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One of the hot button issues today in Christianity is the issue of Rapture. A lot of us believe that the rapture will happen and take us up in the sky to be with the Lord. I find the whole concept difficult to comprehend and here's why. If I was building a house and someone stopped me, when I resume building, will I start from another location or would I rather start from where I stopped? I think it is reasonable to start from where I was stopped. We sometimes forget that the Bible is a connected story from Adam to the Revelations. The message of the entire scripture does not support the rapture theory.
In the parable of the wicked husbandmen, Jesus took us through the manner his Father's prophets were killed, his son was also killed and he asked : ' what will happen to the wicked husbandmen when the owner comes?' The answer was obvious- he would destroy them and give out his estates to others. It was at this moment that Christ leaked a secret - The coming kingdom will be taken away from the Jews and given to a nation that will bear its fruit. But mordern day Christians ignore this pointer from Christ. They visit Jerusalem, as if it has any current spiritual significance. They take their congregation for photo ops in Jerusalem, where the natives are still do not believe in Jesus the Christ, but are awaiting another Christ. A pity and a sad spectacle.
In many ways I think Christianity today can be compared to the religious bent (Pharisees, etc) in the days of our Lord Jesus Christ. They preached in different fora about Moses, they recognized that the Savior would come, yet when the Savior came, they could not recognize him and this is the case till this day. Would current Christians leaders recognize the Christ of God when he comes? Of course not. Christ had assured that he would not come with his former name neither will he come from the Jewry. He will come like a thief in the house ie when he is in the house, the household will not know until he is revealed. That explains why many will mourn after his revelation.
But today we are treated to a classic misinterpretation of 1Thes 4 as the support to rapture.
In Raptureland, Paul's spiritual understanding of the mechanism has been given a simplistic interpretation, with its meaning skewed badly. Peter had warned about this- misunderstanding of Paul's teaching, an Apostle, who did not meet Christ physically but got the burden-perhaps greatest burden and gift- of spreading His Word through spiritual revelations.
Let's examine another occasion Paul used the term 'caught up'.
Quote:
2 Corinthians 12:4How that he was CAUGHT UP into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Paul had in his prayers been 'caught up' to a place he described as the 3rd heaven. In that occasion, am sure folks do not imagine he was physically transmuted to heaven?
This passage 1 Thess 4, needs to be better understood. It was meant to address Christians whose loved ones had passed on and who the Thessalonians feared will not witness the Lord's coming- for they had assumed at that time, that the Lord will come in their lifetimes. Paul was basically telling them that when the Lord incarnates (descends from heaven with a trump), their late relations will also incarnate ( dead in Christ shall rise), and the living righteous will be in one spiritual accord with Christ and their late relations to be with the Lord in the air (world). The air is the world and that was the promise of Christ, that the righteous shall inherit the earth.
Since Christ will come with a new name and of course a new body, the loved ones of the Thessalonians will also come with new name and new bodies. In effect, Paul was basically telling all Christians not to mourn when a loved one dies. But today, don't we keep mourning for weeks and even months? Where lies our hope?
The man Jesus Christ demonstrated that the SPIRIT can be made flesh through his birth. The womb of a woman is the only channel that all spirits must take to live in the material world - note, ' live', not momentary appearance. Is it any wonder that when John got the Revelation, he saw a woman giving birth to a child who was caught up to God and to his throne, amid all attempts by the devil to truncate the birth (Rev 12: 5)? This same revelation was similar to Isaiah 9:6. We must note that the Isaiah Prophecy in 9:6 is different from Isaiah 7; 14, which was about the first coming to shed his blood. The 2nd coming is about ruler-ship, governance, judgement and elevation.
The rapture as conceived by Christians will never happen and it is not scriptural. If you think otherwise lets hear you out.
For general information, we are currently in the age of the son of man which started in April 2001. Judgement is ongoing and more and more changes will occur in the world as has been written. The kingdom will crush all other kingdoms... Dan 2:44.
One of the hot button issues today in Christianity is the issue of Rapture. A lot of us believe that the rapture will happen and take us up in the sky to be with the Lord. I find the whole concept difficult to comprehend and here's why. If I was building a house and someone stopped me, when I resume building, will I start from another location or would I rather start from where I stopped? I think it is reasonable to start from where I was stopped. We sometimes forget that the Bible is a connected story from Adam to the Revelations. The message of the entire scripture does not support the rapture theory.
