Introduction

Before I was saved I had a keen interest in prophesy and indeed led me to chat to a work colleague and good friend who was a Christian who told me of a cataclysmic event like no other. This event coined the rapture would usher in the seven year great tribulation and would see the disappearance of millions of Christian believers leaving those remaining on the earth with no hope of salvation.

This spoke to me greatly indeed leading me to attend some ministry meetings before I was saved by the grace of God. A good many years after discovering this theory have went past and i decided to delve into scripture to put to bed the constant doubts and criticism from my friends who do not hold this view. I seek in this pamphlet to expound some of my findings in which I want the Holy Spirit to guide and teach me from the scriptures only.

The interest in this topic was ignited by the recommendation of a book by a friend entitled ‘The Rapture: Who will go through the tribulation?’ by Tim LaHaye, the often enigmatic and much lauded author who has also written the fictional series charting end times called ‘The Left Behind Series’ which includes books, study guides, films and even video games which would make him an extremely wealthy man and would appear he has much to loose should his eschatological system be proven wrong.

I must state at the start of this report I am a premillenial dispensationalist and hold the rapture view that LaHaye puts forth in his book. However I find his book to have little substance, as well as this he puts forth rash statements including a statement rendering opponents of his view 'unorthodox', he accuses others of arrogance yet the book radiates with it and he provides little exegesis or hermeneutics and seems to lift verses completely from their intended context, he is guilty of spending more pages defending the advocates of this ‘truth’ than earnestly contending from the word of God. I was hoping this book would help and instead has left a bitter taste in my mouth therefore I will document my findings herein.

I do no not want to make comment on the origins of this eschatological view apart from that found in scripture, nor do I want to make comment on the relative lateness of this view and the debates which have raged in the 19th century till the present day. I do not want to mention names like Lacunza, McDonald and her vision, Darby or any other because I want to get down to what the scripture teaches on the matter.

You may be shocked to find the word rapture is not found in the authorized translation of the word of God. Its origin is found in the Latin raeptius and was translated into English as the word ‘rapture’. Some who would believe in a post-tribulation position would use this term in a derogatory manner however this should not be the case since the word trinity does not appear in scripture yet has significant truth in the sacred cannon.

I would also like to state that variances in the timing of the return of Christ are not a matter or test of orthodoxy as some would be willing to suggest. And that the believers on both sides of the fence and indeed in-between are those who love the Lord and long to be with his glorious person.

There will be a number of sections I would like to address in this article and they can be found in an index

1) Scriptural support for a ‘rapture’ of believers

2) Scriptural support with correct exegesis and hermeneutics to back this up

Readings in:

· John 14

· Thess 4

· 2 Thess 2

· 1 Corinthians 15

The so-called proof texts for the coming

3) Defence of questions often raised by Post tribulationists, including sincere apologetics

4) Questions that must be asked of the post tribulationists, including answers which make plain sense in light of a pre tribulation view

You may be most gracious to understand this is one of my first articles I have taken some length to produce and I seek only after unity within the body of Christ I do not seek to be divisive but only want to edify and help all those in whom we have the blessed hope. Should there be something you are not happy with in light of scripture would you be most helpful to email me or do not hesitate to get in touch.

I am not interested in debate or using my research to fuel a 200 year long debate but settle in my mind once and for all the conundrum of the second coming. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.

Maranatha


The Rapture identified

From the turn of the century and indeed the debate that preceded it there has been a almost unprecedented interest in the eschatological themes of the scripture and the fulfilment of them. Just as it was in 990AD when predictions of when the Lord would return in view of the situations in that climate.

And so now more than ever so the debate rages on and the question rages ‘are we the generation that will see the return of the Lord?’ We should be more enthused by those who have come and gone on the sands of time as we live in a most wonderful and dreaded world with its advances in technology reaching an awe inspiring feat for modern man. Indeed as many have speculated technological advances have the opportunity to help at least administer the situations found when the mark of the beast will be required to buy and sell (Rev 13:17) one need only look at the ‘exciting’ prospect of the verichip that at least in prototype, these things are soon to come to pass. However, a word of caution we must continue to live as Christians and so let our light shine (Mat 5:16) in a world which will see the advent of destruction which will come to its pinnacle in the day of great tribulation.

