Except the Lord Build the House: A Biblical Examination of the Return of Jesus Christ and the Rapture of His Church

By Norman Eberly

At the turn of this century, Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins published their famous Left Behind series, with the underlying plot that Jesus would abruptly appear in the sky and “rapture” (catch away) His church just prior to the worldwide “Tribulation.” Throughout this seven-year period of Tribulation, the main characters who are “left behind” find themselves in a survival struggle under the hideous rule of the Antichrist, as they earnestly await another appearance of Jesus at the end of the Tribulation – clinging to the hope that they will get another chance to be saved.

This fictitious story is based on the predominant prophetic teachings that have been widely accepted as orthodoxy among many non-Catholic denominations. But just how accurate are these conclusions when measured up to the Word of God? What does the Bible really say about the Rapture and the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

In Except the Lord Build the House, author Norm Eberly constructs a doctrinal house from the ground up, using the literal renderings of various passages from the Bible as a foundation. Throughout its pages, the reader is urged not to apply “mystical interpretations” to Biblical prophecies, but rather to simply read the Word of God at face value in order to arrive at sound, logical conclusions. Later in the book, numerous prophetic interpretations are introduced for the reader to ponder – but only after a firm foundation that is based on the literal wordings of the Holy Scriptures has been established.

Written for scholars, students, and novice Bible readers alike, and with over 100 colorful charts and illustrations, this book offers a fresh approach to the study of Biblical prophecies for the endtime and presents a bold challenge to the status-quo of popular Evangelical teachings concerning the Rapture and the Lord’s imminent return.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728306247

Norman Eberly

Norm Eberly is an obscure author who has studied prophecy for over thirty years and has spent more than twenty years writing this book. In each chapter, his perspectives are unique and compelling, adding much needed insight to the intense debate over the fulfillments of endtime Biblical prophecies. Norm Eberly also authored Who’s the Least? The Kingdom Principle, published by Authorhouse.

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© 2019 by Norman Eberly. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/06/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-0623-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-0624-7 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1103-6 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019903698

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

All Biblical quotations throughout this book are taken from the Authorized King

James Version (published in 1611), unless otherwise indicated.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed

since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do

not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Individual copies of this book can be purchased directly from the publisher’s online bookstore.

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Contents

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION The Blueprint

PART I

Building on a Firm Foundation

Chapter 1. Let’s Pour the Concrete

Chapter 2. The Central Pillar

Chapter 3. Aligning the Crossbeams

Chapter 4. Sub-flooring

Chapter 5. The Framework

Chapter 6. Overlaying the Frame

Chapter 7. Verified by the Architect

Chapter 8. The Roof

Chapter 9. Windows and Doors Installed

Chapter 10. Adding Insulation

PART II

A House of Cards

Chapter 11. A Faulty Foundation

Chapter 12. The Deck of Cards is Examined

Chapter 13. Let’s Set Up the Card Table

Chapter 14. The First Starter Card

Chapter 15. The Second Starter Card

Chapter 16. The Jack of Diamonds

Chapter 17. Acey Duecey

Chapter 18. Three Pairs

Chapter 19. The Ace, Deuce, and Three of Spades

Chapter 20. The King of Clubs

Chapter 21. The Queen of Hearts

Chapter 22. A Full House

Chapter 23. The Joker

Chapter 24. Typos

Chapter 25. The Bluff

Chapter 26. The Cards Come Tumbling Down

Chapter 27. What Went Wrong?

PART III

Back to Work:

Let’s Finish the House

Chapter 28. Electrical Hookup

Chapter 29. Plumbing Installation

Chapter 30. The Face: Cedar Shingles? or… Aluminum Siding?

Chapter 31. Let’s Try a Brick Face

Chapter 32. Laying the Drywall

Chapter 33. How About a Luxurious Granite Wall?

Chapter 34. Bath Fixtures

Chapter 35. Carpet and Tile Flooring

Chapter 36. Trim and Light Fixtures

Chapter 37. Kitchen Appliances

Chapter 38. Inspection

Chapter 39. Conclusions

Epilogue: What Shall We Do?

