Five Myths About the “Rapture” and the “Left Behind” Industry

Insight Scoop ^ | September 29, 2014 | Carl E. Olson

[Califreak]

I predict your tagline will go viral.......

[huldah1776]

Nope.

[MayflowerMadam]

~~~So, I went through Revelations~~~ Always love how folks put the “s” on the end there.

When I see/hear the non-existent “s” at the end, I know that person is clueless about the Bible and to pay further attention would be a waste of my time. Bill O’Reilly has done it a couple times when expounding on his great knowledge of the Bible. (In his great wisdom, he has mentioned the people at “Thessalonia”, too.)

[MayflowerMadam]

Discussing with a Catholic the rapture, or any Biblical reference or fact, is a waste of time. As with any other cult, they don’t believe the Bible if it conflicts with ideas their human leaders make up. (My priest-friend told me this.) Guys in goofy hats take precedence over God’s Word.

[StoneWall Brigade]

Great verse

[StoneWall Brigade]

I went in circles about the rapture with a church of Christ member last night it’s like talking to a stonewall I finally threw my hands up.

[cuban leaf]

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

---

Yep. After the first 3.5 years of the tribulation I see this. And I think it’s touched on in Revelation 7.

[cuban leaf]

I was pre- trib for my first two years in AG. Once I studied it I became mid-trib and continued to attend AG for another 16 years.

Interestingly, the adult sunday school teacher who’s class focused on prophesy, and had huge attendance every week, gave me a white paper he had written to bring me back to pre-trib. Rather than bring me back, it exposed an amazing amount of inferences and reading between the lines to bring a pre-trib meaning to the scripture he read.

Even more interesting - once the pre-trib meaning of scripture that had always confused me was removed, the scripture was suddenly clear. e.g. “two will be grinding. One well be taken and one will be left.” The one left is the Christian. It explains it in the verses preceeding it.

It’s why the follow up verse about the vultures gathering where the dead body is never made sense with the pre-trib perspective. Now it does.

[cuban leaf]

Jesus said the wrath, when it came, would come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

---

I agree. But just before His wrath is the 3.5 year tribulation, ending with Revelation 7. And “all” means all except the 144,000, insomuch as it will not affect them.

[Iscool]

Sorry for the poor formatting...

The Rapture and The Second Coming

At the Rapture, Jesus comes FOR His Church. (John 14:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
At the Glorious Appearing (Second Coming), Jesus comes WITH His Church. (Zechariah 14:5, Colossians 3:4, Jude 14, Revelation 19:14)

At the Rapture, Christians are caught up to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus’ feet touch the earth (Zechariah 14:4, Revelation 19:11-21)

At the Rapture, Christians are taken first and unbelievers are left behind. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
At the Glorious Appearing, the wicked are taken first, but the righteous (the tribulation saints) are left behind. (Matthew 13:28-30)

At the Rapture, Jesus will gather His Bride, the Church, unto Himself in preparation of the Marriage of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:6-9)
At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus will execute judgment on the earth and establish His Kingdom. (Zechariah 14:3-4, Jude 14-15, Revelation 19:11-21)

The Marriage of the Lamb takes place in Heaven AFTER the Rapture of the Church. (Revelation 19:6-9
War on earth comes AFTER the Marriage of the Lamb at the Glorious Appearing when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords lays the smackdown on evil! (Revelation 19:11-21)

The Rapture will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (Blink. It’s over!). (1 Corinthians 15:52)
The Glorious Appearing will be a slow coming. Everyone will see Jesus coming with great power and great glory! (Zechariah 12:10, Matthew 24:30, Revelation 1:7)

At the Rapture, only those who are looking for Him (Christians) will see Him. (1 John 3:2, 1 Corinthians 15:52)
At the Glorious Appearing, every eye will see Him and those who have rejected Him will wail. (Revelation 1:7)

At the Rapture, Jesus will descend from Heaven with a shout (calling for the saints at the resurrection). (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
At the Glorious Appearing, no shout is mentioned, although the Lord does slay the wicked with the sword of His mouth. (Revelation 19:11-21)

At the Rapture, a resurrection will take place. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54)
At the Glorious Appearing, there is no resurrection spoken of. (Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah14:4-5, Revelation 1:7, 19:11-21)

The Rapture can happen at any time...maybe even now which is why we are to be WATCHING for the return of Jesus Christ! (Revelation 3:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6)
The Glorious Appearing will occur at the end of the seven-year tribulation period. (Daniel 9:24-27, Matthew 24:29-30, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8)

At the Rapture, no angels are sent to gather the Church.
At the Glorious Appearing, angels will be sent to gather people together for judgment. (Matthew 13:39, 41 & 49, Matthew 24:31, Matthew 25:31, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)

At the Rapture, those who died in Christ will return with Jesus to recover their resurrected bodies. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-16)
At the Glorious Appearing, Christians will return with Jesus already in their resurrected bodies riding on white horses. (Revelation 19:11-21)

White horse for Jesus or no white horse for Jesus?

At the Rapture, Jesus doesn’t return riding a white horse.
At the Glorious Appearing, Jesus will return riding a white horse. (Revelation 19:11)

The Rapture will bring with it a message of hope and comfort. (1 Thessalonians 4:18, Titus 2:13, 1 John 3:3)
The Glorious Appearing will bring with it a message of judgment. (Joel 3:12-16, Malachi 4:5, Revelation 19:11-21)
World is deceived. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12) Satan is bound. (Revelation 20:1-2)

