Before I continue on with Revelation chapter 4, I would like to talk about the Rapture. There are three schools of thought on when the Rapture will occur. The first is the pre-tribulation rapture, which I believe and will discuss. The second is the mid-tribulation rapture, in which some people believe that the Rapture will occur during the midpoint of the seven year tribulation period. The third view is the post-tribulation rapture, which they believe will occur at the end of the seven year tribulation period and before the Glorious Appearing of Christ. These two views are the minority view, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture and I will be discussing Bible verses that support this view.
First, what is the Rapture? The Rapture is meant for the church age, the time from Pentecost until the present time. The Christians that have believed in Jesus and trusted Him for their salvation will be caught up to heaven and given their incorruptible bodies. Even the ones that have been in the grave, or have been cremated will be given their perfect bodies at this time. These Christians will be taken out of the world at this time in preparation of the Tribulation period that is to come. God will be sending down judgement on the world in a last effort to get the attention of non-believers. The ones left behind after the rapture are not lost, they still have a chance to turn to God and to trust Jesus for their salvation. They will have to endure the horrors of the Tribulation period, but even if they die during this time, they will be with Christ.
The word "rapture" does not occur in the Bible at all. The Latin word rapere was translated from the Greek word harpazo, which means "caught up", it became commonly known as the Rapture. Many people say that the church did not start preaching about the Rapture until Reverend Morgan Edwards in 1742. Grant Jeffrey found a writing from 373 AD in which Ephraim the Syrian had been writing about the Rapture.
"For all the saints and the elect of God are gathered prior to the Tribulation that is to come, and are
taken to the Lord, lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sin."
As you may have seen in the news, some people like Harold Camping this past year, try to predict the day that the Rapture will occur. No one knows the day that this will happen.
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:36-44
Even Jesus did not know when the day would be, He said only God knows. If Jesus did not know, do you really think someone could "figure it out"????? We are only told about the signs that Jesus would be returning for His church so that we may be ready.
According to these verses, the Rapture will come at an unexpected time. I believe that this proves that the Rapture will have to come before the Tribulation period. If it were to happen at any other time, like mid-tribulation or post-tribulation, then it would not be unexpected. We would be looking for it to happen at a specific point. The only way these verses can make sense is if the Rapture occurs before the Tribulation.
What will happen when the Rapture occurs? Many people know that the people that believed in Jesus for their salvation will be taken up to heaven.
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
There are many other verses in the Bible that prove that there will be a Rapture.
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3
7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:7-8
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:10
The coming wrath would be the Tribulation that will come upon the earth once the church is removed.
9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ Titus 2:13
The Blessed Hope is another name for the Rapture. It is what we look forward to so that we do not have to suffer through the Tribulation period where God will unleash His wrath on the earth.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Revelation 3:10
This is another verse where we are told that we, the church, are to be saved from the Tribulation. That does not mean that Christians do not suffer tribulations and trials while we are on the earth. God never claims that we will be exempt from these things, but it is a promise that we will not have to suffer the final seven years of the Tribulation when God will pour out His wrath, like nothing you have ever seen or experienced.
I felt that I needed to discuss the Rapture at this point, before I began on the next part of Revelation because the church is notable absent from chapters four through nineteen.
Before I begin on chapter four, I would like to invite anyone that has not accepted Jesus free gift of salvation and wishes to do so to pray the following prayer:
Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name I confess that I have sinned and ask for forgiveness. I ask that Jesus come into my heart and become my Lord and Savior. I believe Jesus died for my sins and was raised from the dead.
Thank You Father for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment