Jack Hibbs: What is the Difference Between the Two “Comings” of Jesus Christ?

Is the Rapture Biblical? | Jack Hibbs explains John 14, Daniel 9, and Revelation 19

Is the Rapture of the Church real? Where is it in the Bible? In this episode, Pastor Jack Hibbs walks verse-by-verse through key passages—clarifying the difference between Christ’s first coming, the Rapture (our gathering to Him), and His second coming to earth. You’ll see how John 14:1–3 fits with Daniel 9:24–27, why the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) speaks to Israel and not the Church, and how Revelation 19 reveals the Bride in “fine linen, clean and bright.”

If you’ve wrestled with pre-, mid-, pre-wrath, or post-trib views, this clear, Bible-anchored walkthrough will help you test every position against Scripture.

What you’ll learn

• The two prophesied comings of Jesus in Daniel 9:24–27

• Why John 14:1–3 is foundational to the Rapture

• The role of 2 Thessalonians 2 and the restrainer

• How the Olivet Discourse centers on Israel (not the Church)

• The difference between “robes” and “fine linen” in Revelation 19

• How the Day of Christ (Rapture) relates to the Day of the Lord (judgment)

Key Scriptures referenced

• John 14:1–3

• Daniel 9:24–27

• Zechariah 9:9

• Matthew 23

• Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21 (Olivet Discourse)

• 2 Thessalonians 2

• Isaiah 26:19–21

• Revelation 19–20

What is the Difference Between the Two “Comings” of Jesus Christ?

Hey everybody—today we’re getting into the Rapture of the Church. Is it even real? Where is it in the Bible? Is Christ coming back? Is He coming back again? Let’s find out. It’s very specific. Get your Bible—let’s go.

Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs Podcast—with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints, and impact our culture today. If this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ, then make sure you leave us one of those five-star ratings. To us, that’s like saying “Amen!” or “Yes!”—and that rating will encourage others to listen. Now open your hearts to what God’s Word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs.

Hey, you guys—welcome to our ongoing podcast. How about that? It’s an ongoing podcast, and we’re going to have a great time together. So, once again, welcome to the Jack Hibbs Podcast. If you’d like to share this with others or hit “subscribe,” we’d love for you to do that, of course.

But listen—we wound up embarking upon an unintended, unplanned trip, which are some of the greatest trips of all. You head down the street to get a carton of milk and wind up driving down Coast Highway, and the whole world changes. That’s what’s happened with our topic. We’re looking at end-times events and where the Rapture of the Church fits in.

I’m excited about it because we received tons of mail—can I call email “mail”?—just mail. Nobody licked a stamp or anything, but we were sent a bunch of mail, and it covered the broad spectrum of everything you can imagine. I have no doubt we received comments from premillennialists and postmillennialists, amillennialists for sure. We had responses from people who said, “There is no Rapture, you’re nuts.” Some people said, “Explain it more, I’m interested.” Some people got all lathered up about it—which is hilarious. Some said, “You’re teaching false doctrine by teaching a pre-tribulation Rapture.” Okay, you need to back off the steroids or something—that’s insane—because there are great men and women of God who have taught pre- and post-tribulation Rapture views. So dial it down. Don’t make that your little cult thing.

Bottom line: if you’re trusting in the blood of Jesus Christ to get you to heaven—plus nothing else—if you’ve repented of your sins and made Him the Lord and Savior of your life—in other words, are you following Jesus today? Are you obeying Him?—then whether you hold a pre-, mid-, or post-Rapture view is irrelevant compared to the fact that when the Rapture takes place, you’re going up. Or, if you slip on a banana, fall, break your neck, and die—you’re going to see Him. Let’s remember that. We can debate and argue—beautifully—about the placement of the Rapture.

The reason we brought this up is because I personally have no doubt when the Rapture is—not the day or the hour; only a lunatic would say such a thing. Nobody knows that. Nobody knows the day or the hour. But, as I mentioned before in the previous podcast, I used to be a post-tribulationist. That’s a hard sell. I spent about three years doing that, and you’ve got to really mess around with the identity of Israel, the identity of the Church, and you’ve got to redefine words like “wrath” and “indignation.” It’s a hard sell. That shouldn’t offend any of you. One of the things I’m grateful for with this podcast is that it’s ruffled some feathers. I don’t want to ruffle feathers just to ruffle feathers. I want any “ruffling” to lead you to greater Bible study—then that’s awesome.

