Does the rapture happen before Satan is thrown into the abyss?

Answer 1

One thing is for sure, the 'chosen ones' will NOT be raptured BEFORE the Great Tribulation. They will not avoid those terrible days; as if to 'slide past' them unscathed.

In Matthew 24:21, 22 Jesus is discussing the 'great tribulation'; and especially verse 22 states that the days of the tribulation will be 'shortened' in behalf of the chosen ones. Therefore they will not have been raptured before the tribulation starts, but will simply have those days 'shortened' in their behalf.

The Bible next indicates that Satan will be abyssed AFTER the Tribulation is over, not before, or during.

Therefore by way of deduction; that would be a: -- Probably.

(But I will stand by, to be corrected; if I'm missing something. -- I never use the word 'rapture' since I am not trying to get to heaven; my hope is to 'inherit' the earth, not heaven.)

Another Answer:

The term 'rapture' is not in the Scripture but was a concept of man in the early-mid 19th Century of a 'secret' coming of Christ to take His true disciples to Heaven, then the tribulation culminating in another Coming of Christ to rule the world. However, the Bible is quite clear that Jesus will only come one time (at the sound of the 7th Trumpet) and it will be quite loud and spectacular - the whole world will take note of it and many will shutter and ask the mountains to fall upon them because of fear.

The time of Satan's defeat by Jesus and Michael (presumed) chaining him for 1,000 years and throwing him into the abyss is at the very end of the 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, and 7 Vials (the last 2 sets also contain the 3 Woes when Satan and company are cast out of Heaven for the final time and come to the Earth). It occurs in Revelation 20:1-3 which the Book of Revelation is in chronological order - with a few 'sidebars' or 'flashbacks' to help readers recall some important events.

Concerning the true Church members, this is spoken to in Revelation 12:14 as a woman which is symbolic of His Church ( a small flock, aka the elect). But note, Revelation 12:17 speaks to others not taken to the place of safety for these 3 1/2 years. Are these the Laodicean Era of the Church who have grown 'cold' and are left behind of the Philadelphian Era members who remained strong to the end? Some think so. Last point to consider is in Revelation 13 and 17 where it is speaking of a harlot - also a woman but of disrepute considered to symbolically be the 'great false church' of 'christians believers.' These too, remain/die through all the events of the 3.5 years and the abyss for Satan - just before the start of the Millennial Rule of Christ.

Post Note: After the 1000 years, Satan is released and many from the Millennial period - a judgement process and not sentencing where at the very end, the majority of mankind is called to resurrection and given the opportunity to chose life of death via repentance and Christ. Most all will but many will weaken and follow the released Satan and these with the resurrection of the condemned - incorrigible who refuse repentance and Christ, will be cast into the Lake of Fire to the extinction. Satan and the rest of his demons as well for eternal punishment as spiritual beings cannot die as physical beings can and will. All who believe are changed into spiritual sons and daughters as the Lake of Fire consumed the physical Earth and Universe - purging them anew. God and His Throne descend to the New Earth in the New Jerusalem. Heaven is now on Earth - the inheritance of mankind. Next chapter begins here.