The Truth About The Rapture
First I would start by saying there are many ways to prove the rapture theory is a spirit of error.I will start with the scriptures given to support the rapture. We need to clean up the confusion before we lay the ground work. Let’s start with the rapture and the scriptures they use to support the rapture. According to Charles C Ryrie, in the book “Basic Theology”, “the Greek word from which we take the term “rapture” comes from the Latin word rapturo. The Greek word is harpazo, which means to snatch or take away. 1Th 4:17 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.
Caught up translated from Greek word harpazo, ; to seize (in various applications): - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
2 Cor.12: 2-4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
So this is it, since the Greek word harpazo was used to describe the man spoken about in 2 Cor. 12:2-4, which got caught up to the third heaven , they assume it means the same will occur in 1 Th. 4:17. Well the same Greek word harpazo was used in Acts 8:39; if we read Acts 8:39 Philip wasn’t taken to heaven. This is just one example of man interpreting God’s word in error.
Before we begin, let’s read what the Lord said through his prophet Amos. Amos 3:[sup]7[/sup]Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Do we believe if God wanted us to know about a secret coming, He would have told the prophets about it first? That’s something to think about!!
Now let’s read what Jesus had to say about this. John 7: 33-36 [sup]33[/sup]Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.[sup]34[/sup]Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.[sup]35[/sup]Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?[sup]36[/sup]What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? Jesus was saying here, when He goes to heaven they could not go!! Let’s see what else Jesus said. John 14:1-3 [sup]1[/sup]Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [sup]2[/sup]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. [sup]3[/sup]And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Jesus clearly said He will come again. So where will Jesus be when he returns? Earth, or will he just take man back to heaven? Let’s let the scriptures speak for it. Jesus said in Rev. 22: [sup]12[/sup]And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.[sup]13[/sup]I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. So when Jesus returns He will bring his reward with Him. Jesus said in John 7:34,36 where He was going they could not go. Jesus is not going to contradict Himself in John 14:1-3 He wasn’t saying He would take man back to heaven with Him. Jesus isn’t going back to Heaven when He returns. There is no scriptural evidence that support that. Jesus said, He will come, and His reward will be with Him.
Read 2 Tim. 4:1-5 [sup]1[/sup]I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;[sup]2[/sup]Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.[sup]3[/sup]For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;[sup]4[/sup]And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.[sup]5[/sup]But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. Let me tell you people, that this time is now!!! People have turn away from the truth to believe in lies. They turn from Jesus truth about His return, and believe the fable of the rapture. They won’t listen to sound doctrine. Now let’s read for our selves what happens during Jesus return.
Let us begin where Jesus left. Acts 1:11-12 [sup]11[/sup]Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. [sup]12[/sup]Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. Jesus will return back to earth the same way He left. Let’s go to Dan. 7:13-14[sup]13[/sup]I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.[sup]14[/sup]And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Here we read, when Jesus will come with the clouds of heaven. Matthew 24:30 [sup]30[/sup]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. Again we read, Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven. This is the same time period we’re taking about here. Now before Jesus starts making His descent, there will be great Tribulation first. Matthew 24:21 [sup]21[/sup]For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. The old testament reads in Deut. 4:30-31 [sup]30[/sup]When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; [sup]31[/sup](For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Notice we see here, in the latter days there will be tribulation for Israel for not obeying the Lord’s commandments. Not only for Israel, but for the rest of the world as well. Matthew 24:29-31 [sup]29[/sup]Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:[sup]30[/sup]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. [sup]31[/sup]And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Read this carefully; that immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sign of Jesus will appear in heaven. Again, AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS!!!!
Now we will read, 1Thess. 4:13-18 [sup]13[/sup]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.[sup]14[/sup]For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.[sup]15[/sup]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.[sup]16[/sup]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:[sup]17[/sup]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. So let’s take a close look at this scripture, and see if we can make sense out of it. With a shout and the trump of God, the dead will rise first, and then the living will be taken to meet the Lord in the air. The Lord is descending from where He was (heaven) to meet those that rose from the earth. What happen to those that rose from the earth to meet the Lord in the air? 1 Cor. 15:52 [sup]52[/sup]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.Ok, right then at that time the dead, and the living that rose, will be changed.
So, where will they go from here? Zech. 14:1-5 [sup]1[/sup]Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.[sup]2[/sup]For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.[sup]3[/sup]Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (The Lord is coming to fight the nations).( When He comes to fight, will He be alone?)[sup][/sup][sup]4[/sup]And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, (remember in Acts 1, what the angels told the disciple at the mount of Olives, when the Lord left back to heaven)which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.[sup]5[/sup]And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Now the Lord is back on earth, and who is with Him? The saints, who rose and changed," in the twinkling of an eye" are with Him. There was no proof of the Lord returning back to heaven with the saints. So this just one of many ways to prove that the rapture is a false teaching, we have to make full prove of our ministry. Don’t be fooled by the many lies that are being taught. Next I will show through the scripture there is not a seven year tribulation. The same people that teach the rapture also teach seven year tribulation. These doctrines are not supported by scripture. That is just confusion of what that they think the last week of the 7o weeks of Daniel is about.
