Succinctly, then, the two differences are in timing and destination. If this is the case, the whole idea of seven years of tribulation vanishes. Why would the Beast "destroy the city [Jerusalem] and the sanctuary" (Daniel 9:26), and "then . The idea of believers being “caught up” by God is not limited to Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. Seriously, however, they gloss over the fact that Jesus says directly in this context that He would "come again." ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me’ (Revelation 3:20). How can we show that this is not when it will happen? How can we not be weak and anxious?”, Brother Zhang nodded and took up the thread of the conversation, “Alas! We should have faith in the promise of the Lord.”At her words, the co-workers looked at each other helplessly. Matthew 24:30-31 also verifies this scenario, showing that the trumpet sounds to send the angels to gather the elect from all over the earth to meet Him upon His return. Revelation 21:2-3 says, ‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This last—seventh—trumpet announces the coming of Christ, the establishment of God's Kingdom, the judgment upon the nations, and the rewarding of the saints. ( Log Out / (See I Thessalonians 3:13.). The trouble begins when people confuse this meaning with another definition of rapture that has nothing to do with the biblical concept: "a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion; a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things." Answer: The rapture is coming, and we should all make sure we are ready for it. How can this be explained?”, Facing Wang Na, Song Jiayin said in honesty, “About this question, Acts 8:39-40 says, ‘And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. The Latin translation of this verse used the word rapturo. 4:17 the English phrase “caught up” translates from the Greek word harpazo, which means “to seize upon with force” or “to snatch up.” ... (Matthew 12:29; John 10:12). To combat these clear time markers, Protestants have to say that Christ returns twice and that there are two different blowings of the trumpet! This scripture does, though, make a good point about God's plans for us! From the state of the brothers and sisters in the church and the world situation we can see that the last days have come. Since you say that to be raptured does not mean to be lifted up into the air, then is there any biblical basis for it?”Everyone all turned their eyes toward Song Jiayin. What do you say about this?”, Song Jiayin looked at everyone and said earnestly, “Thank the Lord! “Despite what you said,” said Sister Li blankly, “now the brothers and sisters all become passive and weak because it takes so long for us to welcome the Lord’s return. Proponents of the Rapture cite I Thessalonians 4:16-17 as their chief source of information: For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. That we will be lifted up into the air to meet the Lord does have its basis in the Bible. To make the Rapture fit, other events must be juggled to new positions, and verifying scriptures must be wrenched out of context to substantiate it. If attaining rapture refers to being taken up to heaven as we think, then won’t our desire of entering into the kingdom of heaven be in vain? The Lord Jesus said, ‘And no man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven’ (John 3:13). Anyone I preordained shall be caught up before Me” (from The One Hundred and Fourth Utterance). This is a huge mistake. . Anyone I preordained shall be caught up before Me.’ From these words we know the true meaning of rapture. Now we finally have a way of attaining rapture.”. Many people have died in the flames of war, and many houses have been destroyed. Rapture doesn’t mean that our flesh will be raptured into heaven to meet God as we imagine, but means that we recognize God’s voice, come before Him, obey His work and accept the words expressed by Him. of archangels?] Those who believe in Jesus will rise to meet Him in the air, and He will whisk them off to heaven for a 3½-to-seven-year Marriage Supper. Change ), Wonderful Videos Guide You to Understand God’s Work, 2020 Christian Testimony Movie Trailer | “Before the Election” | A True Christian Story, Christian English Movie | Chronicles of Religious Persecution in China “The Long Road of Exile”, Christ of the Last Days—Almighty God— the Spirit of Truth, 2021 Christian Music Video | “Great Are the Gains From Belief in the Practical God” ｜ Gospel Song Video, 2021 Christian Music Video | “We Have Been Caught Up Before the Throne”, 2021 Christian Music Video | “God Incarnate of the Last Days Perfects Man With Words” ｜ Gospel Songs With Lyrics, Kingdom Anthem: The Kingdom Descends Upon the World | Preview: Tap Lead-in. Jesus says, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out / This is most incompatible with people’s notions. Many scriptures show very plainly that God's Kingdom