In the parable of the wicked husbandmen, Jesus took us through the manner his Father's prophets were killed, his son was also killed and he asked : ' what will happen to the wicked husbandmen when the owner comes?' The answer was obvious- he would destroy them and give out his estates to others. It was at this moment that Christ leaked a secret - The coming kingdom will be taken away from the Jews and given to a nation that will bear its fruit. But mordern day Christians ignore this pointer from Christ. They visit Jerusalem, as if it has any current spiritual significance. They take their congregation for photo ops in Jerusalem, where the natives are still do not believe in Jesus the Christ, but are awaiting another Christ. A pity and a sad spectacle.
In many ways I think Christianity today can be compared to the religious bent (Pharisees, etc) in the days of our Lord Jesus Christ. They preached in different fora about Moses, they recognized that the Savior would come, yet when the Savior came, they could not recognize him and this is the case till this day. Would current Christians leaders recognize the Christ of God when he comes? Of course not. Christ had assured that he would not come with his former name neither will he come from the Jewry. He will come like a thief in the house ie when he is in the house, the household will not know until he is revealed. That explains why many will mourn after his revelation.
But today we are treated to a classic misinterpretation of 1Thes 4 as the support to rapture.
In Raptureland, Paul's spiritual understanding of the mechanism has been given a simplistic interpretation, with its meaning skewed badly. Peter had warned about this- misunderstanding of Paul's teaching, an Apostle, who did not meet Christ physically but got the burden-perhaps greatest burden and gift- of spreading His Word through spiritual revelations.
Let's examine another occasion Paul used the term 'caught up'.
Paul had in his prayers been 'caught up' to a place he described as the 3rd heaven. In that occasion, am sure folks do not imagine he was physically transmuted to heaven?
This passage 1 Thess 4, needs to be better understood. It was meant to address Christians whose loved ones had passed on and who the Thessalonians feared will not witness the Lord's coming- for they had assumed at that time, that the Lord will come in their lifetimes. Paul was basically telling them that when the Lord incarnates (descends from heaven with a trump), their late relations will also incarnate ( dead in Christ shall rise), and the living righteous will be in one spiritual accord with Christ and their late relations to be with the Lord in the air (world). The air is the world and that was the promise of Christ, that the righteous shall inherit the earth.
Since Christ will come with a new name and of course a new body, the loved ones of the Thessalonians will also come with new name and new bodies. In effect, Paul was basically telling all Christians not to mourn when a loved one dies. But today, don't we keep mourning for weeks and even months? Where lies our hope?
The man Jesus Christ demonstrated that the SPIRIT can be made flesh through his birth. The womb of a woman is the only channel that all spirits must take to live in the material world - note, ' live', not momentary appearance. Is it any wonder that when John got the Revelation, he saw a woman giving birth to a child who was caught up to God and to his throne, amid all attempts by the devil to truncate the birth (Rev 12: 5)? This same revelation was similar to Isaiah 9:6. We must note that the Isaiah Prophecy in 9:6 is different from Isaiah 7; 14, which was about the first coming to shed his blood. The 2nd coming is about ruler-ship, governance, judgement and elevation.
The rapture as conceived by Christians will never happen and it is not scriptural. If you think otherwise lets hear you out.
For general information, we are currently in the age of the son of man which started in April 2001. Judgement is ongoing and more and more changes will occur in the world as has been written. The kingdom will crush all other kingdoms... Dan 2:44.
Rapture: Will it ever happen? is it really scriptural?
An invention of the Evangelical church to avoid ceasing from sin. A total fraud.
Rapture: Will it ever happen? is it really scriptural?
1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV 84)
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
The Greek word # in blue
1 Thessalonians 4:17 ( KJV )
Then G1899
we which G3588
are alive G2198
and remain G4035 shall be caught G726
up together G260
with them in the clouds G3507,
to meet G529
the Lord G2962
in the air G109:
and so G3779
shall we ever G3842
be with the Lord G2962.