Rapture Focus: Lord and Church. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Glorious appearing Focus: Israel and Kingdom. (Matthew 24:14)

No signs precede Rapture. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)
Signs precede Second Coming. (Luke 21:11,15)

After Rapture, Tribulation begins.
After Glorious Appearing, Millennial kingdom begins.

Rapture, removal of believers. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
Glorious appearing, manifestation of Christ. (Malachi 4:2)

Rapture, Jesus claims His bride.
Glorious appearing, Jesus comes with His bride. (Revelation 19:6-14)

Marriage Supper Of The Lamb follows the Rapture. (Revelation 19:9)
The Great Supper of the wicked follows the Tribulation. (Revelation 19:17)

At the Rapture the world will not see Jesus at the Rapture; but rather, believers ascend go to meet Him in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
At the 2nd Coming Jesus will descend bodily and visibly for all to see, just as He ascended bodily and visibly. (Acts 1:9-11)

The Judgment Seat Of Christ follows the Rapture. (2nd Corinthians 5:9-11)
The Judgment of the Nations follows the Tribulation (Matthew 24:32-46)

Believers receive a new, immortal, glorified body fashioned like unto the Lord’s. (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54)
Saints saved during the Tribulation enter into the Millennial kingdom with their earthly bodies. (Isaiah 65:20)

The Antichrist is revealed after the Rapture. (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
The Antichrist is defeated and cast into the Lake of Fire at the Second Coming. (Revelation 19:20)

Israel is persecuted during the Tribulation.
Two-in-three Jews in Israel are killed. (Zechariah 13:8-9)
Israel is regathered. (Jeremiah 23:5-8)
World government (New World Order) follows the Rapture. (Revelation 13:15)
Christ’s reign and government follows the Second Coming. (Daniel 2:34-35)
World famine, pestilence, war and sorrow follow the Rapture. (Matthew 24:6-10; Luke 17:31)
World peace follows Christ’s Second Coming when He reigns from Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:6)

[CynicalBear]

So you don’t believe that the statement “the wrath has come” in Revelation 6 means that it is already happening?

[cuban leaf]

So you don’t believe that the statement “the wrath has come” in Revelation 6 means that it is already happening?

---

The more I study His word, the more I notice I used to get wrapped around the axle applying His word to a fictitious world and not the world in which we live. His word is to human beings living on planet earth and is meant to hit us in a way our human brains can relate.

So, to a more “real world” interpretation of the verse in question: If there was a prophesy that a large meteor was going to wipe out the earth and it got to the point where it was looming in the sky bigger than the moon, would people not say “the meteor has come”, even though the destruction was not, in fact, already happening?

This is how I interpret Rev. 6 and 7 in context.

[CynicalBear]

>>Do you think the American church more resembles<<

To understand you first have to get rid of the erroneous understanding most have of the term "church". The Greek word that the word " church" has replaced is ekklesia. It literally means an assembly of those who have been called out. The ekklesia (church) at Laodicea for instance was those who God has called out who met at that location. Those who God calls out meet at different locations around the world. Some of the groups remain faithful others not so much. Some groups have strayed but still have people who meet with them who have not.

The concept of an organized hierarchy called a "church" is no where found in the New Testament. Whenever you see the word "church" in English read assembly instead and it makes sense. The assembly at Laodicea simply means "those who God has called out" who meet at Laodicea.

[CynicalBear]

Well done!!!

[antidisestablishment]

I was not talking about structure, but the church as the body of Christ. The question was, how does one deal with the fact that the passage is directed to a specific part of the body.

It doesn’t matter how you look at the formal or informal structure, there are obviously different elements within the body as a whole whom the Lord has specifically called out I’m all the letters.

If Phillipi is representative of the only faithful remnant who will be raptured, what happens to the rest of the Christians who are admonished rather than condemned?

[CynicalBear]

>>would people not say “the meteor has come”, even though the destruction was not, in fact, already happening?<<

Um, no. At least not anyone that I know would say that. "Is coming" would be correct. Start at verse 12 and see the distruction is already happening. It's not just about to happen as in your example of the meteor.

[CynicalBear]

>>If Phillipi is representative of the only faithful remnant who will be raptured<<

You bring up a good point. It's those who have not left their "first love" which is Christ. Some have allowed paganism or other heresies to enter. Look at the "church" at Sardis. Even though overall they were "dead" there werea few who were not. Then the "church" at Philadelphia who have remained faithful. See the promise to them.

Revelation 4:10 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 the inhabitants of the earth.

After chapter 4 the "church" is not mentioned as being on earth again.

[CynicalBear]

>>what happens to the rest of the Christians who are admonished rather than condemned?<<

They go through the tribulation. They are the ones who let their lamps run out of oil. They don't get into the wedding.

[cuban leaf]

Um, no. At least not anyone that I know would say that. “Is coming” would be correct. Start at verse 12 and see the distruction is already happening. It’s not just about to happen as in your example of the meteor.

---

If the meteor is about to crash into the earth and obliterate it TODAY, I’d say “the day the earth is to be destroyed has come”.

6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Another important distinction is that, though Revelation includes chronologies of events, it is not in chronological order. Rather, it is more like the four gospels all in one book, each one telling the same story but emphasising different things.

[dware]

After all, that statement expresses a certainty which we just don’t have.

For me, that's called a statement of faith! =)