will be on the earth (Psalm 2:6-8; Jeremiah 23:5; Daniel 2:35, 44-45; 7:27; Zechariah 9:9-10; Revelation 11:15). . But in fact, as the verse says, ‘Philip was found at Azotus,’ and he spread the gospel in all the cities, doing the Lord’s will on earth. The other future rapture will occur when the two witnesses of the future Tribulation period ascend to heaven after God has resurrected them from death (Re 11:3- note , Re 11:11- note ; Re 11:12- note ). If our Savior is going to rule "over all the earth," the saints will have to settle for earth too! From this we can see our belief that ‘Being raptured’ means being taken from a low place to a high place, or being caught up from earth to heaven is all our notion with no basis in the truth. If He remains on earth to rule the nations, then the saints will rule with Him on the earth! In addition, an angel tells John in Revelation 10:7 that when "the seventh angel . Let me read it for you. [from BibleHub, under the word "together [G260]" in that verse] "In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:10, where ἅμα is followed by σύν, ἅμα is an adverb (at the … That is to say that God will establish His kingdom on earth. . Where? What do they believe? Besides, Revelation and other prophecies say that the wonderful future destination God has prepared for those of the human race that remain will still be on earth.”, Sister Yu hurriedly put down the cup in her hand and said with emotion, “Indeed. Now, let’s study some scriptures. In other words, the apostle Paul is NOT saying that the we “shall not all sleep” Rapture reference in 1 Corinthians 15:51 and the we “shall be caught up” together Rapture reference in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 will happen at the same time as the Bride’s miraculous glorification or the “changing” of Her Body as a whole from mortal to immortal, but he definitely is saying that both events (the Bride’s … We all know that ‘new Jerusalem’ means God’s kingdom. ” Now, we can understand that rapture does not mean being caught up in the air to meet the Lord as we have imagined, but means that when God comes to earth to work and people hear His voice, they can recognize Him, accept and obey His new work, and come before Him. . The timing is wrong! Notice two vast differences in these scenarios: » The Protestant Rapture takes place either 3½ or seven years before Christ's return, while the church believes it will occur at His second coming. . Our Savior promises, "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10). The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.". This being the case, God’s work of saving mankind is also, of course, carried out on earth. Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You [Him, margin]. Unlike the Protestants, we believe that "he" in this verse refers to Messiah, not Antichrist, for the main subject of this section is Messiah. That’s the way it is. Rapture Doesn’t Mean Being Caught Up in the Air . The rapture is the universal gathering of all the saints from creation until Michael sounds the trumpet of God. Then we are truly raptured.”, Sister Li said happily, “So the true rapture refers to following the footprints of the Lamb, and accepting God’s new work. . The prophecies of the Lord’s return have basically been fulfilled. Those who have a share in My house in the future are all people who have been caught up before Me. If we endure to the end and remain faithful servants of God, we will be among those who "shall be caught up together . How to use rapture in a sentence. . "Unsaved" relatives and friends will frantically and unsuccessfully search for their raptured loved ones. So, in our faith we must use the Lord’s words as the standard. ( Log Out / The trouble begins when people confuse this meaning with another definition of rapture that has nothing to do with the biblical concept: "a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion; a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things." However, I copied a passage of words, which has communicated it very plainly. When this event occurs is the key to understanding the Rapture. But how did this teaching of the apostle Paul ever come to be called the Rapture? If we compare verses 11-13 (the resurrection of the Two Witnesses) with verse 19, the "great earthquake" ties the resurrection of the saints with the beginning of the Kingdom (see also Revelation 16:18). “Jiayin,” said Wang Na, “everything you said does make sense, but the Bible very clearly records that Enoch and Elijah were raptured up to heaven. In the meantime here on earth, untold destruction occurs when professing "born-again Christians" suddenly vanish while at the controls of cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, heavy equipment and the like. It is by reading the words of a book that I understood what rapture truly refers to.” Then, Han Meihua opened the drawer and took out a book. It is similar to when the