Second Coming of Jesus

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE "RAPTURE"

Let me give you Bible PROOF right from the start why the rapture teaching HAS to be a false teaching. We are going to use a lesson from Jesus Christ Himself to show you why the rapture theory has to be a false one.

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the disciples a couple of parables. One of them being the wheat and the tares. Now have a real good think about the following verses:

Matthew 13:24-30 ...'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.'

When we come across such clear Bible verses as these, we should not need to debate the issue, because God has left no doubt what the truth is. These verses alone show the rapture theory to be false. Notice that Jesus says to leave the wheat (children of God) and the tares (the wicked) TOGETHER UNTIL THE HARVEST. But the harvest IS the "rapture" you may say? Well, if the rapture is the harvest, then this world must continue after the harvest right? Because that is what the rapture theory teaches, that the world continues for at least another 7 years AFTER the church has been taken. Look at the following scripture:

Matthew 13:38-40 ...'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.'

So we have a number of very clear points here. The church (wheat) and the wicked (tares) are not separated until the harvest. The harvest happens at the end of the world when Jesus comes at the second coming with His angels. The angels gather the wicked FIRST.

Those who believe the rapture teaching are waiting for Jesus to take them away from this world FIRST, before the end. And yet the above scripture clearly shows that the church will continue to stay on this earth until the end. And the lost will be gathered first, not the church. Proof that the rapture teaching is false and that there is no separation until the end of the world.

WHERE DID THE RAPTURE TEACHING COME FROM?

During the great Protestant reformation, the reformers believed and taught the "historical" interpretation of the Bible and prophecy, especially concerning the antichrist. They clearly saw from the Bible and history that the antichrist was a religious system of apostasy and great persecution, rather than a future single individual. And from the evidence, it was clear that this antichrist system was none other than the Papal Church of Rome (Roman Catholic Church).

 

 

This brought about the counter reformation from Rome and a new society was established in the mid 1500's called the Society of Jesus (Order of the Jesuits), led by Ignatius Loyola. Through this Jesuit order, new interpretations of Bible prophecy were introduced, placing the emphasis on futurism, rather than the accepted historical interpretation. And of course with these new teachings of futurism, the Papal church was able to divert the minds of the people away from the Roman Catholic Church being the true antichrist, to a future individual who would arise AFTER the church was "raptured" away.

They achieved this by changing the true historical teaching of the 1260 year prophecy of Daniel and Revelation where the saints were persecuted by the antichrist power (fulfilled between 538AD - 1798AD, and known as the Dark Ages where the Papal Church persecuted God's people who read the Bible for themselves) to a literal 1260 days (3 1/2 years) and placed that time period in the future. They also changed the 70 week prophecy of Daniel, by taking the last 7 years and placing them, again, in the future and saying that the church would be "raptured" away before this 7 year period of tribulation, during which time the antichrist would rise. Even though there is no Biblical support whatsoever for taking the last 7 years of the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel and placing them into the end times.

The main aim of these new false interpretations was to divert people away from the truth that the Roman Catholic Church is the antichrist system that the Bible speaks of. And they were successful, as these false Jesuit teachings dominate in the mainstream Protestant churches today.

IS "RAPTURE" IN THE BIBLE?

Let's take a look at the very name "rapture". You will not find this word anywhere in the Bible.

 Not only is the word rapture not in the Bible, most Christians who believe in this teaching can't even agree as to whether they will be taken before, during, or after the seven year tribulation. There is just utter confusion on this, when there shouldn't be, as God's Word is very clear on it. It's a false teaching and in this study we will show you why.

To say that Christ will rapture away the church goes against the very teaching of the end times taught in the New Testament. And as we take a look through some Bible verses, you will see that the second coming, the resurrection, the harvest and the end of the world happen during the ONE SAME EVENT. There is no mention at all of any sudden taking away of the church before the end of the world.

The word 'rapture' is based on the words 'caught up' in the Bible verses following in Thessalonians:

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.'

Now if we study the above verses IN CONTEXT, we will see another description of the second coming in Chapter 5 vs 2 ... "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." ... This thief in the night description is also used by the rapture supporters. But if we take a look at another Bible passage that talks about Jesus coming like a thief in the night, we can gain a TRUE understanding of it:

2 Peter 3:10 ...'But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.'

Wow! Bible proof once more that the rapture teaching with a following 7 year tribulation period is a false teaching! Look at what it says. Yes, the Lord WILL come like a thief in the night, but what happens AT THE SAME TIME? "the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.". No rapture and certainly no life continues AFTER Jesus returns like a thief, because it's the end of the world!

So what is the Bible getting at when it tells us that Jesus will return like a thief? Again we need to study IN CONTEXT, rather than take a verse hear and there. Look again at 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4:

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 ...'For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.'

So what happens during the coming of Jesus as a thief? SUDDEN DESTRUCTION! And what does the above verses confirm concerning the church? THAT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL NOT BE AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT to the church, because we will have been watching and waiting for Him. So to apply the thief in the night verses to the church being raptured away is wrong. But the following verses confirm who Jesus comes as a thief for:

John 10:10 ...'The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'

Matthew 24:43 ...'But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.'

Revelation 3:3 ...'Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt NOT watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.'

Revelation 16:15 ...'Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.'

Do you see a clear theme here? Friends, you have the amazing Bible truth right there! Jesus is NOT coming as a thief for the church. He is coming as a thief for the lost! For those who will not be expecting Him to return. Think about it. Would we WANT to see a thief? No. So who is it that wouldn't want to see Jesus "as a thief"? The lost! And when He does come as a thief, He will destroy the wicked and the earth will come to an END, which 2 Peter 3:10 confirms.

