The Rapture
Will Christians vanish around the world one day, without warning like in the
movies? Let's answer that question based on what the bible alone has to say.
Some mistakenly think Scripture describes a “rapture” when it plainly describes a flight
into a “wilderness”, yet we know that Heaven is not a wilderness. Also the Israelites came out of Egypt “on eagles’ wings” (Exodus 19:4),
yet they walked out of Egypt. God was using symbolism when speaking of a way of
escape, not a rapture.
How could the Beast make war with the Saints if they have been raptured?
Revelation 6:9-12 "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;"
Revelation 13:7-8 "And it was given unto him [the beast] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindred's, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
But what about one is taken and the is other left?
Matthew 24:40-41 "Then [at the time of his return] shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill the one shall be taken, and the other left." [Christ is showing that at his return there is to be a separation made between those who have and those who have not qualified to enter God's Kingdom]
Matthew 13:24-40 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Matthew 13:36-43 "Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
The parable says to gather first the tares for destruction, burned up,
and then gather the wheat into the barn. The good seed are those that follow
God, the tares are those that are evil, that follow the ways of Satan, they
are left to grow together in the world until the harvest, which is the end
of this earth age, Jesus return.
Matthew 13:47-50 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
Again we see the wicked are separated first for destruction, and burned up.
As seen by these scriptures, it will be unbelievers who will be taken to face
in death first when Jesus returns, then the believers of God will be caught up
to meet him in the air that same day.
God's people go through the tribulation.
Revelation 7:14-9 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred's, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;... And he said to me, These are they which went through the great tribulation [No one is removed before the tribulation], and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
Revelation 9:1-4 "And the fifth angel sounded... And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass or the green things or the trees of the earth, but hurt only those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads [if gods people have already been raptured, why tell the angels only to hurt those that do not have the seal of God in their foreheads?]."
Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." [Notice that it occurs at Christ's return]
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 "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. 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: 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."
Matthew warns believers on how to handle the coming tribulation.
Matthew 24:2-31 "And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be".
Until Christ returns all those who have lived and died will remain dead in
their graves. At Christ's return he restores the kingdom of God over all the
nations. A select few who through the ages will be resurrected to immortal life,
and those alive of his at his coming will be transformed immortal, meeting
Christ in the air. The Bible clearly states that the Church will refuse the mark
of the beast and will be rewarded for it by ruling with Christ. Christ is
preparing places or positions of responsibility for his true followers, to be at
the same location as Christ is when he returns. During the thousand year
millennium Christ rules with those resurrected or transformed, offering
salvation to all humans who live during the thousand year time frame. During the
tribulation period, Christ's followers are afforded protection. After the
thousand years are over heaven comes down to earth, God dwells with men on the
new earth.
The good news is that many who go through the tribulation turn back to God.
Daniel 12:10 "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried [many are tried by going through the tribulation]; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand."
Revelation 7:14-9 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred's, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;... And he said to me, These are they which went through the great tribulation [No one is removed before the tribulation], and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The truth is that the people of God will be killed for refusing the mark of the beast during the tribulation. No where in the Bible does it say anything about a pre-tribulation rapture!