INDEX TO ALL SIX SECTIONS. PART I... THE 'DAY OF THE LORD This devastating period of time, described as coming suddenly, was foretold by the prophets of old and is described in several different terms in both Old and New Testaments PART II... THE FIRST SIX SEALS. If one compares what Jesus said in Matthew 24 with the Seals of Revelation 6, it becomes quite clear that the Seals represent the persecution of Christians. PART III... THE SEVENTH SEAL AND THE FIRST SIX TRUMPETS. In the Old Testament, trumpets often announced a coming disaster. And it will be no different at the end of the age, when the the seventh and last seal introduces the Seven Trumpets that herald the plagues of 'Biblical proportions' that God will send on the earth. PART IV... THE SEVENTH TRUMPET. In a sense this last and final Trumpet is the most eventful of them all, literally ushering the old age out and the new one in. It a) Brings and end to the mystery of God, when the doors to the Kingdom close forever b) Marks the point when believers meet the Lord in the air (the rapture) - physically moved off the earth for a very specific reason. c) Introduces the Seven Bowls that end all things. YOU ARE HERE  PART V... THE RAPTURE. The reasons we cannot and should not trust in the Rapture taking place before the tribulation. PART VI... THE SEVEN BOWLS. Zephaniah 1:18 says it all... "Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the Lord's wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, for He will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth"
ON THIS PAGE
Note: The previous chapter (That Earth Shattering Seventh Trumpet) explains where exactly the Rapture fits into end time events. This page has been confined to the reasons the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a figment of the imagination or wishful thinking.
Introduction - The Word 'Rapture'
Why Does There Have to Be a Rapture At All? Does The Timing of The Rapture Matter? Did The Early Church Believe in A Pre-tribulation Rapture? Verses That Explicitly Teach That The Rapture Comes Before The Tribulation
Verses That Are Taken to Mean That The Rapture Comes Before The Tribulation Verses That Explicitly Show That Believers Will Go Through The Tribulation Are The Rapture & The Second Coming Separate Events? A Secret Rapture? Raptured! But Where Are We Going? Conclusion It is a tragedy of immense proportions that so many Christians seem to rely on pop fiction to tell them what the future holds. In the mid 90s Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins published Left Behind, a fictional account of the Rapture and the Tribulation - a book that became so popular that it led to a total of 12 volumes. Sadly many believe that this work of fiction presents a true picture of what is going to happen in the future. Although the Scriptures are quite clear that there will be a rapture, there isn't a single verse that categorically states that it will happen before the Tribulation. In spite of the fact that several passages unambiguously show that believers are taken off the earth after the Great Tribulation. The few passages Pre-Tribulationists use to "prove" their case do nothing of the sort.
Introduction - The Word 'Rapture'
Most of us associate the word 'rapture' with 1 Thessalonians 4:17 which says
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (Gk. harpazo) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. The Greek word harpazo means 'seize' or 'carry off and implies implies that some force is used as the following examples show So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force (Gk. harpazo) to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. (John 6:15 NASB) When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched (Gk. harpazo) Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:39 NASB) save others, snatching (Gk. harpazo) them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. (Jude 1:23 NASB)
Actually the word "rapture" itself does not even exist in the Scriptures. It is derived from the Latin "rapiemur" which, as I understand it, is the word Jerome used in his late fourth-century translation of the New Testament into Latin (the Vulgate). However, because the English word "rapture" can mean "the transporting of a person from one place to another (especially to heaven) by supernatural means", I guess it is as good a word as any.
Why Does There Have to Be a Rapture At All?
Regarding the Rapture, I find it curious that the one question that I have never heard asked (much less answered) is why does there have to be a Rapture at all. What is the point of 'meeting the Lord in the air'? Certain of two things - the Lord doesn't do anything on a whim or fancy and we are not merely being taken on a celestial joy ride, there has to be an extremely valid reason we are taken off the earth to meet the Lord in the air.
