First Stage of Christ's Second Advent -- Part 1

The secret rapture of the saints, which is the first stage of Christ’s second advent, is one of the major subjects of debate among students of eschatology. Those who believe the rapture will be visible are divided into such groups as amillennialists, realized millennialists, and postmillennialists. Persons who believe the rapture will be secret are premillennialists, but they are divided into pretribulation, midtribulation, and posttribulation rapturists.

Strong accusations are made against those who believe the Bible teaches a secret rapture of the saints before the tribulation. The following statements have been made by opponents to the secret aspect of Christ’s second advent:

1. They say premillennialism signifies many resurrections.

2. They say grace is the first resurrection, and glory is the second.

3. They say there are not two comings included in the second advent.

4. They say pretribulation rapturism opposes Christ’s high priestly prayer, “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15 NASB).

5. They say none of the three Greek words parousia, apokaluphis, or epiphaneia will allow a secret, invisible, and quiet presence.

6. They say there is only an arrival, and it is held forth as the hope of the Christian and as a warning to all.

7. They say secret rapturism of the church is heresy.

8. They say that in Matthew 24 Christ not only refutes the concept of a secret rapture in verse 26 but He also warns that many deceivers will appear just prior to His return (Matt. 24:4, 5).

9. They say that those who meet the Lord in the air meet Him on His way to judgment.

10. They say the coming, appearing, and revelation of Christ are only different aspects of the one event.

Since there is no reference to either the rapture or the resurrection in the Olivet discourse, these truths must be searched elsewhere in Scripture. The age discussed in the Olivet discourse is the consummation of “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), not the “end of the age” (Matt. 24:3). Furthermore, there is no reference to the assembly Christ is building, which is recorded in Matthew 16:18-19. The Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 is a message concerning Israel under Gentile dominion until its conclusion. The kingdom of Jesus Christ will succeed the conclusion of the Gentile age.

Jesus Christ did not leave the disciples in ignorance concerning the rapture of the saints. However, the Olivet discourse was not the place to discuss a subject that was not related to the persons involved. After giving His discourse, the Savior left the Mount of Olives two days before Calvary and met with His disciples in the Passover discourse on the night before His crucifixion. On that occasion, Christ instructed His disciples concerning the first stage of His second advent (John 14:1-4).

The disciples had problems with not only Christ’s death and resurrection (Matt. 16:21-23) but also the prediction He made concerning the Jews (Matt. 23:37-39). As soon as the assembly was announced, Christ proclaimed the foundation upon which it would be erected. The Savior openly predicted His sufferings and death only toward the close of His ministry (Matt. 16:21; 20:17-19; John 12:32, 33). The disciples were occupied with the idea of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel. Therefore, they wondered how the Lord Jesus could restore the kingdom to Israel if He died. Christ explained this to the disciples by giving Peter, James, and John a glorious experience on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 16:17-17:13). Even in that experience, Peter wanted to erect three tabernacles and remain on the Mount. Peter, like all Christians, was a slow learner. He was overlooking the truth that there can be no kingdom apart from Christ’s suffering and death.

Our Lord’s going away was in two stages. Calvary was the first and Olivet the second (John 19:30; Acts 1:11). The high priest of old was privileged to pass into the holy of holies once a year because he carried in his hand the blood of the sacrifice (Lev. 16). The eternal Son of God who became the Kinsman Redeemer fulfilled this type. He passed into the presence of God the Father when once in the end of the age He put away the sins of the chosen ones by His poured out life (Heb. 10:1-25). Had He not ascended to the Father there would have been no preparation for the elect.

Having given the Olivet discourse, the Lord Jesus would not go to the cross without explaining to His disciples that they need not any longer be troubled because He would explain to them what they could expect. The first stage of Christ’s second advent is taught in John 14:1-4—“LET not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going” (NASB). This is one of the most familiar but misunderstood passages of Scripture. It has received extravagant interpretations.

Christ comforted His disciples subsequent to His statement, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow later” (John 13:36 NASB). His comfort began with the words, “LET not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:1 NASB). The thought expressed is “let not your heart any longer be troubled.” When the truth of God is embraced, the people of God should not be troubled in heart. The Greek word for “troubled” is a present passive imperative of the verb parasso, which means to agitate, trouble, disturb, upset, or terrify. The verb is used 17 times, seven of which are in the Gospel of John (5:4, 7; 11:33; 12:27; 13:21; 14:1, 27).

