Christians - Concerning the rapture?

Question

We had better prepare to see the worst times that this world has ever seen. In Mat 24 he is addressing believers. The scripture also states that there is a great falling away of the faith that takes place. The fire that is coming to try the world is the same fire that will purify the Body of Christ. The "rapture" and the raising of those who have died in Christ are an almost simultaneous event that will occur (at the last trumpet)at the return of Jesus to set up the millennial kingdom. Be prepared to endure until the end.
The "pretribulation rapture" teaching takes scripture out of context and is comforting to the flesh but we need to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

One last note - If I am wrong and we are taken out before tribulation, I will still be ready. If we have to go through it, will you be prepared?

Dave P - When you see the fig tree Blossom ( Isreal is the fig tree) we are the generation

Dave P - No disrespect intended. Without being born again it is impossible for the carnal mind to understand the Spirit. I applaud your attempts but I did post this question for the Christians.

Answer 1

You are selective in your reading. Matthew 24:34 clearly says "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."

Indeed, the temple was destroyed within a generation and there were a number of messiahs besides Jesus and a number of what the early church called heresies in that time. Paul warns in his letters of some of the "false apostles" of those times.

The key phrase is "those times". If you believe the bible, the times referred to in Matthew 24 have come and gone.

P.S. In response to the fig tree note, if you can say that the fig tree is not a fig tree and "this generation" did not mean the generation that Jesus was talking to then why can't you say that the six days of creation did not mean six days and that making man of mud really meant that man was evolved from bacteria that lived in mud? You interpret what has been shown to be wrong and cling to fables that cannot be disproved.

Answer 2

Matt. 24 was addressed to the Jews. Why would Jesus talk to a Jewish audience about the Church (which didn't exist then) and Gentile believers (who were not yet part of the church). I understand that sometimes people stumble on the word "elect"
(Matt. 24:31), but that is referring to all Israel, the remnant who will be saved through the tribulation. The Bible uses the term "elect" for Israel throughout the Old Testament:

1Ch 16:13 O seed of Israel, His servant; O sons of Jacob, His elect.

Psa 89:3 I have cut a covenant with My elect; I have sworn to David My servant,

Psa 105:6 O seed of His servant Abraham; O sons of Jacob, His elect.

The term “falling away” in the Greek is “Apostasia” , a noun. Our English word apostasy is a transliteration of apostasia. The verb from which this substantive is derived is “aphistemi”, a combination of “apo” which means “from” and “histemi” which means “to place, or stand”. The Greek term means simply “to stand or be placed away”. What stands or is placed away and what it is placed away from is determined by the context. The equivalent English verb is “depart” and the noun equivalent of “Apostasia” is “departure”. Who is departing and what they are departing from is determined by the context.

You also have a problem with Rev. 19, which is the marriage supper of the lamb. The whole Church would have to present for this to occur, this happens before the second coming.

You would also have a problem with this verse:

Rev 13:15 And was given to it to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak, and might cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

This is during the trib.. Either those on earth (except for the preserved remnant of Israel) will take the mark or die, there is no other option offered. So, even if the church were here until this point, they would either take the mark and be cursed, or die.

You also need to ask yourself, what is the God's purpose in the final days? Judgment for sin on the earth.

Did not Jesus, in His body, pay for the sins of His people? Yes

Then, why would the Church, which is the body of Christ, suffer judgment for sins already forgiven? They won't, because we will not be here.

The pre-trib rapture is fully supported by Scripture and was the main belief of the early Church and Church fathers.

Answer 3

The "end times" is an attempt to complete a world view in mythological terms: God created the world and God will end it according to his demands on human behavior. However, since this mythology does not really need any real cause to trigger it's effect, it keeps going along a parallel track with the human generations. The sad thing is that it may well come to pass, because men cannot stop killing each other and glorifying in new and better ways to do so.

Answer 4

The apostles then believed that Jesus will come again within their own lifetimes. Thus the concept of rapture was developed to accommodate the faithful who may still be living at the Second Coming. That is, these faithful group will ascend to heaven directly without first dying.

Answer 5

No matter if you've been "born again" or not, the end of times is difficult, if not impossible for any of us to understand. Jesus was quite clear when he told us that we will not know when it will come. Many generations have thought, "This is it!" and it was not. I think it is time too, and I hope I am prepared. However, the bottom line is that Jesus himself did not know when the time is.

Blessed Be

Answer 6

Must be a 7TH Day Advenist. Totally dedicated to Jesus. Totally confused about prophsey. We are indeed brothers and will see Jesus soon.
Once you have salvation what's left to prepare? The only thing left to do is spread the word.

Answer 7

I used to be pre-trib, but I am leaning more and more towards pre-wrath rapture. I think most people mistake the tribulation for the wrath of God. "God did not appoint us for WRATH." I have been reading "The Sign" by Robert Van Kampen. It's all about the pre-wrath rapture. It is very thorough. I am seeing things a little differently, although I'm not quite sure yet, but, I agree with you on being ready for it, anyway. What could that hurt? At least we would know what to do if we have to go through it. I think we should be prepared in either case.
My nephew is a pastor, and believes in the pre-wrath rapture. He is very strong in it. Everything he says makes sense to me so far. KEEP WATCH!! God Bless

Answer 8

1) The concept of "Rapture" never appeared in the Bible. Revelation says 144,000 souls will be saved before the tribulation, but they're all going to be male virgins.

2) Jesus has been imminently expected for about 2000 years now. Why are you SO SURE you're going to be experiencing this stuff?

3) Of course, it's all nonsense anyway.

Answer 9

We are IN the great tribulation. The majority of the world is against God and filled with anger, hatred and wickedness towards each other.

We should be wise enough to put our trust in God as we go through these time and seek Him more and more each day to preserve us in our faith.

For us, the Day of the Lord is something to look forward to:

Acts 2:20-21
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
(from New International Version)


1 Thess 5:2-9
2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(from New International Version)

Answer 10

pre-T, mid-T, post-T.....

two rules I use when studying this....

1) I'm not on the scheduling committee...just on the reception committee...

2) don't matter which of the three it is... will not be there for the last day of the 7 year mark. Will either be raptured, or will have been martyred.