Titus 2:13 says it like this:

      Looking for that Blessed Hope, and the Glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for US.

      Notice in verse one of Titus chapter 2, that this blessed hope living within every Christian heart to expect his Lord to return to dispatch his waiting bride off to Heaven, just prior to the day of trouble, was among the doctrinal items that was considered to be Sound Doctrine in the early church.

      II Timothy 4:8 says: Henceforth ( from the point forward after becoming a Christian ) 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.

      Folks, if I had to endure that awful, terrible time of calamity when God takes out his vengeance upon this old world, I don't think I'd be too anxious about his appearance. I am not one to think that I could endure a lot of pain and suffering. Heck, I scream and roll around in the floor when I stub my toe on this chair I am now sitting in. I don’t see how anybody in this world could call it a blessed hopeful event to get to endure the worst calamity in all of human history. Instead of hoping to see Jesus coming in the clouds, it would seem more like blessed hope for him to stay away so that we wouldn’t have to endure the Tribulation.

      The Lord Jesus prayed thusly as our example: “lead us not into Temptation”: The hour of Temptation would be the Tribulational era.

      The arrogance of thinking that we Christians could endure the Day of the Lord is disturbing to say the least. It has long been the doctrine of Rome that the Church itself has replaced Israel in God's covenant promise with Israel; and has promoted the theology that the church will be Purged during a trial of Faith during this time of trouble. Only an antichrist would follow such theory!

      Revelation 1:7 verifies that when Jesus comes every eye shall see him, and among those seeing him on that occasion shall be Israel, which pierced him: and that all those that are remaining on the earth at this point, shall wail when they see him coming!

      Does it sound practical that the Church, the Bride of Christ would react by wailing because of the appearance of her Bridegroom? Of course not! The verse says, “Every eye shall see him when he comes”, Christians will see him, because we will be with him riding upon white horses, Israel will still be on earth; yet finally will mourn for him, because they pierced him; and now recognize him as their true Messiah; but ALL others shall weep at his coming. Does it sound as if Christians would be in that crowd, pleading for the rocks and mountains to fall upon us to hide us from Jesus?

      The event known as the Rapture actually occurs in the scenario described by John in Revelation 4:1; and if you pass over that sequential event; you will misinterpret the ensuing few chapters.

      Heaven was opened, and John was afforded the heavenly opportunity to be "Caught Up", ( raptured ) for a sneak preview of all things which must come to pass. That is the reason this book is called the Revelation. It reveals what must come to pass after the Rapture.

      John was time-translated forward in earths linear time frame to the event called the Rapture. Harpazo is the actual Greek word used to denote this secret catching up and away of the terminal generation.

      Parousia is the descriptive term used to describe the appearing of Jesus, while the actual literal physically touch down of Jesus on earth as a conquering King is the majestic Greek word; epiphaneia.

      Jesus is described in this majestic glorious coming by John in Revelation 19:11

      And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

      Jesus comes riding onto the world stage seated on a white horse at the end of the time of trouble, not at the outset of Tribulation.

      The white horse rider without any arrows pictured in Revelation 6:2 is the Antichrist, not Jesus Christ. The failure to recognize the Rapture in chapter 4 leads one to the false doctrine of concluding that there is no catching away in pre-tribulational form. This interpretation will rob the Christian of the Blessed Hope he should be constantly have within himself.

      Don't permit the Devil to rob you of contentment in Jesus' faithfulness to you!

      Only the event of a pre-tribulational Rapture gives credence to the fact that the church is presently assisting in restraining evil or preventing the Antichrist from accomplishing his evil agenda even at the present time.

      The day of the Rapture is an unknown (Imminent) event on the horizon of the age, but the epiphaneia coming of Jesus is a known day. It shall occur seven years after the Harpazo honeymoon.

      So, we can know if we should expect to have to live through this unprecedented time of terror. The answer is an absolute NO, certainly not if you are a believer in Jesus!

      Revelation 22:17 gives Christians cause to have an exuberant, longing for Jesus to come.

      Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the Bride (church) say, COME! And let him that heareth say COME! And let him that is athirst say COME! And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

      This is the appropriate attitude every Christian can take, and should have. Take away the imminent event of the Rapture, and all anyone could say, when seeing Jesus approaching in the sky, is STAY, STAY, GO BACK, GO BACK DON'T COME YET!

      "COME LORD JESUS, COME ON"