Rapture

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The word rapture is not actually in the bible but it is a clearly depicted event. The word is translated from the Greek word Harpazo which means to snatch or take away.

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1 Corinthians 15:51-52

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Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 shall be changed.

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1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

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For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be 'caught up' together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 

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The main difference in interpretations of the rapture is it's timing and the above referenced verses clearly indicate that the rapture happens at the return of Christ as depicted in Revelation 19:11-16

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Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Chances are you are familiar with Left Behind book series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins and subsequent movies which depict the rapture happening at the beginning of the tribulation (pre-trib). In this predominant view of the church (believers) are 'raptured' just prior to the rise of the antichrist which takes place at the beginning of the tribulation. This view was made popular in the 70's in Hal Lindsey's book The Late Great Planet Earth which coincidentally was the very first book I read after becoming a Christian (evens before the Bible!). I fully accepted this view for many years until my continued study of Eschatology (study of end times) led me reject this view since the more I learned what the scriptures said the more this view was not supported.

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Before we compare the different positions let's first define the Tribulation period since the rapture's timing is based on this. The tribulation is the period of the end just prior to Christ's return to reign on earth. The most recent biblical mention of this time comes from Revelation 3 where Jesus tells the church in Philadelphia, 'I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth'. Coincidentally pre-trib proponents site this scripture to support for their position but it was written to the church of Philadelphia (the sixth letter) and for those of us who adhere to the prophetic application of these letters (that these churches also represent the state of the church over the centuries) with the seventh letter being addressed to Laodicea which looks very much like the current state of the church and it would make sense that the preceding church (Philadelphia) is the one spared the tribulation. The tribulation is commonly considered a period of 7 years comprised of two 42 month (3 1/2 years) periods. It is known by many as the seventieth week of Daniel and in which at the beginning the Antichrist signs a 7 year treaty with the Jews and then breaks it mid-week and declares himself to be God and demands to be worshipped as such. This is called the abomination of desolation. It is at this point the Jews realize their mistake and receive Jesus as Messiah and then flee to the wilderness where they will be protected for the 3 1/2 year reign of the Beast (chapter 13 in Revelation),

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Daniel 9:25

The Seventy Weeks

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“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. It's end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

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Prior to John Darby in 1850 Christians believed that this prophecy was completely fulfilled. Here is an excellent article regarding that.

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Another important point in understanding the period of the end is Luke 21. The synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the Olivet discourse in which Jesus reveals details about the days just prior to his return. If we use Matthew only it appears to mirror the seals in Revelation (chapter 6) and then depicts the first seal (rider on white horse) as Antichrist since deceit is the first thing Jesus mentions. Luke totally changes the timing of all of this in that he records Jesus saying, 'They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled'. This prophecy is fulfilled in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews were in fact dispersed among the nations until 1948 when they once again became a nation!

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I have studied prophecy since becoming a Christian in 1982 and have spent countless hours in Daniel and Revelation. Of course I was initially taught the left behind scenario but finally abandoned that position as my study of the scripture more and more did not support it. I also could not reconcile Daniel with Revelation and since Daniel was sealed and Revelation was not I elected to use the latter as my guide.

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Now, here are some prophecies in Revelation that do not reconcile with Daniel.

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1) Chapter 11 notes the first 42 months in which the Two Witnesses prophesy and plight the earth with plagues as often as they desire. When they have Completed their testimony, the Beast the ascends out of the abyss will wage war on them and overcome and kill them. The Antichrist is not on scene until they have completed their testimony so how could he make a 7 year covenant at the onset? Also, since these two witnesses were a torment to those that dwell on the earth how could the Antichrist be in power? He is the world's hero following their testimony but not before. Chapter 13 says he will rule for 42 months (3 1/2 years) only and that he will wage war on the saints and overcome and kill them during this time and the result if the 5th seal (martyrs).

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2) Revelation 13 states the following, 'And authority was given it (the Beast) over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

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Okay a couple of important points here. The Antichrist is given worldwide authority and ALL the inhabitants of the earth will worship him except for those who names are in The Lamb's Book of Life (believers). So the idea that he is the king of the north in Daniel and waging war against the king of the south makes no sense. This prophecy was completely fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees. 

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Secondly, note the 'call for the endurance and faith of the saints' and they say the church is not mentioned beyond chapter 4?!

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Finally, in chapter 17 the Beast is said to ascend out of the abyss exactly as chapter 11 says and that he was also previously alive. My bet is Nero but you have to be a literalist to believe this which of course I am.

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Okay so now let's look at the various rapture views starting with the pre-trib which is by far the most popular. This view is not actually specifically supported by any scripture. For example, in Revelation chapter 4 John is told to 'come up here' and pre-trib rapture supporters site this as the rapture of the church although there is no reference to this. They also further support this position by noting that the church is not mentioned beyond this in Revelation. Really? What about the 5th seal which refers to a multitude of believers which no one can count that passed through the great tribulation and overcame by The Blood of The Lamb and the word of their testimony and were martyred as a result, yet this is not the church?

This position also hold to the idea that there are two separate comings of Jesus, one secretly for his church and the other as described in chapter 19. During the 7 year tribulation the 'raptured' believers are enjoying he wedding supper of The Lamb, but what about the martyrs which no one can count, is there another banquet for them? Again this is not supported anywhere in scripture. The idea of a separate secret coming is taken from Jesus words in Matthew, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. This scripture is the best support for a pre-trib rapture since the world appears to be living undisturbed at the time of the rapture whereas this would not be the case during the time of the two witnesses (the world is severely disturbed during this time!). However it does not clearly place the timing pre-trib and it requires conjecture to arrive here, as do most of the 'supporting' scriptures for any view. We must therefore focus on scriptures which do not require conjecture and clearly state a position.

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Another view is the mid-trib view which has the rapture taking place at the middle of 'the' week just when the Antichrist reveals his true character. This scenario is based on prophecies from Daniel which do not reconcile with Revelation and I have already addressed these separately. In any case the mid-trib position has the same problem as pre-trib - the 5th seal which definitely happens during the 42 month reign of the Beast as described in Revelation 13.

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Then there are the pre-wrath and post-trib positions. Pre-wrath has the rapture taking place just before the wrath of God is poured out on the earth (bowl judgments) whereas the post-trib times the rapture with Christ's decent in Revelation 19.

The Coming of the Son of Man

Matthew 24:29-31

“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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken (all these events are clearly depicted in Revelation). Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Revelation chapter 6). And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

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I believe the rapture happens at Christ's decent from heaven as depicted in Revelation 19. Whether or not the bowls come after that is irrelevant since God's wrath is not for his children so if we still happen to be here during that time it won't touch us (some say we cannot be here during that time because of the bowls, but why not?).

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