Why I care about the Rapture

If there is a pre-trib rapture I want to prepare to make sure I’m in it. If there isn’t a pre-trib rapture, I want to plan accordingly.

If there is any rapture, it affects how scripture is read, what it means, and how your faith is practiced. In short, it comes up a lot and is unavoidable.

Besides the “me” factor…I care about YOU!  Could YOU imagine if you had a false expectation and plans to get taken off of the earth before some “man of sin” is revealed, and then all of sudden disaster hits and you’re living in the midst of it!

It is much easier for someone to deceive YOU if you’re not expecting anyone to!

If Christ is coming back, then the real question is all about the “timing”. When does scripture tell us Christ is coming back…its important to start with what we knew prior to any “pre-trib” rapture being revealed to Paul.

We knew about Noah and Lot. (Matt. 24:37-39 and Luke 17:28-30)

·       In Noah’s case, folks were warned, but went about their merry ways not stopping to give a second thought to the warnings. Then, for them, like a thief in the night, the wrath (in the form of water) came down and devoured them all. You’ll note that Noah was not removed from the earth, but was protected from God’s wrath. You should also note that Noah climbed into his protection just before the wrath was poured out.

 

·       Likewise with Lot, he was not removed from the earth but rather taken to a place of safety. This happened the “day” the wrath was poured out.

Before we dive into all the verses and implications of the Rapture…please ask yourself…

“Do YOU care whether or not Christ comes back for YOU prior to the events in book of Revelation starting or does it not really matter that much to you and those you care about ?”

 I care…hope this site helps understand both sides more clearly.

Verses–that seem to support Rapture

Do these verses clearly teach the Rapture? Following, I will post an article on each one…

1 Thessalonians 4:13—17;

·         ^KJV 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What does this phrase mean? Gentiles blessed…

It was known that the Gentiles would be blessed by the Messiah, but not

·         that they would be full heirs and partakers of the promises to Israel,

·         nor that the Church of the Body of Christ would be a “new man” comprised of neither Jews nor Gentiles,

o   with its own promises and riches, the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8),

o   independent of the “New Covenant” to Israel.

 

What does it mean that the Gentiles would be blessed by Messiah?

Does that mean they would receive life in the age to come?

Would they just get some temporal blessings in this life or could they some day count on being resurrected?

This is essential and important to clarify as many people say that the Old Testament speaks of them being blessed…just not to “THIS EXTENT”. Just not as “Full Heirs”.

How can you be a half heir? Aren’t we “inheriting” life in the age to come!! Sounds to me like you’re either in or out.

I think it’s important to nail down these promises.

The logical question is: “How does a gentile in the Old Testament make it past resurrection if he lived before Christ?”

Is he judged by his works? By his faith? Does his works show his faith?

We all fall short, we know there’s repentance, forgiveness, and change. The reason these questions are relevant is because whatever the prophets said about them being “blessed” must be compared to what the teaching of the “mystery” is and how it benefits them.

What more does the “mystery” give them that wasn’t already expected?

If anything, those who were the rightful heirs and had wonderful blessings are being told that what is available for people in this gap is better than what they were promised.

What future things changed for a good Jew that believes in Messiah now? Looks like just how you get there!!

Yet, in the same breathe it’s that Gentiles are “joint-heirs” with Israel and full-partakers of their promises.

You see my problem is identifying this secret. If you now have a secret administration and new entity that is made up of both Jews and Gentiles getting in on the original promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (which actually included both Jews and Gentiles anyway) how can you get them both access to the same ORIGINAL promise and teach that the benefits are greater now.  They’d be the same because its the same promise!!

Seems like the only thing to change, was you can’t lose it and its not given to those who are faithful, but those who think and say Jesus is raised from the dead and that they want him to be Lord (regardless of your future actions verifying that).

Gap between Sufferings and Glory

It is often said that there was a gap between the sufferings and glory of Christ. That gap is the time period we live in right now. Here’s the argument:

There was a period of time between the sufferings and the glory of Christ that the prophets and others inquired into without success (1 Pet. 1:10-12). That is because it was a secret kept hidden by God.

 

1 Pet. 1:10-12

 10Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

 11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

 12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

It was known that the Gentiles would be blessed by the Messiah, but not

·         that they would be full heirs and partakers of the promises to Israel,

·         nor that the Church of the Body of Christ would be a “new man” comprised of neither Jews nor Gentiles,

o   with its own promises and riches, the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8),

o   independent of the “New Covenant” to Israel.

You can’t on one hand say that the “mystery” was hid until Ephesians and on the other hand say that in 1^st Peter the prophets saw a gap and prophecied (meaning wrote it down in the Old Testament vs just talking about it) of the grace that should come unto these guys.

 

Implications of Believing 69th-70th Week Rapture

As far as I can see…which sometimes isn’t too far (please correct me if I’m wrong)

 

If you believe in the pre-trib rapture then you must also agree with the following statement:

 

·         The Church of the Body was kept secret and unprophesied, and for sake of an analogy looks like God suspended His regularly scheduled program to insert a “parenthesis” into prophetic history.

Or in other words:

·         The gap between week 69 and 70 was unprophecied or mentioned. The time period of what has happened from Pentecost to the Rapture is not revealed in Daniel and is more than unique, it is unexpected and different from what the “plan” originally looked like.

Once this unprophesied period is complete, then Daniel’s “70th week” will begin, and the Tribulation period will take place. 

·         Without the insertion of the Church Age into this flow of prophetic history, there is no logical explanation for the undeniable period that has elapsed between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel 9 without resorting to an allegorical view of Scripture.

 

 

 

 

 

Suspension after the“69th week” of Daniel 9:24-27?

Did something happen to suspend the prophetic clock after the “69th week” of Daniel 9:24-27.

²⁵ “Know and understand this:

·         From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be

o   seven ‘sevens,’

o   and sixty-two ‘sevens.’

It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

 

²⁶ After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’

the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.

RIGHT HERE!!!!!!! WHAT happens now???? Is there a gap???

A look at the text–Daniel 9:24-27

Here’s a look at Daniel 9:24-27 –to see the ‘sevens’ —

 ^NIV Daniel 9:24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city

 

·         to finish transgression,

·         to put an end to sin,

·         to atone for wickedness,

·         to bring in everlasting righteousness,

·         to seal up vision and prophecy

·         and to anoint the most holy.

 

²⁵ “Know and understand this:

·         From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be

o   seven ‘sevens,’

o   and sixty-two ‘sevens.’

 

It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

 

²⁶ After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’

o   the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.

 

The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.

The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

 

 ²⁷ He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’

 

o   In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.

 

And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”