The Rapture – An Article to Knock Your Socks Off
The Time Has Come to debunk those errors regarding the Rapture not taking place.
I was raised in a family that followed Word of Faith teaching (yet I rebelled and went on my own left hand path at about the age of 13). When I realised I needed Jesus Christ in my life (much later in my life unfortunately) and was born again the ‘rapture’ was just part of something that I had heard about in passing – I was actually oblivious to Christian doctrine, including the doctrine of imminency.
After I was saved and battled to find churches to go too, I hit the internet in search of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. This was where I read up about PreTribulation and also PostTribulation (where Jesus Christ returns at the end of the Great Tribulation with no rapture of the church before that) And then just to put another spanner in the works, I heard about Amillennialism. Boy, oh boy.
So I started researching the Word of God and I started my research with Amillennialism, after 10 minutes of goggling I realised that Amillennialism was completely and utterly wrong.
I then went and looked at the Post Tribulation scenario. What I found interesting was that the Post Tribulation supporters use their verses to back up this idea but exclude the verses that point to the Rapture (or being caught up where the born again Christians will meet Jesus Christ in the air before the wrath of God is meted out on earth). I read so many PostTribulation websites and studied their little diagrams and it just didn’t make sense. I emailed 2 ministries in which I included many PreTribulation (Rapture) verses in my email and asked them to include them into their articles and they refused. The reason: They had enough Biblical scripture to prove Post Tribulation without having to include vital scripture that refuted what they say. How convenient I thought.
So there I was back at Pre Tribulation, still researching and knowing deep down all along that this was correct and that Jesus Christ the Son of God is coming back SOON to take His children away. At the end of the Great Tribulation He will return a 2nd time , this time setting foot on earth and crushing the enemy.
This is the reason for my blog, to warn people because I can’t handle the fact that many people I know like family, friends will be left behind and have to face delusion, confusion, terror and utter hopelessness in their minds as to what happened and try cope with the after effects.
That very moment will be unlike anything the world has ever experienced, and it gets worse. Much worse. Mass HORROR, mass MURDER, mass TORTURE, mass INCOMPREHENSIBLE evil will take place. Matthew 24:21 “21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
At the same time I rejoice for I know that I am going to see Jesus Christ the Son of God, my King, my Lord, my Saviour, the ONE I love so much, the ONE who gave HIS life for me, the ONE who SAVED my life. I am going to see HIM SOON face to face. How awesome is that. I can’t wait.
We are in a time in history unlike anything ever seen before. Never in the last 10 years would I have ever thought that I would be alive to witness this. The (bride of Christ, i.e., born again Christians) being caught up to meet Jesus in the air.
Jesus said He would come when we least expect it. Generally the least expected thing happens when everything is going relatively well.
Matthew 24:37-41 37“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah 38“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41“Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
Matthew 24:44 44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
During the rapture, Jesus Christ does NOT come down to earth. (So it is not considered His Second Coming). The dead in Christ rise first and then the body of Christ are caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the CLOUDS /AIR. 1 Thess, 4:16-18 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
Jesus tells us that we are to COMFORT one another with this WONDERFUL passage of scripture.
Everything will happen very fast, so fast that it will be 1 Cor 15:52 “52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…”
The bible tells us that even though we do not know exactly when Jesus is coming back to take the his church home Matthew 25:13 13“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
He tells us to BE ON ALERT as we will see the day approaching (Biblical prophecy fulfilled) and as the day approaches we are to ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER. Hebrews 10:25: “25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
So it is clear that born again Christians will know that the day that Jesus Christ returns draws nearer and nearer. If not, Jesus would not tell us to BE ON ALERT at all times and for us to watch and pray that we do not fall into temptation. Matthew 26:41 41“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus promised us He will look after us, because He paid the price for us – we are not destined for God’s wrath during the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:9, “9For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”
We are NOT destined to be TESTED Revelation 3:10 10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Our focus should be on Jesus Christ our Blessed Hope and we are not be disturbed by the things going on around as. Titus 2:13 “13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus”
Do you fear that there is something terrible going on in the world but you do not know what it is? Do you remember someone speaking to you about Jesus and you brushed them off as talking a load of nonsense? Do you know the name of Jesus Christ in your mind, but your heart’s not interested because you prefer the ways of the world and sin? Do you want to know why you fear that there is something horrible coming this way? Do you want to change your ways and ask Jesus to forgive you for your sinful life so that you my enter God’s presence spotless.
