Originally written on June 20, 2014.
Is the idea of the Rapture a Biblical idea? Many Christians would argue that it's not, but there are probably many more who would say that it is. It's a fact that the word "rapture", doesn't appear in modern translations of the Bible, but I believe the concept of the rapture is in the Bible, for many reasons.
First and foremost, the most common support for the idea of the rapture is Revelation 3:10, in which Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia, "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." There isn't much questioning the meaning behind that, though many doubters say the words "keep you from" mean "keep you (safe) through". If that's what the writers intended, the translators would have most likely said the words "keep you through". Is that to say Jesus will take us from earth into heaven? It doesn't say specifically in this passage, but if not heaven, where? I don't think we'll be floating in empty space, and I don't think we could live on this world during the Tribulation without being affected at least emotionally.
There are a variety of passages, Old and New Testament, which refer to Jesus coming back at the end of the Tribulation, but the verses indicate that He won't be alone- the armies of heaven and His saints (Paul states that every believer is a saint) will arrive with Him. (1 Thes. 3:13) While it seems Jesus alone will fight at Armageddon (using the sword of His mouth), how can we - the saints - return WITH Jesus, if we weren't already with Him to begin with? Many doubters will tell you those particular verses mean that when He returns, we will be caught up with Him, immediately transformed, and continue on with Him to Armageddon. While the Bible does say we will be caught up to meet Him in the air, those particular passages never mention the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon- the tone suggests that this particular coming will be a peaceful one.
There are two words when referring to the coming of Christ, in the original Greek texts. One is "epiphanaea", meaning "manifestation", or "vision", indicating a temporary appearance. The other is "parousia", meaning "coming" or "appearance", indicating a full, permanent return. Epiphanaea tends to refer to the passages talking about being caught up with Him in the clouds (1 Thes. 4:13-18), whereas parousia usually is used when referring to the coming of Jesus at the end of the Tribulation with His saints to judge the world.
I find it funny how the doubting people tend to ignore this bit of logic: mankind has a hard enough time recovering from tiny little disappearances here and there. Imagine the chaos offset from millions of people around the world - without warning or apparent reason - and what would happen. It'd be the PERFECT opportunity for the Antichrist to rise- he will use that chaos to his advantage, promising the people that he will save the world from this chaos. Without the rapture event happening, the Antichrist would have no crisis to hold on to as his ticket to becoming prince of the world. Not to mention the millions of Christians left on earth would still be a major moral wall that he would have hard time overcoming even with the power of Satan. If Satan can't defeat us now, what makes you think he'd be able to defeat us THEN? Would God be abandoning us to be martyred just to fulfill prophecy? If so, then He would be invalidating His promise to be with us ALWAYS, even to the end of the age. Not to mention this question: what would the purpose of the Two Witnesses be if Christians were still around to spread the Gospel?
In context of Biblical prophecy concerning the return of Jesus, the idea of the rapture only makes sense. Besides, the Christians have been suffering since Jesus ascended into heaven- we've been living our own tribulation for almost two millennia. Do you really think Jesus - God, who is Love itself - would force His own Bride to stick it through the literally WORST period of human history in the name of enduring another "trial"?
So, to conclude, is the word "rapture" in the Bible? Nope. Is the idea there? I believe so, unless I happen to be misinterpreting things and using false logic. Is it wrong to believe that Jesus will take us before the Tribulation? No worse than longing for His appearance in the first place. Will there be Christians during the Tribulation? Yes, but I don't think a single one of them will have been a true Christian prior to the rapture. So when a person condemns you of being "from Satan" for simply desiring to see our Lord sooner, just ignore them and pray that their eyes would be opened. If we don't believe He's coming back for us, then we aren't keeping His commandment to have faith; without faith, it is impossible to please God.
First and foremost, the most common support for the idea of the rapture is Revelation 3:10, in which Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia, "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." There isn't much questioning the meaning behind that, though many doubters say the words "keep you from" mean "keep you (safe) through". If that's what the writers intended, the translators would have most likely said the words "keep you through". Is that to say Jesus will take us from earth into heaven? It doesn't say specifically in this passage, but if not heaven, where? I don't think we'll be floating in empty space, and I don't think we could live on this world during the Tribulation without being affected at least emotionally.
There are a variety of passages, Old and New Testament, which refer to Jesus coming back at the end of the Tribulation, but the verses indicate that He won't be alone- the armies of heaven and His saints (Paul states that every believer is a saint) will arrive with Him. (1 Thes. 3:13) While it seems Jesus alone will fight at Armageddon (using the sword of His mouth), how can we - the saints - return WITH Jesus, if we weren't already with Him to begin with? Many doubters will tell you those particular verses mean that when He returns, we will be caught up with Him, immediately transformed, and continue on with Him to Armageddon. While the Bible does say we will be caught up to meet Him in the air, those particular passages never mention the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon- the tone suggests that this particular coming will be a peaceful one.
There are two words when referring to the coming of Christ, in the original Greek texts. One is "epiphanaea", meaning "manifestation", or "vision", indicating a temporary appearance. The other is "parousia", meaning "coming" or "appearance", indicating a full, permanent return. Epiphanaea tends to refer to the passages talking about being caught up with Him in the clouds (1 Thes. 4:13-18), whereas parousia usually is used when referring to the coming of Jesus at the end of the Tribulation with His saints to judge the world.
I find it funny how the doubting people tend to ignore this bit of logic: mankind has a hard enough time recovering from tiny little disappearances here and there. Imagine the chaos offset from millions of people around the world - without warning or apparent reason - and what would happen. It'd be the PERFECT opportunity for the Antichrist to rise- he will use that chaos to his advantage, promising the people that he will save the world from this chaos. Without the rapture event happening, the Antichrist would have no crisis to hold on to as his ticket to becoming prince of the world. Not to mention the millions of Christians left on earth would still be a major moral wall that he would have hard time overcoming even with the power of Satan. If Satan can't defeat us now, what makes you think he'd be able to defeat us THEN? Would God be abandoning us to be martyred just to fulfill prophecy? If so, then He would be invalidating His promise to be with us ALWAYS, even to the end of the age. Not to mention this question: what would the purpose of the Two Witnesses be if Christians were still around to spread the Gospel?
In context of Biblical prophecy concerning the return of Jesus, the idea of the rapture only makes sense. Besides, the Christians have been suffering since Jesus ascended into heaven- we've been living our own tribulation for almost two millennia. Do you really think Jesus - God, who is Love itself - would force His own Bride to stick it through the literally WORST period of human history in the name of enduring another "trial"?
So, to conclude, is the word "rapture" in the Bible? Nope. Is the idea there? I believe so, unless I happen to be misinterpreting things and using false logic. Is it wrong to believe that Jesus will take us before the Tribulation? No worse than longing for His appearance in the first place. Will there be Christians during the Tribulation? Yes, but I don't think a single one of them will have been a true Christian prior to the rapture. So when a person condemns you of being "from Satan" for simply desiring to see our Lord sooner, just ignore them and pray that their eyes would be opened. If we don't believe He's coming back for us, then we aren't keeping His commandment to have faith; without faith, it is impossible to please God.
