Brush Strokes of the Master

Growing a strong church one member at a time

Lesson 7 - Why don't you believe in the rapture?

In this lesson we will take a close look at the Bible's teaching related to the rapture. As with any comprehensive study on a topic we will look at a tremendous amount of scriptures related to the subject. We will break many of the passages down verse by verse. As we study we will build, using the scriptures, a complete picture of the end of times and compare it to the doctrine of the rapture.

I.   What does the Bible say about the rapture?

   1.   The word "rapture" appears in only one translation of the Bible that can be called common (and calling it common is a stretch). Darby's translation says "As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons: In his shadow have I rapture and sit down; And his fruit is sweet to my taste." In Song of Solomon 2:3.

The word rapture here obviously has nothing to do with the subject at hand. It is worth noting that the word rapture does not appear in the scriptures related to our subject at all. This alone should cause us to strongly question the doctrine. Nonetheless in order to be thorough we will continue to study the "theme" of the rapture and look at what God's word has to say about that theme.

II.   What is the rapture doctrine?

This doctrine, like many denominational teachings, varies greatly from group to group. Here is a brief outline of three popular versions:

   1.   The simple.

   a.   Jesus will return to earth secretly and call His faithful home leaving the sinful people behind confused as to where the others went.
   b.   Christ will then bind Satan and rule earth for 1000 years.
   c.   After this, there will be a great war, Armageddon, in which Christ will destroy Satan and cast him into Hell.

   2.   The not so simple.

a.   At the start of the millennium, Christ will literally return to earth and personally take charge of all things for literally one thousand years.
b.   He will reign from Jerusalem on the literal throne of David.
c.   The righteous dead shall be raised with immortal bodies to help the Lord reign over people with normal bodies.
d.   The Lord will personally convert the whole world, who, though they reject the gospel, will receive him.
e.   After 1,000 years, the Lord will suddenly turn the devil loose, and the Great Tribulation will follow.
f.   The righteous will be caught up (the Rapture) to escape all this.
g.   There will be a series of judgments ranging from two to seven, depending on the form of the theory believed.
h.   During the Great Tribulation, Enoch and Elijah, who never died, will return to earth, preach Christ, suffer martyrdom, and then be raised from the dead and go on preaching!
i.   The Jews will all be converted and rally around Christ in Jerusalem. Rejecting the gospel, they will nevertheless accept Christ!
j.   The church becomes a step-child, or a concubine, in all millennially related speculations. It will be totally swallowed up in the glories of the millennium.
k.   Resurrections are as plentiful as judgments, depending on the shade of the heresy advocated.
l.   Some even assert that the wicked dead will rise and be given a second chance to accept Christ.

   3.   The even more not so simple.

       a.   The Antichrist will rise to power and rule the earth for a period.
       b.   The rest is the same as number 1 or 2.

III.   What does the Bible say about the end of time?

   1.   Descriptions of the end of time and the beginning of God's judgment are plain. Let's look at each one and start building our picture of the end of time:

       a.    Matthew 24:1-36

           In verse 3 Jesus' disciples ask him TWO questions:

           1.   When will the temple be destroyed (Christ has told them this would happen in verse 2)?

           2.   When will He return?

In verses 4-22 Jesus answers the FIRST question. Many people today look at these verses and mistaking apply them to the end of time when they actually describe the destruction of the temple and the Jewish nation. Of instance verses 18-20 talk about people not being able to get their clothes, hope they are pregnant or it be in the winter. Clearly this doesn't describe Christ's return because who would care about those things then? They describe how these things would make it hard to flee the army that will eventually come and lay waste to the temple and the Jewish nation.

In verse 23 Jesus says "Then" speaking of the "distant events of the future. Let's look at some key thoughts from this passage.

23-26 - Don't be fooled into looking every time someone says "There is He!" There will be false prophets before He returns.
27 - He shall come as plain as a flash of lightning.
28 - The eagles will gather where He is.
29 - The sun and moon will not shine. The stars will fall and heavens will shake.
30 - He will appear in the sky. All people will mourn. All people will see His power and glory.
31 - He will send the Angels, blowing trumpets, to gather the faithful from all the earth.

In verse 32 He starts by saying "Now" referring again to those things He spoke of concerning the temple's destruction. His thoughts here continue to verse 34 saying all of those things will happen before the people listening to him die.

