February 5, 2026 | www.gospelofjesuschrist.blog | River Wilde
Let me state the obvious: Church members feel that if anything is important relating to the end times, the church would be telling us about it…RIGHT?!?
I understand that thinking, but I must ask you, “If that was the case, why did God inspire the Prophets of the Old Testament to even write about them in the first place?”
The facts suggest that God wants all of His children to know about the end times, and has preserved the prophets’ writings so that we can know what is coming. He has also inspired these writings to bring you COMFORT, (stay with me to the end to see this comfort). This is why we have the scriptures in the first place…To know what God wants us to know.
Today, I’ll show you what is involved in the end times from a “Big Picture” perspective, and then explain God’s Rescue Plan (Rapture) that will remove certain people before all of this end-times prophecy takes place.
Items 5 – 18 below are the core doctrine of the end times. All of these events will take place in the final 7-year period of time on the earth. This is called the 7-Year Tribulation Period. Just take a moment and read through these 21 items, not to have a full understanding of the events, but just to know the “language” of the end times.
Today’s focus will be the rapture, and not all of the other end times events.
The Events of the Final 7 years Upon Earth
1. The Rapture of the Church
- Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; John 14:2-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
2. Wedding Feast of Christ
- Scriptures: Matthew 22:1-14; Revelation 19:7-9
3. Judgment Seat of Christ for Believers
- Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12
4. 7-Year Peace Agreement Signed
- Scriptures: Daniel 9:27; Revelation 6:1-2 (context of covenant and peace)
5. 7-Year Tribulation Period
- Scriptures: Daniel 9:27
6. 7 Seals Opened
- Scriptures: Revelation 6:1-17; Revelation 8:1
7. The Temple Built in Israel – Likely upon the Temple Mount
- Scriptures: Ezekiel 40-48 (detailed temple prophecy); Daniel 9:27 (abomination set up in temple)
8. 144,000 Missionaries
- Scriptures: Revelation 7:1-8; Revelation 14:1-5
9. Two Prophets in Israel – Likely Elijah and Moses
- Scriptures: Revelation 11:3-12; Malachi 4:5-6 (Elijah)
10. The Antichrist and False Prophet
- Scriptures: 1 John 2:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13:1-18
11. Deception
- Scriptures: Matthew 24:4-5, 24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Revelation 12:9
12. One World Religion & World Order
- Scriptures: Revelation 13:7-8; Daniel 7:23-24; Revelation 17:12-13
13. The Desolation of Abomination
- Scriptures: Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:31; Matthew 24:15
14. The Mark of the Beast
- Scriptures: Revelation 13:16-18; Revelation 14:9-11
15. 7 Trumpet Judgments
- Scriptures: Revelation 8:6-13; Revelation 9:1-21; Revelation 11:15
16. 7 Bowls of God’s Wrath
- Scriptures: Revelation 16:1-21
17. Return of Jesus Christ
- Scriptures: Revelation 19:11-16; Acts 1:11; Zechariah 14:4
18. Battle of Armageddon
- Scriptures: Revelation 16:16; Revelation 19:19-21; Zechariah 14:2
19. 1,000 Year Millennial Reign
- Scriptures: Revelation 20:1-6; Isaiah 11:6-9; Micah 4:1-4
20. The Great White Throne Judgment for non-believers
- Scriptures: Revelation 20:11-15
21. The Lake of Fire
- Scriptures: Revelation 20:14-15; Revelation 21:8
There will be a great deal going on in this 7-year period, right? When you read all of these things listed, there is a great chance that it has produced the emotion of FEAR. Is that God’s intent, to give people FEAR in the end times? YES, and NO. The entire 7-year Tribulation Period makes total sense if we zoom out for just a minute, to understand God’s Plan from the very beginning. Let’s go there now.
The Life-long Battle between Good and Evil
Ever since Adam, and because of our free agency, satan has been able to tempt mankind. We have ALL fallen short and have sinned. But satan’s greater plan is to take as many people away from worshiping God as possible. He doesn’t just want us to sin, he wants us to worship him, and to be loyal to him; not God. This has been the lifelong battle that exists between Good and evil: To remove followers of God, and claim them as satans own.
God has allowed satan to tempt us, but it doesn’t mean that He approves of this action. In fact, right now in the timeline of earth, God has had ENOUGH of satan and evil. God has had a plan, from the very beginning, of how He will finally deal with satan and those who choose to follow him. This plan is detailed in the 21 steps as listed above.
The Purpose of the 7-Year Tribulation Period
So why is God being so aggressive with His actions in these 7 years? Some things seem quite harsh, and there is a reason why they are indeed just that… HARSH.
There are TWO reasons that God is being so aggressive with His “punishments” Let’s look at each one individually.
