What About the Rapture?
It is recommended to follow this study point by point, opening your Bible to each text listed.
- Introduction
- Don't Miss It!
- The Second Coming Throughout Revelation
- Be Not Deceived
- The Manner of His Coming
- Second Chances?
- Conclusion
There is a popular scenario concerning end time events today. It is, simply put, as follows:
1. True Christians disappear, ‘taken away’ to heaven secretly and silently.
2. Those left on earth will endure a 7 year period of tribulation.
3. The Anti-Christ will rise up rule the world.
4. The Anti-Christ will desecrate the rebuilt Jewish temple.
5. Many nations will attack Israel in the Battle of Armageddon
We’ll address these issues in order.
The scenario above begins with all true Christians mysteriously disappearing from the world. The second coming of Christ will be a silent, secret event, and to those not taken up will be left behind alive on earth.
1. Don’t miss it!
The Jews preached about the 1st coming of Christ for nearly 2000 years. All of their literature, their festivals, their ways of life were centered around the idea that the Messiah was coming. They knew Who, What, When , Where , and Why. They confused the HOW of His coming, and missed it. They thought He was coming as a mighty conqueror. They didn’t want a humble savior from sins, they wanted a savior from Rome.
To not repeat their mistakes, we must be absolutely certain of the HOW of Christ’s coming.
2. The second coming throughout Revelation
The book of Revelation describes the second coming in detail.
Revelation 1:7 – The first reference to the second coming in Revelation says Christ will come with clouds, every eye will see Him, and many people will be in mourning. We find later that they are mourning because most wondered after the beast.
Revelation 14:14 – When Christ comes it will be to reap because the time has come for a harvest.
Revelation 22:7,12,20 – At the end of the book, Christ mentions three times that He is coming quickly.
By looking briefly at the second coming found at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of Revelation, we see nothing of a secret coming. It will be a visible coming, and Christ will come to reap.
Acts 1:9-11- Christ will return in like manner as he left. It will of course be visible. There are 6 references to the eyes in 3 verses. Why?
3. Be Not Deceived
Matthew 24:3,4 – The disciples asked Christ about His coming. The very first thing he told them was “do not be deceived”. Four separate times in this chapter he warns against deception concerning the end-times.
Matthew 24:26,27 – If someone says Christ will come secretly, do not believe them. His coming will be like lightning.
Psalm 50:3 – He will not keep silent or secret.
4. The Manner of His Coming
Matthew 24:30,31- You see elements of clouds, noise, a loud trumpet, and a gathering (Christ would come to reap with a sickle).
Notice carefully the elements present in Christ’s description of His coming and carefully consider the following passage. It is one used more than any to support the ‘secret’ rapture theory.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-19 – Once again, clouds, noise, a trumpet, and a gathering, or taking up of believers. The day will over take those who are not ready for it as a thief. We are not in darkness concerning that day and it will NOT overtake believers as a thief.
Luke 9:26 – Christ will come in glory, and the glory of the angels with him.
Matthew 25:31- Christ will come with all the holy angels. There were about 16 soldiers at the tomb of Christ and they fell down dead because of the glory of one angel. Imagine what 100,000,000 million do.
5. No Second Chances
As previously stated, this scenario described true believers as being snatched away silently and secretly while the wicked are left on earth with a second chance to accept Christ. There are a number of passages that make this interpretation impossible.
Matthew 13:24-30 – This is a well known parable that Christ completely interprets for us.
Wheat – God’s chosen people; the good.
Tares - Wicked people; the bad
Harvest – The end of the world
Reapers – Angels
Field – Earth
Notice very carefully that the wheat and the tares, the wicked and the good will grow TOGETHER until the HARVEST. Christ explicitly states that the good and the bad will grow together until the very end of the world. The righteous will be gathered with him, and the unrighteous will be burned. Jesus himself left no room for a second chance or anyone left alive after the righteous are in heaven.
Luke 17:36 – This text is appealed to because it says ‘some will be taken and some will be left’. There are two possible ways to address this text, and neither of them leave room for the wicked to keep on living.
Verse 37 – Notice concerning those ‘left’ or those ‘taken’ depending on how you look at it: “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather”. They do not remain living. The bird of prey is mentioned because they are DEAD.
Matthew 24:37 – The wicked didn’t understand until the flood came and TOOK them all away.
Genesis 7:23 – Only Noah and those with him were LEFT.
Contrary to popular teaching, the ones ‘taken’ are not taken to heaven. Their lives are taken. The ones ‘left’, often thought of as the wicked left on earth, are actually the righteous.
6. Conclusion
This popular teaching is found nowhere in the Bible. There is a danger in telling people they have a second change. They will forever put off a decision for Christ. “ ..today is the day of salvation”, the Bible says. We believe in a fair God. A fair God would allow everyone a second chance if he allowed such a thing. This teaching allows only those alive at the end of time a second chance. All those who died previously only had one chance. The Bible actually teaches that we each only have one chance, and only have our lifetime to accept Christ or reject Him.
The first event in the popular end-time, futurist scenario has been shown to be a myth not based on sound evidence from the Bible. What about the remaining 4?