There is no silent pre-tribulation rapture. It’s at the last trumpet, the 7th trumpet, that this mystery of God would be revealed, which is past the halfway point. Furthermore, saints were told they would be here and that they were to flee to the mountains, not to await disappearing. Relax, it's not about you.
Jesus said he’d come back before all the disciples died and before they’d make it through all the towns of Jerusalem. He also said that it would be in judgment, within 40 years or less, that dead bodies would be piled up, and that the high priest and those who pierced him would see him.
The external evidence for dating Revelation in the AD 90’s is both extremely weak and flawed. The inspired Bible itself dates Revelation for us. It was written during the reign of the 6th emperor of Rome, after the unwarranted killing of famous saints, and before the destruction of Jerusalem.
The Bible says in Joel and Acts that Pentecost was in the last days. This defines the last days as the ending of the old covenant, the ending of old sacrifices, and the ending of old Jerusalem. This coincides with the new covenant, the eternal perfect sacrifice, and the new Jerusalem.
The Bible doesn’t say that Christ would reign for “1,000” years. It said the martyred saints would … with Christ, who was already reigning, and still is, and will forever. It also says that one of their primary jobs and privileges during their reign is the judging of the 12 tribes of Israel to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. They are given royal white robes and told to wait a little while for more martyrs to come up, until the judgment of Jerusalem.
The Bible says that Death/Hades was emptied/destroyed during the tribulation at the 7th trumpet and that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob finally entered the presence of Christ and the saints of the 1st resurrection who died after His finished work. This means that we are judged now immediately upon our deaths, like Hebrews and Daniel both say, and go to either the eternal throne room of God or the eternal Lake of Fire.
Revelation is not the first time that Israel/Judea is referred to as “earth”, nor is it the first time that gentiles are referred to as “sea.” It’s not the first time that soldiers are referred to as locusts, nor is it the first time war is referred to as a flood. It’s not the first time powers are shaken up in “earthquakes” and governments are represented as celestial bodies, nor the first time leaders are referred to as stars.
Revelation and Daniel are perfectly fulfilled with the Roman/Judean conglomerate of the sea beast and earth beast, iron mixed with potter’s clay. Vespasian is perfectly described as the different little horn rising up amongst 10 other emperors and displacing 3 before wearing out the saints for 3.5 years. Nero checks all the boxes for the image of the beast, including the calculable number, being killed by no other, rumored to have come back to life, and having an image built to be worshipped.
Jesus corrected the wrong thinking the Sadducees had about resurrected bodies, explaining that they don’t operate with physical facilities but are rather like the angels. Jesus also says that His kingdom was not observable like other physical things, but was “in the midst of them.” Furthermore, He said that His kingdom would exist amongst those not in his kingdom … and that it would last far beyond 1,000 years … forever.
My name is Thomas. I was born again at the young age of 3, after my mother gave a very clear presentation of salvation, explaining how my heart was made dirty by sin, and telling me of the desire of Jesus to enter it and make it clean. I repented of my wrong, thanked Him for what He did on the cross, and asked Him to save me. I finally worked up the courage in 3rd grade to follow in baptism in front of the congregation at my fundamental independent church. (which you would rightly assume, was pre-millennial futurist) After 13 years of private Christian school, I attended Baptist Bible College before transferring to Harding University. I have been blessed to teach and lead multiple Bible studies and classes at Temple Baptist Church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, and Crosspoint Church. My first intense Revelation course was actually in 7th grade at my Christian school. More would follow in college. Some were of futurist perspectives, and some were from preterist perspectives. I've read multiple books on prophecy, including one 2 inches thick, covering the 4 popular angles. That said, the ultimate book on prophecy is the Bible itself. This is why I have read it, continue to read it, and will continue to re-read it. ALL other books are flawed. And this why we find ourselves where we are today. Commentaries have been elevated beyond Christ, and the church has consequently become royally confused. My mission is to simply point us back to the source - God's Word - and the discovery of it's truth.