This post is inspired in response to a certain outrageous claim made by some people who believe the rapture is before the tribulation. Specifically, they believe that the “last trumpet” that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 is NOT the seventh trumpet in revelations, and the reason they cite is that: “Paul was not aware of the 7 trumpets john saw in revelations, because John had the vision years after Paul wrote 1 Corinthians”. They go on to make the claim that ‘since the last trumpet is not the 7th trumpet in revelation, it obviously refers to the feast of trumpets spoken of in the law of Moses”. In response to this claim I am writing this study, to prove to people that not only was Paul (and indeed all the apostles) well aware of the seven trumpets in revelation, but Paul was aware of every major event spoken of in the book of revelations! And in proving that Paul knew all the goings on spoken of in Revelations, I confidently make the claim that Paul did know about the 7 trumpets in Revelations, and that Paul, when speaking of the “last trumpet” in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, was actually referring to the 7th trumpet in the book of revelations. The two main ways I am going to show that Paul knew all about what was seen in Revelations (before John saw the vision), are these. First, Paul writes in GREAT DETAIL in his epistles about the things john saw (eg the antichrist, end times deception, the rapture, the wrath of God etc). Second, Paul was an expert, sent from God to explain the Old Testament to people, and almost the ENTIRE book of revelations, is actually contained in the Old Testament scriptures! So Paul knew what Revelations was about (before Revelations was written) from both His own prophetic writings, and from His understanding of the writings of the Old Testament prophets, who prophesied about the things spoken of in Revelations. PAULS OWN WRITINGS SHOW THAT HE KNEW ABOUT REVELATIONS: Here are some examples to prove this point: REVELATION SAYS: Revelation 13:4-7 talks about the antichrist, how he speaks blasphemies against God (v 5), deceives the world through lying signs and wonders (Rev 13:12-14), and is destroyed by Christ at judgment day (Rev 19:20) PAUL TAUGHT: 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 details how Paul that the antichrist blasphemes God by exalting himself above God (v 4), then proceeds to deceive the world through lying signs and wonders (v 9), then ultimately is destroyed by Christ at judgment day (v 8). So here we see that Paul had detailed knowledge of the antichrist. Are we to assume that Paul did not understand the related prophecies? Of course not! Clearly, if Paul was shown the prophecies about the antichrist, He was also shown the surrounding prophecies which provide the context and framework in which to understand the prophecies concerning antichrist. Next, I provide my first example that Paul knew what was spoken in Revelations by that fact that Paul knew and understood Old Testament prophecy, mixed with the fact that Revelations is basically a succinct gathering of many Old Testament prophecies. REVELATIONS SAYS: Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. THE OLD TESTAMENT SAYS: Isaiah 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. Revelation 6:13-14 is actually quoting a prophecy that was made my Isaiah concerning the end of the world and the coming of Christ. We see both scriptures mention the fig’s falling off the fig tree, the stars (host) of heaven falling to the earth and the heavens being rolled up like a scroll. Now, although Revelations was written after Paul wrote most of His letters, the book of Isaiah was written close to a THOUSAND years before Paul was alive, and Paul makes it clear that his gift from God was to teach the Old Testament prophecies to the both Jewish and gentile believers in Christ. Therefore, prior to Revelation being written, Paul was already teaching about Isaiah 34:4 (which revelation is quoting) and Paul’s letters make it clear that He both understood the WHOLE book of Isaiah, and also, the events surrounding Revelation 6:13-14 Now for another example of how Paul was aware of the prophecies of Revelations: REVELATIONS SAYS: Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: PAUL TAUGHT: Philippians 4:3 And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life. Paul knew about the book of life, before it was written about in Revelations. Next ill jump to where both Peter, and Paul and Isaiah were ALREADY teaching about the end result of the book of revelations, before revelations was even written. BOOK OF REVELATION: Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. THE OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. TEACHINGS OF PAUL AND PETER: 2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness… 15 even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things So we can see as plain as day, even though Revelations was not written yet, Peter was already