2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2 Thessalonians 2:2 (AMPC) Not to allow your minds to be quickly unsettled or disturbed or kept excited or alarmed, whether it be by some [pretended] revelation of [the] Spirit or by word or by letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] arrived and is here.

I believe the AMPC has a better translation which matches up well with Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24 about false prophets. Even more to the point is this issue of anxiety over mysteries that you cannot solve and perhaps never will.

The rapture is one of the most talked about events in prophecy in which I have found no clear link between any prophetic event that shows us when we will be called up to be with our Lord.

So, in line with Paul’s encouragement to not get all shook up, let me speak to one more verse about the bride’s reappearance, not her rapture.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The bride was prepared. Are you prepared to meet your Lord?

That is not a question of salvation, this is about growing in Christ, becoming one who is worthy of standing beside Christ. This life we live right now is a proving grounds, a test track, or perhaps a training facility, to prove to ourselves that we are truly changed and ever growing to be more and more conformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

We are God’s chosen helpmates for His Son. If we chase after questions upon which hundreds of scholars over thousands of years cannot answer, we waste precious time that could be better used getting prepared.

Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

Returning once again to Joel chapter 2 for some relevant understanding of the bride coming out as it relates to the great and terrible day of the Lord. Here once again please note bridegroom and bride not husband and wife. The wedding has not taken place yet.

What is the relationship to this event with the rapture? Nothing in chapter 1 or 2 of Joel indicates anything related to the abomination which leads to desolation. Let us be clear on that if we can agree. No ties to that prophecy here which came from Daniel. The daily sacrifices and numbers of days are not relevant to this rapture event.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Paul, being a very learned scholar of the Old Testament did not refer to this as the abomination that leads to desolation. If it were, I am sure Paul would have said so. Paul would have known and shared that if the two were related. Once again we fail to put a timeline that can be measured beforehand for a rapture event.