Discussion or Conclusion To the Rapture
The Rapture is a mystery (1 Cor. 15:51-52) not fully revealed in the Old Testament.
"Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
This mystery was foreshadowed in the Old Testament
- Enoch was caught away before the flood, and Noah and his family were protected from the impending judgment.
- Lot and his daughters were warned by angels to get out of Sodom before destruction fell.
- Moses and Israel crossed the Red Sea while God held back the waters of judgment later to descend upon the Egyptians.
- Elijah is a type of the living saints and Moses of the dead saints escaping judgment (cf. Matt. 17 and transfiguration scene.
- Wrong theories of the Rapture
- Wrong theories as to time.
Post-tribulation rapture - this teaches that Christ comes for His church after the judgments recorded in Rev. 4-19. It is based on a misinterpretation of Rev. 20:4-5 which says this is the first resurrection.
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."
Mid-tribulation rapture - Held by Norman Harrison and others. Supporters hold that the trump of God in 1 Thess. 4:16, and the last trump of 1 Cor. 15:52 are the same as the seventh trump of Rev. 11:15ff.
"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:"
"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."
"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:"
"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."
- Wrong Theories as to Persons Involved
Partial rapture theory. Based on such passages as Matt. 24:45-51 - But this man is not a saved man, He is an "evil servant."
Matt. 25:1-13 - But there is no reference to the Bride in this passage (George N.H. Peters - John 3:29 friends of the Bridegroom.)
Luke 20:35 - Before the Cross, and before the church began.
"But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:"
"But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:"
Luke 21:36 - the New Testament is filled with urgings to persevere.
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
Phil. 3:11, 14 - Cf. context 7-8
"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"
"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"
Verse 8 refers to a loss suffered on the Damascus Road. When he took Christ he lost everything he held as a Jew. When he got Christ, everything worth getting came with Christ, and this included the resurrection of verse 11. (See Moule).
Heb. 9:28 - This has nothing to do with looking for Christ's coming, but looking for benefit from Christ's atoning work.
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
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