Okay, so we’re going to jump in. Here’s where we start. Everybody, get ready—write this down: the comings—plural—of Jesus Christ. There are only two. Write this down. The two comings are found in Daniel chapter 9—more specifically, Daniel 9, verses 24 to 27.

First coming: Jesus comes—anybody know when? Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday was the first coming of Jesus Christ. We’ve said this before: not the baby born in Bethlehem—that’s not His first coming. His first coming is when He is presented to Israel as King. He comes riding in His first coming on the little donkey (Zechariah 9:9—the fulfillment of that). He presents Himself as King. It’s the only time in Jesus’ earthly ministry where He allows Himself to be acknowledged and worshiped as King. The spectators there on Palm Sunday are laying down their garments and palm branches, shouting and praising, “Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Now this is critical, friends. Listen—tie this together. As they were rejoicing, He’s weeping. Jesus says in Matthew 23, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if you’d only known this thy day, the peace that awaits you—but you were not willing. For behold, your house is left to you desolate.” He no doubt pointed to the temple on His left as He’s coming down the Mount of Olives. “Your house is left to you desolate, and you won’t see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Class: who did He say that to, where was He, and what event is He referencing?

In the middle of His first coming down the Mount of Olives, He announces: you failed to recognize that today was a day Daniel spoke to you about—you missed it. Not everybody missed it, but the national leaders, the religious leaders—they missed it. When He says, “You’re not going to see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,’” that is taken right out of the book of Psalms. Jesus says the ultimate fulfillment of that will be when you see Me come in again from this mountaintop—on the back of a horse this time. I will not be coming back fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. I’m going to be coming back fulfilling the latter end of the book of Isaiah. I’m going to be coming back to the Mount of Olives, coming out of the east toward the west—which is fascinating; that’s exactly how it’s set up in Israel. When that happens, My foot is going to touch the Mount of Olives, it’s going to split in two, and I’m going to enter in through the Triumphal Gate or the Eastern Gate. He is going to be hailed by the believing Jews in that moment, at that time, when they cry out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Here He is.

So, the first coming is a physical coming of Jesus Christ—on an animal—presented as King to Jerusalem (which is in Israel), to the Jewish people. Got that?

The second coming is very much the same way: He comes to the nation of Israel, to the city of Jerusalem, to the Jewish people, presents Himself as King, and establishes His kingdom. Why? He must sit on the throne of David. For how long? Anybody know? In fact, it’s so important that if Jesus does not sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem, then we’ve got the wrong Jesus. (I’m being sarcastic—we’ve got the right Jesus.) But this is very important. Establish this: first coming—physical, to Israel, to the Jew. Second coming—physical return, to Israel, to the Jew. Both deal with His kingship. Both deal with the establishment of His kingdom.

The grand pause is these last 2,000 years between those two events. What that means, as we know from the Bible—from the Epistles, from the book of Acts, from the entire New Testament (and the Old Testament as well)—is this: this is the Church Age, the period of time where God has been gathering together to Himself a people who, the Scripture says in Isaiah, were “not His people,” to whom God says, “You will become My people, and I will become your God,” referencing the Gentile world. Hello—say hi if you’re one who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So make a very important separation: two physical comings to Israel in bodily form. The nation has to be in existence for both of them. There have to be Jews in Israel for that to take place. That’s extremely necessary—there’s no moving around that. If you start to jostle the meaning of who or what is Israel and replace it with the Church, you’ve got serious problems in your theology that lead you to a post-tribulation conclusion—and that’s unfortunate.

A little bit more: Jesus says—and the apostles teach—that there is something we would call “our gathering together to Him.” Jesus introduces it first in John 14. We covered that—the first three verses. Jesus says, “I’m going away. I’m going to prepare a place for you, and I’m going to come back and pick you up and take you where I have been.” Read John 14:1, 2, and 3 again. Many who commented, criticized, and said, “There’s no Rapture; you didn’t even mention John 14”—of course you’re not, because that disrupts your view. Listen—we want the Bible to shape our view; we don’t want our view to shape the Bible. Very important.

He’s going to take us to that place He’s been preparing for us. I’d simply ask: when does that happen? How does it happen? Where are we going? You have to answer that—how, when, and where are we going?