APPENDIX

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ENDNOTES

Dedicated to my precious daughters:

Erin, Cadi, and Naomi.

Special thanks to my beloved wife,

Tammy, for her constant support and

encouragement for me to finish this book.

The author may be contacted via email: [e-mail]

"Except the Lord

build the house,

they labor in vain

that build it"

(Psalm 127:1).

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PREFACE

When building a house, one must begin with a solid foundation. After the foundation has been laid, the frame of the house can be assembled. The framework should include pillars and crossbeams that are sturdy enough to support the floors, walls, and roof. The frame must also be square at every corner so the house does not appear lopsided.

Once the foundation and frame are complete, the rest of the work involves cosmetic features, such as siding, roofing, flooring, interior walls, etc. These facial components can be changed relatively easily at any time without altering the house’s foundation or framework. For example, if a carpenter wanted to replace paneling with drywall, he need not tamper with the frame. Thus, the foundation and exterior frame are fixed and absolute; whereas the facial components are not necessarily so.

Such is the way Biblical doctrines should be established. We should begin with a firm, Scriptural foundation that reflects what the Bible literally says, and not what someone has interpreted a particular Scripture to mean. An interpretation is certainly not stable, since it is merely someone’s opinion. Much like building a house on top of sand, an interpretative foundation is unable to hold up a complete doctrinal structure. It is vital therefore to have a solid foundation that is based on the literal renderings of the Scriptures in order to build upon them.

Next comes the frame. This involves searching the Bible and piecing together all the pertinent Scriptures into a logical, coherent pattern – making sure everything is aligned properly (just like the example of a house’s frame needing to be perfectly square). Such a Biblical framework will then be able both to stand on its own and to hold up the rest of the house.

Afterward we can begin to add interpretations on top of our framework. If, however, some of our interpretations be proven wrong, they can be easily adjusted, or perhaps even discarded altogether and replaced with new ones – like the example of changing paneling to drywall. Thus, our Scriptural foundation and framework will remain solid, even if we discover new and better interpretations to attach to our doctrinal house.

It is this author’s conviction that such a method of construction is necessary if we want to follow sound, Biblical teachings. This is especially true regarding eschatology (the study of endtime prophecies), which can be an extremely intricate and intense (as well as sensitive and contentious) subject among theologians, teachers, and students of the Bible – mainly because so many opinions exist on the topic. Therefore, when studying Biblical passages that describe endtime events, such as the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Rapture of the church, and the Day of Judgment, it is vital for us to start with a firm foundation and framework that are based on literal renderings of the Scriptures. We can then build various interpretations around those fundamentals.

Too often, however, a student (or even a teacher) will base his or her view of endtime events on an interpretation of a particular Scripture rather than on its literal, face-value meaning. Thus, his foundation is highly unstable, being based on man’s opinion. Then, when someone comes along and disproves his interpretation by demonstrating how such an interpretation contradicts other pertinent Scriptures when taken at face value, the student or teacher has a major dilemma: his foundation has just collapsed. He then desperately tries to repair his house – even to the point of juxtaposing various Scriptures and twisting their meanings in order to make the Bible fit into his preconceived view. This of course is unacceptable, since God did not give us the Bible for this purpose. We are not supposed to bend the meanings of the Holy Scriptures in order to make them match our interpretations or wishful thinking. We must rather straighten our interpretations so they stay in line with what the unchangeable Word of God says.

Throughout this book, we will construct a doctrinal house by coordinating endtime Biblical prophecies into a chronological pattern. Beginning with a firm, sturdy foundation that is based on the literal wordings of various Scriptures, we will then construct the frame by sorting through the Scriptures that are relevant to our foundation, and then piecing them together into a strong, durable framework. Afterward we will explore possible interpretations that could be laid on top of our Biblical frame. The thesis of this book is necessarily designed in such a manner to ensure that its message matches that of the Bible.