Lord Jesus came to do the work of redemption at the end of the … Is this wish after God’s heart? In the past, I just wondered how we could be lifted into the air since we are mortal beings with heavy bodies. Scorched by the heat, the trees and flowers at the roadside held their heads down listlessly.In a residential block, Wang Na forced herself to stay awake and continued, “The Bible says, ‘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’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17). It makes more sense to attribute this covenant to our Savior. (Request our December 1994 article, "Seventy Weeks Are Determined . After the Millennium has passed and the White Throne Judgment is complete, the Father Himself will descend from heaven to make the new earth His dwelling place (Revelation 21:3, 22; 22:1-5)! The rapture of the church is the event in which God “snatches away” all believers from the earth in order to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period. We have shown elsewhere that the reward of the saved is eternal life as kings and priests ruling and teaching here on earth (Revelation 5:10). It also can have the meaning of “to lead away forcibly” … “Rapture” is a synonym for the idea “to Catch way, to be Caught away, and the Catching away.” When beginning to study doctrines such as the rapture the following rules must be observed. (Philippians 1:9-11). For this reason, the Protestant concept is often called the "Pre-tribulation Rapture" and our view, the "Post-tribulation Rapture.". From this we can see our belief that ‘Being raptured’ means being taken from a low place to a high place, or being caught up from earth to heaven is all our notion with no basis in the truth. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. As soon as her voice subsided, a heated debate began in the sleepy room immediately. The Lord Jesus is the only gate to the heavenly kingdom. Those who didn't get Left Behind. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. He does not intend for us to feel His wrath in the Day of the Lord (verse 2). The translations largely use the phrase “caught up,” which is a bit closer to the original Greek, clearly avoiding the use of rapture. I Corinthians 15:50-52 is parallel to I Thessalonians 4:15-17. Question: "How can I be ready to be caught up in the rapture?" And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. As long as we can focus on hearing His voice, recognize the voice of the ‘Bridegroom,’ and accept His new work, then we will be taken up before His throne. This is absolutely true, never-changing, and cannot be refuted by anybody. Wang Na cast her eyes toward Song Jiayin and said solemnly, “Jiayin, we who believe in the Lord should go according to the Bible. After a fierce battle inside, she asked Song Jiayin, “Jiayin, if our understanding of being raptured for so many years is wrong, then can you tell us what is the true meaning?”, Song Jiayin hurriedly took out a notebook from her bag and said, “I can’t explain it clearly. Much of the Protestant view is based on an assumption. The clearest verses that show Christians immediately returning with our King to the earth are Zechariah 14:3-5, 9: Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. God’s words are expressed so clearly, how come we didn’t get anything out of it before? Then some of them lowered their heads and flicked through the Bible absently, some shook their heads slightly and gave a little sigh, and some even whispered to each other. Discussion: Will Christians Be Raptured Into the Kingdom of Heaven Instantly When the Lord Returns? This is a huge mistake. . Those who have gained the status of firstborn son, the status of sons, or people, are all those who have been caught up. Caught Up in the Rapture. They occur simultaneously! To earth! Likewise, the Bible prophesies, ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him’ (Matthew 25:6). Their being raptured was mainly because they could hear God’s voice. I must say that’s a fair concern. Actually, as for the mystery of rapture, Almighty God has already revealed it to us. Protestants, referring to Isaiah 28:15 and "a covenant with death," say that the Antichrist makes a peace treaty for one week—seven years—with the Jews. Which is correct, our notion or the Lord’s words?”, The objective Wang Na had been pursuing for many years began to waver in her heart. Today, I feel much more enlightened inside after such a fellowship.”. It mentions neither heaven nor earth, and thus it has no bearing on the physical whereabouts of the saints when Christ returns. This goes against the Lord’s words.”, Song Jiayin went on, “That’s right! Verses 26-27a speak of events that occurred in the first century. 