What the Bible says about the Rapture

Is this really the Rapture?

I believe Mr. Hanchett has done an excellent job with the history of the "Rapture" heresy. I will endeavor to now give you some sound biblical basis for why it is evil to its core. First let's take a quick look at what the doctrine teaches for those that are not familiar with it. The idea is that there is coming a 7 year period of tribulation in which the Antichrist will be ruling. During this time, the "born again" believers will be "raptured" out of the earth and meet the Lord in the air and clouds thereby escaping the terrible times on the earth. All that will be left to suffer because of their sins are the unbelievers and the Jews that God has a plan to be evangelized again. At the end of that time, Jesus will return again to defeat the Antichrist and set up the Kingdom of God.
We can start with the scriptures that are used to build their doctrine. First let us look at the words of Jesus. In Mt:24.40-41:

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

At first glance it would appear to confirm the idea of the rapture. But.....All scripture should be taken in context. Let's look back a few verses Mt:24:37: "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.38: For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, (this is a description of people just going on about their daily lives as though nothing was wrong and all things are the same. Look at our society today. People think that life has always been this way, going to the movies or ball games and living our self indulgent lives.) until the day that Noe entered into the ark,39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; ( who knew not? Noe knew because he entered into the ark. Who was taken all away? It was the wicked that were taken, Noe and his family were safe inside the ark.) so shall also the coming of the Son of man be".

In the same manner shall his return be. The wicked one in the field and at the grinding wheel are taken. People that are expecting to be raptured before any trouble will just be skipping merrily along completely blind to what is happening because it doesn't fit in to their plans. Now it is important that we believe that the bible is consistent. Also a cornerstone principal in interpreting the bible is to let the bible define what it means (this is called a Hermeneutical principal). In other words, if we read the word clouds, we think of some white stuff in the sky, but that may not be what the bible means. So we should let the bible tell us what it means by seeing how it is used in other places. With this in mind, we can look at the cornerstone scripture of this heresy. 1st Thess.4:16-17:

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Again, we must take this in context, so let us look back a few verses again.

13: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

The context of what Paul is talking about is the saints that are asleep ( the dead in Christ ). He is trying to answer the questions as to what happens to those that have died or may die before the Lord returns. Then he goes on to say;"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven " Now where do you suppose he is descending from? Where is Heaven? Is it a quarter of a mile beyond the most distant star and every time we invent a more powerful telescope He moves it back a bit? No Of course not. Jesus told us that the Kingdom of God is within you. Paul told us in 2Cor:12:2 that he was "caught up to the third heaven". Did he leave the earth? No! That is the highest heaven. The bible shows us many “types” of these heavens.

In the book of Exodus we see the design of the tabernacle. It had three courts, the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holiest of All. The Holiest of All was where the Ark was placed. God sat upon the ark (like his throne). It was a type of the third heaven, the realm of the spirit. The three courts are significant of Body, Soul, and Spirit, or the material physical world, soul and spirit. The Outer Court is where the sacrifices were made and blood was shed. The Holy Place is where the Lampstand, the Table of Shewbread and the Alter of Incense were placed. These represent the parts of the soul: mind, will and heart. In the Holiest of All inside the Ark were also 3 objects, Moses’ tablets of stone (Ten Commandments) Aaron’s rod that budded and the pot of Manna. These represent the powers of the spirit; faith, hope and love.

One more time, Rv:4:2

"And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."

This clearly tells us where heaven is. It is in the Spirit; another realm or dimension. John never left the island. Heaven does not now exist in a material sense. Those that think it does have an overly materialistic view. It will, because Jesus prayed "thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth" but it is not here yet. Now with this understanding, we see that when it says that the Lord is descending it means he is coming back from the realm of the spirit to be revealed to our souls CLEARLY! To arise in our hearts. 2Pt:1:19:

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star ( Christ ) arise in your hearts"

Finally He will be physically manifest. In a sense there are two comings. One in us and one for us. 1Jn:3:2:

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, (by faith) and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

Now let's look at this portion back in 1st Thess. "with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:" This is telling us of a messenger and Gods word going forth. The Trumpet always means a proclamation. We will look again at the Trump later. Next portion “and the dead in Christ shall rise first” again the context is the dead in Christ. 17: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them that are in the clouds,” Notice it doesn’t say we are going into the clouds it is talking about those that are in the clouds. If you search the scriptures, you will see that the clouds are significant of the abode of the dead, the dwelling place of the spirits of the dead and the Angels, the realm of the spirit. Mt:17:5, Mt:24:30, Mt:26:64, Mk:13:26.

In Acts:1:9: “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud RECEIVED him out of their sight.” It didn’t say he faded off in the distance till he was in the clouds.

1Cor:10:2: “And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ”
We are to be baptized in water and the spirit.

Heb: 2:1: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.” Those are the saints and the angels.

Again in one place it says Rv:1:7 “behold he cometh with CLOUDS” then in Jude:1:14:” Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,”.
Which is it, with saints, or with clouds? Or are they the same? Remember we interpret the bible by the bible. Now let’s look at the words “caught up”. That refers to the time when we shall be changed, This mortal putting on immortality. 1Cor:15:52:

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

So now we know that it is the LAST trump. This is the same event. The next part in 1stThess. says “to meet the Lord in the air:” The word “Air “ here is the same word used when Paul said in Eph:2:2: “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the AIR, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” 2Cor:4:4:” In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Air means here the lower atmosphere, this material dimension, or the Outer Court, where Satan rules. “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” We are not going up and coming back because His kingdom will be here. Rv:11:15 “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Hallelujah!!!! In Genesis 1:26 26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion.” At the end of the sixth day the very last thing God says “the Last Trump” man in our image, after our likeness: True spiritual man in the image of Christ. I will write more about the seven days of creation in another post. Remember the bible is consistent. Jesus said “the meek shall inherit the earth” Not the wicked.

Mal:4:1: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. Prov:10:30: The righteous shall NEVER be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. Did you notice the NEVER in the verse? No not ever not even for 7 years. At the end of the age it is the wicked that are taken first, not the rightious, Mt:13:30: “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together FIRST the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn”. Psalm 37 also. This is why the Rapture is so damnable. They think we are to be born and stay a baby and get raptured out. They want to add Jesus to their plans instead of seeking Gods plan. God wants to raise us up to the greater work he has called us to. 2nd Thess.2: 7-12

7: For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8: And then shall that Wicked be revealed, (the Antichrist) whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (They are blind and can not see that the Antichrist has been revealed. George W.Bush)
9: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10: And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, (the rapture) that they should believe a lie:
12: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

---- Beware the Ides of March ------ middle of March 2005 -- 3 ½ years since 9/11
What happened? A death watch, First Terri Schavio, Then the Pope.

The picture at the top of this post is from a Hal Lindsey site where they mock liberals and those that are not a part of the rapture; bosting about themselves. That just shows their ungodliness, and just how concerned they really are about the lost.