The Rapture
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The devil knows that Jesus is coming back and that his remaining time is short (Rev 12:12). He has been sharpening his skills of deception for 6,000 years, and his last masquerade will be his masterpiece.
In the near future, Satan will attempt to personate Jesus and counterfeit His return to earth. But God's people need not be deceived. When the disciples asked Jesus for the sign of His coming and the end of the world, the very first thing He told them was to be on guard against impostors. He said, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matt 24:4,5).
In fact, God warned that Satan will do such a convincing job that, if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. Jesus said to His disciples, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matt 24:23,24).
Satan is not an ugly, grotesque, bat-winged creature wearing a red leotard. He's an angel - a beautiful, powerful angel. And the Bible makes it clear that he is able to transform himself and appear in different forms. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:13,14)
Is it possible that the secret rapture is a deception of the devil.
In the near future, Satan will attempt to personate Jesus and counterfeit His return to earth. But God's people need not be deceived. When the disciples asked Jesus for the sign of His coming and the end of the world, the very first thing He told them was to be on guard against impostors. He said, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matt 24:4,5).
In fact, God warned that Satan will do such a convincing job that, if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. Jesus said to His disciples, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matt 24:23,24).
Satan is not an ugly, grotesque, bat-winged creature wearing a red leotard. He's an angel - a beautiful, powerful angel. And the Bible makes it clear that he is able to transform himself and appear in different forms. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:13,14)
Is it possible that the secret rapture is a deception of the devil.
Will there be a rapture? Yes. Will it be a secret? NO!
Rapture means "to be carried away with power," and it is true that when Jesus comes the living righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes 4:17). But many have come to believe that this rapture will take place quietly - that faithful Christians all around the world will suddenly disappear and that life here on earth will continue for a seven-year period of tribulation. During this time, they say, many will be converted and have a "second chance" at salvation before Christ's final coming. Although the secret rapture scenario may appear comforting at first glance, there is absolutely no scriptural support for it. The Bible plainly teaches that when Jesus comes again, every one of our senses will be bombarded with evidence!
1 Th 4:16 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:
1 Th 4:17 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.
Rapture means "to be carried away with power," and it is true that when Jesus comes the living righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes 4:17). But many have come to believe that this rapture will take place quietly - that faithful Christians all around the world will suddenly disappear and that life here on earth will continue for a seven-year period of tribulation. During this time, they say, many will be converted and have a "second chance" at salvation before Christ's final coming. Although the secret rapture scenario may appear comforting at first glance, there is absolutely no scriptural support for it. The Bible plainly teaches that when Jesus comes again, every one of our senses will be bombarded with evidence!
1 Th 4:16 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:
1 Th 4:17 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.
This is where cross-referencing and comparing scripture comes in. Regarding the gathering of the church, scripture states that the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Jesus used the illustration that if the man of the house had known at what time the thief was going to break in he would have waited up for him so that his house wouldn't be broken into. The gist being that, since we don't know what time he will come, then we always have to be watching and ready.
When the resurrection takes place, those who are still alive will be changed in a flash, the Greek word being "atomos" which means that the amount of time that it takes for us to be changed into our immortal bodies and caught up, will happen in too short a time to be measured. Therefore, unless someone is looking right at a believer at the time of the gathering, they will not see them go. The only way that the world will know what has happened is because of the millions and millions of people that they begin to realize are missing.
In any case, coming like a thief would infer secrecy, for I don't know of any thieves that make an announcement that they are coming, do you? So there is indeed Biblical support for the Lord coming as a thief.
i didn't say anything about anouncing when he would come but how. It is a secret as far as when, (timing) and He will catch people off guard.
Lets cross reference what the Bible says. and add to 1 Thes 4.
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven".(Acts 1:9-11)
Christ left in the clouds, and He will come back in the clouds. He was visible when He left, and He will be visible when He comes again. He had a real body when He left, and He will return in the same way.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him". (Rev 1:7)
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (matt 24:27).
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matt 24:30).
When Christ comes, it will not be merely a local sighting or an isolated event. It will be a visible event.
"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." (Psalm 50:3).
"Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:26,27).
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." (Isa 25:9).
No one will accidentally miss it or be able to read about it in the newspaper the next day.
Jesus will come like a thief to those that are not ready.
Lets cross reference what the Bible says. and add to 1 Thes 4.
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven".(Acts 1:9-11)
Christ left in the clouds, and He will come back in the clouds. He was visible when He left, and He will be visible when He comes again. He had a real body when He left, and He will return in the same way.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him". (Rev 1:7)
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (matt 24:27).
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matt 24:30).
When Christ comes, it will not be merely a local sighting or an isolated event. It will be a visible event.
"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." (Psalm 50:3).
"Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:26,27).
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." (Isa 25:9).
No one will accidentally miss it or be able to read about it in the newspaper the next day.
Jesus will come like a thief to those that are not ready.
Let's look at one of these passages and see if it describes a secret rapture. "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." (2 Pet 3:10). That doesn't sound like a secret event, does it?
