A LOOK AT THE RAPTURE

Truth is, when a belief gets too old, it is taken as a truth. Nobody cares anymore to question the validity of such subjects, even if they don’t line up with scriptures or the ultimate purposes of God because it has been handed down from generations to generations. And fully propagated by respected fathers in the faith. I Just want us to take a look at this theory as it’s often tied to the Antichrist as a last day event.

THE RAPTURIST MISCONCEPTION OF SCRIPTURES

Just to remind us about what the ‘Rapturist’ believes,. It is that one day soon, while the whole world is asleep, Jesus shall “Crack” through the empty sky and in a flash catch away His waiting Bride, the Church, secretly as He returns in “Mid-air”. They will now spend at least 7 years (some 3,l/2 years) in heaven before the throne enjoying the “marriage supper of the Lamb”. While this is taking place in heaven, the “man of sin”, the “antichrist” should have started the most fearful supposed “Great Tribulation”.

After 3’l/2 years, (others say 7 years) Jesus and the Saints will now return to earth to set up His kingdom, ruling from the old city of Jerusalem, for 1,000 years.

By this time, Satan sould  have been destroyed and mankind is left with eternal bliss and endless peace on earth’ they said.

But do not forget that even in the midst of this, they are divided. For you have the “PRE-TRIB”. That is the belief in the rapture taking place before the Great Tribulation. “MID¬TRIB” meaning the rapture occurring in the middle of the tribulation, and “POST – TRIB” the rapture occurring after the tribulation.

The question one will like to ask at this juncture is, where is the provision for the fulfillment of certain scriptures like 

“Rom. 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: …”

 Are all Israel saved now?

 Romans.8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God”

 We can see that the’ rapture belief denies the fulfillment of the above Scripture which is directly connected to the ultimate purpose of man’s existence. Gen.l:26-27, Ps.82: 1-6. “..Let them have dominion … “. This is what was lost in Adam through disobedience, that Jesus came to restore.

WHAT THEN IS THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION?

Again, this theory wants us to believe that the abomination has to do with the supposed antichrist that will be sitting in the temple of God in Jerusalem. And to support this, they will quote 2Thes.2:3-4 and Dan.7:24-25.

But a careful study will reveal that what Mathew spoke about as abomination can best be seen in

Dan.9: Da 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

“..A foreign ruler and his army will sweep down like a mighty flood, leaving both the city and the temple in ruins, and war and destruction will continue until the end, just as God has decided” Dan.9:26 CEV.

 ” … War will continue until the end God has ordered that place to be completely destroyed” NCV.

The Messiah that ‘was cut off in this passage speaks of the death of Christ after His 3’l2 years of ministry.

 ‘The people of the prince’ speaks of the Roman soldiers, ‘the prince’ himself being General Titus.

So without controversy, it can be seen that Daniel prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Roman armies under the command of Titus.

 Therefore to link Math.25:15 with the ‘man of sin’ sitting in the temple in a future date and you call that ‘the abomination of desolation’ is erroneous.

 When we talk of the “holy place” and we think it has to do with the physical temple in Jerusalem is not true, for you see, all those who go to Jerusalem for pilgrimage do know, that once you drop off from your plane at Tel Aviv, you are already in the “holy land” even without getting to the temple.

So, the Roman armies were already standing in the ‘holy land’ as they stood around the walls of Jerusalem to besiege it.

Like we saw in Luk.21:20 Amp. “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived.” tlb.

 From the above, you can see that the word

“Desolation” is the same thing as “destruction” and that Jesus gave this to His disciples as a “sign” to be observed and escape the destruction that was to come to the city in AD 70.

“then you will know”. “you will see ‘the awful horror’ of which the prophet Daniel spoke. It will be standing in the holy place.”. “Then (when you notice the Roman armies) those who are in Judea must run away to the hills. A man who is on the roof of his house must not take the time to go down and get his belongings from the house (the steps to the roof top were always outside, it means no delay), A man who is in the field must not go back to get his cloak, (if this is the rapture, then it requires a physical preparation to catch up with it). How terrible it will be in those days for women who are pregnant and for mothers with little babies! Pray to God that you will not have to run away during the winter (too cold for the body) or on a Sabbath (time of rest to the Soul in Service to the Lord). For the trouble at that time will be far more terrible than any, there has ever been from the beginning of the world to this very day ( Jer.30:7). Nor will there ever be anything like it again. But God has already reduced the number of days; had He not done so, nobody would survive. For the sake of His chosen people the elect sake – however, God will reduce the days” Math.24: 15-22. Goodnews.