PAROUSIA AND APOKALUPSIS

Those who believe in a rapture say that the Greek word "parousia" refers to the secret coming of Jesus with the rapturing of the church and that the Greek word "apokalupsis" refers to the visible glorious coming of Jesus in power seven years later. So they believe from these Greek words that Christ will return in two phases, separated by the 7 year tribulation. The problem is, we have already PROVEN from the Bible that there is no separation between the church and the wicked until the END OF THE WORLD. The rapture supporters also teach that in middle of this seven year period, the antichrist will reign. This is nothing but Jesuit false doctrine to take people's eyes off the Roman Catholic Church being the true Bible antichrist. But let's take a quick look at "parousia" and "apokalupsis", and what we will show you is that BOTH are used to describe the SAME second coming.

Paul uses the word "parousia" in the well known so called "rapture chapter" of 1 Thessalonians 4, which we have discussed above, when speaking of the coming of Christ and our gathering together unto Him. But Paul then shows that this "parousia" will destroy the man of sin; the Antichrist ... "whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming [parousia]." 2 Thessalonians 2:8. So we have a problem. Paul is saying that it is DURING the "parousia" of Christ that the man of sin will be destroyed. And yet those who hold to the rapture teaching say that the man of sin will reign AFTER the "parousia". And will not be destroyed until the physical "apokalupsis" coming of Christ.

"Apokalupsis" [revelation] is also used in a way that indicates it is NOT a separate coming from the time the believers are gathered up. Peter said in 1 Peter 1:13 ..."be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ;" Now why would Christians be exhorted to continue hoping to the end of the world for the grace brought through the revelation of Jesus Christ if their real hope was a rapture seven years before the revelation? Do you see the problems with this teaching? I hope so.

These following verses which give Matthew and Luke's account of the same event prove that the words "parousia" and "apokalupsis" do refer to the SAME ONE COMING OF CHRIST. In Matthew 24:37 it says ..."But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be." ... And the same account in Luke 17:26, 30 says ... "As it was in the days of Noah ... Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [apokalupsis]." This is how we are to find out the TRUTH. We need to compare scripture with scripture.

So why are the two Greek words used? It's quite simple. Parousia means "presence", a VISIBLE return. And Apokalupsis means "to reveal", a REVEALING OF THE TRUTH. So to turn these two words into two separate comings make no sense whatsoever. They both describe the ONE event, the physical, visible, loud, fiery second coming of Christ, in which the truth will be REVEALED!!

LEFT BEHIND?

Another popular false teaching which is taught alongside and is used to support the rapture teaching is the left behind doctrine. This has become so popular that NOVELS have been written about it, selling multiple millions of copies. And yet, along with the rapture teaching, it can EASILY be proven false from the simple Word of our Awesome Creator and Saviour. So let us do that straight away.

Luke 17:36-37 ...'Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.'

So those who support the rapture teaching believe that the one taken is the one raptured to heaven, as you can gather from the picture, and the one left behind is the one that goes through the 7 year tribulation after the church is raptured. Some even believing that the one left behind gets a second chance at salvation, which is a VERY dangerous teaching.

Now if you read Luke 17 in context, you will see that Jesus is describing His physical, visible second coming. And during this event He says that between two people in the field, one will be taken and one will be left. Now remember what we discussed at the very beginning of this page? We proved that it is only at the end of the world that this separation takes place. So from that we know, this event in Luke is the ONE coming of Christ which marks the end of the world. Now notice what else it says in Luke 17 above:

"WHERE LORD?"

The disciples ask "where Lord". Why are thy asking this? Do they need to know where the one left in the field is? No. They want to know where the one TAKEN has gone. And look at Jesus' response ... "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together." ... Now the word eagles in the original language can also mean VULTURES. And where do vultures gather? Where there is a DEAD BODY!

Job 39:27-30 ...'Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.'

You see, the one taken is the lost and will be destroyed, and the one left behind will be saved, just like Noah was the one left behind and saved, while the wicked were TAKEN by the flood and destroyed. And contrary to belief, Lot was the one left behind and saved and the wicked in Sodom were "taken" and destroyed.

And we know this also because Jesus said that the angels will gather the wicked FIRST to be destroyed (Matthew 13:30)

The whole message of what Jesus was giving was for us to be watching and waiting for His return. His ONE AND ONLY return. So that we will not be "taken" by surprise and His second coming ends up being "like a thief" to us. And what does this false Jesuit teaching of the rapture and the left behind teaching do? It causes believers to "relax", thinking that they will not go through the tribulation that is to come and maybe even get a second chance after the church is so called "raptured". This is a teaching from the enemy friends and goes against the very teaching of Jesus that we need to be PREPARED, READY, WATCHING, WAITING for His return!

Luke 13:25 ...'When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.'

THE END OF THE WORLD

Matthew 28:20 ...'lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.'

Interesting statement don't you think? Why would Jesus promise us that He would be with us until the end of the world, if He was going to rapture away His people BEFORE the end of the world?

John 6:40 ...'And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.'

John 6:44 ...'No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.'

John 11:24 ...'Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'

John 12:48 ...'He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.'

The separation takes place at the end of the world, NOT before. We are resurrected on the last day, NOT before. We receive our judgment and reward on the last day, NOT before. Friends, this is the BIBLE TRUTH. Please heed the Word of the LORD, not the teachings of man!

This Post is taken from the website at the bottom:
 http://www.endtimes-bibleprophecy.com/page26.htm