why hasn't the rapture happend yet?

Question

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

Does this refer to the rapture, and if it does why would God put it in The Bible if he knew it would be a stumbling block for some peoples' faith?

Hey, Ray I think of it as a stumbling block because if it was talking about the rapture, that hasn't happend yet, and it has been so long, yet God said(if we can believe the Bible) that He would come soon.

Answer 1

The rapture hasn't happened yet because the Antichrist has not yet been revealed and the tribulation has not yet occurred. Check out the first link below for a verse-by-verse look at what the Bible says about the last days.

Answer 2

Every generation of mankind throughout history has had its religious movements that believed the end of the world was near. The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake was thought by some people at the time to be conclusive proof that the rapture was just around the corner. Other disasters in previous centuries were also thought to be signs that the "end times" had begun. Every generation thinks that the trials and tribulations of their particular slice of history are more significant than anything that has come before. It's simply human nature. It's the same instinct that still causes people to believe that our humble little planet is the center of all creation, and that the infinite universe that surrounds us was put there just to give mankind something pretty to look at after the sun goes down. God and the universe he created are so much bigger, more complex, and timeless than anything in the Bible, which is just a collection of stories written by men a mere thousand years ago in their attempt to capture the meaning of God in the pages of a book. There are plenty of good lessons and guiding principles to be found in the Bible, as long as you don't get bogged down in the ancient legends that are in there too. In other words, I wouldn't worry too much about the whole "Rapture" business. Literally millions of people who lived and died before you wasted their time thinking the end of the world was nigh, only to find that the universe, the Earth, and even human civilization are all unlikely to stop moving forward anytime soon.

Answer 3

It refers to the end of days and how you should prepare.

It was not meant to be a stumbling block for people's faith but it was meant to warn people and help them to prepare for what is to come. It is said that every generation will think that the time is at hand because no one will really know when it will be. But God wants people to see that it can happen at any time and you should be ready. This was intended to help with peoples faith. So that they have hope that Jesus will come back and that the living and dead in Christ will be swept away to heaven.

I can see how it can kind of cause some people to lose a little faith because it is kind of scary. But, there are things that we still do not know. There are all kinds of things going on that we do not know about. Anything that you get from the Bible should be used to help your faith and love for God grow not dimenish. If you get something else from it then you are not hearing it right. That is why Jesus always says, "If someone has ears to hear, let them hear." You are supposed to be able to find a different meaning from this other than just it's literal meaning or a meaning that might hurt your faith.

You can not understand everything that God does. Because God also said that our thoughts are not the same as his thoughts and our actions not the same as his actions. You can pray on things when you do not understand though and this should help.

Answer 4

I see these verses as Jesus reminding us where our focus should be. While having a wife is a good thing, the main focus of a person's life should still be on God. If you are mourning or rejoicing, do these things but don't let yourself become so wrapped up in your own affairs that you forget about the people around you. ANd verse 31...even though you live in the world and are here to be involved and help people, remember that Heaven is your true home.

That's how I see these verses.

Answer 5

Snarky answer first: Well, based on the general history of the interpretation and usage of various bible passages, it really refers to whatever you feel like!

Honest answer: Since i don't know which book this is from (i am way too lazy to look it up), I'm going to assume that it is in Revelations. So, if it is, then i would say not really. I think that it is only talking more generally (and to all people - not only those who might be raptured) about taking a pause in one's life and analyzing one's behavior to see if they are doing what they should be doing (in order to prepare for whatever might come).
Also, it is obvious that you have no doubt that some sort of rapture will occur, so i would just caution you not to perhaps expect anything too physical and immediate (i.e. people getting beamed up out of their cars in the middle of driving) - you might end up being severely disappointed.

Hope this helps,
Irina.

Answer 6

It's too late now for any pre-mid-post trib rapture theories. For the last (not just past) millennium already tried and failed to false end with Y2K; And notably had a 3 1/2 yr (42 mo) countdown to it from Grenwich, which began in June 1996. So all "their" rapture theories are impossible beyond 2003.

Not to mention there's no respect of persons with God. None!
Only option remaining for all is "endure to the end" = "saved".

The grace(only) of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.

Answer 7

The teaching is that we do not know when Jesus will return. It could be at any time. True, there will be signs. Christians will know the general timeline of Christ's return like a fisherman who watches the sky to know tomorrow's weather. But Christians who give in to immorality will be like a homeowner surprised by a thief. We must strive to live holy lives and stay awake and pray.

The last days started with Jesus' ascension. We are to live as Paul describes until Christ's return.
------------------------

For all of you saying "there is no rapture."

1Th 4:16 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:


1Th 4:17 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.

The word "rapture" comes from the Latin Vulgate "rapturus" meaning "caught up" and a translation of the Greek "harpazo" in 1 Th 4.17.

The teaching of a rapture comes directly from the Bible.

Answer 8

I think the verses refer both to the time just before the Lord's Second Coming, and to each of our lives. I do beleive that the Lord will come again, and to him the time no doubt does seem short. It will probably seem so to us, too, when we see things from his point of view.

But I think the verses also remind us that the passing of this world comes all too soon for each individual, especially if we're not prepared. Most of us will not see the "great and dreadful day of the Lord" from this side of its occurrence, but we will experience our own worlds' passing.

But sometimes like you, I think about a world without sin and horror, and wonder what it would be like to let children play even on snakes' dens without fear. I wish that world especially for my son.

Answer 9

No, actually, the whole rapture idea was invented by a 1850's preacher in Britain - he maintained that there was no way Christ would let the faithful go through the tribulations. However, the bible does not make that promise. If you take the "The Lord will take the faithful into the air" in context, the bible was talking about something different.

Answer 10

the rapture as described in the bible described the lives of many early christians, that were actually being persecuted by the Roman empire. it was likely a political tool used to spread the story of thoes people, but set to a future date so that the Roman Emperors could not claim it as an anti roman work which would bring more persecution.

much like George Orwell's book 1984, which was written in the 1940's, and post dated bbecause Orwell actually feared that the government would go after him for publishing works that were against them.

when you take these kind of works and give them a future date you remove the ability of a law abieding givernment to intervene because they are not fiction..

as for why god would put it in the bible...

god did not write the bible. men did, and then they claimed it as gods word.