Anonymous wrote:For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
--1 Thessalonians 4:14
When you die, you "sleep": you have no consciousness. When you "awake", even if it has been 2,000 years, it will seem like you only took a nap, just as after 8 hours of sleep or a coma you have no recollection of time. You do not go straight to heaven or hell when you die, you go to the grave and remain until Jesus returns.
The order of coming back from the dead is this: (1) Jesus (2) Christians at Jesus' 2nd coming (3) non-Christians
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end... --I Corinthians 15:20
When is the 2nd coming? It is after the 7th (last) trumpet in Revelation:
And the seventh angel sounded...and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints...--Revelation 11:15, 18
When does Jesus gives rewards? It is after his 2nd coming:
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
2 Peter 3:8
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2000+ years does not seem "quickly" to us, but to God it has only been 2 days since Jesus died.
I wonder, since Jesus rose from the dead on the 3rd day, will Jesus return in 3 days, approximately 3,000 years after his death?
By the way, there is no "secret rapture" where Christians are spirited out of the earth before the tribulation.
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: 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.
--Matthew 24:29
Jesus returns after the sun and moon are darkened, not before. All those Christians with that sappy smirk on their faces thinking they will escape tribulation are in for a very rude awakening, so much so many will fall alway from the faith which results in the Man of Sin appearing:
2 Thessalonians 2:1
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
...Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition
Those who think Jesus returns before the anti-christ have been deceived and are living with a false sense of security.
Instead of reading the bible for themselves, they trust the words of sugar-speaking ministers who tickle their ears with words of comfort, security, convenience, and prosperity.
Jesus clearly gives the order of events before his return. The 6th Seal in Revelation 6:12 corresponds directly with Matthew 24:29 so there is no "secret rapture" before these bad things (tribulation) happen.
Only If you believe the New Testament, written 2000 years ago, offers credible answers.