In summary (and as said in the previous chapter) the first Six Trumpets signify the 'day' of God's wrath when humanity pays for its sins - its greed and arrogance, its brutality, its lies and thieving etc. Through these judgments, the faithful will be protected by the mark on their foreheads. The Seventh Trumpet that can be considered the most eventful of them all, literally ushers the old age out and the new one in. It a) brings and end to the mystery of God when the doors to the Kingdom close forever b) the earth is reaped - the goats are separated from the sheep who meet the Lord in the air (the rapture). They are physically moved off the earth for safekeeping. (In other words, the 'harvest' will be standing on the far shore of the Red Sea when the waters come crashing in over the heads of the Egyptian army. c) Introduces the Seven Bowls that makes as end all things - the cities of the nations fall, and the islands and mountains 'disappear'. See Chapter VI
And it is the last point that tells us why we have to 'meet the Lord in the air'. When it comes time for the Seven Bowls that will as the prophet Zephaniah said "... all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, for He will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth" (Zephaniah 1:18). The 'rapture' is simply God moving temporarily moving believers off the earth for safekeeping. In other words, the 'harvest' will be standing on the far shore of the Red Sea when the waters come crashing in over the heads of the Egyptian army. After the bowls have done their devastating work believers, having already received their glorified bodies, will return to earth with Christ who in all likelihood will alight on the Mount of Olives and enter Jerusalem through the Golden Gate, from where He will rule the earth for the Millenium (the thousand years of peace). See Ezekiel’s Prophecy About The Golden Gate
Does The Timing of The Rapture Matter?
Several explicit and unassailable teachings of the Bible are almost universally agreed on by the church... There will be a period of great tribulation just before this age comes to an end. Christ will return to this earth one day. Believers have already died will be resurrected and those who are still living when Jesus returns will be changed There will be a thousand year reign of Christ when the world will be at peace. However, when it comes to the question of when certain momentous events such as the Rapture and the Millenium take place... i.e. before or after the Great Tribulation, there are loud and very vocal arguments for both sides. Does what one believes about the timing of the Rapture matter? Yes, as a matter of fact, it does... very greatly If the Pre-Tribulation view is correct, then the Great Tribulation is purely of academic interest to the Christian and the whole issue is of little consequence. If, however, the Post-Tribulation view is correct, then the issue becomes of vital importance, as it means the Church has yet to enter the most extensive period of intense persecution and tribulation in its entire history. If the Church is going to face the onslaught of the Antichrist, and an all-out attempt to utterly destroy true Christianity, then we must be prepared! The Post-Tribulationist can afford to be wrong, but not the Pre-Tribulationist!" [01]
The following quote from an article by retired pastor Tim Warner is one Pre-Tribulationists need to pay attention to "In contemporary western Christianity, post-tribbers are looked upon with pity and suspicion. Some think we have a "martyr complex." Others think we are just troublemakers, wanting to rock the boat. Post-tribulationism just doesn't seem to fit in with the prosperous lifestyles of contemporary western Christianity. The lack of real persecution and hardship has led many to assume that this is the normal Christian life. But, according to Scripture, persecution, tribulation, and hardship, is the real "normal" Christian experience. The comfort western Christians have enjoyed for the last few generations is an anomaly that will soon come to an end. The theological "comfort zones" we have constructed around this anomaly are about to come crashing down. For those who are honestly considering the various views of the rapture timing, and are open to God's leading regarding this issue, there is plenty of opposition ahead for you. The "rapture question" has been a hot potato issue in the recent past. In some cases, splitting churches. Christians who have abandoned the pre-trib view and been the least bit vocal about it have often found themselves being offered the "right foot of fellowship." Many pastors who have abandoned pre-trib have lost their churches, and missionaries have been abandoned by their mission