The pre-tribulation Rapture view is the only view that makes that fit with all the other representations of Scripture. That’s why even a pre-wrath or mid-trib view doesn’t fit right—for this reason: the seven years. Remember this—Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday at the end of the 483rd year prophesied in Daniel chapter 9, verses 24 to 27. When Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah—putting it bluntly and paraphrasing—He went away. He said He’s not going to come back to Israel until the time is right for Him to return to Israel. What is that? The 490 years; removing 483 years leaves seven years.

Some of you struggle with that. You say, “It can’t be seven years.” It doesn’t matter what you say—it’s seven years. “Yeah, but my theology…” I don’t care what your theology says—it’s seven years. The Bible says it’s seven years. There’s a first half of 42 months and a second half of 42 months—or 1,260 days and another 1,260 days. The Bible is so specific that in the middle of that—on the 1,261st day—we know that’s the day the Antichrist enters the temple in Jerusalem and declares himself to be God. That’s when, so to speak, all hell breaks loose on earth—the second half of the tribulation period, a horrific time. Jesus said it’s a time so violent and demonically energized, led by the Antichrist (and predominantly Satan living out his wishes through the Antichrist and the False Prophet), that if He didn’t return at the end of those seven years, there would be no flesh left on earth. That’s how bad it’s going to be.

For that reason, some people say, “See, the Church is in the first three and a half years because it’s okay.” It’s not okay. The first three and a half years is a time of great deception because the Holy Spirit would have stepped aside—2 Thessalonians 2. The Holy Spirit steps aside—He doesn’t go anywhere; He doesn’t leave the earth—He steps aside. “Then shall that Wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and the brightness of His coming”—the Antichrist. So the first three and a half years is a time of the earth being judged by demonic influence via the Antichrist, a man who will arise out of what we understand to be the revised ancient Roman Empire, simply because Daniel’s description throughout the book of Daniel is that this guy—the little horn—is going to arise from the entity of the two legs of Daniel’s image (eastern and western empires—the flanks of the Roman Empire).

Remember, the seven years in total is judgment on the earth. It’s phased judgment: the upfront is deception by prosperity and peace; the second half is extreme violence and plagues poured out upon a Christ-rejecting world.

Let’s talk about something very key—mark it down, please: the Olivet Discourse. The Olivet Discourse is found in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13. Why is it important? Super important—because nowhere in the Olivet Discourse is the Church. Nowhere. Almost every eschatologist I’ve studied—even those who view it differently (mid- or post-trib Rapture)—they struggle. They have a hard time. There are books like this one, where Dr. John Walvoord addresses the Rapture question: When is it? Is it pre, mid, or post? He gives arguments for all the views—represents all the teams in question, with their arguments. It’s pretty exhaustive—fine print—but a great work. That’s Dr. John Walvoord. (You can get this at jackhibbs.com. I don’t get any money for it. You can order it today—The Rapture Question—and get it right away. It represents all the views, with pros and cons. Very balanced.)

But the Olivet Discourse deals with Christ’s second coming—to Israel, to Jerusalem—regarding the Jew and the temple. There’s no mention of the Church whatsoever.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned in a sermon that what we’re seeing right now in the world around us are what I called Braxton Hicks contractions. Those of you who have been pregnant—your body begins a workout program called Braxton Hicks. You’re not giving birth—not even ready to give birth—but your body starts working out the vital muscles and tissues, getting ready for delivery. It’s not birth time; it’s not technically birth pains—it’s the body putting itself through training. Isn’t God amazing, that He made your body to do this, ladies?

Right now in this world, we’re seeing Braxton Hicks contractions: the formation of a global governance, digital currencies, a borderless world being talked about—World Economic Forum and all the stuff they want to speak about.

One more important point: did Jesus go away? Yes. Why did He go away? That’s a great question. Can you answer it? Did He say He would come back? Why is He coming back?

If this helps, think of an umbrella. The first coming would be here, the Rapture in the middle, and the second coming at the end. John tells us these are the last days—John said that 2,000 years ago. But when we talk about the first and second comings, think of them under the umbrella of “the coming of the Lord.”

What I want you thinking about—because we’ll pick this up next time (go study this; it’s very important)—is this question: In the community of believers—those who make it to heaven—what are they wearing? You’ll immediately shout, “White robes,” and you’re correct—to a point. Old Testament saints get white robes. Tribulation saints who die for their faith during the Trib—most of them are beheaded—get white robes. But there is a group the Bible mentions who don’t get robes. There’s a group that gets “fine white linen, clean and bright”—completely different word.