Every person knows what trouble means. Therefore, the one who attempts to construct a theory of life and leaves trouble out of the account is no true philosopher. Job said, “MAN, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil [trouble—KJV]” (Job 14:1 NASB). No stage of one’s life from infancy to the grave is exempt from trouble. There are very few intervals of solid repose and tranquility of mind. Even the best of saints scarcely have time to dress their souls before they must put off their bodies in death. They spend too much time grasping at the shadow and failing to appropriate the substance. The Christian’s greatest problem is how to deal with trouble, not how to ignore it. A troubled heart will help no one in or out of difficulties.

Scripture states that Christ was troubled (John 11:33; 12:27; 13:21), but trouble to Christ does not mean what it does to men. Men’s troubles are caused by their sins that dishonor God, but Christ’s troubles were for the wrath due the elect for their sins. Clean water in a clean vessel does not become muddy when it is stirred by trouble. Conversely, clean water in an unclean vessel becomes muddy when stirred by trouble. Christ’s troubled soul or spirit did not dishonor God the Father. However, troubled Christians dishonor God because they are open to or under suspicion of unfaithfulness to Christ’s unchangeable love. This is the reason Christ said, “LET not your heart be troubled….” He then added, “…believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1 NASB).

Christ gave the antidote to His disciples for not letting their hearts any longer be troubled: “…believe in God, believe also in Me.” There is a negative command in the first part of John 14:1—“LET not your heart be troubled.” The negative command is followed by two direct commands in the latter part of the verse—“believe in God, believe also in Me.” The first is called a prohibitive imperative, and the last two are called entreative imperatives. Both uses of the verb “believe” have the same inflected form—pisteuete. This means they can be either present active indicative or present active imperative. There is strong evidence that both are imperatives. That would make them harmonize with the negative command in the first part of the verse, which is also imperative.

The disciples had many things to trouble them. They were disturbed over their Master being troubled (John 11:33; 12:27; 13:21), Judas’ betrayal of the Savior (John 13:2), Christ’s predicted suffering and death (Matt. 16:21), the predicted destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:38), and their Lord’s predicted coming again (Matt. 23:39). The disciples did not know how to cope with these trials. Therefore, Christ issued negative and positive commands. The antidote for the negative is twofold: (1) One must believe God’s prophetic word and submit to the Sovereign’s will. (2) One must believe in Christ because He is the only Redeemer. Redemption includes not only the soul but will also ultimately include the whole man—soul and body.

Following the negative and positive imperatives, Christ spoke of the Father’s house (oikia, house or dwelling) with its many dwelling places. The Father’s house has been interpreted to mean the universe, a place beyond the stars, heaven, the palace of God, paradise, and the Lord’s house established by the King of kings. However, to make the Father’s house something other than the literal New Jerusalem is not feasible (Rev. 21:2). Christ concluded His antidote for the troubled disciples by saying, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going” (John 14:3, 4 NASB).

The house that has been prepared for Christians has not been made with hands. Its Builder and Maker is God. The word “house” has a variety of applications. In John 14:2, it must be interpreted to suit the analogy of Scripture respecting the inheritance of the saints: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Pet. 1:3-5 NASB).

God’s people inherit the house. The Father’s house is real and tangible instead of something indescribable. Christ is the only Person who ever referred to “My Father’s house” (John 2:16; 14:2). Heaven is called the Father’s house and country (Luke 19:12; Heb. 11:16), city (Heb. 11:10), and eternal kingdom (II Pet. 1:11). The disciples knew the Old Testament well enough to know what Christ was talking about because Christ said, “If it were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2 NASB).

Christ’s comfort concluded on a high note. He said He would come and receive the disciples to Himself, and “…where I am, there you may be also.” When the Greek word ego is joined to eimi, as it is in Christ’s statement, it is used for emphasis. Therefore, He said, “…I will receive you to Myself in order that where I Myself am, you also may be” (John 14:3—translation). This means that Christ will receive (present middle indicative of paralambano) His own out from His mediate presence into His immediate presence.