Could there be Multiple Raptures?

[Vine Abider]

I've read a couple interesting books lately, putting forth the idea of more than just one rapture.  This thought seems to reconcile verses  appearing to show a post-trib rapture, while other verses  appear to show a pre-trib one.  One book I read, "Worthy to Escape," referred to these two raptures as "first fruit" and "harvest," going off the Old Testament practices depicted in a number of passages.  That is, some fruit ripened earlier, and was taken directly into the temple.  However, the harvest fruit required the full summer's heat to ripen. 

Has this viewpoint been discussed on here before and is there merit to it?

11-21-22 Addendum  My purpose when starting this thread almost a month ago was this:  Concerning the so-called rapture, there are many who subscribe to pretrib, many who subscribe to midtrib, and many who subscribe to posttrib.  I've heard these groups go around & round for decades.  Here I want to present the idea that perhaps the word shows there are elements of all these in scripture, so then ALL these events might be true.  This is not a core tenet of the faith, just an interesting discussion we're having with the family.  Could the idea of multiple raptures be wrong?  Sure, but so could certain other views.  Let's have dialog and see if we learn anything . . .

Edited November 21, 2022 by Vine Abider
Addendum 11-21-22

[Marilyn C]

37 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

I've read a couple interesting books lately, putting forth the idea of more than just one rapture.  This thought seems to reconcile verses  appearing to show a post-trib rapture, while other verses  appear to show a pre-trib one.  One book I read, "Worthy to Escape," referred to these two raptures as "first fruit" and "harvest," going off the Old Testament practices depicted in a number of passages.  That is, some fruit ripened earlier, and was taken directly into the temple.  However, the harvest fruit required the full summer's heat to ripen. 

Has this viewpoint been discussed on here before and is there merit to it?

Hi Vine Abider,

The Feasts were given to Israel by God as a calendar of His dealings with them. Although we are blessed with Christ`s work in Passover and Pentecost, the Feasts and those following are not about us.

However, that does not mean we shouldn`t study them. So yes, they have merit for establishing God`s great purposes for Israel and the nations, and our absence from those later Feast times. 

Marilyn.

[Marilyn C]

[Vine Abider]

7 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Vine Abider,

The Feasts were given to Israel by God as a calendar of His dealings with them. Although we are blessed with Christ`s work in Passover and Pentecost, the Feasts and those following are not about us.

However, that does not mean we shouldn`t study them. So yes, they have merit for establishing God`s great purposes for Israel and the nations, and our absence from those later Feast times. 

Marilyn.

Hi Marilyn - thanks for the reply!  Yes, and I've wondered if perhaps the "first fruits" of Revelation 14 perhaps applies only to Israel for that reason.  The book I mentioned liken first fruits with the promise to the church in Philadelphia about keeping them "out of the hour of trial coming upon the whole earth."

[Marilyn C]

41 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Hi Marilyn - thanks for the reply!  Yes, and I've wondered if perhaps the "first fruits" of Revelation 14 perhaps applies only to Israel for that reason.  The book I mentioned liken first fruits with the promise to the church in Philadelphia about keeping them "out of the hour of trial coming upon the whole earth."

Hi VA,

Thank you for initiating this very interesting subject. Here are some notes from C.J. Rolls a great teacher from last century.

The Redemptive Calendar.

 

The Feast of Passover - Christ the Redeemer.

The Feast of FirstFruits - Christ is the Resurrection and the Life.

The Feast of Weeks - Christ is the Regenerator.

The Feast of Trumpets - Christ is the Ransomer. (proclaiming release and repossession)

The Feast of Atonement - Christ is the Reconciler.

The Feast of Tabernacles - Christ is the Re-creator.

The Feast of Sabbath - Christ is the replete Rest.

 

Each one of the seven presents Christ in an outstanding feature of His person and work.

The fulfillment of the first three was necessary for the establishment of the Church. 

The next three require fulfillment for the manifestation of the kingdom, (the rule of Christ through Israel in the millennium) Attention is drawn to the consummation of these latter three Feasts, in the book of the Revelation, chapters 7, 11 and 19).

Beyond these the Sabbath that remains for the people of God will be entered as an everlasting rest.

Hope these notes are helpful.

 

Marilyn.

 

 

 

[Marilyn C]

45 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Hi Marilyn - thanks for the reply!  Yes, and I've wondered if perhaps the "first fruits" of Revelation 14 perhaps applies only to Israel for that reason.  The book I mentioned liken first fruits with the promise to the church in Philadelphia about keeping them "out of the hour of trial coming upon the whole earth."

Hi VA,

I don`t think I actually answered you question there. Now we know in 1 Cor. 15: 20 that Christ is the `firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.` And I see that as Christ being the resurrection and the life, being fulfilled in the Body of Christ and later in the 144,000 from Israel.

I think the focus should not so much be on the word `first,` but the meaning of that Feast in relation to Christ - resurrection and life. Thus there are Firstfruits of the Body of Christ, and Firstfruits of Israel.

Seeing each group in their correct place makes eschatology clear and meaningful.

Marilyn.

[Vine Abider]

7 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi VA,

I don`t think I actually answered you question there. Now we know in 1 Cor. 15: 20 that Christ is the `firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.` And I see that as Christ being the resurrection and the life, being fulfilled in the Body of Christ and later in the 144,000 from Israel.

I think the focus should not so much be on the word `first,` but the meaning of that Feast in relation to Christ - resurrection and life. Thus there are Firstfruits of the Body of Christ, and Firstfruits of Israel.

Seeing each group in their correct place makes eschatology clear and meaningful.

Marilyn.

So in Revelation 14, the first fruits could be referring to both those from Israel - and the body of Christ - who ripen before others?

[AdHoc]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

I've read a couple interesting books lately, putting forth the idea of more than just one rapture.  This thought seems to reconcile verses  appearing to show a post-trib rapture, while other verses  appear to show a pre-trib one.  One book I read, "Worthy to Escape," referred to these two raptures as "first fruit" and "harvest," going off the Old Testament practices depicted in a number of passages.  That is, some fruit ripened earlier, and was taken directly into the temple.  However, the harvest fruit required the full summer's heat to ripen. 

Has this viewpoint been discussed on here before and is there merit to it?

Yes! We'll be in touch.

Go well.

[missmuffet]

On 10/29/2022 at 3:53 PM, Vine Abider said:

I've read a couple interesting books lately, putting forth the idea of more than just one rapture.  This thought seems to reconcile verses  appearing to show a post-trib rapture, while other verses  appear to show a pre-trib one.  One book I read, "Worthy to Escape," referred to these two raptures as "first fruit" and "harvest," going off the Old Testament practices depicted in a number of passages.  That is, some fruit ripened earlier, and was taken directly into the temple.  However, the harvest fruit required the full summer's heat to ripen. 

Has this viewpoint been discussed on here before and is there merit to it?

Does the Bible tell us there will be multiple raptures? Show me some Scripture. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by missmuffet

[Marilyn C]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

So in Revelation 14, the first fruits could be referring to both those from Israel - and the body of Christ - who ripen before others?

No, it can`t refer to both -

1. Rev. 4, the Body of Christ is with the Lord on His throne in the highest, prior to the trib. (Rev. 3: 21)

2. Rev. 14 just refers to the 144,000 of Israel during the trib. See they are redeemed to God and the Lamb. The title the `Lamb,` refers to Israel`s sacrifice. It is only used in reference to the Lord`s relationship with Israel. 

 

Marilyn.