Can you see it?  Observe this, when the scripture spoke of the elect here, it was referring to those among the Jews who were called into the Christian fold.. There was nothing in all these passages linking the Antichrist with a supposed Rapture.

THE ORIGIN OF THE RAPTURE.

It was originated by three men John Nelson Derby, founder of the Plymouth Brethren who started teaching it in about 1828 AD, who got some of his ideas from a Catholic monk named Manuel De Lacunza who published his ideas in 1750.AD

Then in 1830 AD in Engalnd. A 15 year old Margaret Mcdonald claimed to have had a revelation in which the church was taken away into the air before the great tribulation. Therefore to Derby and the rest, this was a confirmation.

 Dr Scofield, got this “new revelation” from Derby when he visited the united states in 1862 and included this teaching in the footnotes of his bible. The Scofields reference bible.

“Dr.” Scofield, actually awarded himself his doctor’s degree without any higher education.

In the early 1900’s Scofield was backed financially by a Jewish lawyer named Samuel Untermyer, who was one of the framers of the Federal Reserve Act and was the president of the occult Lotus Club in New York.

Untermyer provided Scofield with free housing for about twenty years while he wrote his notes for the Scofield Bible. His motive was undoubtedly political, laying the groundwork to convince Christians to support the Jewish State, which was already being planned by certain powerful Zionist Jews. Their motives were anything but Christian.

The Assembly of God’s Church, the first Pentecostal church finally picked it from Scofield bible reference note while preparing their Sunday school manuals through the printing press of D.L Moody, who was also influenced by Dr  Scofield .

And that is how this  dangerous teaching came to stay in the body of Christ.

NO LANGUAGE OF JESUS POINTED TO RAPTURE.

We know it that Math 24 is not talking about a rapture.

Jesus said in 34 “this generation will not pass before all that he said comes to pass ” how long is a generation?.  Biblical generation is 40yrs. 

We are already some 2,000yrs plus when he said that so he wasn’t talking to you.

DAYS OF NOAH-THE TAKEN AWAY

Math.24: 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

What happened in the days of Noah? Who were taken away? Was it the righteous or the wicked that were eating and drinking.

Read it again for yourself.

Luke’s account (17:26-27) said, the flood came and DESTROYED THE WICKED.

 And the righteous Noah was left behind to inherit the earth.

If “taken away” means the “Rapture”, then it’s the wicked that will be raptured.

This is how we have fared in our End Time Theology. Just reading scriptures upside down to prove a none feasible doctrine. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

In the parable of the WHEAT and TARES which of them was harvested first?,

Math. 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (KJV)

 Was it not the tares that corresponded to the wicked?

Jesus teachings shows clearly that only the wicked are always taken away (killed) first and not the righteous, but we in our theology turn things around because of the rapture doctrine.

In Math 16: 28 Jesus speaking to his disciples said “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom”

Was Jesus talking to you?  If none of the disciples is still alive today, what’s that supposed to mean to us?

Was this not his coming in judgment to Jerusalem to destroy the wicked unbelieving Jews? 

When he told them in Math 10: verse 23  “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man become”

Are the disciples still running today?  Are we in any way living in one of the cities in Israel? How do we really read this Book?

The only comings we know in the Bible are “the first” and “second coming” which is even unbiblical.

We don’t know that there are various shades of Christ comings such as, his coming as a judge,as the  rain, a thief, in the clouds, as the Bridegroom, etc etc and they are not saying the same thing.

The trouble we have today is that we copy and paste, what we think our supposed big fathers in the faith have spoken or being taught without checking out the truth in what they are peddling scripturally and so deceiving the masses.