boards and supporting churches because of their switch to the post-trib view. So, if you have no tolerance for hardship, you had better stop here. If you've got the guts to face the truth head on no matter what it is, then please continue. Some say it really doesn't matter if Jesus is coming before or after the tribulation, as long as we are "ready." They think we should all just agree to disagree, and love one another. But, "ready" is a relative term! It begs the question, "ready for what?" There is a huge difference between being ready to be gently whisked away to heaven on a pillow, and being ready to become a martyr at the hands of Antichrist! Is surface harmony worth the risk of huge numbers of believers being caught totally unprepared spiritually, emotionally, and physically? What about the "many" believers whom Jesus mentioned in Matt. 24:9-13 who would fall away when the deception and persecution of the last days arrives? If Jesus' coming is several decades away, then perhaps the rapture debate is not all that critical. But, if Jesus is coming soon as the signs seem to indicate, one's views on the timing of the rapture are crucial to being prepared to be an overcomer in the difficult days before His coming. Knowledge of what lies ahead motivates people to prepare. A rookie soldier, who knows he is about to be shipped to the front lines in a brutal war, will have a much different attitude about basic training than a new recruit who joined up to get a free education and a pension! The soldier who is about to engage the enemy knows his training may mean the difference between life and death. He learns survival techniques; he gets physically fit; he learns his weapons inside and out; he makes sure his weapons are in good working order; through countless hours of practice he becomes a marksman. He also prepares himself mentally for combat and the possibility of being a POW. His objective is clear; he is fully equipped; and he is mentally focused on getting the job done and coming home in one piece! On the other hand, the new peace-time novice, with big ideas of a comfortable career, could have a ho-hum attitude about basic training. If he is unexpectedly thrust into a fierce battle, he will find himself woefully unprepared. While staring down the barrel of the enemy's rifle is not the time to be fumbling around for your weapon's instruction manual. He might just conclude that this is not what he signed up for! If it really doesn't matter what we believe about the last days, why did God devote such a large portion of His Word to end-time prophecy? Is it just filler material? Is it for intellectual entertainment? The answer is really quite simple. Prophecy was intended to provide the kind of motivation needed to turn flabby pew-potatoes into Christian soldiers" [02]
Did The Early Church Believe in A Pre-tribulation Rapture?
Many assume (wrongly as it turns out) that the early church was more likely to teach truth because they were closer to the original source of Christian doctrine and less likely to have been corrupted by centuries of theology.
Note: Unfortunately John was not even cold in his grave before many church teaching were already being twisted to such an extent that even the original disciples wouldn't have recognized them. Case in point.... The doctrine of the trinity, which has remained virtually unchanged to this very day, was given explicit shape at the Second Ecumenical Council (381 AD), by three ancient theologians from Cappadocia, a province in modern day Turkey. The fact that we could accept anything they said is frightening because all three were well trained in Greek philosophy which they unashamedly applied to Christian theology. For example Gregory of Nyssa stated that we would have no content for our thoughts about Father, Son, and Spirit, if we did not find an outline of their nature within ourselves See Footnote I
However, in this case the vast majority of the early church correctly believed that Christians would go through the tribulation. In fact, it is more than curious that the pre-tribulation rapture was not widely believed until about two hundred years ago when a prophecy by a member of the Plymouth Brethren fired people's imaginations. They apparently went to their Bibles to look for Scriptural support for what they had already accepted as the truth. The result was some totally unreasonable, even farfetched, connections. Note: This very dangerous practice was not limited to people who lived two centuries ago, but is extremely widespread in the church even today. When false doctrine becomes deeply ingrained, people no longer allow Biblical passages to tell them what to believe, but interpret the text in accordance with preconceived ideas.
