Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 11/17/2006

Question
I hope you can help me with this one.  I have a friend who is an Amillinialist.  He brought up this parable and asked me where do I see the rapture in it. To be honest, I can't. I see this time frame just as it is written, at the end of the age.  He says that there is a rature but it will all be at the end of the millinium.  It will be one event not a two stage event like pre-trib believers think.  This is a discussion I need all the help I can get.  I have been a pre trib and a two event rapture believer but he has some compelling arguments using scripture to back him up. Can you give me anything that will help me to understand Amillinialism and the rapture?
Thanks

Answer
Hi David,

Thanks you for this great question.  Let us look at the passage together:

Matthew 13:24-30
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.  The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind.  first of all, Matthew is written from a Kingdom perspective.  Christ's millenial reign is not the next think on the prophetic calendar, but Matthew focused upon the events that will usher in the 1000 year Kingdom of Jesus.  This was a book about the Messiah, and one aspect of the Messiah is that He will be King on earth.  

With this in mind, you are right, there is no rapture in this passage, and there is no rapture in Matthew 24 either.  The Rapture takes place before these events.

The very next thing to happen is the rapture of the saints.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 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. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 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.  16 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: 17 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.  

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

After that will come the 7 years of tribulation on earth, or "Daniel's 70th week".  This is a time when God's wrath will be poured out upon the unbelievers on earth.  There will be 144,000 missionaries chosen to proclaim the gospel during this time.  Many will believe and be persecuted for their belief.  At the end of this time Jesus will return and take control of the earth as King, removing the "wheat from the tares".  This beginning of the kingdom is what is spoken of in this passage.  The rapture takes place 7 years earlier.  There are many scriptures used to explain the timing, I am simply trying to give you an outline of prophecy.  I hope that this helps you. I am very sorry for my late response to you.

In Christ,
Pastor Don