Rapture or Second Coming?
The definitions of “rapture” and “second coming” can be confusing so I want to present you some thoughts on this.
First, you are going to be taken up before the tribulation, to heaven by your Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the rapture. Jesus is coming to rapture out His church. In the rapture, Jesus is coming for His church.
Second, you are going to return with your Lord Jesus when He comes back for His millennial reign on earth. That’s the second coming. Jesus is coming to reign on the earth. In the second coming, Jesus is coming to establish His Kingdom.
Chuck Missler has laid out these passages in this table that I’ve posted below referring to the rapture and the second coming to help summarize these events. (You can hold your cursor over the verse and it should appear without having to leave this page.)
Rapture |
Second Coming |
John 14:1-3 |
Dan 2:44-45 |
Rom 8:19 |
Dan 7:9-14 |
1 Cor 1:7-8 |
Dan 12:1-3 |
1 Cor 15:1-53 |
Zech 14:1-15 |
1 Cor 16:22 |
Matt 13:41 |
Phil 3:20-21 |
Matt 24:15-31 |
Col 3:4 |
Matt 26:64 |
1 Thess 1:10 |
Mark 13:14-27 |
1 Thess 2:19 |
Mark 14:62 |
1 Thess 4:13-18 |
Luke 21:25-28 |
1 Thess 5:9 |
Acts 1:9-11 |
1 Thess 5:23 |
Acts 3:19-21 |
2 Thess 2:1 (3?) |
1 Thess 3:13 |
1 Tim 6:14 |
2 Thess 1:6-10 |
2 Tim 4:1 |
2 Thess 2:8 |
Titus 2:13 |
2 Peter 3:1-14 |
Heb 9:28 |
Jude 14-15 |
James 5:7-9 |
Rev 1:7 |
1 Peter 1:7, 13 |
Rev 19:11-20:6 |
1 John 2:28-3:2 |
Rev 22:7, 12, 20 |
Jude 21 |
|
Rev 2:25 |
|
Rev 3:10 |
http://www.khouse.org/articles/2002/444/