceive the masses that he is God with “power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9). That would require a temple, on the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem. Daniel 9:27 also says that he will stop the sacrifices at the middle of the final 7 year period, so that would require two definite events to have started in the final 7 years, a temple and sacrifices. Well, being that we have neither, we can conclude that we are not in that final time period yet, nor could the rapture have happened at ‘any moment’ in history.

Paul also talked about the order of events, in speaking of that blessed hope, in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in which he talks about our loved ones who have passed on and gone to heaven (verse 13) as sleeping (in a sense) in Jesus, and that He (Jesus) will, when He returns, bring them with Him (verse 14). At that glorious moment, when Jesus descends from heaven (verse 16) with a shout, and with the final or last trumpet, (Revelation 11:15; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Matthew 24:29-31) we will rise, but will not precede those who have passed on before (1 Thess. 4:15), meaning that just before we are raptured, we will see all the saints that have gone on before, be resurrected, that is their bodies will finally be reunited with their souls and spirits which are already in heaven with our Lord. Paul speaks of this body in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, that it is a natural body when it goes into the ground, but is raised a spiritual or incorruptible body; a resurrected body. Those who are raptured will have this done all at once (1 Cor. 15:51-53), and our ‘lowly bodies’ will finally be like ‘His glorious body’ (Philippians 3:21). Oh, what a glorious day that will be!

The Seventh Event that we finally come to is one you don’t want to be found in dear reader, for it will involve a resurrection, but not like the one found in the last one discussed, or sixth event. This ultimate and final event will involve the unsaved masses that have rejected Christ Jesus throughout the centuries to their eternal embarrassment. This will also include the ones that have taken the ‘Mark of the Beast’, (during the final 3 ½ years I discussed earlier) found in Revelation chapter 13 and is also mentioned in Revelation chapter 20:4, which we are already, at the time of this writing (March 2021), beginning to see the initial stages of what that’s going to look like. As I write this, Israel, along with several other countries are well underway of requiring people to show proof that they have been vaccinated against Covid through a paper document or a ‘health passport’ on their smartphones, which will ultimately include, I believe, at a point in the near future, some kind of implantable chip in the right hand or forehead, to gain access to various events or stores. New York City has also just begun this process (the smartphone app), using IBM’s new ‘Digital Health Pass’, which will no doubt be followed by many other major cities across the United States, and eventually by every state. The introduction of the coming implantable device in the right hand or forehead will be the final component of this ‘Mark of the Beast’ system, I believe: I plead with you to resist taking part in this process.

Revelation 20:5,6 speaks of a ‘first resurrection’, and encourages the reader that, if you are included in this resurrection, which would include the rapture, the ‘second death’ (the lake of fire Rev. 20:14) will have no power over you. We also see in Revelation chapter 20 that this final or ‘second resurrection’ (second is implied, I believe, although the word ‘second’ is not mentioned) that is referred to as ‘The Great White Throne’ judgement (Rev. 20:11) will happen after the ‘thousand year’ period mentioned in Rev. 20, in which Satan will be bound during that time. So, the dead that are not saved and protected by the blood of Christ and His righteousness will be raised after this thousand year period and be judged by their works (Rev. 20:13). Rev. 20:15 which reads “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”, is parenthetical, or meant as an afterthought, I believe, and is meant to convey to the reader that ‘the book of life’ will be present at this judgment as a further witness to those being judged by their works that they have no defense. Their only defense would have been to be covered by the righteousness of Christ before they died and thereby ensuring that their names were written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

In John 5:28,29 it reads “28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation”: these two resurrections are separated by a thousand years, and are the same two mentioned in Daniel 12:1,2 “1 And at that time shall Michael stand up (this is when Satan or the Restrainer that I mentioned earlier is cast down, beginning the final 3 ½ years found in Rev. 12), the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time (again, the time of the Great Tribulation / Jacob’s Trouble or the final 3 ½ years): and at that time (or the end of that time period) thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book (the Lamb’s book of life). 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life (separated by a thousand years), and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” 

It is my hope that this writing will help to shed some light on the Rapture and some of the events of the last days that are quickly unfolding, and that it may clear up some of the confusion and contention that discussion of the Rapture usually brings. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please, after praying over it, if you feel led, please share it.

Hebrews 13:20 ¶ Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

John Paul Cook

Contact me at: Triple7theend@yahoo.com

Website (a work in progress): 777theend.com