Michael Cordner in The Rapture of the Church, documents the history of this doctrine.. Pre-Tribulationism was unknown to the early Church; in fact, no one has been able to show that this particular doctrine was held by any of the church Fathers or Biblical scholars before the early nineteenth century. It apparently originated at this time during a great revival of interest in Biblical prophecy. In 1830, a young Scottish woman named Margaret McDonald claimed to have received a "revelation" that Christians would be raptured before the Great Tribulation. Shortly after this, the idea spread to London where it aroused much interest. In further "revelations" during this period, dates for the rapture were variously fixed between 1835 and 1847! Pre-Tribulationism was first taught publicly at a series of prophetic meetings in Powerscourt House, Ireland. Here Plymouth Brethren organizer John Darby took hold of the idea and made it an essential element of his teachings, giving rise to what is now known as Darbyism, or Dispensationalism. (For a full account see "The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin" by Dave MacPherson.) However, not all of the Brethren accepted this teaching. It was rejected and opposed by such well known members as George Mueller and Samuel P. Tregelles (both of whom broke with the Brethren movement because of it). Among other men who opposed this "novel two-phased-second coming" teaching as being un-Scriptural was the Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon. In spite of the opposition of such men, this doctrine crossed denominational lines to spread throughout England. The greatest growth of this teaching, however, has been in the twentieth century mainly through the Modern Dispensational teachings of the Scofield Reference Bible. [01 ].
Verses That Explicitly Teach That The Rapture Comes Before The Tribulation
So the question that springs to mind is if the Bible teaches a rapture before the Tribulation why did most people miss that detail for almost 2000 years? Perhaps because it wasn't there to be found. Let us examine for a moment the verses that explicitly state the church will be raptured before the tribulation. They are
1) 2) 3) 4) That's right! None! The doctrine has to be inferred because there isn't a single verse in the Bible that unambiguously states that there is a rapture before the Tribulation.
Verses That Are Taken to Mean That The Rapture Comes Before The Tribulation
Completely by passing the clear teachings of Scripture pre-tribulationists have isolated a number of verses which they claim back up their theory.
1) "Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep (Gk. tereo) you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon, to test those who dwell on the earth". (Revelation 3:10 NASB)
As Revelation 1:11 clearly states the letters in the second and third chapter were addressed to specific churches in the first century. The quote above was part of the letter to the church in Philadelphia who were told that they were to be kept from the hour of testing. It simply doesn't make sense that Jesus would promise them protection from something that would happen thousands of years later when the church wouldn't even exist. Very often in Scripture a promise or a prophecy can have both near and far implications. As far as the near future in concerned we have no way of knowing what Jesus was promising them protection from. However, it is entirely possible the letter may have referred to a calamitous earthquake that destroyed at least twelve cities including Philadelphia in the region in AD 17. Note that in Scripture the phrase "the whole world" does not necessarily mean "every individual in the entire world. For example, Luke 2:1 says " in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth." Clearly Caesar's decree did not apply to the people living in Japan or China. The far reaching implications quite obviously refer to the end of days. Those who persevere in keeping His word will be kept from the "hour of testing". Note the word translated keep (Greek tereo) is exactly the same word used in John 17:15 when Jesus prayed that God would 'keep' His disciples from evil, specifically mentioning that He was NOT asking for them to be taken out of this world, but to be either protected from evil and/or given grace to be sustained through it. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep (Gk. tereo) them from the evil one. (John 17:15 NASB)
In regards to the theory that the seven churches stand for seven consecutive periods of church history as is sometimes believed, one has to ask why was the rapture passage was written to the church in Philadelphia (the sixth period) and not to the church in Laodicea which represented the last period. 2) (34) Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; (35) for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. (36) "But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength (Gk. katischysete) to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36 NASB)
Note how the KJV renders verse 36... Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy (Gk. kataxioo) to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:36 KJV). Obviously, the KJV and the NASB have translated this passage from different manuscripts. The King James version ("accounted worthy to escape") is echoed by the Concordant Literal Version and Young's Literal Translation, both of which use the word "prevail". It is presumed that the word 'escape' means that believers will be wafted out of here before the going get really rough. It doesn't. See the verses that unambiguously show that believers will go through the tribulation below. 3) For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 NASB) 4) For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9 NASB)
Verses That Explicitly Show That Believers Will Go Through The Tribulation
Several verses in the New Testament unequivocally state there will be a rapture after the Tribulation. For example, in the Olivet Discourse Jesus said the following...
