Since my teenage years I've been listening about the greatest event that will supposedly occur just before Jesus’ return to earth. Millions of Christians have heard about The Rapture of the Church.
This is an event that has been accepted by various groups primarily in the United States.
Unfortunately, this idea has spread to other countries around the world, mainly Latin America. Although variations of it have appeared in Africa, Korea and Japan.
The rapture, a belief in the imminent removal of believers from earth before a period of tribulation is not explicitly stated in the Bible but is derived from interpretations of two specific verses in the New Testament. No other mention of this event appears in the Old Testament prophesies.
The two key passages from which numerous books have been written, charts explaining the sequence of events, movies showing neatly folded clothes of those believers removed from earth; complete with depictions of unmanned airliners filled with unbelievers perishing and with a few believers flying in those planes are to be removed from them, they would be transformed and ready to meet Christ.
In short, a huge, and profitable pseudo-theological system based on two NT verses has been created.
The verses often cited include 1 Thessalonians 4:13 -18 and 1st Corinthians 15 verses 51 to 54 which describe the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of living believers.
A closer examination of these texts does not support the concept of rapture in the way it has been interpreted in the last 100 or so years. This idea has been around fundamentalist and Pentecostal circles for quite some time.
The popularity of the rapture in the United States gained significant traction in the 19th century with the teachings of John Nelson Darby and Margaret MacDonald.
Their dispensationalist (I’ll examine this later) interpretation of biblical prophecy emphasized a pre-tribulation rapture followed by a seven-year tribulation [Another companion topic that we’ll explain later]. This view was popularized further by the publication of the Scofield Bible in the early 20th century.
In recent decades, the rapture has become a prominent belief within certain evangelical and fundamentalist Christian circles in the United States, which often influence in popular culture and shaping and end-times expectations. Furthermore, it has somehow given way to a radically different brand of 21 Century Christianity: Christian Nationalism, once again those are topics for another time.
Let’s dissect several NT passages to illuminate our minds. Please note that I have added emphasis to certain key words in the New Testament texts used to assist us in our discussion.
For Believers Death is not final
In the Gospel of Mark chapter 5 verses 38 – 42 we read the story about Jesus and three of his disciples approaching the house of one of the rulers of the synagogue and noted a commotion at the door. People were weeping, wailing because a teenage girl had died, and after Jesus entered the house, he asked: “Why are you making a commotion and weeping and wailing? The girl is not dead, but sleeps”.
For the Christian, sleep is a particularly apt metaphor for death, since death’s finality and horror are removed by the assurance of resurrection. Clearly there is pain and sorrow at the passing of people, particularly loved ones; there should also be mourning for the loss of the presence, for the absence of the person in our lives.
Christians should be comforted by the assurance of the resurrection.
The Thessalonians seem to have misunderstood Paul and thought all believers would live until Christ return. When some died, the question arose, “Will those who have died take part in that great day?” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). The great day the Thessalonians were referring to was to be the Day of Jesus’s return to earth.
The Great Day
1 Thessalonians 4:13 emphasizes the glorious future that awaits believers in Christ on the Day of the Lord. It will be a day of resurrection, reunion, and eternal life with God, this teaching provides comfort and hope in the face of death and motivates believers to live faithfully considering Christ's return.
This is the Biblical interpretation in the context of post-resurrection of Jesus in Galilee about The Great Day of Jesus.
Paul om his letter to1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (ESV) wrote:
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
For this we declare to you by saying a word from the Lord that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words”.
The apostle Paul in another of his letters writes:
“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:50 – 53 (ESV)
Spoiler Alert!
The word "Rapture" doesn't appear in the Bible. Let’s take an in-depth look:
The Septuagint, an ancient translation of the Hebrew texts into Greek, was for a long time the base source for later translations of Scripture; the first being the Latin Vulgate by Jerome (347-420 AD), he was the translator of the Bible into Latin, making it accessible to Western Europe.
His Latin version of the Bible is known as the “Biblia Vulgata”, which means "Bible in the common tongue” was one of his contributions to Western Christianity, particularly to Catholicism.
The Greek word "parousia" is written as παρουσία. It is a feminine noun that means "presence," "coming," "arrival," or "advent". In the Septuagint (New Testament) it is used to describe the second coming of Christ, or his future return from heaven.
The Rapture - The word "advent" (meaning "coming") in Hebrew would be written as "בְּאָתָה" (pronounced "ba-ah-tah"). Note: there is no direct one-to-one translation for "advent" or “coming” in Hebrew, therefore, "בְּאָתָה" accurately captures the concept of the "coming” or return of Jesus to earth.
