Understanding the Timing of the Rapture – Using the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” – Now You Will See How the Puzzle Fits Together

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Posted June 11, 2025 | End Times Watch

Before I begin, I want to share something very personal with you.

Over the past two years, I have written more than 200 articles related to the end times. Each time, I have sought God’s guidance in choosing and exploring the topics. I have often felt His presence during the writing process. But this particular article was different—it was one of the most spiritually powerful experiences I’ve had. Everything I studied seemed to come together in perfect harmony. The presence of the Holy Ghost was strong throughout the writing, and I believe this was God’s way of confirming that the things I’ve written are true.

I invite you to have a similar experience. Before you continue reading, take a moment to pray. Ask God to confirm the truth to you, so that you might feel the same conviction and understanding I have felt. Take everything to God in prayer, and let Him show you whether what you are studying is true or not.

You don’t have to trust anyone when it comes to learning the gospel of Jesus Christ—just trust God… and you will never be deceived. After your prayer, let’s continue…

One of the most fascinating events of the end times is something called “The Rapture.” But what exactly is the Rapture, as described in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible?

The Rapture is the moment when Jesus Christ will suddenly and supernaturally gather His faithful followers—both the living and the dead—to meet Him in the air. As described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (KJV):

“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:
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.”

This event will be swift and unexpected, just as Jesus warned in Matthew 24:42:

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

The Rapture is a promise of rescue and eternal reunion with Christ, offering great hope to all who trust in Him. It is different from the Second Coming of Jesus Christ—these are two separate events and must be understood as such.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, Jesus does not descend to the earth, but instead calls us up to meet Him in the air. In contrast, at His Second Coming, He physically returns to the earth and stands upon the Mount of Olives:

Zechariah 14:4 (KJV):

“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof…”

This passage describes Christ’s physical return, marking the clear difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming.

Why the Rapture?

To understand the timing of the Rapture, we must first understand its purpose. Why is Jesus coming for the Church, (His people)?

The purpose of the Rapture, as revealed in Scripture, is to rescue the true followers of Jesus Christ from the coming wrath and judgment that will be poured out upon the earth. The Rapture is a divine act of deliverance!

This event removes believers from the earth before the outpouring of God’s final judgments—often referred to as the Bowls of Wrath—which occur during the Tribulation period. These judgments are not meant for the Church but for those who have aligned themselves with evil and taken the Mark of the Beast.

God’s wrath is not aimed at His Church. His plan is to judge evil and defeat Satan, not punish the faithful. That is why believers are raptured—rescued before the wrath begins.

Some teachers believe the Rapture occurs at the very start of the 7-year Tribulation. But if that’s the case, what are believers being rescued from? The first 3.5 years of the Tribulation are described as a time of apparent peace.

According to Daniel 9:27, the Antichrist “shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” (a prophetic week = seven years), likely referring to a peace agreement, possibly involving Israel. The world will believe peace has finally been achieved.

But 1 Thessalonians 5:3 warns:

“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them…”

The Antichrist will rise through deception and diplomacy. Revelation 6:2 describes him as a rider on a white horse, symbolizing conquest without open war. Yet beneath the surface, evil is preparing to break forth. Halfway through the Tribulation, peace is shattered by the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15), marking the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

So, at the beginning of the Tribulation, there is no clear need to rescue the Church. Many watchmen are now re-evaluating the belief in a pre-tribulation Rapture.

Let’s dig deeper. One of the most profound illustrations of the Rapture’s timing is found in the ancient Jewish wedding tradition, which Jesus often used in His parables. This tradition beautifully foreshadows the relationship between Christ and the Church.

The Ancient Jewish Wedding – A Prophetic Blueprint

The Bible is rich in symbolism. One of the most powerful is the traditional Jewish wedding, which parallels Christ’s relationship with His bride—the Church. If you’ve ever wondered why Jesus used parables about weddings, virgins, and lamps—this is why.

