WHY THIS IS NOT THE RAPTURE. Rev. 4:1 The simple answer is that is was addressed to John and not to the church. It was an invitation for John to have a heavenly session and receive the revelation from the Lord. There is no reference to anyone else other than John. It is not that we all are not invited into heaven but not on this occasion. Acts 10:11 Peter saw an open heavens, as the Lord was convincing him that the gentiles were to be included in the Gospel. Acts 7:56 Stephen, the first to die for the Gospel, saw the heavens opened to receive him. He also saw JESUS STANDING at the right hand of God. Standing to honor Stephen. Ready to receive him into His kingdom. We are all well aware that the trumpet will sound and the living and the dead shall be caught up to be with Him eternally. We all look forward to that day with great anticipation. However, there is no trumpet sounding in Rev. 4:1 We dare not read into the Word of the Lord, that which is not there. What the Word is saying is, that what John heard was a VOICE like that of a trumpet. In other words a voice loud and clear and of great volume and authority. There was not the sound of a trumpet but a VOICE TALKING with John. There is a very distinguishable difference between the sound of a voice, however loud, and the blasting of a trumpet. AS IT WERE A TRUMPET takes away the trumpet and leaves a voice.
The invitation was directed to John. Come up hither, and I will show YOU. John was in the Spirit and therefore was capable of a face to face meeting with the Lord. It was a person to person deliberation. The plans and purposes of the Lord were about to be made plain to John. He looked on the plans of the Lord as if though he were right in the midst of their fulfillment. Rev. 11:12 It is interesting to note that the same thing will happen to the two witnesses. They are called into the heavenlies, in a cloud. All the redeemed are caught up in a cloud at the second coming. One glorious event.
THE CHURCH FOUND AFTER FOUR-ONE (Rev. 4:1). Hurt not the oil and the wine. Rev. 6:6 The oil and the wine are symbolic of the Holy Spirit who is resident in the church. The temple of God, or His church measured. Rev. 11:1 Paul identified the New Testament temple as the believer. 1 Cor. 3:17, Rev. 9:4 Surely those possessing the seal of God are the church. They are preserved of the Lord in the midst of famine. The most important evidence of the church is found in Rev. 12:1. The woman is the Bride of Christ, not Mary. Remember, John was shown things which shall be hereafter. The revelation was not given until Seventy AD. The message of the book was to be in the future, not the past.