The word rapture is not in the Bible. When Advocates read into selected verses that the rapture as they proclaim it is taught they are corrupting the word of God.
The vast majority of churches, Bible scholars, evangelists, theologians, and Christians do believe in a coming rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, is the scriptures they base their beliefs on in what happens when the rapture occurs.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul writes,
- 13 we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
- 14 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
- 15 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.
- 16 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:
- 17 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.
- 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
So we see that Paul reassures the Thessalonians by writing the dead in Christ will rise first in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16, if they had any doubt.
The Rapture doctrine widely believed today in so many leading church groups didn’t exist before “” John Darby came up with it in 1830 AD. Darby a British preacher,) is usually linked with the beginning of the Rapture. He was a Plymouth Brethren minister, 1800 to 1882.
Many that have come to believing in the Rapture, probably assumed it is explained in the New Testament when actually this belief came about when so many new cults were developing, in 1830 to 1880 AD.
The scripture they like to use for the rapture is, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, and the words caught up. 17 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.
The words “caught up”, is in which the Greek word for “caught up” is harpazo. In Latin it is called Rapturo from which we get the word rapture. Harpazo means “to seize, carry off by force; claim for one’s self eagerly; to snatch out or away”.
A dictionary definition: the feeling, in religious ecstasy, of being transported to another place
Hal Lindsey is mentioned here as he has had a huge effect on the rapture and we can go back to 1955 whin he was a tugboat captain on the Mississippi River, to becoming a leader in his version of what the bible teaches. He has become a proponent of the rapture. Writing more than 20 bestsellers in which they have sold into the multimillions he has spread this absurd teaching of the rapture and other nonsensical beliefs.
Millions of Christians have been led into believing the rapture and his name appears here only as to show how so many followers have fallen victim to the rapture doctrine. The rapture doesn’t mean that much in itself, but it leads into talking in tongues, prophesying, Premillennialism (Christ coming back to earth for a thousand years). You have church members talking gibberish, rolling on the floor, making spectacles of themselves, giving the church a questionable name.
There will be only one time when Christ returns, that will be when the world ends and when Those Who Are Still Alive And the Dead In Christ shall be raised up to meet him.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
- 16 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:
- 17 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.
2 Peter 3:10-12 tells how the world ends.
- 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
- 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
- 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Some other scriptures corroborating Christs return and the end of the world.
Note 1 Corinthians 5:5
“that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”
Also, “at the last trump” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
- 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
- 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 Implies this will be when the world ends, but 2 Peter 3:10, 12 states that the the day of the Lord is when the world as we know it will end.
Two topics that tie together with this one: