The Parousia, the Apocalupsis, and the Tribulation period

There is evidence that these two Greek terms are used interchangeably in scripture and therefore refer to the same (single) event - the second coming of Christ.

You don't have to get angry if you do not believe this; just open your Bible. It's not rocket science - it is just Spirit-directed common sense. So I encourage you to prayerfully check the evidence for yourself.

According to the rapture theory, there will be two separate stages of Christ's coming: the rapture (or parousia) and the revelation (or apokalupsis). They say that there is a seven year period of tribulation between these two events.

Are you ready to examine this?

Let's look at First Thessalonians 2 and verse 8. In fact, if you read from verse 1 (to get the context) you will see that verse 8 is referring to the antichrist. Rapturists teach that the destruction of the antichrist will be at the apokalupsis (after the seven year period).

This destruction of antichrist is spoken of in verse 8. It says that Christ will destroy the antichrist with the brightness of His coming. But note that this text uses the same Greek term parousia as in 1 Thessalonians 4.

First Thessalonians 4:16, 17 speak of Christ coming with the shout of many angels, waking the "dead in Christ," taking them, together with the righteous living, to heaven with Him. It hardly sounds like a secret event to me, but anyway the word parousia is used.

Parousia and apokalupsis are used synonymously!

So Paul uses these two Greek terms synonymously, interchangeably. So then either the exact event will be repeated (which doesn't make sense) OR the events are the same (spoken of more than once).

But there's more...

In 1 peter 1:13, we read...

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (NIV)

Peter is saying, be sober, hope for the grace that shall be given at the revelation (apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ.

Now here is the BIG question?

Why would Christians be encouraged to keep hoping to the very end of the world for the grace to be given through the revelation of Jesus if their real hope was the rapture (seven years before)?

But, just in case you are still not convinced that parousia (the rapture) and apokalupsis (the revelation) are one and the same thing, here are some more verses that will melt your doubt.

Parousia and apokalupsis in the gospels

Let's go to Matthew chapter 24:

"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming [parousia] of the Son of Man." - Matthew 24:37

This is a comparison of the Second Coming [parousia] of Christ to the destruction by flood back in Noah's day. It was the close of probation for the antediluvians back then, as the Second Coming of Christ will mean the end of the world.

But compare how Luke talks of the same event.

"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man." - Luke 17:26

And continuing with verse 30:

"It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed [apokalupsis]." - Luke 17:30

Now, why would the Holy Spirit inspire the gospel writers to use different terms for these events if they were not one and the same?

It is clear that there is not seven years between parousia and apokalupsis, but zero! In other words, they are the same event.

Say, the rapture is not the coming?

Some dispensationalists say that the rapture is not the coming of Christ. But this only makes the issue more confusing...

Why would the Bible encourage Christians to be patient, be hopeful, be watchful for the Coming if there will be a secret rapture to take them to heaven some SEVEN years before?

Absurd? Yes. For we read in James 5:7, which says...

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains."

So if, as the advocates of the rapture-tribulation-revelation theory say, the rapture is NOT the Coming, the raptured will be in heaven STILL waiting to be delivered, still waiting to see their Redeemer, still patiently waiting for their hope to become reality.

You see that these Greek terms, parousia and apokalupsis, are used interchangeably and do mean the same thing.

What about the Tribulation?

We've shown that Coming [parousia] and the Revelation [apokalupsis] are one and the same event.

This puts the seven year tribulation period into question. Either it doesn't exist or it will not be as the dispensationalists say it will. They are wrong on the first issue. Let's how the theory of the 7-year tribulation period stand up under scriptural scrutiny.