Do you want to drop everything you are doing right now and speak to Jesus Christ the Son of God? Tell Him you are a sinner, tell Him you want to change your ways. Tell him you have disobeyed Him, but you ask for forgiveness for everything you have done and you are so sorry. Tell Jesus that you know and believe that He died on the cross for you as a sacrifice for your sin, and that He rose again 3 days later and ascended with a physical body into heaven. Tell Jesus that you want Him to come into your life, and make you a new person. Tell Jesus that you love him, honestly and truthfully with all your heart, mind and soul. Humble yourself before your KING as a sinner who does not deserve to be saved. But because of the love that God has for HIS creation, that is you, He created you. When you truly and utterly come to Jesus Christ and repent, God truly and utterly forgives you and you are saved.
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See all articles on the rapture here
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Mark
So you are not interested in what is going on in the DRC at all? Pity. Dr. Stephan Joubert brings some of the leading emergent voices to South Africa, like Ron Martoia! In fact, I think we are expecting Rob Bell himself this year. Now who would want to miss that. Stephan blogs at;
http://www.echurch.co.za/
Stephan’s friend, Dries Cronje runs Neo-Mysticism:
http://www.neomysticism.com/
If you struggle to discern Stephan or the DRC try:
This is where the DRC is today:
http://mycontemplations.wordpress.com/
I see you have Dion Forster listed. Do read his free e-book “An Uncommon Spiritual Path” and you will understand our point on the whole “meditation” thing. It is no longer a secret that “meditation” = meditation.
Don’t get too excited or start to jump up and down or anything but I added you to My Watchlist of South African Christian blogs.
From what I had gleaned from your writings in the past and confirmed from the post above I had marked you as being Dispensational. Was I correct?
Mark
Took you a while, but congrats on the find. Now you just need to figure out that meditation is NOT biblical 🙂
You can also start a list and please put me on top as No. 1 most annoying Christian blog on the planet aka hyper hyper hyper fundamentalist lol 🙂 ehehe OH NO WAY, I just re-checked your list and you did put me as fundamentalist. Can you split that into 2 groups. 1) those that will kill/murder people for their beliefs and 2) those who will not kill/murder people for their beliefs (please put me under the 2nd group) thanks.
I am also non-denominational because being a child of God you are a new creature in Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus has been shattered overtime into many denominations. So not one denomination is correct. Being Christian is on an individual basis. You can have an entire church filled with people and not one is saved. Or you can have an entire Church filled with people and only 1% are saved. Or you can have no church building and the saved stay at home because it’s pointless going to church to hear rubbish being spoken.
So technically speaking the denomination is spiritual, the ‘born again Christian, saved by Grace and believes in the Bible 100%’ denomination.
Actually you need a special column just for me 🙂
Deborah
No.
Anyway, I just checked and South Africa is no longer on his list.
But Benny is coming:
No.
very good. love the article about the rapture. few misquoted verses but is ok. the point came accross very clear. I am a non-denominational as well.
Hector
Just by the by, which verses? let’s see what’s wrong …
You missed my point on the whole “meditation” thing. Bygones.
I chose to order the list alphabetically with the exception of the emergents. I don’t see the word fundamentalist as derogatory. I apply it to myself.
Non-Denominational refers to a singular church not formally aligned with an established denomination. Deborah, I couldn’t put you in that category because you, by yourself, don’t comprise a local body of believers.
In effect I have given you your own column, Non-Institutional. I adopted the word but I intend it to reflect a person who chooses not to align themselves with any local manifestation of Body of Christ.
Tribulation and wrath are not the same thing.
Carrie
Tribulation = time period of great affliction and suffering
Wrath = when all hell breaks lose on earth as God pours out his Wrath on mankind’s wickedness
Or do you think the Tribulation is going to look like a Coca Cola advert?
Deborah
Yip my socks was knocked right of and with a couple of holes in them too, lol lol
This is a very good one thanks it cleared up 1 or 2 questions I had.
Blessings
Hi, I am busy reading: The Glorious Church by Watchman Nee, and he is breaking open according to Rev 12, that the rapture would be in the MID Tribulation, where the rest of the Church will be looked after in the desert (thus the Bride will be raptured). I also had questions about the Rapture, but I do witness with what it said in the book. I will be emailing you the book (because you can not get this book – out of print or banned).
Take care
Amanda
>> In fact, I think we are expecting Rob Bell himself this year. Now who would want to miss that.
Hmmmm… I might “”contemplate”” going. hehe
@Amanda,
I apologise, it wasn’t my intent to hijack this comment stream but to interact with Deborah regarding me pegging her as Dispensational.
I don’t really focus on the DRC but thanks for the links and I will follow up on them. I would image that they’re neither Calvinists nor Arminianists, they are Covenantal and they are Liberal?
