The Rapture: Common Objections Answered by Ready2Rapture .....

Many people today hate the idea of the Rapture, where Jesus comes to take his people out of the world before God rains down judgment in the last seven years of life as we know it. There are many misconceptions about this event, and many claims that it is not Biblical. Let's take a look at the more common ones.

Date:   4/3/2007 7:50:03 AM ( 17 y ago)


1-- The Rapture IS in the Bible

Old Testament examples of "raptures" are found in the case of Enoch (Gen. 5:23-24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11). Noah (Gen. 7 and 8), and Lot (Gen. 19) are examples of the godly being taken away to escape God's judgment.

New Testament:

Luke 21:29 He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near... 34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
Rev. 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

Matthew 24:38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;

Luke 17:27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

1 Peter 3:20... God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

2 Peter 3:3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."

1 Thes. 4:15 According to the Lord's word, 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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
*Note: "caught up" is from the Greek word to "snatch away suddenly". The word Rapture is the Latin equivalent.
1 Thes. 5:1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief... 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

2 Thes. 2:1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] until the rebellion* occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
*Note: the Greek word is a noun meaning The Departure. Context determines what is being departed from, and in this case the subject is the coming of the Lord, not false teachings. So rebellion is not the proper meaning here, but the Rapture.
1 Cor. 15:50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

2-- The Rapture IS NOT a new creation from the 1800s.

See This Link. This article debunks the theory.

3-- The word Rapture IS in the Bible.

The Greek word "harpadzo" is translated as "rapture" in Latin and "caught up" in English. See the note above on 1 Thes. 4:17. The OT references and several NT references also indicate the concept.

4-- Yes, Thessalonians IS talking about the Rapture.

Context there and elsewhere, as shown in the quotes above, clearly indicates an event preceding God's judgment where believers are caught up suddenly to heaven. In fact, Paul calls it a false teaching to say that this event had already occured, and he uses this event as a source of encouragement and hope. The theories against it are therefore false and rob believers of hope.

Other articles:

my article
Showers article
RaptureMe
PropheticYears
ChristsReturn
list of articles (this is a google search showing links that connect the Rapture with Rosh Hashana)

EDIT: I decided to add [This Link] to emphasize the lateness of the hour. He is coming soon!


 

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