In episode 307 of the "No Doubt, No Fear, Only Believe" podcast, the host opens with an announcement that future episodes will be shorter, aiming for 5‑6 minute formats. He then delves into a theological discussion distinguishing the rapture from the second coming of Christ. Using 1 Thessalonians 4:13‑18, he outlines the biblical description of the rapture—Christ’s return with a shout, the dead in Christ rising, and believers being caught up to meet Him in the air. He contrasts this with the first coming, recounting the incarnation narrative (Gabriel’s announcement to Mary) and Jesus’ earthly ministry. The host cites John 14:1‑3 and John 16:7 to argue that Jesus will return to bring believers to the Father’s house, interpreting these passages as a promise of a future, distinct event. He links prophetic timing to the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, suggesting the rapture may align with that feast and that the first four biblical feasts were fulfilled in the first coming, while the remaining three will be fulfilled in the second coming. He asserts that the rapture will trigger the Great Tribulation, after which the second coming will occur, lasting several years. Personal testimony follows: the host shares the loss of his parents and expresses confidence that the rapture will reunite believers with them. The episode concludes with a prayer asking for clarity and encouragement. The overall message is hopeful and pastoral, encouraging listeners to stay watchful and expect a two‑stage return of Christ.
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Welcome to episode 307. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, I'm getting right into this episode. I'm going to talk about the difference between, in my opinion, the rapture and the second coming and how those two fit together. We're going to go into a couple of scriptures real quick, but first of all, I want to make a quick announcement. I'm going to try to make these videos and these podcast episodes a little bit shorter. I've gotten a couple of people comment that they were getting a little bit long. And to be quite honest, if it's smaller or shorter amount of time, it's easier to edit and it's easier really to do. It's just harder to get all this information that I want to tell you into 5 or 6 minutes. And what I might do is in the future is I may go to 2 or 3 more times a week if I can keep this into like a 5 or 6 minute. Episode. So I'm going to give that a go. I want to talk about the rapture first. The rapture, I think we can picture in 1 Thessalonians, I want to say around chapter 4. I'm going to read it real quick to you. I think it's chapter 4, 13 through 18-ish, but I want to read real quick and then we'll discuss it. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 13-18. Now Paul's saying in these 6 verses that something is going to happen. There's going to be a shout. Jesus is going to come back. Now he doesn't say when, and he— it's kind of sort of implied But I want to remind you that Jesus was here once before. Jesus had a first coming. That's why they talk about Jesus' second coming as the second event, obviously. But I want to remind you that in this first coming, Jesus came as a baby. The first coming began when Gabriel met with Mary and told Mary about God's plan. Then Mary said, Behold the maidservant unto the Lord, be it unto me according to your word. Mary accepted the word from Gabriel, and I believe the word of God came into her in the form of a seed. She was still a virgin. We're not going to talk about all that right now, but Mary was impregnated by the word of God. That was the beginning of the first coming. And so fast forward 33+ years where Jesus is on the cross saying, it is finished. I think we could argue that that was the first coming, that it took over 33 years for this first coming to happen. And I think people get wrapped around the axle on this second coming, and they're saying, hey, this rapture, is Jesus going to come in the clouds? He's going to call these people up, and then where are they going to go? Is he going to come and then he's going to go back to heaven, then he's going to come a second time? Here's my thought on it. Jesus said in John 14 1 through 3, when he was telling his disciples that he was about to leave. And we've talked about this a few times, but Jesus was sitting down and saying, hey, I'm about to go. And it says in John 14:1, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And Jesus was telling his disciples, hey, I'm going to leave. And we talked about this, John 16:7 said it's to your advantage. That's one of those powerful scriptures that you kind of have your mouth open when Jesus says, hey, it's to your advantage that I go, because if I don't go, I won't send the Comforter. I— that's John 16:7. But Jesus is telling his disciples in John 14 that he's gonna go and he's going to prepare a place for them, and where he goes, they will go also. And I believe Jesus is in heaven, he's prepared a place for us, and I believe we are very, very close to Jesus' return. Now, how close? I don't know. I was told never to set dates or times. If you were listening to this podcast last year, you will know around this time around the Feast of the Trumpets, I talked about, hey, we may have the rapture this September. And we're coming up again on the Feast of Trumpets, and I believe that God is a God of his word. I believe you can look into the Old Testament and the different festivals and the different feasts, and I believe the first 4 feasts, the spring festivals or feasts, have been fulfilled. With Jesus' first coming, and the next 3 of the 7 are the fall feasts, and those I believe will be fulfilled with the second coming. Now the argument is, what is the rapture and the second coming the same? In my opinion, I do not believe that the rapture and the second coming are the same. Now I believe that the rapture will trigger the events leading into the tribulation, the Great Tribulation, and then the second coming where Jesus actually returns and steps back on earth the second time, and he's not coming back as a baby. I want to get this ball rolling. I want to get this party started. I want you to think about this over the weekend. We are close, and I've said this multiple, multiple times on this podcast. I believe that we are one day closer Jesus' return today than we were yesterday. Now, that's a date that I believe that we can stick in the ground and say that there is a day. We may not know the day and the time, But there is a day. Father God knows that Jesus is coming back, and he knows exactly how it's going to happen. We are told to be looking, and we are told to be ready. We're going to talk about in the next episode how some of the words that he spoke to his disciples concerning the times and some of the stuff. But let's stop right here. I just want to get this party started. I want to get the ball rolling. I want you to think about and kind of get an idea of what you're thinking. Do you believe that there's going to be a rapture and then a second coming, or if the second coming he brings everybody with him then? I don't know that there's any wrong answer. I, I think that many people a whole lot smarter than me have looked a whole lot longer at this than I have, but I've got to put my two cents in. I've got to give you my opinion as I read this, and I just want to encourage you because Paul said encourage people with these words. I've had my parents pass away. So when I read this, I'm encouraged that I will see my mom and dad again. And I want to just encourage you that I also believe that there is going to be a rapture, that there's two separate events. The second coming is all a longer event. It's going to be 7, 8 years long, and it's going to start, I believe, with the rapture. So that's enough right now. Let's pray. God, I thank you so much for your word. I thank you, Holy Spirit, for never leaving us nor forsaking us. And I thank you that you're going to lead us into all truth. God, if I've said anything that goes against your word or that confuses this believer, I pray that you would clear it up, Holy Spirit, with this person. God, we thank you, we love you, we ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, thank you for being a part of this, and I look forward to visiting with you in the next episode. Thanks for listening to the No Doubt, No Fear, Only Believe podcast at www. Www.nodoubtonlybelieve.com