But the Bible says study to show yourself approved unto God..( 2 Tim. 2:15.) Not unto man.

Wish we had some good times to talk on these things outside of this platform.

1 THES 4:13-18

The subject of the book of Thess. is an address to a congregation that experienced intense persecution (1 Thes. 2:14). Upon Paul’s preaching in this city, many believed, which caused the fanatical Jews to stir up a mob violence against him and Jason who housed him.

 Through a tight security Jason was saved while Paul was sent away secretly in the night by the brethren to Seroea (Acts 17: 1¬10).

 Aside of the great persecution that the church went through (1 Thes 2:14), they also experienced great sorrow over the loss of a number of their brethren through death (1 Thes 4:13).

Paul first sent Timothy to strengthened them because of his failure to go there twice (1Thes 2:17,-3:3).

And he rejoiced over  Timothy’s encouraging report of the brethren.(1 Thes. 3:6-10). But on a more serious note, they needed further encouragement and strengthening, therefore he had to commend them (1 Thes 1:2-10, 2:14; 3:6-10), that they may follow the course approved by God (1 Thes 4:1,2), abstain from fornication (1 Thes. 4:3-8) etc;  But above all, that they be comforted with THE RESURRECTION HOPE “ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning THEM WHICH ARE ASLEEP, THAT YE SORROW NOT, even as others which have no HOPE– 1 Thes. 4:13-18.

  Therefore, the issue in question is that of THE RESURRECTION HOPE and not’ RAPTURE’. The word of the Lord in Vs 18 is “wherefore comfort one another with these words-”    which has to do with the Resurrection of the different categories of the saints Vs 13. Those who “SLEEP IN JESUS- (V.14), those “which are ALIVE and REMAIN- (V. 15,17) and those who are “DEAD IN CHRIST- (V. 16).

That is to say, the saints should not be in sorrow, for all the saints shall meet with the Lord through the process of the Resurrection.

 So, this was not to escape the persecution of the Antichrist in the great tribulation through the Rapture.

But, for the Rapturist! Jesus will not appear visibly to those on the earth, but only COMES IN THE AIR to resurrect the true saints who have died, change the living saints (1 Cor. 15:23, 51-53, Phil. 3:20-21) and “catch them up to meet the Lord in the air-. After this is the REVELATION (His supposed second coming with the saints).

The interval between these two events is generally regarded as seven years (Daniels 70th week).

During this time, according to this view, the Antichrist will make a seven year covenant with the Jews in which he will allow them to offer sacrifices in a rebuilt temple at Jerusalem. But after three and half years, he will break his covenant and place an idol (the abomination of desolation) in the ‘holy place’ of the temple. The Jews will refuse to bow and a great persecution will result – which they termed the  time of Jacob’s trouble.

Finally, at the close of the tribulation period (the end of the age); Christ will return in power and great glory.

Those who believe the ‘rapture’ will take place before the tribulation are called – ‘PRE – TRIBULATION RAPTURIST’ while those who believe the ‘rapture’ will take place after the tribulation are called – PRO-TRIBULATION RAPTURIST.

 This is the theory that has kept the Christian world bound.

Now, note this, in the entire Bible there is no where it is stated that Jesus will be

“coming FOR the saints”,

 rather you can find “IN THE SAINTS’ (2 Thes. 1:10) and WITH THE SAINTS’ (Jude 14).

To teach a doctrine with a word very foreign to the world of God is very dangerous.

Furthermore, they believe that the ‘Rapture’ will enable Christians escape the tribulation by using such terms as “-caught up” “transformed” and “translated-”.

But the truth is, none of these processes makes us to escape a ‘tribulation’ but, rather they are making us to escape “Death- even in Adam. We are “caught up’ (1 Thes. 4:13) into a spiritual state of consciousness to escape from our camel mindedness which is death (Rom 8:6), as we partake of His divine nature and so “-ESCAPED- from “-the CORRUPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST” (2 pet 1.4), even as we “– have fled for refuge (Heb 6.18), into Him thereby making us sons (John 1:12).

Enoch was ‘translated’ that he may not ‘see death’ Heb 11:15 not because there was an Antichrist or tribulation.

