http://media.voe.org/Manna_fest/
Zephaniah 2:3
As a bit of background, there are several mainstream theories about the Rapture and the Tribulation (See my notes from study of Revelation with Dr. Chuck Missler). In his Manna Fest program, Pastor Stone goes through the Scripture to explain 1) why the Rapture is real; 2) how it occurs; and 3) why it takes place BEFORE the Tribulation (i.e., "Pre-Trib" theology).
I did not include notes on his two teachings on showing why Post- and Mid-Tribulation theories result from incomplete understanding of the Scripture and why a full understanding of the Scripture leads to the Pre-Tribulation theory because his teachings were just too dense for me to effectively write it down. That is, I need to do a lot more studying of my own before I can even begin to explain what all the fuss is about.
However, I can explain this: Understanding that the Rapture will take place is critical. The Parable of the 10 Virgins is the most vivid example I can think of to illustrate the importance. The 10 virgins represent Christians. Only 5 of them made it to the wedding banquet because only 5 of them diligently looked for the coming of the groom (Jesus). This means that those who are not looking for the return of Christ will miss the "catching away". It does NOT mean they are not saved. It simply means, they will be left behind and have to endure the horror and hardship of the Tribulation--a period of God's wrath meant for enemies of God.
Now, whether we believe the Rapture will happen before, during, or after the Tribulation, that is not going to change our salvation. It is purely a theological debate, because the Bible doesn't directly tell us when it's going to happen. This is why there is a debate in the first place, because biblical scholars who spend hours studying this have to depend on their knowledge of the history, the culture, and the Scripture to piece together the clues for their "answer". And I put answer in quotation marks because it's really their best guess at best. And it's okay if Christians differ on their views about when the Rapture will take place. As long as we are all looking for the return of Jesus, we will be caught away and not be left behind.
With that, my notes below:
Revelation of Jesus Christ's ascension and return to earth to take the living saints in the air and also to resurrect the dead John 14:1-2
John 5:28
John 6:40
Acts 1:11
The Gospels and the Book of Acts reveal Jesus will return.
Paul wrote about 7 mysteries in the New Testament, and one of them is about the return of Jesus to resurrect the dead in Christ and the return of Jesus to catch away the living.
There are 4 different Greek words used to describe what has been translated as the concept of "Rapture" in English
1 thesselonian 4:16-17
Paul writes about how Jesus will return to catch up or rapture the living saints "caught up together" = to seize or to pluck by force
Ephesians 1:10
"gather together in one" = to sum up or to gather in one
2 thesselonian 2:1
"gathering together" = a complete collecting of something, of individuals
Hebrews 12:22-24
"General assembly" = to assemble all This is a Jewish teaching that every 7 years, there would be a great assembly that takes place at the temple.
The Book of Revelation is written around 20-25 years after 70 AD, thus throwing out the theory that Revelation has already occurred in 70 AD
Amillenialists believe that there is no thousand year reign of Christ
There are some who do not believe in the Rapture based on the idea that the Bible does not mention the word Rapture in the English translation.
So... why do Christians even use the word, Rapture?
Well, consider the following first: The words demons, 2nd-coming, trinity, millennial reign etc. are not translated in the English version either. However, these words sums up the concept that is clearly stated in the Bible. That is, it is easier to say "demon" than "an evil spirit that possesses", or "trinity" than "God the Father, the Son, an the Holy Spirit" etc. Similarly, there is a reason why the word Rapture was chosen to sum up the event of Jesus catching away or assemble His people. Any version of the Bible, not written on its original language of Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic, is a translation!
When translating the Bible, words are carefully chosen to reflect the original language, that is, in parallel. The word Raptus was used in the Greek to describe the act of catching away, hence the English word Rapture was chosen.
If people disagree with using such a word to describe this event, then use the general term that describes the event, which is found throughout the Bible: general assembly. The word "translation" can also be used, as Enoch was translated. However, the use of these terms can be confusing because these terms are also used to describe other functions. Thus, Rapture is preferred because it is the universal word that describes the unique event readily understood by CHRISTIANS.
The Old Testament speaks about the Rapture:
Zephaniah 1:18, 2:1, and can be explained by New Testament texts
"Lord's wrath"--Revelation 6:16, 11:18
"Gather yourselves together"--Ephesians 1:10, 1 Thesselonians 4:16-17, 2 Thesselonians 2:1
"a nation will provoke you"--Matthew 21:43, 1 Peter 2:9 reveal this nation is the Church; Deuteronomy 32:21 mentions God will raise up a nation that would provoke Israel to jealousy
"before the decree is issued"--Daniel 9:27, Revelation 12:14 reveal this decree is the 7-year peace treaty made by the anti-christ
"before the Lord's anger comes upon you"--Romans 1:18, 2:8, Ephesians 5:6, 1 Thesselonians 1:10
Prophesy: "the day of God's wrath is coming and the land will be destroyed"--Isaiah 13, All through judgments of Revelation
We are told to gather together BEFORE the decree is issued, meaning PRIOR to the last 7-year covenant the anti-christ will make in Daniel 9:27
That is, Rapture can also be called:
Gather together: 2 Thesselonians 2:1
Caught up: 1 Thesselonians 4:16-17
General assembly: Hebrew 12:22-24
Translation: Hebrew 11:5
The concept of Rapture is mentioned in the Torah: Galatians 4:24-25
This happened when Moses was on Mount Sinai. Paul was also on Mount Sinai when he got the revelation of the Rapture (Galatians 1:15-17). On Mount Sinai, the Lord showed Paul the mystery of the Rapture, captured in Paul’s writing in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. No one had gotten a direct revelation of this mystery before, which God had hidden from men since the beginning of the world.
