God's End Times Program for Israel Vs the Church

The Foundation: Israel vs. The Church

The two-event view hinges on the idea that God deals with humanity through distinct, successive dispensations (or economies) and has separate purposes for two specific groups:

1. God's Program for Israel:

This program centers on earthly, national, and covenantal promises made to Abraham and his descendants.

• Focus: The nation of Israel, centered around the land, the throne of David, and the city of Jerusalem.

• Key Promises: The return of the Messiah to rule the Earth from Jerusalem, restoring the nation to political and spiritual prominence (Daniel 2:44-45; Zechariah 14:1-15).

• Final Fulfillment: The thousand-year, literal, earthly reign of Christ (the Millennium), where He fulfills all the unconditional promises made to Israel.

• Relevance to End Times: The prophetic passages describing Christ's public return to the earth (Matthew 24:29-31; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 19:11-20:6) are primarily seen as the fulfillment of Israel's covenants. This return is necessary to save Israel from final destruction and set up the promised Kingdom.

2. God's Program for the Church:

This program began with Pentecost (Acts 2) and centers on the spiritual, global, and heavenly body of Christ.

• Focus: A new creation—the Church—composed of both Jewish and Gentile believers, whose citizenship is ultimately heavenly (Philippians 3:20).

• Key Promises: Heavenly rewards, adoption as children of God, and being made joint-heirs with Christ.

• Final Fulfillment: Being with Christ in the Father's house forever.

Relevance to End Times:

Passages describing Christ's coming for His saints (John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17) are seen as the culmination of the Church Age. Since the Church is a heavenly body, it must be removed from the Earth before God resumes His specific program of judging and restoring Israel during the Tribulation.

The Chronological Separation: Two Distinct Comings

1. Purpose

• Rapture (Coming for the Church)

  • Removes the Church to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

• Second Coming (Coming to Establish the Kingdom)

  • Returns to earth to judge the nations and establish the Messianic Kingdom (Revelation 19:11).

2. Recipients

• Rapture

  • The Church — all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture.

• Second Coming

  • Israel and the nations (Matthew 24:30; Zechariah 14).

3. Location

• Rapture

  • Christ meets the saints in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

• Second Coming

  • Christ’s feet stand on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:11; Zechariah 14:4).

4. Timing

• Rapture

  • Imminent; no signs must precede it — the “Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13).

• Second Coming

  • Occurs after the Tribulation; preceded by global upheaval and the rise of the Antichrist (Matthew 24:29).

5. Duration Gap

• Rapture

  • Separated from the Second Coming by the 7‑year Great Tribulation.

• Second Coming

  • Not separated from anything; it initiates the Millennium.

Conclusion on the Framework:

The Two-Event View is often chosen because it allows the interpreter to take the promises and prophecies for Israel and the Church literally and distinctly. The Rapture concludes the Church Age, and the Second Coming fulfills the promises to Israel by setting up the earthly kingdom.

Click for the last section: Final thoughts on the church's response to different teachings on the rapture and Jesus' 2nd coming