The great tribulation of course is mentioned as a time of great trouble identified often with Jacob (Jer 30:7). This as we can see clearly takes a particularly Jewish theme as in this portion of scripture we see Gods providence; we can see clearly that this explicitly is written to Israel and concerning Judah this can be seen at a face value reading of the text (v4).

The old testament is full of prophesies concerning the first advent of the messiah as soon as Genesis 3:15 we are given striking details that the devil will bruise or crush his heel but that messiah will deliver a fatal wound to the old accuser of the brethren. There seem to be indescrepancies in the Jewish mind concerning the coming of messiah some not being able to reconcile the scriptures which deal with his humility (Zech 9:9) and those which speak explicitly of his exaltation (Psa 2:8). And so in similar manner do we indeed frustrate ourselves by trying to divide, reconcile or renounce the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know indeed clearly and John indicates in his gospel that those he came to minister onto received him not (Jhn 1:11) , they clearly did not grasp the significance of his coming and so they delivered him to be crucified (Jhn 18:3). It is astounding to think that in light of scriptures found in the psalms and the words of Isaiah they would hang the blessed one on the cross a great mystery to think they had there part in fulfilling the words of their much venerated holy scriptures.

Indeed, Jeremiah the prophet announced in his writings that his feet would rest on the Mount of Olives (Zec 14:4) not understanding its chronological order and this would take place after his enemies where made his footstool (Psa 110:1) and all this after he would come in like manner as he left after his resurrection (Act 1:11).

And so we have and could talk at length of the prophesies concerning his second advent from the Old testament however we need to look at the new testament understanding of the second coming and how the believers would have understood it. It is of a certainty that the believers in the first century were expecting the Lord to return at any moment indeed some had ceased to work and spent their day on the roof waiting for his unveiling to their longing hearts.

The New Testament is full of statements which scattered arbitrarily in our new testament would at first reading suggest that we ourselves in this age have missed the prophetic fulfilment of these things and thus raises the question of preterism and its application to scripture.

In many sections of our new testament (1 Corinthians 1:7, Philippians 3:20, Philippians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, 1 Timothy 6:14 and Revelation 3:11) we see an expectancy of imminent return and this list is not exhaustive by any means. And yet still this event has not yet come to pass, we can take this to be the case because we believe in a plain literal interpretation of the scriptures except for obvious symbolism that would show our need to interpret the significance (Dan 7, Rev 13).

If we genuinely believe that the great tribulation is as Jeremiah the prophet exclaimed; ‘Alas! for that day [is] great, so that none [is] like it’ we have not yet seen this great and terrible prophesy fulfilled since the dawn of time on this earth. Sure we can think of the Hitler’s, Stalins and countless others but these events are to be significantly more intensive.

And so as to the question: Will we as the church of Christ endure the tribulation, that being will we go through it?

Our will we be caught away before the beginning?

The New Testament alludes to the fact that having this hope of his return aids us by purifying ourselves in light of his coming (1Jo 3:3) and so we must walk orderly no matter our own personal conviction on the return of our Lord Jesus.

The rapture is most definitely taught in the scriptures and the clearest passage is found in Paul’s address to the Thessalonians. Paul was writing to the believers for many purposes he wished to show his gladness for their faith and their fellowship with the other churches in the then Asia Minor.

It would seem that Paul wanted to correct and comfort them in light of their belief that the those who had died would miss out on the coming of the saviour which I am of no doubt they thought was the case, it is probable that Timothy told Paul of their burden when he returned to be with Paul from their visit to Macedonia (Act 18:5).

This no doubt would have been something that Paul would have set out to clear up in his first address to the believers (1 Thessalonians). It can be ascertained that Paul visited Thessalonica for a period of three weeks which is clearly evidenced from the account of the ever faithful Luke in Acts 17. And amidst all the riotous events at Jason’s house there were believers added to form an assembly of believers there (Act 17:4).

And so as Paul would have no doubt done he would have discipled them from the scriptures and addressed on all the counsels of God something which must be done by believers today.

It is clear that in 1 Thess 4:17 Paul tells the believers they will be ‘caught up’ to meet the Lord in the air, and in no wise will the dead in Christ miss that glorious event. So we can see from scripture there clearly is a ‘rapture’ of believers in Christ and if you do not like to use that term perhaps you would prefer the term ‘catching away’ of believers.

In my next article/post I will begin by doing my best to attempt a valid exegesis of the passage mentioned above and we shall begin to build the chronological case for the rapture.