Is it like a thief in the night or seated upon a white horse seen by the entire world arriving in Glorious Appearing?  What do you really believe, not just think about, but know in the depths of your heart?  How is it possible that the Lord is to come like a thief in the night and in Glory for the world to see?  No one can look at these prophecies with an honest review and say that the rapture is a myth.  The Lord will come like a thief in the night “For Believers”, that is why we are to be ready.  So many of the parables caution believers about being ready for this unexpected coming of the Lord for His church.  I don’t mean unexpected in the sense that we shouldn’t prepare for and look forward to the event but rather that it will come upon us unexpectedly, at a time of His choosing.  Conversely, coming on a white horse, for the world to see, with a multitude of believers behind Him to do battle with the enemies of God has nothing to do with stealth.  The conclusions are evident.

Those who would have us believe that these two entrances are one in the same have several misunderstandings; first, they fail to grasp the nature of the Almighty and second they forget that the entire Christian story is one of hope.  The Lord does not punish those whom He has forgiven nor does He make promises that He has no intention of keeping.

The Lord rewards obedience, this concept of grace is seen throughout the entire Bible, where believers were blessed by His grace for their faith.  I do not presume to know the nature of God, except as He is described in His Word, but it seems to me that the entire concept of salvation/redemption was designed to save us from His judgment, which is to come upon mankind.  Why then would He leave us to suffer through that judgment when He appears to execute it.  Don’t the references to the sifting and separation of wheat from chaff make any sense to anyone?

And to His promises, in Revelation 3 the Lord promises the church of Philadelphia that they will be saved from the tribulation to come.  Who is Philadelphia, and if they are going to be saved from tribulation, how is this to occur?  So, you now want to say that there will be a mini-rapture where that one church will somehow avoid the wrath.  The obedient church avoids the tribulation, sounds like rapture to me.  Look it is either true or it isn’t.  Although, I believe that the references and evidence given to this mystery are brilliantly clear, there may be those who remain skeptical, thinking themselves unworthy of escaping God’s wrath.  Christianity is about a God who loved us so much that He died for us to save us from our certain demise.  Why would He go to all that trouble and then dump out His wrath upon us anyway?  The converse argument makes no logical sense and denies the hope which God granted every Born Again Christian.

He will come like a thief in the night, snatching back that which belongs to Him, His bride, His Church, to sanctify us, feed us, marry us so that we may return with Him on the day of His Glorious Appearing.  It can be no other way.  Know this truth in your heart, be ready.  God be praised in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.