In 1982 while in Colorado, I was on a tennis court listening to a Messianic Jew telling me about the “Rapture” of the Church. That was wild as we hit the ball back in forth. As I thought about what he said later in the day, I thought “What if it’s true?” And if its true I don’t want to miss it. well, not long after that I gave my heart to Christ and started going to Church.
Over the years of being a Christian, I haven’t heard many sermons about the great catching up of the Church. Better known as the “Rapture” of the Church. I always thought that was odd. Why? Because the Apostle taught about it in the scriptures. I guess the Holy Spirit thought it was relevant for believers to know about it. Many believe in this and the 2nd Advent of Christ. The issue is when will the catching up take place? Will it be before the seven-year tribulation, during the tribulation, or after the tribulation? We define it as Pre, Mid, or Post tribulation. Below are the different views:
Below is the difference in scriptures of the “Rapture” and 2nd Advent of Christ:
I find it interesting why so many different views regarding the great catching up. It can be confusing at times. Yet God is not the author of confusion. I think in some roundabout way the enemy of our souls is behind it. There are false teachers or teachers lacking understanding of dispensations, etc. Even the Apostle Paul had to address erroneous teaching about End Times and the “Rapture” in the book of Thessalonians. 1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)-33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. I agree with Apostle Paul in his statements in the letters to Thessalonica Chruch. That God has not appointed us to wrath. That the rapture will take place before the tribulation. When The Church is taken up and a new dispensation reverting to the Jewish time frame again.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NKJV)-10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:9 (NKJV)-9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Luke 21:36 (NKJV)–36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
In the book of Revelation, we do not see the mention of the Church from chapter 6 through Revelation chapter 18. These chapters deal with the Wrath of God being poured out on a Christ-rejecting world for seven years. This is not judgment but the Wrath of God. The good news there will be many that will be saved during this time. This will also impact Israel who for the most part have rejected Jesus as Messiah. Why would God send His Bride -the Body of Christ through such a terrible time taking place on earth? For over two thousand years God has been patiently waiting for the precious fruit of the earth-humanity to receive Christ.
- James 5:7-8 (NKJV)-7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
- 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)-9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
- 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV)-3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The catching up of the Saints is a great mystery that the Apostle Paul received by revelation. The Word “Rapture” doesn’t appear in the Bible. The Greek word from this term “rapture” appears in 1 Thess. 4:17 , translated as “caught up.” The Latin translation of this verse used the word rapturo. The Greek word it translates is harpazo, which means to snatch or take away. Elsewhere it is used to describe how the Spirit caught up Philip near Gaza and brought him to Caesarea (Acts 8:39) and to describe Paul’s experience of being caught up into the third heaven (2 Cor. 12:2-4). Thus there can be no doubt that the word is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 to indicate the actual removal of people from earth to heaven.(Bible .org)
The great catching up the Bible speaks of as “our blessed hope” and that we are to comfort one another with that hope of being caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the Great Tribulation. What comfort do we have if we endure His wrath for seven years?
- Titus 2:11-13 (NKJV)-11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NKJV)–16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NKJV)-51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (KJV)-1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
- John 14:1-3 (NKJV)-1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
I believe in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. It makes the most sense. Others can have their opinion and I wouldn’t get into an argument about the different views. Some don’t believe in the Rapture at all –2 Peter 3:3-4 (NKJV)-3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” The Bible is quite clear He is coming back. We need to teach about End-Times, the Rapture, etc. Yet the most important thing we need is to let people know and win them to Christ! I’m so grateful someone told me about the return of Christ! How about you? I believe we are in the last of the last days, that Jesus’ return is imminent. Come Lord Jesus come!
In Christ’s Love;
Brent and Linda
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