3. Now, I finally get it.”, Brother Zhang said thoughtfully, “Yeah. However, the word Trinity is not in the Bible either, or even the word Bible for that matter. The Lord Jesus said, ‘And no man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven’ (John 3:13). Indeed, the faithful have not been appointed to wrath! From start to finish, God’s intention is for us to live on earth rather than in heaven. As Paul says encouragingly in Philippians 1:6: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." They will meet Him in the air and immediately return to earth as a vast army of spirit beings to defeat the Beast and False Prophet in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Revelation 19:14; Joel 3:1-2; Zechariah 14:1-5). In other words, it means to be carried away in spirit or in body. . So today, in the last days, when the Lord comes back and utters His words, if we can, like the wise virgins, actively seek His footsteps, recognize His voice, and accept His return, we will be able to follow His footsteps. Today, the prophecies of the Lord’s return have practically come true. The Fall of Jerusalem and the Coming of the Son of Man. Here, too, they make assumptions, such as understanding "house" only as a dwelling, rather than as a family or dynasty. I used to have the same confusion: The Lord Jesus once said: ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away’ (Matthew 24:35). After they committed sin, they were driven out of Eden. Obviously, God will come to the earth to establish His kingdom, and yet we insist on pursuing to be raptured up to heaven. Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. ‘Being raptured’ is not that, as we think, we’ll be lifted up into the air at a stroke when the Lord returns, but means that we can follow the Lamb’s footsteps, accept God’s new work and return before His throne. This is just as in the end of the Age of Law; when the Lord Jesus came to work, those who recognized God’s voice from the words of the Lord Jesus and accepted His salvation were raptured. As it turns out, ‘being raptured’ is not what we think—being lifted into the air.”. Does this sound like something our God would do? Therefore, the Lord should return soon to bring us into the kingdom of heaven. After the saints are resurrected, full-fledged members of the God Family, they may be able to go from earth to God's throne in the third heaven. It turns out that the true meaning of being raptured is keeping pace with the steps of God’s work and accepting the new work of God during the last days. These euphemisms serve a good purpose in distancing the church from groups that hold unscriptural beliefs on this topic. .," for further information.). But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.’ These verses say definitely that Philip was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord. ” Now, we can understand that rapture does not mean being caught up in the air to meet the Lord as we have imagined, but means that when God comes to earth to work and people hear His voice, they can recognize Him, accept and obey His new work, and come before Him. There will be no more mystery about man becoming God when the saints are resurrected or changed to eternal spirit beings! Those who teach the Rapture frequently begin with I Thessalonians 4:16-17, but soon afterward they move into areas unsupported in the Bible. The premier verse concerning the doctrine of the rapture, 1 Thess 4:14-18, was written to a church to whom Paul said a few verses prior, “[You] received the word in much affliction (1:5)…we told you before when we were … in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air"! Being ready for the rapture is much simpler than you may think. More than that, we should be applying the armor of God daily, preparing for our roles in the coming Kingdom of God (verse 8; Ephesians 6:10-18). . In verse 15 Paul says that this occurs at "the coming of the Lord," and in verse 16 Christ "descend[s] from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God." I agree. At that time, we will all meet the Lord in the air. And the dead in Christ will rise first. The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the near future. Famine, plague, floods, and droughts are also gradually spreading. On the other hand, the church's understanding of the first resurrection is more straightforward. What would you think if I said that the Rapture IS a biblical teaching? . Likewise, "the last trumpet" parallels "the trumpet of God." And thus we shall always be with the Lord. This is the true meaning of rapture. --"rapture" means "caught up/-away / snatch" (and for us, that is, "to the meeting of the Lord IN THE AIR") ... No, the TEXT STATES that we will be "caught up TOGETHER" (meaning, the verb-action for both happens AT THE SAME TIME). He then says He will receive the saints to Himself. God is molding us in His Son's image (II Corinthians 4:18; Romans 12:2; I John 3:2), and Paul shows us what we should be doing as He works in us: And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Read this article to learn the way to be raptured. It is clearly written in the Bible that mankind’s ancestors