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Summary: Bible prophecy suggests the end times begins with an earthquake, not a rapture. Popular belief results in failure to read Revelation so many aren't ready
Evangelical Christians by the millions anticipated a "rapture" in 1988. Christ had said, "This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." Matthew 24:34. He was talking about the fig tree that many thought represented Israel as it was replanted in the Holy Land in 1948. A biblical generation is 40 years (Hebrews 3:9,10) so 1988 meant the time was up (?)
But after another 20 years, and millions of books ("Left Behind" fictional series) and movies on this topic, it's worth another look..
1. Christ said, "One shall be taken, and the other left," Matthew 24:39-40. But Luke has the rest of the conversation. The disciples said, "Where, Lord? And He said unto them, Wherever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered." (Luke 17:37).Those who are taken are not taken to heaven in a rapture; they become food for vultures, Revelation 19:17,18.
2. Throughout history, God has always delivered people through the trouble. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom." Acts 14:22. A holocaust survivor, Corrie ten Boom said, Only in America do they believe in a rapture. This is based on a few texts that may mean something else.
3. Christ said, "As it was in the days of Noah" (Luke 17:26). Noah wasn't raptured; he came through the storm. Enoch was raptured before Noah was even born, so his being taken to heaven had nothing to do with avoiding the Flood or tribulation.
4. Elijah was taken to heaven, but only after he dealt with false worship. As Elijah confronted Baal, we may confront Antichrist when a New World Order marks everyone or implants them with a microchip. Revelation 13:17; 14:9,10 is the Bible's strongest warning.
5. "As it was in the days of Lot," Luke 17:28. No rapture for Lot; he was told to flee. Christ told us to flee because of tribulation, Matthew 24:15-21; Mark 13:14-20.
6. "Broad is the way, that leads to destruction." Matthew 7:13. Sales of millions of fictional books on the rapture show a broad following, for the idea of a rapture.
7. Christ said to understand Daniel who faced a series of life and death situations; no rapture in Daniel.
8. "By their fruits ye shall know them" Matthew 7:20. The fruit of believing in the rapture is a failure to study Revelation. People think they won't need to understand it, in spite of Christ's blessing for reading and "keeping those things that are written therein." Revelation 1:3.
9. Would Christ rapture "lukewarm...miserable" Christians? Rev 3:17. We should rather expect "the Lord, whom [we] seek, shall suddenly come to his temple...But who may abide the day of his coming...for he is like a refiner's fire," Malachi 3:1,2. If we prove faithful through trials, we can look forward to Christ's coming in the sky, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.
10. An earthquake brought an end to that last church that was lukewarm and miserable as shown in Young's Analytical Concordance and many encyclopedias. An earthquake appears to initiate the Old Testament apocalyptic "day of the Lord" in passages like Joel 2:10,11 and Zephaniah 1:7,10. We are living in a time of unprecedented calamity, and it would be well for to anticipate a "wake up" call as Paul said-" the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes." 1Thessalonians 5:2,3.
Like the five blind men examining the elephant, each with a different report, let's keep studying and comparing what we see in Scripture. God says He won't do anything without revealing it, Amos 3:7. But few understand the next verse. It says, "The lion has roared, who will not fear?" Christ is the Lion of Judah in Revelation 5:5 and the Bible says, "the Lord also shall roarand the heavens and earth shall shake," Joel 3:16. Many Evangelical Christians are reconsidering the rapture idea.
Evangelical Christians by the millions anticipated a "rapture" in 1988. Christ had said, "This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." Matthew 24:34. He was talking about the fig tree that many thought represented Israel as it was replanted in the Holy Land in 1948. A biblical generation is 40 years (Hebrews 3:9,10) so 1988 meant the time was up (?)
But after another 20 years, and millions of books ("Left Behind" fictional series) and movies on this topic, it's worth another look..
1. Christ said, "One shall be taken, and the other left," Matthew 24:39-40. But Luke has the rest of the conversation. The disciples said, "Where, Lord? And He said unto them, Wherever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered." (Luke 17:37).Those who are taken are not taken to heaven in a rapture; they become food for vultures, Revelation 19:17,18.
2. Throughout history, God has always delivered people through the trouble. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom." Acts 14:22. A holocaust survivor, Corrie ten Boom said, Only in America do they believe in a rapture. This is based on a few texts that may mean something else.
3. Christ said, "As it was in the days of Noah" (Luke 17:26). Noah wasn't raptured; he came through the storm. Enoch was raptured before Noah was even born, so his being taken to heaven had nothing to do with avoiding the Flood or tribulation.
4. Elijah was taken to heaven, but only after he dealt with false worship. As Elijah confronted Baal, we may confront Antichrist when a New World Order marks everyone or implants them with a microchip. Revelation 13:17; 14:9,10 is the Bible's strongest warning.
5. "As it was in the days of Lot," Luke 17:28. No rapture for Lot; he was told to flee. Christ told us to flee because of tribulation, Matthew 24:15-21; Mark 13:14-20.
6. "Broad is the way, that leads to destruction." Matthew 7:13. Sales of millions of fictional books on the rapture show a broad following, for the idea of a rapture.
7. Christ said to understand Daniel who faced a series of life and death situations; no rapture in Daniel.
8. "By their fruits ye shall know them" Matthew 7:20. The fruit of believing in the rapture is a failure to study Revelation. People think they won't need to understand it, in spite of Christ's blessing for reading and "keeping those things that are written therein." Revelation 1:3.
9. Would Christ rapture "lukewarm...miserable" Christians? Rev 3:17. We should rather expect "the Lord, whom [we] seek, shall suddenly come to his temple...But who may abide the day of his coming...for he is like a refiner's fire," Malachi 3:1,2. If we prove faithful through trials, we can look forward to Christ's coming in the sky, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.
10. An earthquake brought an end to that last church that was lukewarm and miserable as shown in Young's Analytical Concordance and many encyclopedias. An earthquake appears to initiate the Old Testament apocalyptic "day of the Lord" in passages like Joel 2:10,11 and Zephaniah 1:7,10. We are living in a time of unprecedented calamity, and it would be well for to anticipate a "wake up" call as Paul said-" the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes." 1Thessalonians 5:2,3.
Like the five blind men examining the elephant, each with a different report, let's keep studying and comparing what we see in Scripture. God says He won't do anything without revealing it, Amos 3:7. But few understand the next verse. It says, "The lion has roared, who will not fear?" Christ is the Lion of Judah in Revelation 5:5 and the Bible says, "the Lord also shall roarand the heavens and earth shall shake," Joel 3:16. Many Evangelical Christians are reconsidering the rapture idea.
About the Author:
Dr. Richard Ruhling is an author and conference speaker. His blog on prophecy and the wedding parables is http://theBridegroomComes.wordpress.com He offers a free download of his favorite book, Health & Happiness, at #12, http://www.ChooseABetterDestiny.com Click here for article submissions.
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