The rapture revisted

[B-A-C]

Some say the word "rapture" isn't in the Bible.
However the word rapture simply means "caught up".
This primarily comes from 1 Thess 4:17;

1 Thes 4:16; 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.
1 Thes 4:17; 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.

In effect, saying "caught up" is in the Bible, is the same as saying the rapture is in the Bible.

Some say the story of Enoch in Gen 5:24; was a rapture of sorts. ( also see Heb 11:5; )

This also comes from Matt 24:31; ( see Mark 13;27; )
Matt 24:30; "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.
Matt 24:31; "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.

Again we see gathered together, or gathered up, which is similar to "caught up".

A description of this is in Matt 24:40-41;
Matt 24:40; "Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
Matt 24:41; "Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

There have been many debates over the centuries about when the rapture will take place.
Some say pre-trib, some say mid-trib, and some say post trib. I admit I don't have the answer about when
this will be. But I would like to look at verses about why there are differing beliefs.

The first group is the pre-trib... this simply means they believe the rapture will happen before the
tribulation begins. These people generally take the tribulation to literally be a seven year event that
will be the most terrible time in the history of the earth. ( Matt 24:21; )
This group believes that the events of the tribulation will be undeniable... usually this group
takes much of Revelation literally... great earthquakes, hailstones and fire falling from heaven,
a third of the seas becoming blood, a third of mankind dying, flying scorpions that have the power
to sting for 6 months, 250 million horsemen, etc...

Their argument is that the timing of the rapture is an unknown event.
No one knows when it will be... Matt 24:36; Mark 13:32; not even Jesus knows when this will happen.

The reasoning is this... if the tribulation is an obvious event, with a third of mankind dying and meteors falling into the ocean, and the beast is forcing people to take his mark or be beheaded...

Then obviously the rapture must happen before all of this... otherwise we would know exactly when
Jesus is coming.. ( 7 years after the tribulation begins).

They take verses like Matt 24:42-43; Matt 25:13; Mark 13:35-37; etc... as a warning to be ready, be watchful, be alert for this return... because no one knows when it will happen.

Most pre-trib rapturists, also believe in a "secret rapture". The fact that millions of Christians are missing won't be a secret. However, the reason why they are missing, and the "how" that caused the missing will be a secret to the world. They believe that the world won't see Jesus when the rapture happens.

They believe the rapture will happen very quickly.. in the twinkling of an eye.. ( 1 Cor 15:51-53; )
It will be as quick as a flash of lightning ( Matt 24:27; )

Because of verses like Matt 24:43; and Luke 12:39; they believe Jesus will come "like a thief in the night".
When no one is expecting it. ( Luke 12:36-49; )

..... to be continued... a look at the mid-trib rapture.

 

[B-A-C]

One of the verses it seems quoted most often for those against "pre-trib" is Matt 24:29-31;

Matt 24:29; "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 the elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

So verse 29 says... "after the tribulation" and verse 31 says his angels will gather the elect together...
It seems pretty cut and dried here. But still there are different interpretations that may or may not be correct.

Some believe that "the tribulation of those days" is not necessarily the "great tribulation". It is commonly believed
that the tribulation will be divided into 2 parts. 3 1/2 years are the tribulation.. and 3 1/2 years are the "great" tribulation.
So it's possible that they will be raptured after the tribulation, but before the "great" tribulation.

Yet another explanation says this isn't the rapture... it has already taken place... those who were raptured
aren't in heaven, but merely up in the sky with Jesus. They interpret verse 31 to mean the angels are gathering
only those who are in "one end of the sky to the other".

Another explanation is that this isn't the rapture, but the second coming...
The rapture has already taken place for those who were believers BEFORE the tribulation started.
Yet during the tribulation some people will become believers. Jesus is gathering up only those people who were saved
during the tribulation.

... to be continued ... a look at the post-trib rapture.

 

[Curtis]

One of the verses it seems quoted most often for those against "pre-trib" is Matt 24:29-31;

Matt 24:29; "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 the elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

So verse 29 says... "after the tribulation" and verse 31 says his angels will gather the elect together...
It seems pretty cut and dried here. But still there are different interpretations that may or may not be correct.

Some believe that "the tribulation of those days" is not necessarily the "great tribulation". It is commonly believed
that the tribulation will be divided into 2 parts. 3 1/2 years are the tribulation.. and 3 1/2 years are the "great" tribulation.
So it's possible that they will be raptured after the tribulation, but before the "great" tribulation.

Yet another explanation says this isn't the rapture... it has already taken place... those who were raptured
aren't in heaven, but merely up in the sky with Jesus. They interpret verse 31 to mean the angels are gathering
only those who are in "one end of the sky to the other".

Another explanation is that this isn't the rapture, but the second coming...
The rapture has already taken place for those who were believers BEFORE the tribulation started.
Yet during the tribulation some people will become believers. Jesus is gathering up only those people who were saved
during the tribulation.

... to be continued ... a look at the post-trib rapture.

Mat 24:30 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.

This could not possibly be the "rapture" of the Church because all the tribes of the earth shall see the Son of man coming. Paul tells us that the coming of the Lord will come as a "thief in the night". It will come unexpectedly with out warning. Plus the rapture will happen at a time when every body is saying "peace, and safety", not in tribulation.

1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

I do believe the Church is coming with the Lord when he returns with all his Saints. Some one has to gather them together for this Glorious event. Angels are sent to be minsters for those who are heirs of salvation.

1Th 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
1Th 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
1Th 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.