We all understand the concept of “Tough Love,” right? To do something that makes it difficult for the ones that we love to get back on course. The 7-year tribulation is filled with difficult times, with the hope of humbling people who are on earth, to finally accept Jesus Christ into their lives. Scripture even tells us that many will come to accept Christ in the Tribulation period:
Revelation 7:9–10 (KJV)
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”
Then John asks who they are:
Revelation 7:13–14 (KJV)
“…These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
So, there will be people that will actually come to Christ because of God’s tough love. They will learn “The Hard Way,” because of the difficulties that they will have to endure during this period of time.
The second purpose that God has for the 7-year Tribulation period is to destroy EVIL and banish satan into the lake of fire. As we see in the other events of the Tribulation period, satan will be unleashed upon the earth for his final chance to deceive mankind, hoping that people will accept his mark, “The Mark of the Beast” and pledge allegiance to him through his deceptions. This is a “High Alert” time for mankind. Should they take such a mark, they will lose their very soul, and will be cast into the lake of fire with satan.
Something this important needs to be studied, for the consequences of taking this mark are tremendous. If you know nothing about this, you are primmed for the deception that satan has planned, as he seeks to take you away from God, FOREVER!
Here are the scriptures that detail this event:
Revelation 20:10 (KJV)
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Revelation 20:14–15 (KJV)
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The ones not found in the Book of Life includes all who followed Satan, rejected Christ, and were not redeemed.
Alright, now that you know God’s plan, let me take you through the details of the RAPTURE. What is the Rapture all about? Is it a real event? Who will be taken? When will this Rapture take place? How can I know TODAY if I will be included in this Rapture?
I’d like to teach you this in concepts, with supporting scripture.
God’s History of Rescuing His people
Think back to the story of Noah and the great flood. The entire world’s population was considered in this story. Through the prophet Noah, God warned the people unless they would repent, and accept Jesus Christ and His atonement, they would all be killed.
After years of this warning, God’s plan continued, and the earth was flooded, killing all who inhabited the earth…except for a handful of faithful people who God RESCUED through an ark that He had told Noah to build.
The concept: God rescued certain people. These people were rescued because the upcoming WRATH of GOD was NOT intended for THEM. His wrath was intended for those who were NOT followers of God. Conclusion to this concept: God rescues “His Followers” and removes them prior to His wrath.
Let’s look at another story to see a similar rescue.
God rescued the “slaves” that were kept in bondage for many years, under the rule of the king. Furthermore, as these slaves were escaping, the king changed his mind, and sent his army to destroy them.
As the Israelites fled, they had become blocked from escape, being backed up against the shores of the Red Sea. Once again, a RESCUE was performed by God. He parted the Red Sea, allowing all of those people to cross onto the other side, escaping certain death from the soldiers.
Conclusion: God Has rescued His people before in DRAMATIC fashion. He has removed them from His wrath because they were not the intended parties that He was upset with. He has also rescued them when they faced immediate danger and death.
That same concept applies to all of us TODAY. God is planning the 7-year Tribulation Period, which includes changing the Earth and removing all of its inhabitants. He also has a rescue plan: The Rapture, to remove all of His followers from the earth prior to the Tribulation Period beginning.
It is important for you to understand this, because understanding God’s plan helps us fill in the “Details” that the scriptures leave out. You can not read two scriptures about the rapture and know all about its PURPOSE and TIMING. But understanding why God plans on rescuing His followers makes the details perfectly clear.
Who will be included in the Rapture
Let’s begin with me sharing those two rapture scriptures so that we can learn who it is that God will be rescuing.
1. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (KJV)
This is the clearest, most direct rapture passage.
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive (“in Christ) 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.”
Key phrase: “caught up”
That’s where the Latin rapturo comes from — hence rapture.
2. 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (KJV)
This explains the instant transformation that happens at the rapture.
“Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
Why these two matter most
Together these scriptures answer:
- Who will be included in the Rapture → “the dead in Christ” and living believers
- What will happen during the Rapture→ resurrection of the dead + transformation of the living
- How fast → “twinkling of an eye”
- Where → “caught up… in the clouds… in the air”
The Rapture is SEPARATE from the Second coming of Jesus Christ. This can be easily identified through scripture. As we can see from the scripture above, The Lord meets us “In the Air.”
When Christ comes for the Second Coming, His feet will actually touch the earth. Let’s look at that scripture.
Zechariah 14:4 (KJV)
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”
This is not the rapture — this is the visible, bodily return of Christ at the end of the Tribulation, when He comes as King and Judge, and the earth itself responds.
A confirming companion passage (same location, same promise):
Acts 1:11–12 (KJV)
“…this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet…
So biblically:
- 🔹 Rapture → believers caught up to meet Him in the air
- 🔹 Second Coming → His feet touch the Mount of Olives
Now, let’s go back and learn more details about who will be included in the rapture. This is the most important thing that you need to know, to ensure that you will be included. If you are taken in the rapture, you do not need to know anything further regarding the 7-year Tribulation period, for you will be removed, RESCUED, from all of that, and will not even go through one day of that time period.