Why did God have to wait to reveal the mystery of the Rapture until Paul’s time?
1. The mystery of the Church: the Church had to be formed!
1. The mystery of the Church: the Church had to be formed!
2. The Gentiles had to be grafted into the covenant, because the Gentiles are a part of the great catching away that is going to take place. The Gentiles were not grafted into the covenant until Acts 10.
The Tribulation is mentioned in...
Jeremiah 30:7
Isaiah 13:13
Matthew 24
Revelation 7:14
Daniel 9:27 mentions that the Tribulation will last 7 years
Zephaniah 2:3
Psalms 27:5
Isaiah 26:19-21
"We may be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger"--suggesting the Rapture occurs BEFORE the Tribulation
Isaiah 26:9
Jesus will be raised along with the dead--This is talking about the resurrection of the righteous
1 Thesselonians 4:16-17
The dead in Christ will be raised first
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
The resurrection upon Jesus' return is a mystery, which Paul goes on to explain what that mystery is
Isaiah 26:20
Shut the door: Matthew 25:1-13, Revelation 4:1--once you enter through the door, the door is shut
Indignation: Daniel 11:36--the judgments or wrath of God Hide yourself for a little moment: This little moment is not forever, and Revelation 5, 8, 16 talks about God's wrath and judgments during this period
Isaiah 26:21
God will punish the inhabitants of Earth for the shedding of innocent blood: Revelation 6:10--Martyrs cry out to God, asking how long would He wait to avenge their blood on those who dwell on the Earth; Revelation 18:21-24--Mystery Babylon is judged because she shed the blood of Christ and the blood of the saints and the prophets Hence, the wrath of God in these end time judgments is based on more than anything else the shedding of innocent blood--For example, at least 50 million babies have been aborted in our world!
God does not judge the righteous in the same manner as the unrighteous. God provides an escape of His wrath for the righteous (1 Corinthians 10:13, Luke 21:36)--another support for the "catching away" of God's people PRIOR to the Tribulation
God has always provided “escape” for the righteous, aka the overcomes (Revelation 2-3), while He released His wrath on the unrighteous, aka the wicked (Psalms 71:2, 141:10; Isaiah 37:32, 66:19):
* In the days of Noah (Hebrews 11:7)
* And as Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37), and “It was the same in the days of Lot” (Luke 17:28-30), these are other evidences for the pre-Tribulation Rapture theory
* In the days of Lot (Genesis 18:25, 19:22; 2 Peter 2:9)
* Israelites escaping Egypt (Exodus 12:23)
* Rahab escaping judgment (Hebrews 11:31)
* Christians escaping Jerusalem during its demise (Luke 21:21)
* A group of people will escape from the Anti-Christ to Jordan (Daniel 11:41)
* 144,000 Jews will be sealed and protected from the destruction of Anti-Christ (Revelation 7:3)
* Noah, Daniel, and Job will escape God’s judgment (Ezekiel 14:13-14)
Parallels between Jesus’ 2nd coming and Israel under Moses’ leadership show that Moses on Mount Sinai is a clear picture of the Rapture:
* Israel was a peculiar people (Exodus 19:5); the Church is a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9)
* Israel was a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6); the Church is kings and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6)
* God appeared to Moses on the 3rd day (Exodus 19:11); Jesus will raise us up on the 3rd day (Hosea 6:1-3)
* God came down on Mount Sinai in the clouds (Exodus 19:16); Jesus is returning in the clouds (Acts 1:9-11)
* God’s voice sounded like a trumpet (Exodus 19:16); when the Lord returns, the trumpet of God will sound (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
* God answered Moses in a voice (Exodus 19:19); when the Lord returns, we will hear the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
* God came down in fire (Exodus 19:18); Christ returns in fire (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)
* God descended from Heaven (Exodus 19:20); Christ will descend from Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
* God called Moses up (Exodus 19:20); the Saints will go up upon the Lord’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
Reasons for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture
1. The tribulation is a time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7).
2. It’s a trial that Israel has to go through in order to bring about the return of the Son.
3. This trial is not for the Church; the Church is judged at the Lord’s table!
4. God reserves His wrath for His enemies (Nahum 1:2). He chastises His children.
5. The tribulation is a time to judge the nations for their sins (Revelation 11:18), not the Church, not the saints!
6. The tribulation is to destroy the Earth of sinners (Isaiah 13:19); it has nothing to do with destroying the righteous!
7. The tribulation is to bring forth a remnant of Israel (Isaiah 1:9, Revelation 12:17)
8. The Lord has not appointed us to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
9. The Lord said we should pray to escape these things (Luke 21:36) – If we aren’t meant to escape, then why would God tell us to pray to escape?!
10. The Lord said He would keep us from the hour of testing (Revelation 3:10)
11. The Church will have a Sabbath of rest in Heaven (Hebrews 4:9)
The Rapture is a blessing for those who have been faithful and overcomers.
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