That's also a generalization of events, because we know that the earth doesn't pass away in conjunction with the Lord coming to gather his church. We know that the gathering will take place like a thief in the night, the remaining seven years of the decree must be fulfilled and following that is the Lord's return to the earth to end the age and establish his millennial kingdom and then the entire thousand years. So, there are a lot of other events which must take place after the church has been gathered. The scripture in Peter that you posted would seem to just be a general claim that those events will take place, but not one right after the other.
You would also have to explain what then did the Lord mean by coming like a thief and what does that comparison imply regarding the church?
You would also have to explain what then did the Lord mean by coming like a thief and what does that comparison imply regarding the church?
Hi TMS,
The gathering of the church vs. the Lord's return to the earth to end the age, are two separate events with two different purposes. Matt.24:30-31, Rev.1:7, 19:11-21 are in reference to when the Lord returns to the earth to end the age and establish his thousand year reign. 1 Cor.15:50-53 and 1 Thes.4:13-18 is when the Lord appears in the atmosphere and dead are resurrected and the living are changed and caught up. This event of the gathering of the church takes place prior several years prior to when the Lord returns to the earth.
The reason why the gathering of the church cannot be taking place in Matt.24:30-31 is because when the Lord returns to end the age, it will be after God's wrath has been poured out and believers are not appointed to suffer God's wrath. And since God's wrath must take place prior to the end of the age, then the church cannot be gathered after the fact.
The gathering of the church vs. the Lord's return to the earth to end the age, are two separate events with two different purposes. Matt.24:30-31, Rev.1:7, 19:11-21 are in reference to when the Lord returns to the earth to end the age and establish his thousand year reign. 1 Cor.15:50-53 and 1 Thes.4:13-18 is when the Lord appears in the atmosphere and dead are resurrected and the living are changed and caught up. This event of the gathering of the church takes place prior several years prior to when the Lord returns to the earth.
The reason why the gathering of the church cannot be taking place in Matt.24:30-31 is because when the Lord returns to end the age, it will be after God's wrath has been poured out and believers are not appointed to suffer God's wrath. And since God's wrath must take place prior to the end of the age, then the church cannot be gathered after the fact.
In Christ i can go through the time of trouble like noah in the ark. Christ is my Salvation in the flood of trouble about to come. We will soon see if there is a secret rapture.
If your correct i will get a second chance to get right. But if the second coming is as i have described above than you will not get a second chance and you will not be ready.
If your correct i will get a second chance to get right. But if the second coming is as i have described above than you will not get a second chance and you will not be ready.
I don't see it in the Bible, do you? Most who argue for a literal end of the heaven and earth point to Rev 21. But that isn't what John was discussing. John was discussing the spiritual, eternal things. Our futurist friends call it "the eternal state" but they apply it to physical non-eternal things.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. [SUP]2 [/SUP]Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
How can the new heaven come down from heaven if heaven was destroyed? Besides, is heaven not perfect and the place Christ went to prepare? "Sea" throughout Revelation represents the Gentile nations which surround Israel (the Earth). Thus the end of the Sea simply means the end of God treating the other countries as heathen (unsaved and condemned) different than how He had been treating Israel, His holy (saved) nation. The "New Jerusalem" here is the Bride. We know the "bride" is the Church.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
Paul teaches that we are the new Temple. John teaches that God (through His Spirit) dwells within us. All of these things were new teachings found only in the NT.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
This is the restoration of all things that has been talked about by the prophets and reminded of by Peter (Acts 3) and of Jesus. This marks the end of the separation from God upon death which began at the Fall. Right now we are "new creations." Isaiah first mentions this in Isa 65:17.
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
John is simply borrowing Isaiah's imagery in Rev 21. Paul gives the same teaching:
2 Cor 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Gal 6: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
Notice the same language? Paul speaks of this in contemporary terms (to his day). We don't even think about the old way under the Law (the former no longer comes to mind) anymore, it has "passed away."
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again u make da same mistake u pacify God's wrath. just wait when the seals trumpets and vials are poured out it will make 70ad look like a joyride.
the problem is u make revelation about only one country when its about israel yes but its also about da entire world.
why cant folks just believe the bible?
the problem is u make revelation about only one country when its about israel yes but its also about da entire world.
why cant folks just believe the bible?
Is 1900 years "soon?" You are calling roughly 1/3 of recorded Biblical history "soon." This is like saying from Abraham to Jesus was "soon."
Revelation deals with the 66-73 AD destruction of Israel and the "restoration of all things", clear path to heaven upon death. Notice, no "rapture" (as you describe it) is found in Revelation. So, if Revelation is all about some future global tribulation, where is the rapture which (according to you) immediately precedes it?
Revelation deals with the 66-73 AD destruction of Israel and the "restoration of all things", clear path to heaven upon death. Notice, no "rapture" (as you describe it) is found in Revelation. So, if Revelation is all about some future global tribulation, where is the rapture which (according to you) immediately precedes it?
S
John 6:63, 65 "It is the life-giving spirit, the body that helps all, saying that I am spirit and life." 65 He said, "I told you, read 1 Corinthians 7. Why do you see others, what are they today, when you get them, read open heaven to know why you do not you think you did not have them received?" The Holy Spirit and father, born of an anointed father