The detail of who will be taken in the rapture as stated in the scripture is those who are “in Christ.” Let’s explore that meaning further.
Paul does not say:
- the dead who were religious
- the dead who belonged to a church
- the dead who tried hard
He says “the dead in Christ.”
So… what does that actually mean?
“In Christ” means union, not affiliation
To be in Christ means you are spiritually joined to Him, the way a branch is joined to a vine.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches… without me ye can do nothing.”
— John 15:5 (KJV)
This is not symbolic only—it’s positional.
When someone is in Christ:
- His death counts as your death
- His resurrection counts as your resurrection
- His righteousness counts as your righteousness
That’s why Paul says:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
You’re not improved.
You’re not cleaned up.
You’re re-created.
How a person gets “in Christ”
This is critical—and very freeing.
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…”
— 1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)
You are placed into Christ by the Holy Spirit, not by works, rituals, or institutions.
Paul makes it airtight:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
— Romans 8:1 (KJV)
So being in Christ means:
- You have trusted Jesus alone for salvation
- You are sealed by the Holy Spirit
- You belong to His body, not a denomination or church
“In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”
— Ephesians 1:13 (KJV)
That seal matters for the rapture.
Why “in Christ” is the rapture qualification
Look at the full passage:
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (KJV)
Who is “we”?
Those already identified as in Christ.
The rapture is not about:
- who endured the most
- who understood prophecy best
- who belonged to the “right” group
It is about union with Jesus.
If you are in Christ, you are:
- already seated with Him (Eph. 2:6)
- already justified
- already His
The rapture is simply your body catching up to your spiritual reality.
“In Christ” vs “in Adam”
Paul draws a sharp contrast:
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22 (KJV)
There are only two spiritual locations:
- In Adam → fallen, condemned
- In Christ → forgiven, alive, secure
The rapture is the moment when those in Christ are publicly, physically gathered to Him.
Why this brings peace (and not fear)
This is why Paul ends the rapture teaching with:
“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:18 (KJV)
If salvation depended on performance, the rapture would be terrifying.
But because it depends on being in Christ, it is comfort.
You’re not waiting to see if you qualify. If you are in Christ—you already do.
Let me help you understand this in simple terms. People who have accepted Jesus Christ into their lives and have chosen to live a “Christ Like Life” have a certain countenance about them. You can go to an airport and pick them out of the crowd. You can just tell who is “in Christ” and who is not.
This countenance comes from a person belonging to Jesus Christ, someone “in Christ.” It is not based upon any of their good works, but by simply belonging to Him. You have accepted Him and His atonement, and by doing this you become “Born Again.” You are transformed into a better version of yourself. This is what being in Christ means. You have accepted His gift of the atonement into your life and recognize it as being ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR YOUR SALVATION. Complete… Enough.
We also show that we are in Christ by repenting of our sins, and by doing good deeds. These things in themselves do not make us in Christ, they are the fruit of being in Christ.
One last clarifying detail. The atonement of Jesus Christ is offered to all mankind as a gift. However, we have all been given free agency which also applies to the atonement. There are people who learn of the atonement, recognize that they are a sinner, and then accept that atonement into their life, which is the process of being in Christ.
There are also people who refuse the Gift of Christ’s atonement. Because of this, they are responsible for ALL of their sins, and they will be cast into the lake of Fire, for as a sinner, they cannot be in the presence of God.
Our job is to learn of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Recognize that it is Enough. We then accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and His atonement that He is offering to us as a gift, which results in us being in Christ. Sound to simple?
Remember the thief on the cross? He recognized that he as a sinner, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. By doing this, He was granted this promise, “Today, ye shall be with me in paradise.”
It is not so much of the mechanics, or the specific steps of being “In Christ.” It is all about recognizing that we are all sinners, and that we need Jesus Christ and His atonement to break free from the bondage of sin. Needing Christ and accepting Him as our Savior is the task at hand to ensure that we will be included in the upcoming rapture.
So, there you have it. A simple, complicated understanding of the rapture, and how you can feel confident, and COMFORTABLE in knowing that God has a rescue plan: To keep His followers away from the 7-Year Tribulation Period, and the destruction of evil that He has planned.
I have found it quite interesting. The more that you study the Bible, the more comforting life becomes. The more that you study end times prophecy, the more you will see God’s love that He has for His followers. I don’t know why a church would not teach about the prophecies of the end times. Failure to do so is certainly not the best strategy in preparing for, and comforting its members. There is a tremendous benefit in taking personal responsibility for your spiritual development. By doing this, you do not miss out on all of God’s teachings.
I invite you to continue your relationship with Jesus Christ. You have direct access to Him personally, and to God through Christ.
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