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29-30 NASB)
Also see the parallel verse in Mark 13:23-27 prefaced with the words "But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance". These words make it impossible that Jesus forgot to mention that His entire church would be suddenly removed from the face of the earth. Paul was equally precise... Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:50-52 NASB) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 NASB) Therefore the last three quotes above (3, 4 and 5) have to be considered in view of very explicit and unambiguous teachings. And no! The Bible is not contradicting itself. It is we who wanting to have our ears tickled have ignored clear teachings in favor of passages that are open to manipulation. The last three points above simply mean that Christ's followers will be protected in the terrible time when God bring retributive justice to the earth. After all, the whole point of salvation is to not be on the receiving end of God's wrath. However, one has to be counted worthy to escape Divine justice. Although only true believers - followers of Christ who are obedient to His commands can be assured that the arrow of His justice is not aimed squarely at them this does not mean that 1.) they will be raptured out before the Tribulation nor 2.) that they will escape all persecution. John 16:1-3 tells us that "...an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God".
This persecution has nothing to do with God's judgment but will take place under the antichrist'. In fact, the Bible indicates that the spilling of the blood of believers is, in a manner of speaking, the spark which sets off the fire of God's wrath. The Great Tribulation is, in fact, God's response to the unbelieving and unrepentant on earth who have spilled the blood of His people... the final judgment of God upon the wicked. [For Details See The Seven Seals]
Are The Rapture & The Second Coming Separate Events?
Apparently some believe that the Rapture and the Second Coming are separate events. I am not sure why because many verses speak of the last trumpet and the Coming of Christ as being simultaneous events.
Matthew 24:29-31: (29) "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (30) "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. (31) "And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (NASB) 1 Corinthians 15:50-52: (50) Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (NASB) 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17: (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. (15) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (NASB)
In any case, specific details in one Biblical passage are not always mentioned in another passage. Each of the authors not only wrote their accounts from different perspectives and stressed different things but details are sometimes included in one passage but not in others. One has to put them together to come up with a comprehensive understanding of what the Bible teaches. This is very crucial in the disciples Resurrection accounts (link just below) Matthew 24, Jesus said that the angels will gather together His elect, a fact that is not mentioned in either of the other two verses. Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 4 says the rapture occurs when the Lord descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God... specific details that the other two passages say nothing about. 1 Corinthians says at the last trumpet we will all be physically changed and the dead raised imperishable - something that neither of the two other passages mention
For example, note the accounts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph's flight into Egypt In the book of Matthew we are told that at the warning of an angel, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt to escape Herod's murderous plans, and stayed there until his death. After which they were given the green light to return to Galilee. (Matthew 2:13-14, 19-20). Luke, however, indicates that after the days of Mary's purification she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. Luke goes on to say that the family then returned to Nazareth (Luke 2:22, 39). Are we to believe that because Luke says nothing about the flight to Egypt, and Matthew is silent about their trip to Nazareth soon after Jesus' birth, one of them has their facts wrong? Much to the contrary we need to understand that by focusing on different aspects of Jesus' life and ministry each of the Gospel writers contributed to an deeper and more rounded portrayal of Jesus. Additionally, ancient historians did not adhere to our modern idea that every single little detail had to be set down in exactly the order it occurred. They often just gave the gist of what took place. See Differences and Discrepancies in the New Testament
(Part 8 of the article Choose Life That You Might Live) Alleged Discrepancies in The Resurrection Accounts
(Part 8b of the article Choose Life That You Might Live) Similarly, we get a much more complete picture of what will take place if we combine all the details of the various rapture passages. I n a nutshell the last trumpet sounds, the angels gather together His elect, then with a shout and the voice of the archangel Christ returns with those Christians that have already died, who then are the first to receive their resurrected bodies (the dead shall be raised incorruptible). After which those that are still alive are also changed, then caught up with the previous group to meet the Lord in the air. In summary, the Second Coming and the Rapture have to be understood as either simultaneous or occurring in rapid succession.
A Secret Rapture?
The 'secret rapture' is the teaching that the Christian Church will be quietly removed from the earth which will cause consternation among unbelievers who will have no idea how vast multitudes could suddenly have disappeared or where they could have gone. The antichrist who will initiate seven years of tribulation will then be revealed. During this time the prophecies of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls will be fulfilled.
