There is no rapture before the "Troubled Times", The time of "tribulation" .
Many have fallen for the false concept of "rapture" in the Bible but it is not even close to being contained anywhere in the Bible.
"The rapture is widely taught and believed in Christianity today. Popular books and movies spin themes around this doctrine that essentially teaches Christ will come back twice, first coming only into the atmosphere to snatch believers away to heaven for several years, then, actually returning to set foot on the earth.
1st Thessalonians 4:15 …15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.…"
Many have fallen for the false concept of "rapture" in the Bible but it is not even close to being contained anywhere in the Bible.
"The rapture is widely taught and believed in Christianity today. Popular books and movies spin themes around this doctrine that essentially teaches Christ will come back twice, first coming only into the atmosphere to snatch believers away to heaven for several years, then, actually returning to set foot on the earth.
We live in a time when most are content to get their knowledge of religion secondhand, preferably through dramatic presentations by "professional Christians". including stage, tv screen ,novels and music.
But you cannot afford to neglect your personal responsibility to find the truth!
Those willing to take a careful look at the Bible will see that the rapture theory doesn’t stand up to the scrutiny of "God’s Word".
The "rapture"was popularized in the 1970s by Hal Lindsey’s writings ( The Late Great Planet Earth, etc.) and more recently by Jim Jenkins and Tim LaHaye in their Left Behind fictional books and films."
I can understand the temptation to tell this fabrication to the sheeple by the professional Christian community. It is spawned from the begged question, "Why would God allow us to go through the "tribulation" ( troubled times) that Jesus foretells?"
I can understand the temptation to tell this fabrication to the sheeple by the professional Christian community. It is spawned from the begged question, "Why would God allow us to go through the "tribulation" ( troubled times) that Jesus foretells?"
The answer is so simple. God never protects us from ANY trouble ever!! None!! We live our lives in accordance with our DNA,our decisions ,personal effort and blind luck. You are not protected from disease , disaster, or defeat. Do you think going to a professional Christian in his mortgaged building ,giving him his mortgage payments for his 6000 sq ft house and buying he and his wife new cars every year GETS YOU TO ETERNAL LIFE or out of troubles ? It simply does not. God protects you from nothing!! Get in your car and speed down to the nearest busy intersection with traffic lights. Time your entry into the intersection by running a red light. You think God is driving your car? Close your eyes and just keep driving the same speed and see what happens.
Why would He pull a believer out of the "tribulation" when he doesn't do it now? "Rature" won't happen . You will suffer and die and if you believe in Jesus as the Son of God , you will have eternal life!! ( John 3:16-18) If you don't accept Jesus as the Son of God, you go to oblivion in the "pit or grave".( there is absolutely no eternal life in Hades.)
It's pretty simple , really.
The entire "Rapture" argument has nothing to do with the actual wording of the Bible. It's pretty simple , really.
1st Thessalonians 4:15 …15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.…"
Note that there is no THIRD coming!! Paul here was speaking to believers who questioned what had happened to believers who had died before Christ comes back. Remember that those of the Paulinian age really thought Christ's return was eminent. . So the question that Paul seeks to answer was that if you are still alive at the return, you " will not precede those who have fallen asleep" ( YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN and equal to THEM, if they are believers in Christ!). In other words ,we are all together in Christ at that time. This has nothing whatsoever to do with pre-tribulaion removal from Earth, absolutely none but it is the foundation of the "rapture" nonsense.
The actual Greek word used for " caught up together" was harpagesometha derived from the Greek root word Harpazo.which simply means
1. to seize, carry off by force
2. to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly
3. to snatch out or away
That has nothing to do with pre-tribulation "Rapturing" which obviously would absolutely require a third coming of Jesus!!
Paul is saying that when Christ comes back, we will be instantly and forcefully joined with those that died before and are already in Heaven and those that have no special priority simply because they are alive at that time. There never was a "Rapture " in the Bible.