This book has been 22 years in the making; so I hope you enjoy reading its contents as much as I have enjoyed trying to piece it all together!

– the author

(By the way, as you read through this work, be sure to include the endnotes located at the back of the book, as they contain additional pertinent information.)

INTRODUCTION

THE BLUEPRINT

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Before we can lay the foundation for our doctrinal house, we must start with a blueprint. Thankfully we have a blueprint prepared for us by the Architect (the Lord) regarding the endtime. This blueprint tells us that Jesus will (future tense) come back for His bride, the church. The Bible calls this the catching up, or more commonly known as the Rapture (from the Latin word rapiemur). This is the hope of the church; but as to when Jesus will rapture the church remains a mystery and, unfortunately, is constantly debated among many theologians.

There is, however, one thing that all Christians must remember: Jesus wanted us to always be ready for His appearing, even though we would never know the exact time of His arrival. He said to His disciples:

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man… Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh: at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch (Mark 13:32-37).

Jesus could return at any moment in time. He may return today, or tomorrow, or two hundred years from now. Therefore, since the future is known only to the One who created all things, please keep in mind that this book merely contains theoretical conclusions concerning the sequence of upcoming events that are prophesied in the Bible. Now let us begin with an important question….

The Question

While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him with an inquiry concerning His return in the endtime. They asked Him:

What shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:3).

In His lengthy response (commonly known as the Olivet Discourse), Jesus made reference to the Abomination of Desolation. He said:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place… (Matthew 24:15).

Jesus was referring to several prophecies from the book of Daniel, one of which reads:

…And they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate (Daniel 11:31).

But what exactly is the Abomination of Desolation, and when will it occur? First, let us examine when it will take place.

Daniel’s 70 Weeks

In the ninth chapter of the book of Daniel, we see the archangel, Gabriel, informing the prophet that only seventy weeks remained before the end of man’s dominion on the earth:

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy (Daniel 9:24).

When we compare the remainder of this prophecy in the ninth chapter of Daniel with its fulfillment in history, we notice that these weeks refer to weeks of years. (One week equals seven years.¹) The next portion of Daniel’s prophecy says:

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off… (Daniel 9:25-26a).

Here we see 69 weeks subdivided into two parts. The first seven weeks (49 years) would begin with the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem. (The city was previously destroyed in 586 B.C.) These seven weeks are then followed by 62 weeks (434 years), which would conclude when the Messiah is cut off. This gives a total of 483 years. Assuming that the angel was speaking in terms of Biblical years (360 days per year²), this prophetic 483 years equals 173,880 days. Thus, from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem unto the crucifixion of Christ would be 173,880 days. With this in mind, let us see how it was fulfilled….

The First Seven Weeks

Artaxerxes began to rule the Persian Empire in 465 B.C. During his 20th year, in 446 B.C., the Persian king allowed Nehemiah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem:

And it came to pass in the month Nisan [mid-March thru mid-April], in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes [446 B.C.]…the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, …Send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchers, that I may build it. …And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me (Nehemiah 2:1-8).

As we can see, the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem was granted in 446 B.C. According to Jewish history, the rebuilding of Jerusalem was completed in 397 B.C. (49 years later). That same year the book of Malachi was written, thus closing the Old Testament and marking the fulfillment of the first seven weeks.

The Next Sixty-two Weeks

The angel said to Daniel, And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off. History tells us that Jesus was born in either 4 or 5 B.C. (due to discrepancies in ancient calendars) and was crucified during the first week of April in 30 A.D. There are 476 years between 446 B.C. and 30 A.D. This is a total of 173,859 days, using our present calendar of 365.25 days for each year. When comparing this figure with the angel’s prophetic 173,880 days, we are still short by 21 days. This difference is made up when we take into consideration that Nehemiah did not state the exact day of the month in which the decree from the king was made; but he simply said, …in the month Nisan. It was ancient custom to assume that the writer was referring to the first day of the month when no specific date was mentioned. So, since the first day of Nisan falls somewhere within the first and second weeks of March (depending which Jewish cycle we are in), the extra 21 days would bring us to the first week of April, 30 A.D. – the time when Jesus entered into Jerusalem just before He was crucified. Astounding!³

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A Break in the 70 Weeks

According to the Bible, there appears to be a break in time between the 69th and 70th weeks. During this lapse, Jerusalem and the Temple would again be destroyed. The prophecy in Daniel continues:

…And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined (Daniel 9:26b).

