“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.”               Mark 13:24-27

Bible prophecy is tricky business. I have heard of all kinds. Pre-trib, Mid-trib, Post-trib, No-trib, and those who do not believe in a “rapture” at all. I have even heard of some Baptist folk who believe in several raptures. From my teen years I was taught {rammed down my throat might be a better description} the pre-trib rapture theory. Many years ago I reached the conclusion that the pre-trib theory is unbiblical. I am not prepared to publish my end time “theory” at this time. I have to agree with C. H. Spurgeon concerning future events. He said, “The more I read the Scriptures as to the future, the less I am able to dogmatise.” I feel I have been mistaken in the past and do not want to be dogmatically wrong again.

In the Olivet discourse Jesus says that He will “gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” He says this will happen after “that tribulation”. Jesus said that He will come to gather His elect after “the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.” This, in my opinion, is a pretty good depiction of the opening of the sixth seal in Revelation chapter six.

Concerning the “secret rapture”, the Bible says, “then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” That doesn’t sound too “secret” to me.

There are some things I can say with clear scriptural authority.

1. He is coming back to gather His elect from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

2. This has not happened yet.

3. His return will be visible.

4. Before His return “the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.”

If you hold to another theory would you let me be like  H.A. Ironside concerning non-essentials.

When someone tried to nit-pick with Dr. Ironside on some non-essential matter, he would say, “Well, brother, when we get to heaven, one of us is going to be wrong — and perhaps it will be me.”

I’ll let others map out their “theories” to the very jot and tittles. I think I’ll just say with the old hymn writer;

“When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne.”                                                Are you ready for His return?