The “Rapture”: Is it Biblical or False Doctrine?
June 5th 2011 19:10
If you have not read the last study on the meaning of the rapture please do. It is entitled: “What is the “Rapture?”
To briefly recap the last lesson:
Definition of Rapture: The intense feeling of ecstasy. To be caught up in pleasure.
What do Christians think it means? To “fly away” in the clouds with Jesus in order to save their souls from the coming tribulation of the “end of days” or the reign of the antichrist. The “rapture” theory is also called the “fly away” doctrine as well.
What does the bible say:
In Ezekial 13 we see the section referred to as the “Woe to Foolish Prophets”. Here we see perhaps the closest reference to the rapture theory in God's word:
Ezekial 13:19”And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? 20Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.” ---Clearly this interesting book of prophecy exclaims boldly that God is against anyone who would sew pillows over God's out reached hand and teach that only the “raptured” souls (those souls that will be “flying” out of here) will survive.
Rapture believers use this text to “prove” their theory and they actually pray to be the ones “taken”: Matthew 24 -”two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” --It is a bad thing to be “left behind.”
NOW, let's put it into context with the actual lesson Christ was teaching:
Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
NOTE: This lesson Jesus was conveying was talking about the people that who were deceived in the days of Noah. Noah had told the people of the great flood and if they wanted to be saved they should listen to God's warning about the flood. Unfortunately, we know how that story turned out. In verse 39 we see that they refused to heed the warning and the flood came in and “took” them all. Then is immediately related to the return of Jesus. Therefore, when read in context, those who were “taken” by the flood were the ones not listening to God's warnings.
Another often used passage for rapture believers to “prove” the theory is: 2 Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
But, when read in context you see that it is more in reference to those who are alive in Christ are caught up with Him in the breath of life... which means eternal salvation. One way to verify this is if you have a Strong's Concordance. The Greek word for “air” is NOT atmospheric as rapture believers think it is. Look up the word air and get the original Greek word/meaning. Then turn to the Greek dictionary in the back and read the definition. It means “to breath unconsciously” not relating to the atmosphere at all- there is no “flying” involved. Some scholars also believe that the term “clouds” in this passage means a large group or groups of people. So, if you take the text by its original meaning it simply means that those who are alive in Christ are gathered together in groups with the breath of life. Far different than the imaginations of men.
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Just one question for ya.
Don't you think the ads kinda dilute the message?
I mean, I'm all for Catholics having access to the internet, but we don't want people becoming Catholics. Let alone Jews. Do we?
Keep up the Bible-passion!
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Comment by TBT
You should know we don't choose which ads are randomly placed on the page by Google. And yes, sometimes they are irritating.