This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D., when the Roman army completely destroyed Jerusalem. As far as we can tell, the 70th Week has not yet occurred. We can only speculate as to why there is a break between the 69th and 70th weeks, since the Bible gives no explicit reason for this.

The 70th Week

The 70th Week will begin when a man, whom many scholars refer to as the Antichrist, will confirm some type of seven-year covenant:

And he [the Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [7 years]… (Daniel 9:27a).

The Abomination of Desolation will then be set-up half-way through the 70th Week:

…And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation… (Daniel 9:27b).

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Thus, when Jesus told His disciples about the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Matthew 24:15), He was referring to the middle of the 70th Week of Daniel’s prophecy.

The Daily Sacrifice Removed

There are numerous opinions as to how the Abomination of Desolation will be fulfilled. Many scholars believe the Antichrist will offer a pig on the altar. Some have even posited that an explosive nuclear device will be placed on Temple Mount that will destroy Jerusalem.⁴ Other possible theories have also been presented over the years. (For the purpose of this book, however, it is the timing of the Abomination of Desolation at Midweek that we are interested in, rather than its actual definition.) But as we ponder the fulfillment of this event, there is one important point to keep in mind. The Abomination of Desolation (or Transgression of Desolation) is mentioned four times in the book of Daniel. In each instance, it is accompanied with another event, known as the taking away of the daily sacrifice:

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate (Daniel 11:31).

And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days (Daniel 12:11).

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation… (Daniel 9:27).

Yea, he [the Antichrist] magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. …How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed (Daniel 8:11-14).

Hence, the removal of the daily sacrifice must have some bearing on the meaning of the Abomination of Desolation, since both will occur at the same time. (This of course would mean that the Jewish daily rituals of sacrificing animals – which have not been performed since the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. – would need to resume at some point before the middle of the 70th Week, at which time they will again be taken away.)

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Furthermore, according to the above Scriptures, the sanctuary (the Jewish Temple) will be polluted. And Jesus specified that the Abomination of Desolation would stand in the Holy Place (Matthew 24:15) – referring to the area within the Temple where the priests would daily minister before the altar of incense (Exodus 28:43). This means that the Jewish Temple must be standing at the time when the daily sacrifice is removed and the Abomination of Desolation is set up. Many scholars therefore predict that a new Temple will be built on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount in the near future.

The Man of Sin Revealed

Another commonly accepted theory for the Abomination of Desolation is that it refers to the time when the Antichrist will exalt himself as God. The angel told Daniel:

And the king [the Antichrist] shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper til the indignation be accomplished… (Daniel 11:36).

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul added that the Antichrist (or Man of Sin) will be revealed when he exalts himself in the Temple:

…And that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4).

Many theologians therefore believe the revealing of the Antichrist in the Temple is synonymous with the Abomination of Desolation, which will occur at Midweek:

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Some scholars, on the other hand, believe the Man of Sin will be revealed at the beginning of the Week when the covenant is confirmed, rather than in the middle of the Week during the Abomination of Desolation. This, too, is a reasonable conclusion, since the confirming of the covenant will most likely be publicly known when it happens. For the purpose of this book, the reader can take either view.

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The Great Tribulation

Even though it may be unclear (for the time being) as to what the Abomination of Desolation is, or exactly when the Antichrist will be revealed, two things are clear from the Bible:

1. The Abomination of Desolation will occur at Midweek (Daniel 9:27).

2. The Abomination of Desolation will usher in the worst tribulation period this world has ever seen. Jesus plainly told His disciples:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place…then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains…for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15-21).

