The Rapture is Christ coming for His own, while the Second Coming is His visible return with the armies of heaven in judgment.
At the Rapture, believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air and are gathered together unto Him. At the Second Coming, Christ returns visibly after the tribulation, stands on the Mount of Olives, and pours out wrath on the earth. These are two totally separate events.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 — Paul connects Christ's coming with 'our gathering together unto him,' which Les identifies as the Rapture.
Matthew 24:29-30 — Jesus describes His visible coming after the tribulation, which Les distinguishes from the Rapture.
Revelation 19:11-14 — John sees Christ returning from heaven with armies, showing the public and victorious character of the Second Coming.
The Bible presents two distinct comings of Christ. Paul speaks of 'the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him' (2 Thessalonians 2:1), a gathering of believers to Christ in the air. Jesus describes a later coming after tribulation with cosmic signs, when 'they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory' (Matthew 24:30). John's revelation shows Christ returning on a white horse, followed by 'the armies which were in heaven' clothed in fine linen (Revelation 19:11-14). Paul also calls the church Christ's body, 'the fulness of him that filleth all in all' (Ephesians 1:23), showing that the Church belongs to Christ in a unique way.
Les Feldick teaches that the Rapture and the Second Coming are two totally separate events. At the Rapture, Christ comes for His own: believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, the dead are raised with new bodies, and the living are changed (Clips 1, 7). He describes it as a silent, instantaneous event that the world will not know has happened (Clips 3, 6). Paul's phrase 'our gathering together unto him' sets the Rapture apart from the Second Coming, because at the Second Coming Christ is not gathering people to Himself (Clip 4).
Les teaches that the Rapture of the Church was not revealed in the Old Testament or in Jesus' earthly ministry. He says, 'That is something that the rest of the Bible knew nothing about. It was only a secret revealed by and to the Apostle Paul.' He uses Matthew 24 as the prime example of how the Gospel accounts point to the Second Coming, not the Rapture.
Les describes the Rapture as a silent, instantaneous event. Believers who are alive are changed, departed saints are resurrected with new bodies, and all meet the Lord in the air. Paul's phrase 'our gathering together unto him' sets this apart from the Second Coming, because at the Second Coming Christ is not gathering people to Himself.
Jesus promised that after the tribulation the Son of Man will come in a cloud with power and great glory. Les says the actual return of Christ will involve tremendous judgment and wrath poured out on the planet. Revelation 19 shows Christ on a white horse, clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, followed by the armies of heaven.
Les explains that immediately after the Rapture, the final seven years begin—the tribulation associated with Israel. At the end of that seven-year period, the Second Coming occurs, when Christ stands on the Mount of Olives.
The Church as Christ's Complement
Les compares the Church to Eve, showing that just as Eve completed Adam, the body of Christ completes Him.
Rapture Before the Tribulation
Les places the Rapture before the final seven-year tribulation and connects the end of that period to the Second Coming on the Mount of Olives.
The Rapture as a Secret
Les explains that the Rapture was hidden from the Old Testament and Gospels and was revealed only to Paul; Matthew 24 speaks of the Second Coming.
Silent Rapture vs. Judging Return
Les contrasts the silent removal of believers with the visible, wrath-filled return of Christ on a white horse followed by heavenly armies.
The Gathering Together Unto Him
Les uses 2 Thessalonians 2:1 to show that the Rapture is Christ gathering His own to Himself, unlike the Second Coming.
Jesus' End-Time Words Are Second Coming
Les teaches that Jesus' Olivet discourse, with signs and power and glory, describes the Second Coming, not the Rapture.
Visible Second Coming After Tribulation
Les contrasts the silent, instantaneous Rapture with the visible appearance of the Son of Man immediately after the tribulation.
The Rapture: Resurrection and Change
Les explains that at the Rapture departed believers receive new bodies and living believers are changed to meet the Lord in the air.
2 Thessalonians 2:1: Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
Paul ties Christ's coming to the gathering of believers, which Les identifies as the Rapture.
Matthew 24:29-30: Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Jesus describes His visible coming after the tribulation, which Les distinguishes from the Rapture.
Revelation 19:11-14: 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. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
John sees Christ returning from heaven with armies, showing the public and victorious character of the Second Coming.
Ephesians 1:22-23: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Paul calls the church Christ's body, the complement that completes Him, which is why Christ will come for His body at the Rapture.
No. Les Feldick teaches they are two totally separate events. The Rapture is Christ gathering His own to Himself in the air, while the Second Coming is His visible return to earth after the tribulation with judgment.
According to Les, the Rapture will be a silent, instantaneous event. The world will not know that believers have been taken; it will just suddenly happen.
Les says this phrase sets the Rapture apart from the Second Coming. It refers to Christ gathering believers to Himself at the Rapture, whereas at the Second Coming He is not gathering people to Himself.
Les places it after the final seven-year tribulation. It is the event that ends the tribulation, when Christ returns visibly and stands on the Mount of Olives.
Watch the Teaching: What Happens After the Rapture? Romans 7 & Heaven Explained