What is the rapture and when will it happen? What a great question. Let’s see what the Bible tells us.
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show to His servants things which must soon take place (Revelation 1:1).”
The Bible book of Revelation is organized according to its judgments. Between the judgments there are interludes, and explanations, that help explain the judgments.
The table below lists the judgments in chapter order. The judgments in Revelation are in chronological order. Each judgment moves time forward as shown below.
The Judgments in Order in Revelation
| Chapters/ Defendant | Description | Timing/Length |
| 2-3/ The Church | Tell us about the Church Age, from the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost until the rapture, which ends the Church Age. | We are in the Church Age. The seven-year tribulation begins sometime after the rapture when a peace treaty is signed with Israel. |
| 6/Earth-dwellers | Features what happens on earth during the seven seal judgments. | Brings us to the midpoint of the 7-year tribulation, 1260 days, 42 months, or 3.5 years. |
| 8-9 Earth-dwellers | Describes what happens on earth during the seven trumpet judgments. | Brings us to shortly before Jesus’ Second Advent, 3.4 (approximate) years. |
| 10 Earth-dwellers | We glimpse the seven thunders judgments before the angel hides those judgments. | These follow the trumpet judgments shortly before Jesus returns. |
| 16 Earth-dwellers | Notifies us about what happens on earth during the seven bowl judgments that fall in rapid succession. | Brings us to the end of the seven-year tribulation as Jesus returns. |
| 20 Unbe-lievers | The judgments that happen to the unholy trinity and the final judgment for unbelievers. | At the end of the tribulation for the unholy trinity and after the 1,000-year reign of Christ for unbelievers (Great White Throne). |
These four judgments happen in order during the seven-year tribulation.
The Four Judgments in the Tribulation
| Seven Seals | Rev. 6 | 1st half of the tribulation |
| Seven Trumpets | Rev. 8-9 | 2nd half of the tribulation |
| Seven Thunders (Hidden) | Rev. 10 | After the Trumpets |
| Seven Bowls | Rev. 16 | Before the 2nd Coming |
The judgments in the table below happen after the tribulation and at the end of the Millennium. Eternity begins immediately after the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of Jesus’ thousand-year reign.
Judgments After the Tribulation and the Millennium (Details)
| Verses and Time | Who’s Judged and Why? | Ultimate Fate |
| 19:19-21 End of Armageddon | The Beast and False Prophet for deceiving those who took the mark of the Beast. | Eternity in the Lake of Fire |
| 20:1-3 End of tribulation | Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. | Then he’s released for a little while to lead a final rebellion. |
| 20:4-6 End of tribulation | Faithful saints who didn’t take the mark of the Beast | These saints reign with Christ for 1,000 years. |
| 20:7-10 End of Millennium | Satan is freed and gathers the deceived in a final rebellion by attacking God’s City, Jerusalem. | Fire comes down from heaven and devours the rebels and they’re cast into the Lake of Fire. |
| 20:11-15 End of Millennium | God judges all unbelievers by their works at the Great White Throne Judgment. | Since they’re not in the Book of Life they’re cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. |
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Time Progression in Revelation
| Revelation 1 | Revelation 2-3 | Revelation 4-19 | Revelation 20 | Revelation 21-22 |
| Prologue Ends with: Church Letters | Church Age> Ends with: Rapture | Tribulation> Ends with: Second Coming | Millennium> Ends with: Final Rebellion | Eternity Never ends! |
| Introduction | Now > | 7 years > | 1,000 years > | Forever |
Note: The interludes between the judgments help explain the judgments. Time only moves forward during the time of judgments
| Chapter | Interludes | Judgments | |
| Rev. 1 | Introduction | ||
| Rev. 2 | Letters to Churches | ||
| Rev. 3 | Letters to Churches | ||
| Rev. 4 | The Heavenly Throne | ||
| Rev. 5 | The Scroll and the Worth Lamb | ||
| Rev. 6 | Seven Seals | ||
| Rev. 7 | The 144,000 Sealed and Multitudes Saved | ||
| Rev. 8 | Seven Trumpets | ||
| Rev. 9 | Seven Trumpets | ||
| Rev. 10 | The Little Scroll | ||
| Rev. 11 | The Two Witnesses | ||
| Rev. 12 | Israel, Satan, and the Christ Child | ||
| Rev. 13 | The First and Second Beast | ||
| Rev. 14 | The 144,000 Redeemed and the 3 Angels | ||
| Rev. 15 | Prelude to the Seven Final Plagues | ||
| Rev. 16 | Seven Bowls | ||
| Rev. 17 | Mystery Babylon and the Beast | ||
| Rev. 18 | Babylon’s Fall | ||
| Rev. 19 | Jesus’ Second Advent | ||
| Rev. 20 | Judgments on Unbelievers | ||
| Rev. 21 | The New Heaven, Earth, & Jerusalem | ||
| Rev. 22 | The Tree and River of Life | ||
The book of Revelation is organized Chronologically. We’re currently in the Church Age. After the Church is raptured (taken to heaven) there will be seven years of tribulation, when God pours out His wrath on “earthdwellers (unbelievers in Jesus).” The seal judgments will happen during the first half of the tribulation, while the trumpet judgments will happen during the second half. The seven thunders and bowl judgments will happen shortly before the end of the tribulation when Jesus returns to earth to set up His Kingdom.
When Jesus returns, He will defeat His enemies at the Battle of Armageddon. The Beast and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire. Jesus has Satan chained in a pit so Satan can’t tempt anyone during Jesus’ 1,000-year reign.
Jesus will rule the earth for 1,000 years from the New Jerusalem. At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be released and lead a rebellion against Jesus and fire will come down and destroy the rebels. Satan will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. All unbelievers of all time will appear before God at the Great White Throne Judgment. God will open the Book of Life and no unbeliever’s name will be found in it. They will be judged by their (insufficient works) and be sentenced to eternity in the Lake of Fire.
At the beginning of the eternal state, God will bring His heaven to earth and dwell with humanity. The tables below show the blessings people will enjoy in eternity.
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The table below shows how the conditions in New Jerusalem will be better than they were in “Babylon.”
Improvements of New Jerusalem over “Babylon”
| Babylon | New Jerusalem |
| Unbelievers refused the free water of life, and as enduring beings their place is in the lake of fire where they remain forever impure (Rev. 21-5-8). | While believers, though undeserving on their own merits, are graciously cleansed and purified for eternity (Rev. 22:11, 17). |
| Unbelievers cast their fate with the condemned city of Mystery Babylon (Rev. 21:9-27). | While believers share in the New Jerusalem, the city of God (Rev. 22:14-15). |
| Unbelievers wear the name or sign of the Beast (Rev 13:15-17), | While believers share in the river of life, the tree of life, and wear God’s name on their foreheads; (Rev. 22:1-5). |
| And best of all, especially for those that conquer in Jesus’ blood and are persecuted in this life Jesus promises, “I am coming soon!” and John says, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20). |
The table below shows how the fate of believers in eternity is better than the life and fate of unbelievers now and in eternity.
Contrasts Between Unbelievers and Believers
| Unbelievers | Believers |
| Refuse the Water of Life | Share in the River of Life |
| Eternal Destiny: Lake of Fire | Eternal Destiny: Live with God |
| Forever Impure | Forever cleansed and purified |
| Share Babylon’s Fate | Share in the New Jerusalem |
| Suffer the Second Death | Share in the Tree of Life |
| Wore the Sign of the Beast | God’s Name is on Their Forehead |
We invite you to watch the GREAT NEWS FOR YOU video on this page to find out how you too can receive eternal life in heaven with God.