Hence, the Great Tribulation will begin in the middle of the 70th Week:

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(Over the years, many theologians have taught that the Tribulation will commence at the beginning of the 70th Week and will continue throughout the entire seven-year period. This, however, is never mentioned in the Bible.)

Dividing the Week

Since Daniel’s 70th Week is a continuation of the first 69 weeks, we can assume that the length of the 70th Week is also based on the Biblical calendar year of 360 days per year (30 days per month). The following Scripture indicates that the period of 42 months (3½ years) equals 1,260 days (30 days per month x 42 months):

…And the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months [3½ years]. And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days [3½ years according to the Biblical calendar of 30 days per month]… (Revelation 11:2-3).

After the Abomination of Desolation is set up at Midweek, the Antichrist will war against the saints of God, as he continues to reign for another 3½ years until the end of the Week:

And there was given unto him [the Antichrist] a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [3½ years]…And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them… (Revelation 13:5-7).

…And he [the Antichrist] shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High…and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time (Daniel 7:25).

When comparing the above two passages, we see that the phrase time, and times, and the dividing of time equals 42 months. Hence, a time equals 1 year, times equals 2 years, and the dividing of time equals half of a year, for a total of 3½ years. A comparison of the following two verses also shows that a time, and times, and half a time equals 1260 days (or 3½ years):

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [3½ years] (Revelation 12:6).

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time [3½ years], from the face of the serpent (Revelation 12:14).

Thus, by comparing these various Scriptures, we can conclude that forty-two months, 1260 days, and a time, times, and half a time are synonymous, since they each equal 3½ years. Hence, the Bible divides the 70th Week into two segments:

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The reign of the Antichrist, who is also known as the Little Horn and the Beast, will be ended when he is cast into the lake of fire, thus closing the 70th Week:

I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn [the Antichrist] spake: I beheld even til the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame (Daniel 7:11).

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet…These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20).

Summary

The following graph shows the time period that Jesus spoke of in the 24th chapter of Matthew regarding Daniel’s 70th Week:

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We have just examined the timeframe that many Bible scholars use as a basis for understanding endtime events. (As we shall see later in this book, the early Church Fathers of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries followed this same outline in their prophetic teachings.) We will therefore use this as the blueprint for our doctrinal house – assuming of course that we are reading the Architect’s blueprint correctly. After all, the Lord could disprove these conclusions in the end, since only He knows the outcome of the events.⁵

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PART I

BUILDING

ON A FIRM

FOUNDATION

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Chapter 1

LET’S POUR THE

CONCRETE

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Now that we have our blueprint, we can begin laying the foundation for our house. The foundation needs to be firm in order to ensure that the house be built upon a sturdy footing. Our foundation will consist of definitions for several key terms that the Bible uses in reference to endtime events.

The Parousia

The first term we need to define is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The disciples’ question to Jesus in Matthew 24:3 was, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming? The Greek word for coming" in this verse is parousia (pronounced pă-rū-seé-ah), which means arrival, being near, or being with. This same Greek word is translated as presence in the following verses:

For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence [parousia] is weak… (2nd Corinthians 10:10).

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence [parousia] only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

Notice how Paul contrasts between his presence (parousia) and his absence. Throughout the rest of the New Testament, the word parousia is translated as coming; but the reader should keep in mind that parousia means not only arrival but also presence. Thus, the Parousia of Jesus Christ could be regarded as the returning presence of the Lord.

We see several things that will happen at the Lord’s Parousia. First, the Bible says that the church must be patient and wait for the Parousia of Christ:

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming [parousia] of the Lord. Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until He receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming [parousia] of the Lord draweth nigh (James 5:7-8).

The church will be resurrected and raptured at the Parousia of Christ, as described in the following Scriptures:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming [parousia] (1st Corinthians 15:22-23).

