The Rapture

What is the Rapture?

The Rapture is a term that Evangelical Christians have given to the teaching that those who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus will not go through the Tribulation. Therefore, they will be taken out of the earth, just before the Tribulation begins and meet the Lord in the sky.

Is the term Rapture used in the Bible?

The term Rapture of the church is not used in the Bible.  It is a term and teaching first noted and taught by British theogian and Bible translater John Nelson Darby in around 1830.  Darby is the father of dispensationalism. In his day he was the leading interpretor of Biblical Prophecy.

The Rapture of the Church before the Tribulation is one of the most disputed topics in end time Bible Prophecy

Evangelical Christians are divided on their interpretation of the Rapture Scriptures. Some believe the Rapture occurs after the Tribulation. Others believe it occurs before the Tribulation begins. Based on my analysis of the Scriptures, I take the view the Rapture will occur prior to the start of the Tribulation. Jesus clearly describes two distinct and diverse settings that sets apart His coming for believers in the Rapture. Details of his second coming provide opposite details.

The Rapture of the Church has given way to Several Theological terms.

The terms are Pre Trib, Mid Trib and Post Trib. Pre Trib means that believers meet Christ in the air before the Tribulation. Those who adhere to Mid Trib believe that believers will go through part of the Tribulation and escape the Great Tribulation.   Post Trib means that Christ comes only at the end of the Tribulation. Consequently this topic is so disputed there exists the Pre-Trib Research center. Therefore for the sake of clarity on this page, I am going to make it clear that this site holds the pre trib view. Most of all due to my own research on the topic.

The Rapture is the hope for believers who are living in the end times.

They believe that they will not go through the severe judgments that will occur during the Tribulation.

The teaching of the Rapture is based on several Bible passages. In addition, God’s pattern at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the during the flood was to remove the righteous. They did not go through the judgment.  God gave them a way out before hand. God Himself stated to Abraham in the obliteration of Sodom and Gomorrah that if there were ten righteous, He will not anihilate the City. We see the same pattern during the Tribulation with the Tribulation saints.  The worste of the plauges occur in the final 30 days after the Antichrist’s regime murders the last Chrisitan.  Most of all the final plauges occur in response to the murder of the righteous. Revelation 16: 5-6 records after issuing the plauges of  the waters turning to blood:

And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was ad who is to be.  Because you have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets. And you have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.”

Key Rapture Verses and Passages

There are specific passages in the Bible the Rapture teaching derives from. In these passages and verses we find opposite teachings of what is taught at Christ’s coming at the end of the Tribulation.

We shall not all sleep

1 Corinthians 15:50-52-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.” 

The key phrase in this verse is “we shall not all sleep.” Sleep in the Bible refers to death.  In the Bible sleep is synonous with death.   We shall not all sleep is not what the Bible teaches about the Saints in the Tribulation.   The book of Daniel and the Revelation are very specific that the Antichrist and his regime will  martyr them.  This prophecy specifies 1260 days, or a three and a half year time frame from the abomination of desolation. Not one Christian will remain on earth when the angels unleash the final Revelation plauges.  These include; water turning to blood, scorching sun, and loathsome boils on those who take the mark. In addition,  the battle of Armageddon and final destruction of the earth.

Then we who are Alive

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 reiterates the fact of 1 Corinthians 15:50, what we shall not all sleep or die by stating “Then we who are alive. Again, no Christians will be alive at the end of the Tribulation when Christ returns. Futhermore, the Revelation 19:14 tells us that an army accompanies Christ that bears the same description as the Saints.  The passage states.

15 For 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 by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

These are they who come out of the great Tribulation

In Revelation 7:9-17 John sees a great multitute that no one could number. They are from all differant cultures, nations, and peoples. They stand before the throne and the Lamb clothed in white robes and singing praises to Him.   Then one of the elders asked John, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?  This is a rhetorical question posed to John and he answers, “Sir you know.” The rhetorical question is used to emphasise the point.  He answers, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.  Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.” 

Notice the word “come out” is used, not came out, indicating present tense.

More on the phrase “come out”

The word in the Geek for “come” is erchomai. According to Blue letter Bible’s Greek Lexigon the word is a”Middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses…”  ”

The word means: to come, of persons, to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving and of those returning, to appear, make one’s appearance, come before the public metaph. to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence, be established, become known, to come (fall) into or unto
to go, to follow one.

The word “come out summaries the Rapture teaching. Hence believers will instantly meet with Christ in the air and come out of the great Tribulation.

It is Amazing How Many details are given regarding the Tribulation period, and the Rapture

The Bible is like a treasure that the more you dig and uncover you discover more of its wealth. So are the details the Bible provides and forecasts for the end times  The Bible does not give vague references concerning the end times, but rather they are highly detailed.  The more you examine, the more you find.  Such is the case of the Rapture. Missed by many are the opposite details of Jesus’ second coming vs. the Rapture.  Both are odviously set in differant time periods and under diverse circumstances. Such as two women grinding at the mill. One is left behind during a peaceful time versus men hiding for fear in the clefts during the Tribulation at Christ’s second coming. Jesus also does not come as a thief at his second coming, but as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

You can read more about this and learn these details  in my article, The Rapture: Jesus Comes as A Thief.

 The Tribulation Dispensation

Jesus teaches of perserverance and that “he who endures to the end will be saved.”  The beginning of the Tribulation ends the age of Grace.  In addition, the Tribulation focuses on Israel.  The remaining seven years that completes Daniel’s 490 year prophecy toward Israel makes this point clear.  During the Tribulation if you take the mark of the beast you will lose your salvation. By taking the mark you will blaspheme the Holy Spirit. This is the abomination that makes desolate.   This  also supports the removal of the Age of Grace believers at the start of the Tribulation.

Finally, How Will the Rapture Occur?

This is another area that Evangelicals have speculated on because a sudden disapearance of multitudes of people sounds so far fetched.  God works through the nature order of events.   When he performs big miracles signs in nature accompany his works.  We see this with the thunderings and lightenings coming from His Temple.  When Jesus died on the cross there was a great earthquake and the sun darkened.  In these end times we have entered an era of strange weather occurances.  New terms have entered our vocabulary as a result.  Most likely a major atmospheric event will occur  along with Christ’s entrance. Scientists will attribute the atmospheric or weather event to the mass disapearances.

For more on the Rapture search this site for my many articles.

In my videos and articles I provide details found in Scripture, that provide evidence of a coming Rapture. Be sure to tune into the Rapture playlist.

This page is part of a series of pages of Main Bible Prophecy Topics. Other subjects fall under these topics. For example under the Beast of Revelation falls World Government. On the Tribulation page you will find the Peace Treaty, which begins the Tribulation.   The Abomination of Desolation begins the Great Tribulation.  It falls under that category.  This is set up so that you can easily navigate the key topics of end time Bible Prophecy.

This page is part of a series of pages of Main Bible Prophecy Topics.

Other subjects fall under these topics. For example under the Beast of Revelation falls World Government. On the Tribulation page you will find the Peace Treaty, which begins the Tribulation.   The Abomination of Desolation begins the Great Tribulation.  It falls under that category.  This is set up so that you can easily navigate the key topics of end time Bible Prophecy.

Key Bible Prophecy Topics

The Rapture

The Tribulation

End Time Signs

The Antichrist

Beast of Revelation

Mark of the Beast

Whore of Babylon

Book of Revelation-Plagues

Bible Prophecy Teachers-Best & Worst

 

Nations in Prophecy

The US in Prophecy

Russia in Prophecy

Israel in Prophecy

The EU in Bible Prophecy