Unfortunately this doctrine owes more to pop theology and best selling novels than it does to the pages of Scripture. This completely un-Biblical teaching has been fuelled to a great extent by the wildly popular but non-Biblical Left Behind series. Originally launched as a single novel by that title in 1995, Left Behind grew to a series of 16 novels, published by Tyndale House, with spin-offs galore including at least three motion pictures based on the series, and the video game Left Behind: Eternal Forces. According to Wikipedia ... The first four books of the series held the top four slots simultaneously in 1998, while total sales for the series have surpassed 65 million copies. Seven titles in the adult series have reached #1 on the bestseller lists for The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly. The first book published in 1998 set the tone.. The synopsis reads "Passengers in an airborne Boeing 747 find out in this riveting novel by renowned Christian speaker Tim LaHaye and master storyteller Jerry Jenkins. Without any warning, passengers mysteriously disappear from their seats. Terror and chaos slowly spread not only through the plane but also worldwide as unusual events continue to unfold. For those who have been left behind, the apocalypse has just begun". [5]
Whatever happened to learning theology from Scripture? To begin with, there is not even the slightest hint of a secret rapture in Scripture. Much to the contrary, Paul makes it very clear that the 'catching away' of believers occurs at the same time as the Second Coming of Jesus that will be a highly visible and noisy event. Not even someone who is both blind and stone deaf will miss this one. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NASB)
In Matthew 24 Jesus said His coming would be seen as clearly as lightning and, a couple of verses later, added that He would return immediately after large scale celestial phenomena... "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold, I have told you in advance. "So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. "For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. "And then the sign of the Son Of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son Of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:22-30 NASB) Note: Verse 22 makes it very clear that the elect will still be on earth during the "Great Tribulation", and it is for their sakes that those days will be cut short.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, written to assure believers that the Rapture had not yet occurred, informed them that two events had to occur before the coming of Christ... Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NASB)
Christ arrives with much fanfare, including a celestial upheaval, the voices of archangels, and the sound of the trumpets of God... everything short of a brass band. It is a noisy, glorious, mind boggling event. So much for the secret Rapture preceding the arrival of the Antichrist.
Luke 17:34-36
is also frequently used to substantiate the "secret" rapture.
I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left. (Luke 17:34-36 NASB)
However, there is absolutely nothing in the passage that even hints at secrecy. The passage does nor say nor even indicate that when one woman was taken the other ran away terrified at the mysterious disappearance. Secrecy has to be read into the text. All the passage says is that one person is taken - the other is not. This actually fits in perfectly with the very visible and noisy events that take place at the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet when, as Revelation 14:16 tells us, Jesus casts his sickle upon the earth and reaps the earth. This statement in conjunction with Matthew 24:31 and Matthew 13:49 (below) indicates that He 'cuts' or makes the distinction between the good crop and the weeds, but it is the angels who do the separating. They gather and bind the tares, then collect the elect from one end of the heaven to the other. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, (Matthew 13:49 NASB)
And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matthew 24:31 NASB) See Previous Chapter - The Seventh Trumpet
Raptured! But Where Are We Going?
We can be reasonably sure that we do not stay suspended in space after meeting the Lord in the air, but go somewhere. The question is where? Do we continue on into "heaven" or.... ?