For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming [parousia] of the Lord shall not [precede] 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 [the Latin word is rapiemur, which means raptured] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1st Thessalonians 4:15-17).

In fact, the following passage portrays an inseparable connection between the Lord’s Parousia and the Rapture of the church:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind… (2nd Thessalonians 2:1-2).

Notice how the word by appears twice in this sentence. The first occurrence is translated from the Greek word huper, which means pertaining to or in reference to; but the second occurrence is in brackets, because it does not appear in the original Greek text and was added by the translators of the King James Version. Thus, the Greek sentence literally reads: Now we beg you, brothers, in reference to the Parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him, that you don’t be dismayed.

Furthermore, the Greek definite article (translated as the) appears only once in this sentence (before the word parousia). The fact that the preposition ("huper) and the article (the") occur only once in the original Greek means they apply to both clauses: namely, the Parousia and the gathering together of the saints.⁶ Hence, Paul is speaking of the Lord’s Parousia and gathering of the church as a singular event. The late Anglican scholar, Leon Morris, concurred with this in his analysis of the above passage:

The coming of the Lord and the gathering of the saints are regarded as closely connected, as the use of a single article shows. They are two parts of one great event.⁷

Notice also that the above Scripture says the church will be gathered together unto Him. This indicates, not the weekly gathering of Christians in a church building, but the ultimate gathering of the entire church unto Jesus at the time of His Parousia – hence, the Rapture.

In addition to the church being raptured, a destructive cataclysm will come upon the rest of the world at the Parousia of Jesus Christ:

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:37-39).

The Epiphaneia

Another term that the Bible uses synonymously with the Parousia is the appearing of Jesus Christ, which is translated from the Greek word epiphaneia (pronounced ĕ-pĭ-fâ-náy-ah). The following verses indicate that the church must wait for and look for the Lord’s Epiphaneia:

That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing [epiphaneia] of our Lord Jesus Christ (1st Timothy 6:14).

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing [epiphaneia] of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

Paul said that the members of the church will receive their crowns of righteousness at the Epiphaneia of Jesus Christ:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing [epiphaneia] (2nd Timothy 4:8).

The Bible also says that the Lord will judge both the living and the dead at His Epiphaneia:

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing [epiphaneia] and His kingdom (2nd Timothy 4:1).

In the following verse, the same Greek word is also translated as brightness and is used in conjunction with the Parousia:

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness [epiphaneia] of His coming [parousia] (2nd Thessalonians 2:8).

The Apokalupsis

The next term we need to define is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for revelation is apokalupsis (pronounced ă-pôk-ă-loop-sis), which means an unveiling or a revealing. Just like the Parousia and the Epiphaneia, the Bible tells us that the church must wait for the Apokalupsis of our Lord. Paul said:

So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming [the Greek word is apokalupsis] of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1st Corinthians 1:7-8).⁸

Peter concurred and told the church to keep hoping until the Lord’s Apokalupsis, which is when the Lord’s grace shall be brought to the church:

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:13).

The same Greek word is translated as appearing in the following verse:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:7).

Also, the wrath of God will be poured out on the unbelieving world at the Apokalupsis of Jesus Christ:

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed [Greek verb: apokalupsei] from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power (2nd Thessalonians 1:7-9).

And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the Day when the Son of Man is revealed [apokaluptetai] (Luke 17:26-30).

When we compare the Scriptures that describe the Lord’s Parousia with those that describe His Apokalupsis, we see some striking similarities. For example, in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus likened His Parousia to the day that Noah entered the ark (Matthew 24:37-39); and in Luke’s version He likened His Apokalupsis to the day that Noah entered the ark (Luke 17:26-30). Also, the church has been instructed to wait for both the Parousia (James 5:7-8) and the Apokalupsis (1st Corinthians 1:7). Hence, it is only reasonable to conclude that the Parousia and the Apokalupsis of our Lord Jesus Christ are simply one and the same event.