Section 9
probably still be on the throne. The Lord's par ousia (presence) will begin from the throne. This parousia will continue with His coming to the air and will end with His coming to the earth. Within His parousia, there will be the rapture of the majority of the believers to the air (1 Thes. 4:15-17), the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), and the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9). However, certain believers, such as the one hun dred forty-four thousand firstfruit in Revela tion 14, will be raptured to the throne of God and stand with the Savior on the heavenly Mount Zion. This is what it means in Luke 21:36 "to stand before the Son of Man." Therefore, to stand before the Son of Man is to be raptured to the throne in the heavens to stand before the Savior. After this rapture, the Savior will leave the throne with those who have been raptured to the heavens and descend to the air in order to take care of the other believers who will be raptured later.
There has been much debate among Bible teachers concerning the rapture of the saints and the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Some claim that the rapture will be before the tribula tion, and others say that it will take place after the tribulation. According to the Scriptures, we believe not only in the general rapture of all the