I haven’t read any of Dion’s books but I do interact amicably on his website as I do on many on the others listed.
“. . .I realised that Amillennialism was completely and utterly wrong. First and foremost because St Augustine who came up with this ridiculous idea in the first place was Roman Catholic.”
This statement nearly made me laugh out loud. At the time of St Augustine (the latter part of the 4th century) there was only the catholic church, so if everything about the catholic church is un-Biblical just because it was catholic then The Church just disappeared for a couple hundred years there till Martin Luther. . . or did I completely miss your meaning??
Also, let me see if I understand your view on the rapture. You think that The Church will be raptured up at the beginning of the 7yrs? or mid-way when Saten is thrown out or Heaven? OR are you saying that Saten is thrown out at the beginning of the seven years? And at the end of the Tribulation when Jesus returns we will come with him on the clouds?
Jackson
Amanda
>> No
lol, I was waiting for your anwer to that one hehe
Oh Benny coming back again? *sniffS*
Sarah
>> where the rest of the Church will be looked after in the desert (thus the Bride will be raptured).
Can you explain this one a bit more. You mean the Jews will be protected by God (where He tells them drop everything and make their way to a special place where the will be safe from harm)? And because of this, the ‘christian’ church needs to be raptured before this, because there is no way’s we can get there on the spur of the moment from around the world. If that’s what you mean, then ok, I understand.
I think I told this to someone before. That it’s going to be very difficult catching flights to Israel on the spur of the moment during the tribulation. I will catch my flight before that with Jesus.
Yes please email me book, would be great. thanks
Sarah,
I read Watchman Nee’s books as a young Christian, are is a lot of things there that are quite alluring. Problem; a lot of his stuff is extra-biblical, I also found major doctrinal errors in his stuff (confusing sin and demons etc) – only at the time it kinda made sense. I would burn anything from Watchman Nee or Rebecca Brown. Unless you have mystical inclinations.
Never drawn conclusions from authors, only from the bible. Mid-Trib? not many left in this camp. From Revelation 3 the church is never mentioned again in the entire book of Revelation; only the tribulation saints and Israel. But that is another long thread.
Please understand the motive of my comments.
Jackson
-No the church did not disappear until Luther. In fact you missed out the Waldensians.
Besides the ‘body of Christ’ / church is made up of individual born again Christians, it’s not an institution or one special denomination who thinks they have it right.
-Only Jesus Christ the Son of God is correct and the Holy Spirit who convicts people in their PRIVATE lives.
-Who so ever adheres to the Word of God is a Christian. Whoever does not, is not a Christian, but they can fool themselves and everyone else by calling themselves Christan.
-Do you think the Holy Spirit stopped working after Jesus ascended? No. Jesus told the disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit as their councillor, comforter and they would go out and preach the gospel. How did people get saved after they heard the gospel? By the Holy Spirit. He has been around saving people since that time right until now. But you should know that……
-How long is a millennium? 1000 years? 2000 years? 2010 years?
-Did the church replace Israel during this time?
-Where does the Bible speak about this Amillennialism idea?
-Do you think Catholics are Christian?
If you don’t like my belief on the Rapture, then that’s your problem eh. And it’s strange that people get soooo UPSET when others say they hold onto Pre tribulation rapture. Why? I don’t get upset with people who care to think otherwise.
I think people fear thinking about a Pre Trib Rapture because they feel they are not ready, so would prefer to delay Jesus’ coming in their minds. Fortunately we don’t have a say on the matter.
Mark
Pantheistic. Panentheistic. They starve the sheep, feed the goats and interact amicably with false teachers and religions.You don’t have a New Age column?
@Amanda,
I don’t follow any New Age bloggers (although it’d be fair to say that on the list there are some who engage in New Age practises). This is as wide a scope as I have time for. I’m sure however that there are pockets of South African Christian bloggers I haven’t started tracking yet. The list is partly for others to see who’s who in the zoo and partly for me to make more connections.
Mark
I would prefer to be under a column of Sola scriptura and not Fundamentalist. Can you do that for me please.
mmmm, agreed Deborah. I don’t think you would ‘look’ well in this ‘zoo’.
lol!
cecilia
@Deborah,
I promise I have applied all my mental faculties to this task (http://markpenrith.wordpress.com/my-watchlist/) and you’ll be glad to know that I have changed the column from Fundamentalism to Conservatism of which Sola scriptura is a sub section. Basically you’re categorised conservative because you adhere to the 5 fundamentals, the 5 Solas, Creationism and Cessationism (I think).