G726
ἁρπάζω
harpazō har-pad'-zo
From a derivative of G138; to seize (in various applications):—catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
Yes it will happen ... yes it is scriptural.
But no ... Not as the Milleniumists say it will. Milleniumism is a false teaching.
The rapture is part of the only one and great day of the Lord .... when the stars will fall out of their place and the earth is destroyed.
It has already started but it is not something that sinners can see.The saying one will be taken and one will be left is meant in a spiritual situation. A person will be taken up but not as the human mind thinks. God and His children will see it but sinners cannot. That is why you do not know it has already started.
Rapture: Will it ever happen? is it really scriptural?
1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV 84)
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
The Greek word # in blue
1 Thessalonians 4:17 ( KJV )
Then G1899
we which G3588
are alive G2198
and remain G4035 shall be caught G726
up together G260
with them in the clouds G3507,
to meet G529
the Lord G2962
in the air G109:
and so G3779
shall we ever G3842
be with the Lord G2962.
G726
ἁρπάζω
harpazō har-pad'-zo
From a derivative of G138; to seize (in various applications):—catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
Yes it will happen ... yes it is scriptural.
But no ... Not as the Milleniumists say it will. Milleniumism is a false teaching.
The rapture is part of the only one and great day of the Lord .... when the stars will fall out of their place and the earth is destroyed.
The use of the term 'caught up' conveys the meaning of going over to the sky. But we need to understand that Paul had used the same term in describing his spiritual vorays in paradise. In that light, the term may not necessarily be a physical evacuation to the sky. And why will we be for ever with the Lord in the sky? How will we eat, live, go to school etc? Life in the sky would be impractical. The confusion is the term 'air'. Where is the 'air'? Understand that, then you understand that, we, the righteous are meant to be in the world or 'air' with the Lord for ever! The air = the world.
Is God not competent enough destroy the bad ones without affecting the good? If he did that several thousand years back in Egypt, as well as in Noah's time, why will our own time be different?
Yes. It'll happen. When? Not sure. I hold to premillenialism...but I wouldn't die on that hill. It's not an essential of the faith. God will do what he wants to do when he wants to do it.
Yes. It'll happen. When? Not sure. I hold to premillenialism...but I wouldn't die on that hill. It's not an essential of the faith. God will do what he wants to do when he wants to do it.
O.K.; but not stick some people in hell; just to prove Hell is eternal as much as Heaven.
i am not good at explaining this so please try to follow my logic here:
Paul was told by the holy spirit that he was going to preach in rome: Act 23:11¶And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
so anything written from that time until he testified in rome (years later) could not have mentioned christ coming at anytime. if paul would have been raptured before reaching rome the holy spirit would have been a liar.
john was told in revelation: Rev 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
so, anything written before john was told this could not have even remotely hinted that jesus was coming at any moment. because it would have contradicted this verse.
also peter was told that when he grows old he would be led to his death (not exact verse). Jesus told him that. so anything that peter wrote could not have mentioned that jesus was coming at any moment. If peter did not grow old jesus would have been a liar.
If you search the history of christianity, there is no such belief as a immenent rapture until recent times( few 100 years).
If i had my bible here at work i would have been able to explain a little better. I hope this helps a bit.
i am not good at explaining this so please try to follow my logic here:
Paul was told by the holy spirit that he was going to preach in rome: Act 23:11¶And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
so anything written from that time until he testified in rome (years later) could not have mentioned christ coming at anytime. if paul would have been raptured before reaching rome the holy spirit would have been a liar.
john was told in revelation: Rev 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
so, anything written before john was told this could not have even remotely hinted that jesus was coming at any moment. because it would have contradicted this verse.
also peter was told that when he grows old he would be led to his death (not exact verse). Jesus told him that. so anything that peter wrote could not have mentioned that jesus was coming at any moment. If peter did not grow old jesus would have been a liar.
If you search the history of christianity, there is no such belief as a immenent rapture until recent times( few 100 years).
If i had my bible here at work i would have been able to explain a little better. I hope this helps a bit.
Good points. Not sure about the Revelation point...I'd have to look at that more. But good points on the other 2.
BTW...if you're looking for an electronic Bible, check out e-sword. It's free to download. Of course, you can also hit bible.org or bible.net.
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