Let’s explore the steps of a Jewish wedding and how they point to the Rapture:

Step 1: The Betrothal (Kiddushin)

Then: The groom would leave his father’s house and travel to the bride’s home. He paid a price (mohar) to her family, and a binding covenant was established. They were legally committed, but not yet living together.
Now: Jesus left Heaven and came to earth to purchase His bride with His blood.

“Ye are bought with a price…” — 1 Corinthians 6:20

By faith, we enter into a covenant relationship with Christ—the Church is now His betrothed.

Step 2: The Groom Prepares a Place

Then: The groom returned to his father’s house to build a bridal chamber. He would be gone for about a year.
Now: Jesus said:

“I go to prepare a place for you…” — John 14:2

He is now in Heaven preparing a place for us.

Step 3: The Bride Keeps Her Lamp Burning

Then: The bride didn’t know when the groom would return. She had to remain ready, with her lamp full of oil, listening for his approach.
Now: Jesus told us to be watchful—like the wise virgins in Matthew 25.

“But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps… and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” — Matthew 25:4,10

The oil represents the Holy Spirit and spiritual readiness.

Step 4: The Shout and the Midnight Cry

Then: When the groom’s father declared everything ready, the groom would return at midnight with a shout and the blast of a shofar. The bride had to be ready.
Now: This foreshadows the Rapture:

“For the Lord himself shall descend… with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God…” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16

“At midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh…” — Matthew 25:6

Only the wise, prepared virgins went in. The rest were shut out.

Step 5: The Wedding and the Supper

Then: The bride was taken into the groom’s father’s house. The marriage was consummated in private, followed by a great wedding feast.
Now: After the Rapture, the Church is taken to Heaven for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

“Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” — Revelation 19:9

This occurs before Jesus returns for His Second Coming, when He comes with His saints in glory (Revelation 19:14).

Jesus’ Warning to the Jewish People to Flee to the Mountains During the End Times

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
— Matthew 24:15–21, KJV

This passage is Jesus’ urgent warning to the Jews living in Judea, instructing them to flee immediately when they see the prophetic sign of the abomination of desolation. This event marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation. The abomination of desolation occurs midway through the seven-year Tribulation period when the Antichrist enters the newly built temple and declares himself to be God—revealing that he is, in fact, Satan.

This event aligns with another significant moment at the 3.5-year mark: the rapture. God intends to rescue His faithful, but in two distinct ways. It’s important to note that the rapture is not based on ethnicity. Anyone who believes in and follows Jesus Christ will be taken up in the rapture, no matter where they live.

So why are there two different rescues?

Those who are part of the Church have already come to know and follow Jesus Christ. Many have spent their entire lives striving to live in obedience and devotion to Him. These faithful are invited to take part in the celebration—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The Lord is proud of these people, both living and dead, and honors them with this heavenly feast.

In contrast, the Jewish people whom Jesus instructs to flee into the mountains have not yet accepted Him as the true Messiah—otherwise, they would have been part of the rapture. When the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place, as spoken of by the prophet Daniel, the remnant in Judea will flee into the mountains in obedience to Jesus’ warning (Matthew 24:15–16).

These are the people whom God has chosen to preserve through the Great Tribulation so that His promises to Israel may be fulfilled. As Revelation 12:6 (KJV) says: “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 (approx. 3.5 years).” God will not save them through human strongholds, but in His divine protection—proving His power and preserving a faithful remnant until the end. Even in wrath, God shows mercy and remembers His covenant.

This is how God will rescue His chosen people during the final 3.5 years on earth. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and have given your life to Him, you will be included in the rapture.

Being “Born Again” is the best way to describe the qualification for the rapture. As we come to know and follow Jesus Christ, we surrender our lives to Him and seek to live according to His teachings. This transformation causes us to flee from sin and pursue a life that brings us closer to Him.

It is not the presence or absence of sin that determines rapture readiness. Rather, it depends on whether we have truly given our lives to Jesus Christ. Ironically, those who have surrendered to Christ often lose their desire to sin. They understand that sin separates them from the Savior, and they seek to avoid it. Those who are truly born again tend to live righteously—not out of fear, but from love and transformation.

