GAY VARVEL
A couple of subscribers asked about my eschatological views (End-Times Theology) of the Rapture. The re is a huge debate over this doctrine but I am convinced the Bible teaches a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Christians to meet Jesus Christ in the air.
The Rapture was not some new idea made up by John Darby, Hal Lindsay or Tim LaHaye. Granted, the word Rapture is not found in the Bible but neither is the word, Bible, in the Bible. The Greek word Harpazo means to seize or snatch away by which we get the English equivalent, Rapture. Like most prophecy, God gives us progressive revelation through several writers. To get the full picture we must put together the pieces revealed in multiple texts in scripture. Many books have been written on this subject but I’ll try to summarize this doctrine for you.
1. Jesus introduced the Rapture in John 14:1-3:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house (heaven). Then Jesus promised them that He would come back and “take you to myself.” .
2. Jesus described the Rapture in Luke 17:24; 34-36:
“For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.”
Jesus’ coming at the Rapture will be like a lightning flash in the sky.
“I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
The Rapture will be a surprise event and only Christians will be taken. The people who never trusted in Jesus as their Savior will be left behind.
3. The Apostle Paul described the bodily resurrection at the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53:
“ But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.”
The Rapture will occur in the blink of an eye. Christians will disappear suddenly and their mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal bodies that will never die.
4. The Apostle Paul described what happens at the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
In verses 16-17 it says, “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.”
5. The Apostle Paul described a “strong delusion” in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12:
“God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
The people left behind will seeks answers for the disappearance of millions. Prophecy buffs have discussed this for decades. Many have imagined that the disappearance would be blamed on UFOs. Recently government officials are talking about UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) sightings formerly know as UFOs. This could be the strong delusion.
6. Old Testament pictures of the Rapture:
The Rapture is not mentioned in the Old Testament but God gave us pictures of this event.
Enoch — In Genesis 5:24 it says, “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Enoch didn’t die, God took him.
Elijah — In 2 Kings 2:11, Elijah didn’t die but “went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”
Noah — In Genesis 6-9 God’s pours out His wrath against sinful people in a worldwide flood. But He saved Noah and his family in the ark.
Lot — In Genesis 19, God sent 2 angels to physically remove Lot and his 2 daughters before God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is a picture of the Rapture and notice that it happened before God’s wrath fell on those cities.
Rehab — In Joshua 2, Rahab’s family was protected when the Israelites attacked the city of Jericho.
9 Biblical texts for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Rev. 3:10 - Promise to keep Christians from hour of trial “that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”
1 Thes. 5:9 - Christians not appointed unto wrath. Christians have been martyred by the wrath of man for centuries. But they will be rescued before the wrath of God.
1 Thes. 1:9-10 “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
Rev. 6:16 - The wrath of the lamb (Jesus).
Luke 21:34-36 - Escape tribulation.
Luke 21:28 - Look up; redemption near. Not Tribulation but redemption.
2 Cor. 5:20 - Before a war ambassadors (Christians) are called home.
2 Thes. 2:7 Restrainer (Holy Spirit) removed before Antichrist is revealed. The Holy Spirit resides in “born again” followers of Jesus.
Rev. 4:1 - The first 3 chapters are addressed to the churches. Then a voice like a trumpet calls, “Come up here.” The church is not mentioned again until chapter 19.
The Rapture will occur in the air and only Christians will see it. The Second Coming of Christ to the Earth is an event that will be seen by everyone and will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the 7-year Tribulation Period.
When the Apostle Paul wrote about the Rapture he ended with, “Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). If the Rapture didn’t happen until the end of the Tribulation, there would not be much to be encouraged about. The Rapture will be Jesus rescuing His followers before the Wrath of God comes to Earth.
It is my hope to encourage those who know Jesus and to challenge unbelievers to consider their eternal destiny.
A couple of subscribers asked about my eschatological views (End-Times Theology) of the Rapture. The re is a huge debate over this doctrine but I am convinced the Bible teaches a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Christians to meet Jesus Christ in the air.
The Rapture was not some new idea made up by John Darby, Hal Lindsay or Tim LaHaye. Granted, the word Rapture is not found in the Bible but neither is the word, Bible, in the Bible. The Greek word Harpazo means to seize or snatch away by which we get the English equivalent, Rapture. Like most prophecy, God gives us progressive revelation through several writers. To get the full picture we must put together the pieces revealed in multiple texts in scripture. Many books have been written on this subject but I’ll try to summarize this doctrine for you.
1. Jesus introduced the Rapture in John 14:1-3:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house (heaven). Then Jesus promised them that He would come back and “take you to myself.” .
2. Jesus described the Rapture in Luke 17:24; 34-36:
“For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.”
Jesus’ coming at the Rapture will be like a lightning flash in the sky.
“I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
The Rapture will be a surprise event and only Christians will be taken. The people who never trusted in Jesus as their Savior will be left behind.
3. The Apostle Paul described the bodily resurrection at the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53:
“ But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.”
The Rapture will occur in the blink of an eye. Christians will disappear suddenly and their mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal bodies that will never die.
4. The Apostle Paul described what happens at the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
In verses 16-17 it says, “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.”
5. The Apostle Paul described a “strong delusion” in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12:
“God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
The people left behind will seeks answers for the disappearance of millions. Prophecy buffs have discussed this for decades. Many have imagined that the disappearance would be blamed on UFOs. Recently government officials are talking about UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) sightings formerly know as UFOs. This could be the strong delusion.
6. Old Testament pictures of the Rapture:
The Rapture is not mentioned in the Old Testament but God gave us pictures of this event.
Enoch — In Genesis 5:24 it says, “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Enoch didn’t die, God took him.
Elijah — In 2 Kings 2:11, Elijah didn’t die but “went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”
Noah — In Genesis 6-9 God’s pours out His wrath against sinful people in a worldwide flood. But He saved Noah and his family in the ark.
Lot — In Genesis 19, God sent 2 angels to physically remove Lot and his 2 daughters before God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is a picture of the Rapture and notice that it happened before God’s wrath fell on those cities.
Rehab — In Joshua 2, Rahab’s family was protected when the Israelites attacked the city of Jericho.
9 Biblical texts for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Rev. 3:10 - Promise to keep Christians from hour of trial “that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”
1 Thes. 5:9 - Christians not appointed unto wrath. Christians have been martyred by the wrath of man for centuries. But they will be rescued before the wrath of God.
1 Thes. 1:9-10 “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
Rev. 6:16 - The wrath of the lamb (Jesus).
Luke 21:34-36 - Escape tribulation.
Luke 21:28 - Look up; redemption near. Not Tribulation but redemption.
2 Cor. 5:20 - Before a war ambassadors (Christians) are called home.
2 Thes. 2:7 Restrainer (Holy Spirit) removed before Antichrist is revealed. The Holy Spirit resides in “born again” followers of Jesus.
Rev. 4:1 - The first 3 chapters are addressed to the churches. Then a voice like a trumpet calls, “Come up here.” The church is not mentioned again until chapter 19.
The Rapture will occur in the air and only Christians will see it. The Second Coming of Christ to the Earth is an event that will be seen by everyone and will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the 7-year Tribulation Period.
When the Apostle Paul wrote about the Rapture he ended with, “Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). If the Rapture didn’t happen until the end of the Tribulation, there would not be much to be encouraged about. The Rapture will be Jesus rescuing His followers before the Wrath of God comes to Earth.
It is my hope to encourage those who know Jesus and to challenge unbelievers to consider their eternal destiny.