Yes, I know that many believe that Christians will go to 'heaven' after the rapture. For most Christians who seem never to have thought the matter through, much less checked what the Bible has to say on the subject, heaven remains a vague and indescribable place somewhere 'out there'. Even if we do not exactly spend our time floating around on clouds strumming harps, ‘heaven’ will closely resemble one unending church service, with everyone present in a nebulous state of disembodied blessedness. Sadly, belief in this vague Heaven somewhere out there seems to be based more on endless cartoons of people with wings standing around on white clouds strumming harps, than what Scripture says. As so rightly said by Anthony Buzzard, "Heaven" as a place removed from the earth is, however, never the destination of the believer in the Bible-neither at death nor at the resurrection" [6]
In spite of the fact that the Almighty God promised to give to Abraham an entire country for an everlasting possession a promise that was repeated many times thereafter not only to Abraham, but also to Isaac and to Jacob. In spite of this traditional Christian theology has almost no interest in this promise. A non-biblical view of the future, divorced from the land and the earth, was promoted by Gentiles unsympathetic to the heritage of Israel for whom the promise of the land to Abraham was the foundation of the nations deepest aspirations. In direct contradiction of Jesus, The Gentiles have substituted "heaven at death" for the biblical promise of life in the Land. The message of Jesus' famous beatitude, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land" (Matthew 5:5) can no longer be heard above the din of endless funeral sermons announcing that the dead have gone to heaven! [7]
See What And Where is "Heaven"? - Part II... The Promises and The Prophecies
God made three interconnected and inseparable promises to Abraham. What we forget is that the third was firmly rooted in real estate. In summary .. we aren't going very far. We meet the Lord in the air then turn around and accompany Him back to the earth once the bowls are done. The Greek Word... Apantesis
Support for this is found in the use of the Greek word apantesis translated meet in I Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet (Gk. apantesis) the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (NASB)
The word "meet" was translated from the Greek apantesis about which Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, p. 402, (Nelson, 1985) says "It is used in the papyri of a newly arriving magistrate. "It seems that the special idea of the word was the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary" (16)
This definition is substantiated by the only two uses of apantesis in the New Testament- in the parable of the ten virgins and in Acts 28:15. Because they are the only two other occurrences of this word in the New Testament, these situations must dictate how we should interpret apantesis in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet (Gk. apantesis) the bridegroom.... But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet (Gk. apantesis) him.' (Matthew 25:1, 6 NASB) And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet (Gk. apantesis) us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. (Acts 28:15 NASB)
Both situations demonstrate that the word apantesis is used in the context of going out to meet someone who is headed your way, then turning around and accompanying that person to their intended destination. The groom did not turn around and go back to his home, taking the virgins with him. They escorted the bridegroom back to the bride's home, which is where they came from. When Paul was sent under guard as a prisoner to Rome, the Roman Christians, who had heard of his imminent arrival, went out on the road to meet Paul, then turned around and accompanied him back to Rome. Besides which God's words in Psalm 2 only make sense if Christ was returning to the earth to establish His kingdom, not if we "meet" the Lord in the air and then accompany Him to an ethereal "heaven". "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth (Heb. 'erets) as Your possession. (Psalms 2:7-8 NASB)
Also See Ezekiel's prophecy about the Golden Gate on the eastern side of Jerusalem's old city wall. HERE
Conclusion...
While there is little question the timing of the rapture is not a test of orthodoxy, the fact is that there will be no rapture before the Tribulation. This doctrine that promises to remove us from the scene before the situation gets really bad, certainly has its appeal for those that are more than willing to "accept Jesus" if it isn't going to cost them anything. It has, along with the horrendous doctrine of Once Saved - Always Saved, undoubtedly contributed to the growth of Easy Christianity.. or salvation without cost. [See Is Any Living Christian Completely Saved? Sadly, one can only imagine how much shock, bitterness, confusion, and falling away from faith will result when a church that fondly imagines it will be wafted away to heaven before the going gets rough finds itself hated by all nations, delivered to tribulation, and killed during the persecution of the church under the antichrist (See The Seven Seals). Additionally, although the wrath of God will not fall on believers they will be woefully unprepared when Various angels sound their trumpets and a third the earth, trees and grass is burned up (Revelation 8:7). Something like a great burning mountain falls into the sea and kills a third of all sea creatures and destroys a third of all ships (Revelation 8:8-9). Many men die from drinking the waters made bitter by the "star" falling into the rivers and streams (Revelation 8:10-11). An army of 'locusts' torment men for five months (Revelation 9:1-11). And another third of mankind is killed by the fire and brimstone that comes out of the mouths of the horses that are a part of a unbelievably large large army (Revelation 9:13-19) When the kings of the earth, great, rich, and mighty men call to the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6)
At that time you will need to remember that it was not the Bible that lied to you, but you yourself that decided to have your ears tickled, and allowed your theology to be shaped by proponents of Easy Christianity, and authors of best selling novels.. See Why Christians Are Deceived
The Four Most Dangerous Mistakes Any Christian Can Make
The Christian and Knowledge: Theology and Doctrine Also See The Judgment Seat of Christ and Rewards in Heaven
Unfortunately many Christians come to the conclusion that our works cannot possibly be considered at the judgment Seat of Christ because all our sins have already been forgiven. Not true according to I Corinthians 3:9-13. There are those who will make it to heaven but have earned little or no additional rewards.