The concept of the Rapture, as many Christians understand it today (the sudden disappearance of believers from Earth), is based on interpretations of passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-53. These passages describe believers being "caught up" to meet the Lord in the air.
The Greek word for "caught" is harpazō (ἁρπάζω). It can mean to seize, pluck, pull, or take by force. In the New Testament, harpazō is translated as "caught up" or "caught away" when it relates to the rapture. In other contexts, it is translated as "to forcibly seize upon, snatch away, take to oneself or use force on someone".
In another perspective, in Acts 27:15 of the Septuagint, the Greek word sunarpadzo is used to describe a ship that was caught in a typhoon and could not withstand the wind. In this instance “sunarpadzo means to seize violently or to seize and carry away as in “the ship was caught up by violent winds and taken away into the sea”.
What Paul taught in his letters to Thessalonians
Now that we clarified the context, customs and linguistic differences on the subject matter, let’s take another look to get us closer to a clear and Biblical understanding of His glorious return to earth.
The Greek word parousia (coming) was also used in the arrival or appearance of the roman emperor, particularly when he was returning home from battle or when he was visiting an important city.
In other words, according to Paul, Jesus, rather than Caesar, will soon be present in royal power. Rome’s promise of “salvation and peace” will ultimately fail.
During Caesar’s parousia the people of the city would go out to meet the emperor outside the city; then, they and Caesar would make a grand entrance into the city. It may be implied in Paul’s language that the parousia of Jesus will be followed by his return to “the city,” or the earthy kingdom of God, rather than the so-called rapture during which Christians go to heaven with Jesus.
The word “rapture” does not appear in this verse or in any of Paul’s writings; it originates from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Greek verb harpazō (caught), meaning to “snatch” or “seize.”
A closer analysis of Paul’s letter we can see in essence what Paul’s teaching on the matter of Jesus’ return was:
1) The dead in Christ will rise first.
2) The living will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord and be with him forever.
3) Don’t believe those who say the Day of the Lord has already come.
4) The Day of the Lord will be preceded by:
a. The revelation of the man of lawlessness who will:
b. Oppose and exalt himself over God.
c. Set himself up in God’s temple.
d. Proclaim to be God.
e. Be revealed when the one holding him back (The Holy Spirit) is taken out of the way.
f. Be accompanied by satanic, counterfeit miracles.
g. Deceive those who do not love the truth
h. When Jesus comes, the man of lawlessness will be overthrown and destroyed.
The Resurrection is Real – The Rapture is not
1 Corinthians 15:16-18
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished”.
Paul is addressing believers concerns in his time – he is not teaching about God’s kingdom to be established on earth for a thousand years as some have interpreted erroneously.
In this passage in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, Paul addresses the concept of the return of Jesus.
“For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.” In this context, Paul is anticipating the arrival of the royal presence of Jesus.
The delay in Jesus’ coming mirrors a common theme in Jewish thought as it relates to Yahweh. According to the prophets, Yahweh would one day arrive to bring justice and peace. Jewish apocalyptic language was meant to illuminate present circumstances with the light of theological significance.
In Jewish thought, the “end” was not the end of the space-time universe, or end of the world, but rather the consummation of history in the new age of Jesus. Paul believed that such an end was near.
The early church had several unanswered questions that Paul appears to be addressing in 4:13–5:10.
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.Chapter Five 1:11“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
What really happens at death? What is the meaning of Jesus’ coming again?
Context is key to rightly understanding these passages and not fall prey to myths and fables which distract and takes our focus away from what Paul is writing about: Hope.
Certain groups have taken these passages intended to encourage us and give us hope; and built an entire theological system complete with books, charts, movies, TV preachers and numerous men and women preaching so called “end times” sermons with one single purpose: profits.
Paul is addressing those concerns.
Don’t be uninformed or forgetful
Do not do the things people who have no hope do when encountering death, particularly death of a loved one.
Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 14:1-2 instead do as David did when he lost a baby son 2 Samuel 12:20-23; Mark 5:38-39
In Christ we have the blessed hope of resurrection.
At his coming we will all be changed from - corruptible to incorruptible regardless of day, date or year this glorious event happens,
2 Corinthians 4:14; Mark 16:27-28; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
We will be called up and meet Jesus the air.
There will be no secret rapture followed by folded clothes on the floor, plane crashes and chaotic events.
Jesus will return like a thief in the night: unexpectedly and visibly.
In fact, Scripture tells us he will come with a loud and commanding voice.
And we will meet him to be with him, forever.
The prophecy and promise of His return should encourage us to live godly lives; walking humbly in His presence; doing good and doing it all for his glory.
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