Matthew 24:20-21 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Many say that this verse refers to a time known as the Great Tribulation—a time that will take place after the believers are caught up to be with the Lord for eternity. But look at the next verse.
Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Those days, previously referred to as the “great tribulation,” will be kept short for the sake of the elect. Why and how would the shortening of the tribulation benefit the elect, if they are not living through it, along with others on the earth?
Continuing further in Matthew 24, the Lord Jesus once again refers to those days of tribulation when He describes an event that takes place immediately after the end of them.
Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
This description of the event is clear, and it is the gathering of the saints, which is elsewhere called the believers’ being caught up, as described by the Holy Spirit, speaking through our brother Paul.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Both the event described in Matthew 24:29-31 and the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 include the following elements:
The Lord’s return and descent in the clouds
The sound of a trumpet
The gathering of His elect
The passage from 1 Thessalonians also speaks of the dead believers’ being raised from the dead. Another place in which the Lord speaks of this is found multiple times in John 6.
John 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Can another seven years follow what our Lord calls the last day? I think not. The last day is the last day.
Clearly, the saints will be caught up at the appearance of Jesus, at His return, at the last day, after the days of tribulation that the Father has mercifully kept short, for the sake of His elect. The tribes of the earth shall surely mourn when they see Him because they know there is no second chance, no additional seven years to change their minds about the truth of the gospel, but those, whose citizenship is in heaven, who believe on Him, shall rejoice.