Footnote I
The three theologians who gave definitive shape to the doctrine of the Trinity were Basil, bishop of Caesarea, his brother Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, and Basil's close friend Gregory of Nazianzus. So, what do we know about these three men? Several things are certain.
1) All three of the Cappadocian fathers were well trained in rhetoric - the art of using language effectively and persuasively 2) At least two and probably all three were formally trained in Greek philosophy 3) They were all greatly influenced by the writings of Origen, known for introducing Greek ideas into Christianity. In fact, Basil, bishop of Caesarea and his close friend Gregory of Nazianzus "edited a collection of his writings, which they called Philokalia. ("In subsequent centuries, other small works of monastic spirituality also took the same title. [42] Gregory of Nazianzus wrote: "Origen is the stone on which all of us were sharpened." Here is an example of how Gregory of Nyssa's conception of the Trinity was based on Origen's ideas. Origen stated that, since there are "certain secret analogies or affinities" between the things below and the things above, we must "read within ourselves the reflection of truths" that we could not otherwise know. It was Gregory of Nyssa however, who applied Origen's line of reasoning to the trinity. In fact, he said we would have no content for our thoughts about Father, Son, and Spirit, if we did not find an outline of their nature within ourselves. Ouch! In other words, the key to the Trinity is in our triple nature ... our minds or reasoning, our word, and our souls. And, Gregory went several steps further, stating that you learn "the secret of God" from the things within yourself... a "testimony above and more sure than that of the Law and the Gospel"
4) They were Catholic to the core. In fact, Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus pioneered the rules of monastic life, compiling what became known as "the Rule of St. Basil". These rules heavily drawn on by Benedict, founder of the Benedictines, shaped the monasticism in the Eastern Church for centuries. It is little wonder that Basil is considered the founder of monastic communities. And, if you have been told that Catholicism was not alive and well at this time, you have been misinformed. 5) All three were mystics. For more information see The Cappadocian Fathers.. Greek philosophers and Catholic Mystics HERE {PLACE IN TEXT} End Notes [1] Michael Cordner.The Rapture of the Church. Online Christian Library of Virtual Theological Resources.
http://www.ntslibrary.com/Online-Library-The-Rapture-of-the-Church.htm [2] Pastor Tim Warner. Why It Matters What You Believe.
thelasttrumpet.pdf http://www.christianissues.biz/pdf-bin/endtimes/timwarner/thelasttrumpet.pdf [3] "All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins". On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World, Pseudo-Ephraem (c. 374-627). [4] Michael Cordner.The Rapture of the Church. Online Christian Library of Virtual Theological Resources.
http://www.ntslibrary.com/Online-Library-The-Rapture-of-the-Church.htm [5] Left Behind Series. http://www.leftbehind.com/01_products/browse.asp?section=LeftBehind [6] Anthony Buzzard. The Christian Hope: Life in the Land of the Promise Made to Abraham.
http://focusonthekingdom.org/articles/christianhope.htm [7] ibid. End Notes
[01] Michael Cordner.The Rapture of the Church. Online Christian Library of Virtual Theological Resources.
http://www.ntslibrary.com/Online-Library-The-Rapture-of-the-Church.htm
Continue On To Chapter VI: The End of The Age.. The Seven Bowls/ The Last Woe. HERE
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