Listen: look up Strong’s number G1039—relates to the Church, “fine white linen, clean and bright”—versus (in contrast to) G3588 or G4749, which refer to robes. There’s a difference. Why? Because the Bride of Christ doesn’t wear robes—she wears a wedding gown: fine linen, clean and bright. Those who die or experience the Great Tribulation—the seven years referred to in the Olivet Discourse—are wearing robes. The Church is nowhere to be found there. That’s very important to keep in mind.

Listen up—Revelation 19:

“After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments…’” Interesting—they’re in heaven, talking about God’s judgments being righteous “…because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication…”—the false religious system the Antichrist uses to gain a foothold in a spiritualized world (a false church)—“…and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”

Whoever is talking is not them—they’re saying, “Praise God—the Lord has stepped up and is executing judgment on those who killed His servants.”

“And again they said, ‘Alleluia!’ And her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders”—who I’ll say represent the Church (for a reason—not for this podcast)—“and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, ‘Amen! Alleluia!’ Then a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great.’”

Verse 6: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings”—that’s awesome—“saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

Listen up: saints of the Old Testament, saints of the Tribulation period, and Church-Age believers are all called “saints.” The Bride of Christ—she’s wearing fine linen. There are various categories of saints—remember that.

Verse 9: “Then he said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” I love this—listen carefully: “Blessed are those who are called to”—invited to—“the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said, “These are the true sayings of God.” John fell at his feet to worship him, but he said, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (If your church doesn’t teach Bible prophecy, get out of it—go find one that does.)

So there’s a fellow servant talking to John about what John is seeing in heaven and what’s happening. John is looking at the twenty-four elders. He’s seeing the saints that have been prepared by their righteousness, which is the fine linen—clean and bright. Check it out: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” I’m going to submit something you may never have thought about before: brides and grooms are never invited to their own weddings. In fact, there is no wedding without a bride and groom. There is no wedding without Jesus and the Church. So who’s invited? If you’re a believer today, you’re not invited—you’re the celebration. I’m not invited to it; it can’t happen without me.

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.” His eyes are like a flame of fire; on His head many crowns; He has a name no one knew except Himself. “He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood”—you want to know why? Read Isaiah—the last six chapters. While we’re in heaven, Jesus will intermittently execute judgment and defense of the nation of Israel. Go read Isaiah 26, verses 19 to 21. “His name is called the Word of God.”

Verse 14: “And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen”—that’s crystal clear—“white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” That’s us. Notice—we’re in heaven. How did we get there? So cool. Are you getting this? Right now, truth is slapping up against your denominational teachings. Don’t come to the Bible with a preloaded theology. Let God’s Word speak to you—this is so cool.

“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.” This is the judgment of Christ at the second coming. “He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron”—and so do we; that’s also mentioned of us. “He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Verse 17: “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven”—that’s the atmosphere—“‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people’”—that’s nations—“‘free and slave, both small and great.’” This is judgment at the second coming.

“And I saw the Beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army”—that’s us. When’s that? Second coming.

“Then the Beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the Beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”

Read the Old and New Testament accounts of what happens when Christ the Messiah returns. He gathers the nations together in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and those who are condemned are consumed by the flesh-eating birds. Revelation 20—you can keep reading, going on into the deeper things of the judgment of Christ, the millennial age, and the final doom of Satan. That’s Revelation 19—very critical.

Your homework right now is to figure out who’s in heaven with Jesus while the earth is being slammed by the Seal Judgments, the Trumpet Judgments, and the Bowl Judgments. At the end of the Bowl Judgments comes the awesome and terrifying Day of the Lord.

We’re going to end on this—we’ve gone way too long; we’ll pick this up next time (somebody mark that down): We don’t know when the Rapture takes place, but when it happens—when the Day of Christ takes place (the Day of Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus Christ)—that’s the Rapture. In the next millisecond, the Day of the Lord begins. It’s the Rapture—the Day of Jesus for the Church, fulfilling John 14. When that happens, it starts the clock ticking called the Day of the Lord, and it goes all the way through the seven years in total and all the way through the end of the Millennium—the thousand years.

But we’re out of time. I hope you join us next time. Gather people together—let’s keep going until we’re done with this. I apologize for the lack of time. Let people know—get this podcast bumped up there. We need to let the woke media world know that people care about this topic. If you like it, please “like” it. If you can share it, please share it with as many people as possible. We believe strongly that it’s time—it’s time to live out your life; it’s time to live what you believe in. And thus we say: it’s time for Real Life. God bless you guys—until next time.

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