Second, in Ezekiel 38,39, the Gog & Magog war, elements of the war of Armageddon are found, yet in Rev. 20:7,8 we see the gog/magog war happen AFTER the 1000 year reign of Christ, and there are also other reasons to believe that the 7 year tribulation itself will start off with the gog/magog war, so in that case, we have three as yet future events being described in one account, where "fire from heaven" will fall down on the enemies gathered together against Jerusalem.

Third, In Ezekiel 28, there is a mix of prophecy regarding the judgment of both the king of Tyrus and Satan; some verses apply to Tyrus, some only to Satan, and some may be both.., and it goes back and forth.

Fourth, in the Olivet Discourse itself, this technique was being used regarding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  When Jerusalem was surrounded by armies, the Christians fled when the army left.  (Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.)  The army then came back and destroyed the city.  Then, Luke 21:6 was fulfilled by the armies who destroyed the Temple.  (Luke 21:6  As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.)  So, not only were past events in history mixed together in this prophetic fulfillment, they were not given in chronological order.

The inability to recognize the Ways of God where two separate events are being prophesied at once, is the source of confusion with some people calling themselves "preterists" saying it was all fulfilled back then, and nothing has any relavance to the future.  I'm not saying that God is the author of confusion, but people, who do not know how to rightly divide the scriptures are confused, and fail to recognize that ("It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter."--Prov 25:2) and they fail to seek out understanding by searching the scriptures fully.

There are more cases in Bible Prophesy where this prophetic technique is used, where two things are being prophesied at once, but these four examples are enough to prove that it is a scriptural truth, one we need to be aware of while investigating Matt 24:29-31.

In Matt 24:29-31 and in the parallel accounts in Mark & Luke, the "stars falling from heaven" is a spiritual description of Satan being cast out of heaven. There are many wild guesses as to when that will occur, ranging from 2000 years ago to the end of the tribulation--based on the proof text of Matt 24 itself.  Other passages in the Bible; however, show that Satan will be cast out of heaven at the beginning of the tribulation.

Interestingly, the Jehovah's Witnesses, preached the "rapture" would occur in 1914.  When it didn't happen, they revised their ideas on what happened at this date, and concluded that this is the time when Jesus began to rule in heaven, and when Satan was cast out of heaven down to earth.  Both of these events are what will happen at the pre tribulation rapture, and these ideas can be seen in scripture.

There are also elements in In Matt 24:29-31 and in the parallel accounts in Mark & Luke, which are describing the end of the tribulation.

If Satan can be shown to be cast out of heaven prior to the end of the tribulation and if it can be seen that this idea is indeed contained in Matt 24:29-31, (1 & 2) then there should be no doubt whatsoever that these passages are describing two events, both the start and the end of the seven year tribulation.

Thus, there are elemenets which are describing the rapture where people leave the earth to go up into heaven at the beginning of the tribulation, and also the event at the end of the tribulation, where the armies of people in heaven are gathered together to follow Christ return to earth.

Matthew 24
15-28 AOD, False Christs, eagle/carcass parable from Luke 17...
29 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:
30 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.
31 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.
32-35 Fig Tree...

Mark 13
14-23 AOD, Jersusalem destroyed... (fulfilled in 70AD) ... false Christs...
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
28-31 Fig Tree...

Luke 21
20-24 Jerusalem destroyed... (fulfilled in 70AD) ...until times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29-33 Fig Tree...

Mt:  Immediately after the tribulation of those days
Mk:  But in those days, after that tribulation
Lk:  And there shall be
----
Mt:  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:

Mk: the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
And the stars of heaven shall fall,
and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Lk:  signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars;
and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

----
Mt:  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.

Mk: And then shall they see
the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Lk:   Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:
for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see
the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
---

Mt:  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.

Mk: And then shall he send his angels, and
shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Lk:  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up,
and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Rev 6:
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?  [2476 histemi]

1764 enistemi {en-is'-tay-mee}
 from 1722 and 2476; TDNT - 2:543,234; v
 AV - present 3, things present 2, be at hand 1, come 1; 7
 1) to place in or among, to put in 2) to be upon, impend, threaten 3) close at hand 4) present

868 aphistemi {af-is'-tay-mee}
from 575 and 2476; TDNT - 1:512,88; v
2) to stand off, to stand aloof
2c) to fall away, become faithless
2g) to keep one's self from, absent one's self from

647 apostasion {ap-os-tas'-ee-on}
neuter of a (presumed) adj. from a derivative of 868

646 apostasia {ap-os-tas-ee'-ah}
feminine of the same as 647; TDNT - 1:513,88; n f
AV - to forsake + 575 1, falling away 1; 2
1) a falling away, defection, apostasy

2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand [standing in, present]. [1764 enistemi]
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [standing out, absent] [646 apostasia] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

In other words, it's a play on words going on in 2 Thess 2, with enistemi and apostasia, a compare and contrast.  The day of the Lord won't stand in and be present, until you are standing out being absent (At the pre trib rapture, which must come first).  Basically "it won't be here until you are not here" is the message of the word comparison & contrast game going on.

