I have pointed out MANY times that by the time Jesus returns at the Second Advent, the VAST MAJORITY of saints, including all from the church age, will already be IN heaven. I will have to agree with this statement. The dead in Christ group will be FAR FAR bigger than those caught up and changed at the rapture. We are talking about maybe 50 generations of believers all at the same place and same time. God will be the spirits of those dead in Christ who have been waiting in heaven WITH HIM to the clouds to call up their bodies from the graves. They will then MEET or JOIN with their body and be complete once again.
Our differences is what happens AFTER the dead and those living are caught up into the air to be with Jesus: WHAT THEN? It is an easy question to answer, Paul and John agree that Jesus will take the church to heaven to wait out His wrath.
Well then, if that were true, why not just quote both of them about that? That's what I've been asking the pre-tribbers for a very long time. All I get in return is a lot of "construct".
Jesus AND THE CHURCH will spend the 70th week time IN HEAVEN. Another proof is that we all return with Him as one of heaven's armies.
Actually, the 70th week is the 7 years of Tribulation.
So, when Jesus returns, the living believers left on earth will be a very SMALL FRACTION of the "Bride of Christ". So MOST of the church will already be in heaven. Sorry, not true: you already said "when Jesus returns:" Paul is clear that Jesus will bring all the dead in Christ WITH HIM when He comes for His bride.
You are so mistaken. You seem unaware of 1 Cor 15:23 - But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
The "each in turn" is followed by 2 "groups". Christ is FIRST, followed by "those who belong to Him". That would include EVERY believer since Adam. And since the subject here is the resurrection, Christ was the first human to have a "resurrection body", one that can not die, and every one else (believers) get theirs at the same event, which is when Christ returns at the second advent.
There is nothing in the Bible about the wedding occurring in heaven. Sorry, this is a false statement. ONe would have to stretch the scripture to put the marriage anywhere else. It is BEFORE Jesus descends so of course the place is heaven.
Your opinion has no validity. I would say the opposite. It 's a stretch to claim a pre-trib rapture, wedding in heaven, etc.
19:1 ...I heard a great voice of much people in heaven...
4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne
7 ... the marriage of the Lamb is come...
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
This is clear enough for most: the place is heaven.
But this ISN'T the wedding. The words clearly indicate what is ABOUT TO OCCUR, which follows Jesus on the white horse.
Here is all of v.7 - Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb
has come, and his bride
has made herself ready.
All of this is just before Jesus takes off for war on earth, to end the battle of Armageddon.
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.
This is what follows the Bride who "has made herself READY". It doesn't say she is married. Please pay attention.
The Bride gets herself ready, and what immediately follows is the trip to earth for the battle of Armageddon. THEN, after Jesus defeats the enemy, the wedding occurs, on earth.
The elders and four beasts and the throne are proof.
Proof of what, exactly?
When John says the marriage is come - it obvious meaning is RIGHT THEN. [/QUOTE
No it doesn't. It means "going to happen", "about to happen".
In fact, if the wedding DID occur at a pre-trib rapture, the wording would be different. Instead of the anticipatory wording, we would have a clear past tense wording, such as "wedding came" and "bride made herself ready". Instead, we have anticipatory wording.
Therefore, the ONLY reason I can fathom as to why you would make such a statement is because AS WRITTEN these verses prove against a post trib.
What Rev 19 doesn't prove, even close, is a pre-trib rapture.
I have a suggestion: rather that trying to rearrange John's God Given chronology, why not just change your theory?
I don't have a theory. I have biblical truth. No verse says that Jesus takes believers back to heaven before the trib.