teaching about the new heavens and the new earth, and Peter said that Paul teaches about it too (v16), and they knew about it not only from direct Revelation they had from God, but they were both experts and teaching the book of Isaiah, where the new heavens and the new earth had been written about for almost a thousand years before the book of Revelations was written! You know, when Paul was converted, He was taken to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), to the very throne room of God, and He stood with Christ in paradise, and heard unspeakable words! Now what makes people think that John’s vision was exclusive to John?! God wanted Paul to know and teach the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” to the gentiles (Mat 13:11 / 1 Cor 2:7). God showed Paul these mysteries even when Paul was taken up to the third heaven, like John was in the Revelation. We need to understand, that Paul and John were not taken to two different heavens, and shown two different sets of mysteries. The same God (Jesus) took them to the same paradise, and (as we see from the topic’s Paul writes about), they were shown the SAME things during their vision of heaven! After all, it was BOTH their jobs to establish the believers in the SAME doctrine. How can pre tribbers think that God did not show Paul the seventh trumpet in Revelations? For goodness sake – Paul writes about the “LAST” trumpet, and the LAST trumpet EVER to sound is the SEVENTH TRUMPET spoken of in revelations! Paul knew about the Harlot (Mystery Babylon) in Revelation chapter 17 & 18 because the same chapter is written with some verses almost WORD FOR WORD quoted from Jeremiah chapter 50 and 51, and Paul understood the prophetic significance of Jeremiah’s writings in the context of the last days! Paul knew about the beast with the seven heads and ten horns from Revelation chapter 17 because Paul understood when Daniel wrote about this beast with ten horns in Daniel chapter 7! Paul’s gift was to explain these Old Testament Prophecies to the church! I could go on and on and on proving how from both His letters and from His knowledge of the Old Testament prophecies, that Paul was very aware (even in great detail!) of what was spoken of in Revelations, even though Paul’s letters were written before John had the Revelation. Paul knew about the antichrist, Paul knew about the sky being rolled up like a scroll, Paul knew about the beast, Paul knew about the harlot (mystery Babylon), Paul knew about the new heavens and the new earth, and Paul knew about the book of life. Its OBVIOUS that He also knew about the seven trumpets in Revelations! Its also OBVIOUS that when Paul writes about the “last trumpet” in 1 Cor 15:51-52, that He was not only well aware of the 7 trumpets John saw in Revelation, but its obvious that Paul was referring to the SEVENTH trumpet, which is BY DEFINITION, the “last trumpet”. And even if none of the above convinces you that Paul knew about the seventh trumpet, then bear this last fact in mind. Even pre tribulationalists acknowledge that the trumpet that sounds at the ‘second coming’ spoken of in Mathew 24:29-31 is actually the seventh and final trumpet in Revelations. So even if you think Paul didn’t know about the seventh trumpet because Revelations wasn’t yet written yet – I ask you this? How did Jesus know about the seventh trumpet when He spoke about it in Mathew 24:29-31? After all, Revelations wasn’t written when Jesus told us about the end of the world in Mathew 24, so how could He even know about it? The answer is the same reason Paul knew about it. The Holy Spirit of prophecy, wisdom, knowledge and revelation who was speaking the same message through Jesus and Paul made it clear to them, thus they both knew about the seventh trumpet. And even if you don’t believe this, you still have to acknowledge that Paul was aware of Jesus words about the final trumpet in Mat 24:29-31 (even if you think He just heard it from the other Apostles), which means, which ever way you look at it, Paul DID know about the seventh (and final) trumpet, because Jesus spoke about it in Mathew 24:31 Blessed be the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

This quote is from a pre-trib rpature site, just quoting it to prove they believe this: Next to consider: When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 15, where he spoke about the "last trump", the Revelation was not yet given to mankind. So, neither Paul, nor his audience, would have any way to know what the words "last trump" meant if they were referring to something in Revelation. It is far more likely that Paul did know what he was talking about (he wrote as if he did), and it is far more likely that his audience would be able to understand what he was talking about (he wrote as if they could). So, what would his audience have assumed Paul was talking about? Well, there is a "Feast of Trumpets", known as Rosh Hashanna. So, "last trump" most likely refers to this feast of trumpets.