2 Cor 12:1-3, Paul was CAUGHT UP to the thirds heaven, he never left the Earth.

Rev.4:1.., “COME UP HITHER, and I will shew thee things which must be HEREAFTER”

Things that follow after the  the AGE of the seven Churches, not a rapture..

  So you see, all of these ‘terms’ are the progressive workings of the redemptive work of Christ in us.

Other confused believers of this Rapture teaching are the “three different groups” of the secret Pre – tribulational Rapture doctrine:- which are (a) The mid – tribulational Rapture, (b) the Split – Rapture and (c) the Partial Rapture. And of course, these groups of believers are more damaging than the previous ones.

These ‘Partial’ and ‘Split’ believers contend that the ‘Rapture of the saints is based upon merit and not upon your faith on the finished work of Christ. This belief is as foreign as the inventors themselves, to the mind, purposed and the word of God. It is never taught in the scriptures.

Again their belief is based on the parable of the TEN VIRGINS.

Math 25.. 1 ¶ “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”

In their view, the Ten Virgins were all Christians with their Lamps trimmed at the first.

 To them the ‘five foolish’ Virgins will not go through the rapture because they have no oil- the qualifying factor.

But why do you think chapter started with the word “THEN”?

Simply  because its was dealing with the judgment of Israel in the previous  chapter 24 , so he meant to say  once the judgement  are over,  this is what follows next , the kingdom  of God and those to share his life as the bridegroom.

In Israel the Bridegroom doesn’t come and take the Bride away, rather he comes in the night time, and the announcement is made by the friend of the Bridegroom just like John was to Jesus, ‘the Bridegroom cometh’ go ye OUT TO MEET HIM ” not ‘go up.’

Then the virgins who are  like the bridesmaids of today, takes their lamps to lighten the street , to welcome him to the fathers-in-law’s house where they both will have the married consummate that night to proof whether the girl is a virgin or not by displaying the bed sheet the next day if here was a blood stain on it or not. If there was nonstain , the groom will speak out to the elders that the wife given to him by his inlaw is not a virgin.

Then father and the bride will then taken  to face the judgement.

Now if this was the Rapture, how come the foolish virgins made it to heaven. Look at verse 11..

“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.”

You see that?

Lamps in the Bible speaks of the word of God, (Ps 119:105

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path ”  Oil is the illumination of God’s word.

To be foolish without oil just means you lack understanding of the word of God as per the season,.

 By implication those who will not understand the words he was saying will fall victims to the judgment that was to come to Jerusalem.

That’s why it is the Parable about the kingdom of God.

Hence in 1 Cor.6: 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit”

You don’t have to be raptured to be married to Jesus.

 Above all, God in His word promised us “ESCAPE” from “TEMPTATION” (1 Cor. 10:13) and Jesus further prayed for us to be ‘preserved- “I do not ask that you will take them out of the world, but that you will KEEP and PROTECT THEM (Christians) from the EVIL (ONE).” Jn .17:15. (Not Rapture) Please see verses 9, 15-16.

It is now clear enough that 1 Thes 4:13-17 which is the common text is not dealing with’Rapture’ rather it is the issue of Resurrection 1 Tthes. 4:13-14.

While the Ten Virgins can be seen as all being Christians, the truth of the matter is these ‘Ten Virgins corresponds to the parable of the ‘Wheat’ and ‘Tares’ all having the appearance of Christianity even in their acts, making it very difficult to differentiate the fake from the genuine – a task that only Christ is capable of.

The point therefore is, if there is to be any “rapture” just like “resurrection”, all should be seen as part of the finished work of Christ on the cross as the resurrection has always been considered.

WHY ARE THE RAPTURE BELIEVERS CONFUSED?

Simply because the issue of Rapture is foreign to the mind and the word of God.

Therefore they who want to believe it have no foundation.

Friends, nothing about Antichrist that will be on the stage through the preparation of the G5 and Coronavirus, and so the Rapture will soon take place as Christ comes to take his people away.. There is nothing  like that, it’s all a religious deception.

You need the tape? inbox me.

To be continued…