This book, IN THE LORD’S DAY, deals

1) with the time of the resurrection of the dead and translation of the living “in Christ" (commonly called “the rapture”), 2) with judgment awaiting Christians at Christ’s judgment seat following their removal from the earth, and 3) with events related to this judgment, which preceded and anticipate the coming Messianic Era.

These are the things dealt with in the opening four chapters of the Book of Revelation. And viewing the book as a whole, these opening four chapters provide a sequence of events which must occur at the end of the present dispensation but before the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation period on earth.

The Book of Revelation is the only book in Scripture which provides a comprehensive coverage of this nature, surrounding these events. The same truths concerning these events are taught elsewhere in Scripture (particularly in Old Testament typology) but not all together, in a sequence, which includes the Tribulation in the sequence, such as one finds in the Book of Revelation.

Now only must the rapture and events surrounding the judgment seat occur preceding the Tribulation, but these events must, according to information in these chapters, be all-inclusive. That is, all Christians (all of the dead and the living “in Christ” throughout the entire 2,000- year dispensation) must be removed together, at the same time and place, to appear before Christ in judgment. According to these chapters, there can be no such thing as a selective removal of Christians from the earth at the time of the rapture; nor can there be such a thing as more than one time and place for events surrounding the judgment seat.

A separation of Christians on the basis of faithfulness will occur, but not at the time of the rapture. This separation will occur at the judgment seat alone.