Now, here is another key piece of the prophetic timeline: When Jesus returns to earth at His Second Coming, He will not come alone. He will be accompanied by His Church.

As Revelation 19:14 (KJV) says:
“And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”
 

This army is the Church—the Bride of Christ—already raptured, glorified, and prepared. They return not to suffer, but to reign with Christ as He establishes His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

This vision is echoed in Jude 1:14–15 (KJV):
“Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all…”
 

These saints are not angels, but redeemed believers—His Church—returning with Him as witnesses to His glory and judgment.

Paul also comforts the believers in Colossians 3:4 (KJV):
“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
 

This promise is deeply personal. The true Church—born again by the Spirit—will not face wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), but will instead share in Christ’s victory and glory. At that moment, “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10–11).

This glorious return is the culmination of the great love story between Christ and His Bride. After the rapture and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the Church is no longer a suffering people, but a victorious host. When Jesus sets foot on the Mount of Olives, splitting it in two (Zechariah 14:4), we—His Church—will stand behind Him in awe, joy, and perfect peace. He will reign in righteousness, and we will reign with Him.

Here is the prophetic timeline of the last days to help you understand the sequence of events:

1. The Seven-Year Peace Agreement (Beginning of the Tribulation)

• Event: A covenant or peace treaty is confirmed by the Antichrist, marking the start of the 7-year Tribulation.
• Scripture:
  “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week…”
  — Daniel 9:27

2. Rise of the One World Government and One World Religion

• Event: A global political leader (the Antichrist) and a religious system unite the world under centralized authority.
• Scriptures:
  “And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
  — Revelation 13:7
  “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him…”
  — Revelation 13:8

3. The Rapture (Just Before Wrath)

• Event: Believers in Christ are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
• Scripture:
  “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air…”
  — 1 Thessalonians 4:17
  “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation…”
  — 1 Thessalonians 5:9

4. The Abomination of Desolation (Midpoint of the 7 Years)

• Event: The Antichrist desecrates the rebuilt Jewish temple by declaring himself to be God.
• Scripture:
  “…in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease…”
  — Daniel 9:27
  “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation… flee into the mountains:”
  — Matthew 24:15–16

5. The Jews Flee to the Mountains (Midpoint)

• Event: Believing Jews in Judea flee to the wilderness to escape persecution.
• Scripture:
  “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains…”
  — Matthew 24:16
  “…and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God…”
  — Revelation 12:6

6. The Mark of the Beast (Second Half of the Tribulation)

• Event: Global economic system requires all to receive a mark to buy or sell.
• Scripture:
  “…to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark…”
  — Revelation 13:16–17

7. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Heaven During Wrath)

• Event: After the rapture, the Church (Bride) is united with Christ (Bridegroom) in Heaven.
• Scripture:
  “Let us be glad and rejoice… for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
  — Revelation 19:7–9

8. The Seven Bowls (Vials) of God’s Wrath (Final Phase of Tribulation)

• Event: God’s judgment is poured out upon the unrepentant world.
• Scripture:
  “And I heard a great voice… saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God…”
  — Revelation 16:1

9. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (End of the Tribulation)

• Event: Jesus physically returns to earth with His saints to defeat the Antichrist and establish His Millennial Kingdom.
• Scripture:
  “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse… and the armies which were in heaven followed him…”
  — Revelation 19:11–14
  “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives…”
  — Zechariah 14:4

🔚 SUMMARY TIMELINE 🔚

Sequence	Event	Key Scripture
1	Seven-Year Peace Treaty	Daniel 9:27
2	One World Government/Religion	Revelation 13:7–8
3	Rapture (Pre-Wrath or Mid-Trib)	1 Thess. 4:17; 5:9
4	Abomination of Desolation	Daniel 9:27, Matt. 24:15
5	Jews Flee to Mountains	Matt. 24:16, Rev. 12:6
6	Mark of the Beast	Revelation 13:16–17
7	Wedding Supper of the Lamb	Revelation 19:7–9
8	Bowls of Wrath	Revelation 16:1
9	Second Coming	Revelation 19:11–14; Zech. 14:4

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