04422 malat {maw-lat'}
 a primitive root; TWOT - 1198; v
 AV - escape 47, deliver 33, save 5, ...out 4, alone 1, get away 1, lay 1, preserve 1, speedily 1, surely 1; 95
 1) to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to slip away 1a2) to escape 1a3) to be delivered 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to lay, let slip out (of eggs) 1b2) to let escape 1b3) to deliver, save (life) 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to give birth to 1c2) to deliver 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to slip forth, slip out, escape 1d2) to escape

 06413 p@leytah {pel-ay-taw'} or p@letah {pel-ay-taw'}
 from 06412; TWOT - 1774d; n f
 AV - escape 22, deliverance 5, remnant 1; 28
 1) escape, deliverance 1a) escape, deliverance 1b) escaped remnant

[Luke 21:36] Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

---

Luke 21:36 is highly significant.  Not only is it a normal "hey, there's a rapture" verse, and a "pre trib verse", but it contains the elements of calling to god (pray always), the deliverance/escape of Joel 2, but also the picture of standing, as in "who is able to stand" in Rev. 6 &  the 2 Thess 2 play on words where apostasia signifies the rapture.

This idea of standing is related to the rapture even more than you might initially think from all of the above.

Standing is futher a part of the judgment seat of Christ, and the Feast of Trumpets in Neh. 8, where all the congregation stands before a wooden pulpit, which is a judgment seat.

Romans 14:10  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat [968 bema] of Christ.

 968 bema {bay'-ma}
 from the base of 939;; n n
 AV - judgment seat 10, throne 1, to set (one's) foot on + 4128 1; 12
 1) a step, pace, the space which a foot covers, a foot-breath 2) a raised place mounted by steps 2a) a platform, tribune 2a1) of the official seat of a judge 2a2) of the judgment seat of Christ 2a3) Herod built a structure resembling a throne at Caesarea, from which he viewed the games and made speeches to the people

The Feast of Trumpets is on the first day of the seventh month.
The Rapture is the gathering together.

Nehemiah 8
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

And, of course, the Feast of Trumpets pictures the rapture in countless ways, which is beyond the scope of this article on Matt 24.

Further, Luke contains this word "ginomai" translated as "come to pass", which signifies a wedding, arising, and a miracle.

[Luke 21:36] Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass [1096 ginomai], and to stand before the Son of man.

---

From Call to Call in Joel 2:32:

Psalm 42:7 Deep calleth unto deep [08415 t@howm] at the noise [voice] of thy waterspouts [ 06794 tsinnuwr ]: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

 08415 t@howm {teh-home'} or t@hom {teh-home'}
 from 01949; TWOT - 2495a; n f/m
 AV - deep 20, depth 15, deep places 1; 36
 1) deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea 1a) deep (of subterranean waters) 1b) deep, sea, abysses (of sea) 1c) primeval ocean, deep 1d) deep, depth (of river) 1e) abyss, the grave

 06794 tsinnuwr {tsin-noor'}
 from an unused root perhaps meaning to be hollow; TWOT - 1942a; n m
 AV - gutter 1, waterspout 1; 2
 1) pipe, spout, conduit, water conduit
 

I thought this was relavant because the "call to call" in Joel, reminded me of the "deep calling unto deep".  Then, looking at the meanings of the words, it looks like it's a calling so deep as to reach the grave, as in a resurrection, with this noise of waterspouts, which is vaguely familiar of the "voice of a trumpet", because we know a trumpet is a hollow instrument like a pipe.

Thus, it reinforces the deliverance/escape/sozo in Joel & Acts, is a resurrection/rapture.

---

4982 sozo {sode'-zo}
 from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saoz, "safe"); TDNT - 7:965,1132; v
 AV - save 93, make whole 9, heal 3, be whole 2, misc 3; 110
 1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction 1a) one (from injury or peril) 1a1) to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health 1b1) to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue 1b) to save in the technical biblical sense 1b1) negatively 1b1a) to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment 1b1b) to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance
 

--------------
In contrast to Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
and Joel 2:32 "that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered"

Matt 7:
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Satan and his demons are the "third part of stars that fall from heaven" which happens at the rapture of the Church, the man-child.

Revelation 12

1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
6 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.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 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, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

How is the man-child the raptured Church?  Good question, I'm glad you asked.

1.  Christ rules, and we rule as his bride (Christ is not the only one who rules with a rod of iron, so do we),
[Rev 2:26] He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations,
[Rev 2:27] and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father;
[Rev 5:10] And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

2.  It is not a problem that one man-child represents both Christ and the Church.  We are one body together; the Bride and Christ, with Christ as the head.
[Col 1:18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

3. 1 Thess 5: The topic is the rapture & Day of the Lord, given in 1 Thess 4, and the timing is related to the birthpangs.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4.  Isaiah 66 speaks of a man-child nation being born at once, which comes before the birthpangs, which is before the tribulation.
7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

Isaiah 66 brings the topic up, that two things are being described at once.

A birth before birthpangs, verse 7, and a birth after birthpangs, verse 8.

Wrapping it all up in conclusion:

Revelation 12 shows the rapture of the Church in figurative language, coming as the birth of the man-child at the time that Satan is cast down to the earth, which is describes as the stars falling from heaven.  Yet, two things are being described at once; Satan's defeat, and the Glory of the Church.

The first part of Satan's defeat is when he is cast to the earth at the start of the tribulation.   The second part of Satan's defeat comes at the end of the tribulation, when he is cast to the bottomless pit for the 1000 years.

The first part of the Glory of the Church is the Pre Tribulation Rapture.   The second part of the glory of the Church is when we return with Christ at the end of the Tribulation.

Both events are being described at once in Matthew 24:29-31, both the beginning and ending of the Tribulation.

29 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:
30 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.
31 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.

For further study on how two events separated by about 2000 years are described in one account as one event, see Psalm 2, and Isa 61 as read in Luke 4.

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