After These Things - The Rapture Is AFTER The Church Age- Before The Tribulation Which Deals With Israel As A Nation, Not The Church

Greek: meta (GSN-<G3326>) tauta (GSN-<G5023>), after these things (note a, Jn. 5:1). This Greek phrase is used at the beginning and at end of this verse thus: "After these things (after writing the things concerning the churches of Rev. 2 -- Rev. 3) I looked ... a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice ... said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be after these things," that is, after the churches (Rev. 4:1). This confirms and settles the question as to the time of the fulfillment of all the events of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22. They must be after these things of the churches, or after the rapture of the church. The church is no longer on earth when the events of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22 take place.

1. Christ said the things of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22 "must be hereafter," that is, after the churches, as proved above and also in note, Rev. 1:19. If this is true, then the church is raptured before these things of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22, and after the things of the churches of Rev. 2 -- Rev. 3. If the things which are (Rev. 2 -- Rev. 3) concern the church, then the "things which must be" after "the things which are" must concern events after the churches. The church must be here during the time of the fulfillment of the things concerning the churhes, and it must not be here during the fulfillment of the things after the churches. The church then is raptured in Rev. 4:1 between "the things which are" (Rev. 2 -- Rev. 3) and "the things which must be hereafter," that is, after the churches (Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22).

2. The word "church" is found 19 times in Rev. 1 -- Rev. 3 but not once in the third division of the book which contains "the things which must be" after the churches (Rev. 4:1 -- Rev. 22:5). The church is found again in the conclusion of the book (Rev. 22:6-21), but only after "the things which must be" are fully revealed. If the church were on earth during the fulfillment of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22 it certainly would be mentioned.

3. The enthroned elders are representative of the raptured saints and they are always seen in heaven after Rev. 4:1. Rev. 4:4.

4. The 70th week of Daniel will be the last seven years of this age, during which time all of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19; Mt. 24 -- Mt. 25 will be fulfilled. This week concerns Israel, not the church. Therefore, the church must be raptured before this week. See Rapture and Second Coming.

5. There is no place for the rapture of the church and the Old Testament saints other than in Rev. 4:1. The man-child and the great tribulation saints are the only ones to be saved and raptured during Daniel's 70th week, and these are distinct groups from the church and the Old Testament saints, as proved in notes on Rev. 4:4. Therefore, the church is either caught up in Rev. 4:1 -- after the churches of Rev. 2 -- Rev. 3 and before the events coming after the churches of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22 -- or it is never mentioned in Revelation as to its rapture. If it were to be caught up anytime during this week, it surely would have been mentioned. The church could not be the man-child or the tribulation saints, as proved in notes on Rev. 7; Rev. 12; Rev. 14.

6. In Lk. 21:34-36 we have the promise of Jesus that the saved will be accounted worthy to escape all these things, and to stand before the Son of Man. The things they will escape are those of Mt. 24:4-26; Lk. 21:4-19 and Rev. 6 -- Rev. 19.

7. In 1Th. 5:1-11 we have another definite promise assuring us that saints will escape the wrath of God (of Rev. 6-19). God has not appointed us to this wrath, but to obtain deliverance through Jesus Christ so we can live with Christ (1Th. 5:9-11). How could saints comfort one another (as stated in this scripture and in 1Th. 4:16-17; Tit. 2:13) if the only hope they had was the coming wrath of God in the future tribulation?

8. In 2Th. 2:6-8 it is definitely shown that the rapture takes place before the revelation of the Antichrist and before the 70th week of Daniel. The events of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19 will take place during this week, so the rapture must take place in Rev. 4:1.

9. There is a marked change in God's attitude toward humanity in general, from that of mercy (Rev. 1 -- Rev. 3) to that of judgment (Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19). The seals, trumpets, and vials all picture judgment throughout Daniel's 70th week. If the church does not go through any of these things, as proved already, then the rapture must take place in Rev. 4:1.

10. An individual or a body of individuals can be identified by peculiarities and characteristics. If the church is to be on earth and is the subject of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19 , then its earmarks should be seen. But such are not to be found. On the other hand, earmarks of Israel are seen throughout the book after Rev. 4:1. The earmarks of the church are seen up to this point only. This proves that two different institutions are dealt with in different parts of the book: first, the church until its rapture in Rev. 4:1; second, Israel after the rapture of the church to the second coming of Christ (Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19).

Twenty Earmarks of Israel after Rev. 4:1

(1) In Matthew, the Hebrew Gospel, there are 92 references to the Old Testament; in Hebrews there are 102 references; but in Revelation there 285 references. This proves the Jewish character of the book after Rev. 4:1.

(2) The word "Lamb" is used 27 times in Rev. 4 -- Rev. 22 and not once in the church section of Rev. 1 -- Rev. 3. It is never used in the Pauline epistles to the churches. It is used only 4 other times in the New Testament and always in connection with Israel (Jn. 1:29,36; Acts 8:32; 1Pet. 1:19).

(3) The terms "the Lion of Judah" and "the Root of David" are Jewish (Rev. 5:5).

(4) The 144,000 of Rev. 7:1-8; 14:1-5 are Jewish. They will be saved during the events after the rapture.

(5) The events of the seals, trumpets, and vials are a partial repetition of the plagues upon Egypt and are for the same purpose -- that of judging Gentiles for their mistreatment of Israel. They fulfill many Old Testament prophecies of punishments upon Gentiles because of their oppressions of Israel (Isa. 24:21; 26:20-21; 29:6-8; Jer. 30:6-9; Ezek. 38-39; Dan. 12:1; etc.). Not one such prediction is ever made concerning the church.

(6) The tribulation of Rev. 6 -- Rev. 19 concerns Israel (Jer. 30:6-9; Dan. 12:1; Mt. 24:15-22).

(7) Daniel's 70th week concerns Israel and Jerusalem only (Dan. 9:24,27).

(8) The church age comes between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel, proving that Israel is dealt with during the 70th week. See notes, Dan. 9:24-27.

(9) The only saved Gentiles in Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19 are the tribulation saints and they are not the church (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 15:2-4; 20:4-6). This confirms the Jewish aspect of Rev. 4 -- Rev. 19.

(10) The ministry of the angels around the altar (Rev. 8:2-5) is familiar to Israel only.

(11) The mystery of God promised by the prophets is Jewish (Rev. 10:7).

(12) The temple, altar, temple worship, court of the temple, holy city, olive trees, ark of the covenant, etc. of Rev. 11 are all Jewish, not Christian.

(13) The kingdoms of this world becoming Christ's is the fulfillment of Jewish prophets (Rev. 11:15; Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 7:13-14; Zech. 14:1-21; Lk. 1:32-33).

(14) The woman and man-child are Jewish, as proved in Rev. 12

(15) A dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns, showing rulership of the nations that have persecuted Israel in the times of the Gentiles, also proves a Jewish connection (Rev. 12). It could not be a fit symbol in connection with the church.

(16) Michael (Rev. 12:7) always stands for Israel (Dan. 10:13-21; 12:1).

(17) The remnant (Rev. 12:17) is Jewish (Isa. 1:9).

(18) Literal Babylon (Rev. 16:17-21; 18:1-24) proves a Jewish connection, as seen in Isa. 13-14; Jer. 50-51. The church has no relationship with Babylon.

(19) Armageddon and the second coming (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:11-21) prove a Jewish connection. Neither subject is ever used of the church.

(20) The Millennium and the New Earth were predicted in connection with Israel hundreds of times (Rev. 20-22; Isa. 2; Isa. 65; Isa. 66; etc), but not once with the church.