Adam and Eve originally lived in the Garden of Eden on earth. . Free of any arcane or mysterious interpretation, it simply means "to be caught up," "snatched" or "seized." He was "cut off, but not for Himself" (verse 26a) by His redemptive death in AD 31. The “Rapture” refers to a passage in First Thessalonians 4, where Christians are “caught up” in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Many Christians believe, and the Left Behind books promote, that this being “caught up” to meet the Lord will occur before the Great Tribulation sometime in the near future. The phrase "the kingdom of God" in I Corinthians parallels "the coming of the Lord" in I Thessalonians. In the Age of Law, man believed in Jehovah God and abode by the laws and commandments. Jesus will come in the air, catch up all Christians from the earth, and then return to heaven with the Church. The Meaning of Rapture in the Bible. Earthquakes have frequently been happening around the world; the international situation has been turbulent. We must go to Revelation 11:15-18 to confirm when the last trumpet sounds: Then the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]: And there were loud voices [shouts? When people blur these meanings, a picture develops of a strange, otherworldly experience preached by fire-breathing preachers to compel sinners to repent before God's wrath burns them to cinders. Being caught up is referring to My predetermining and selecting. If we are busy following these instructions, with God working in us "both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13), we do not need to fear God's wrath! The Rapture in the Bible is the event in which believers, both living and dead, will be caught up with the Lord Jesus in the air at the same time and enter, with glorified bodies, into eternity. But many have come to believe that this rapture will take place quietly – that faithful Christians around the world will suddenly disappear and that life here on earth will continue for a seven -year period of tribulation. . This is the true meaning of rapture. Bible verses about the rapture Many ask is the rapture biblical and the answer is yes. Sister Song, you have been at other places and rarely come to our co-worker meeting. Anyone I predestined shall be caught up before Me’ (‘The One Hundred and Fourth Utterance’). Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. The words ‘the tabernacle of God is with men,’ ‘He will dwell with them,’ and ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord’ in the prophecies also adequately prove that we will ultimately live on earth, and God’s kingdom will descend upon earth rather than being in heaven. This simply restates what is said in verse 26a. To clinch the argument, verse 29 very plainly says, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days. There is no judgment, no punishment, and it will be a glorious day for all believers. This is a huge mistake. If the timing is off, the sequence of events will not make sense, and this is what happens with a Pre-tribulation Rapture. Since God created man, He always carries out His work on earth. It is similar to when the Lord Jesus came to do the work of redemption at the end of the Age of Law. Protestants also use John 14:2-3 to "prove" that the saints go to heaven: In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. We find the answer right in the context of I Thessalonians 4; in fact, Paul mentions the exact timing twice! Song Jiayin and the co-workers all smiled. . ‘“Being caught up” is not being taken from a low place to a high place as people imagine. Being caught up is referring to My predestining and selecting. The Lord Jesus is the only gate to the heavenly kingdom. It is targeted at all those I have preordained and chosen But this makes no sense! The true meaning of Rapture is “to be carried away with power,” and it is true that when Jesus comes the living righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The rapture of the saints is an amazing revelation intended to instill hope in believers enduring persecution. » When believers are "caught up" in the air, Protestants believe, they will go immediately to heaven for a long, spectacular feast. Free of any arcane or mysterious interpretation, it simply means "to be caught up," "snatched" or "seized.". Because Paul writes, "And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:17), they assume that since Christ lives in heaven, the changed saints will too. The rapture is for believers. The Lord Jesus is the only gate to the heavenly kingdom. In an instant believers will be caught up into the clouds to meet with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12x24 Portable Metal Building,
Aziz Foundation Twitter,
Critical Analysis Of Poem Beat Beat Drums,
We Made It To Friday Gif,
Especialidades Médicas Telefono,
Strength Meaning In Tagalog,
Sea Girt Military Beach 2020,
Absolute Value Transformations,
Zillow Towson, Md,