First, let me apolgize for posting my last comment without first fact-checking, I was lucky this time and my facts were right but I still goofed there, sorry.
I wanted to say that as soon as possible, I’ll get back to the discussion tonight when I have time.
A sorry:
Jackson
Jackson
no problemo.
“-No the church did not disappear until Luther. In fact you missed out the Waldensians.
Besides the ‘body of Christ’ / church is made up of individual born again Christians, it’s not an institution or one special denomination who thinks they have it right.”
You mean like the institutionalized church didn’t disappear till Luther? I was referring to The Church, the Body of Christ, as you define in that latter part of that point.
“-Only Jesus Christ the Son of God is correct and the Holy Spirit who convicts people in their PRIVATE lives.”
??? Can you elaborate on that? I’m not sure I understand what your saying.
“-Who so ever adheres to the Word of God is a Christian. Whoever does not, is not a Christian, but they can fool themselves and everyone else by calling themselves Christan.”
I’d disagree, “everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should [shall] have eternal life” (Jn 6:40) If you believe in Jesus Christ you are Saved, the rest of your theology may be crazy but your still Saved. Now, if someone who is Saved can have completely wrong theology is debatable. But it’s not about adherence to the Word of God, it’s about Faith in the Christ.
“-Do you think the Holy Spirit stopped working after Jesus ascended? No. Jesus told the disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit as their councillor, comforter and they would go out and preach the gospel. How did people get saved after they heard the gospel? By the Holy Spirit. He has been around saving people since that time right until now. But you should know that……”
The answer is no, I do know that. 😉
“-How long is a millennium? 1000 years? 2000 years? 2010 years?”
“A millennium (pl. millenniums or millennia) is a period of time equal to one thousand years (from Latin mille, thousand, and annum, year).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenium”
“-Did the church replace Israel during this time?”
“Did”? That’s past tense, I haven’t a clue what are you talking about?
“-Do you think Catholics are Christian?”
Some, maybe. I don’t think the Catholic church as a whole is, and hasn’t been for quite some time. But at the time of St Agustine the Catholic church was the only church (or if one existed I’ve never heard of it), so The Church, the Body or Christ, those truly Saved had to be part of the Catholic church. So, just because something came from a Catholic can’t be necessarily bad.
“If you don’t like my belief on the Rapture, then that’s your problem eh. And it’s strange that people get soooo UPSET when others say they hold onto Pre tribulation rapture. Why? I don’t get upset with people who care to think otherwise.”
I’m trying to find out what your beliefs on the Rapture are!!!! Your article left rather confused. I’m not ” soooo UPSET” at your views, what I’m upset about is that you (seemed to) ignored my original point and question!!! x( :p
“I think people fear thinking about a Pre Trib Rapture because they feel they are not ready, so would prefer to delay Jesus’ coming in their minds. Fortunately we don’t have a say on the matter.”
The only reason I’ve heard for mid or post trib raptures are either that the evidence best agrees with it or, that the trib is the greatest display of Gods glory, like ever. So why would he take His Church out, instead of leaving them in the world to see his fireworks. I’m inclined to agree with the reasoning of the latter, but I really don’t have a strong opinion, if I’m raptured before the tribulation then cool, God knows what’s best; If I see the trib starting around me then I’ll start the 7yr countdown and hope the “blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Tit 2:13)
Dominus Vobiscum:
Jackson
This discussion is growing exponentially, rather than continue it can I just ask what your beliefs on the End Times/Tribulation/Rapture are?
If you (or someone else who’s reading this) wants to continue the full discussion email me: Jackson [at] Freedom836 [dot] com
Dominus Vobiscum
Jackson
Jackson
You say: “But it’s not about adherence to the Word of God, it’s about Faith in the Christ.” Well that speaks volumes.
End o’ discussion.
John 8: 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Jackson,
Can you explain this mystery – exactly what theology can you kinda mess up on and still be saved? I mean, can you deny the Trinity? Can you deny that Christ actually came in the flesh and still be saved? So abiding in truth and seeking doctrinal accuracy, loving the truth enough to defend it…not really important? Just beleive in ‘the Christ’? Who is this christ?
So you can beleive in the Son but not really take his Word seriously and still be saved? How is any different from islam? They also beleive in jesus.
I think you misused the word theology instead of the word doctrine, and I hope you were trying to say that doctrinal views on the rapture do not affect salvation in a generic sense.
Jackson
Michael asked you some really good questions. In fact I was going to ask the EXACT same things but was a bit busy yeaterday to answer. So you can answer him… thanks