Verse 35 returns thoughts to the end of time through verse 44 further explaining the time of His return will be when it is least expected.

       b.    Matthew 25:1-13

           Parable of the ten virgins telling us to be ready for His return.

       c.    Matthew 25:31-46

This passage contains a vivid description of judgment. Verse 31 says Jesus will come then return to His throne to judge mankind.

       d.    Matthew 26:64

           He is coming in the clouds and will be seen.

       e.    Mark 8:38

           He will come in glory with the angels.

       f.    Luke 12:37-40

           Blessed are those who were ready for His return. We need to stay ready.

       g.    Acts 1:11

           He is coming in the clouds.

       h.    1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Notice how this passage closely parallels the one in Matthew 24. Let's break it down as well:

51 - Some people will be alive when Christ returns. They and the dead will be "changed."
52 - The trumpets will sound. The dead will arise "incorruptible."
53 & 54 - Paul goes over the changed state we will go through.
55 - 58 - Gives God the glory for conquering death.

       i.    Colossians 3:1-4

           He will be revealed.

       j.    1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Once again this passage restates most of the first two we broke down but adds an important piece of information:

13 - People were worried about their dead Christian family members and friends.
14 - Paul says like Christ was raised, they will be too. Notice the phrase "in Jesus" denoted Christians.
15 - The living will not prevent the dead from joining Christ.
16 - He will come with a shout, the voice of the archangel and a trumpet. The dead will rise first.
17 - Then those who were alive will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 - Tells us to look forward to this event.

       k.    1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

This passage is a continuation of the one above and is where many misunderstanding about Christ's coming originate:

1 - Paul has nothing to say about when it will happen because he has no idea when it will be. Remember, Paul was bestowed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and he still did not have this information.
           2 - The day will be completely unexpected (not secret and quiet).
           3 - When the world least expects it His return will totally surprise us.
           4 - 11 - Christians should always be ready!

       l.    2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

He will be revealed with his mighty angels in flaming fire punishing those who deserve it.

       m.    2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

           Don't be fooled about when it will be. There will be a departure from the faith first.

       n.    2 Peter 3:4 & 2 Peter 3:10-11

Verse 3 quotes the skeptics about His second coming. Let's look at the answer in verses 8-10 closely:

10 - His coming will be a surprise. The heavens (sky and space) will be destroyed with a roar. The earth will be destroyed by fire.
           11 - We should be ready

       o.    Jude 1:14-15

           He will come with His holy ones and execute judgment on those who deserve it.

       p.    Revelation 1:7

           He is coming in the clouds and every eye will see Him.

III.   What about Armageddon?

   1.    Revelation 16:16 says "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Is Armageddon a place where two battles had occurred Barak over the Canaanites and Gideon over the Midianites. It is also thought to be the death place of Saul and Josiah. It is mentioned here as a symbolic reference to a place of slaughter in regards to the destruction of Jerusalem. Armageddon is a place not a battle!

IV.   What about the Antichrist?

   1.   The Antichrist is viewed by many people in the world as Satan, or an agent of Satan, who comes up earth before the end of time and rises to power on the earth. He will gain political, financial and religious prowess without anyone knowing his true identity or plan, which is of course to rule the world.

       The scripture paint totally different view of the term antichrist. Let's take a look at these passages:

       a. 1 John 2:18

       This passage covers the destruction of Jerusalem talked about in Matthew 24. Notice the writer says many antichrists are already here. This term is clearly describing the false teachers in Matthew 24:5 & Matthew 24:11.

   b.    1 John 2:22

       This verse defines, point blank, what the term antichrist means. You one denies the Father and Son.

   c.    1 John 4:3

       Restates both points made earlier in this book.

   d.    2 John 1:7

       Again reinforces that antichrist are people who deny Christ and that they are already present in the world during the first century.

2.   The Bible is clear. There will be no single figure, the Antichrist, who will rise to power on this earth. This term is misused and misapplied in today's world.

V.   What about the 1000-year reign?

   1.   This teaching is based in Revelation 20.

Rapture	Truth	Scripture
Christ will come in secret	Christ will come in the sky where everyone will know, see and hear. It will be a very public known the world over.	Matthew 24:26-31 Matthew 25:31-46 Matthew 26:64 Mark 8:38 Mark 8:38 Acts 1:11 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11) 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 2 Peter 3:4 & 2 Peter 3:10-11 Jude 1:14-15 Revelation 1:7
The faithful will disappear	The faithful death will rise to meet Christ in the air, then the faithful living	1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
There will be an Antichrist rise to power	The term Antichrist means "one who denies Christ" and does not refer to a single person or future leader. This type of person was around when the Bible was written.	1 John 2:18 1 John 2:22 2 John 1:7
Christ will be an earthly king for 1000 years	Christ will not return to the earth.	1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Christ and Satan will have a battle (Armageddon)	Armageddon is a place. There will be no war between Christ and Satan.	Revelation 16:16

"And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple." "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 rumours 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." "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not." "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." "Behold, I have told you before." "Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not." "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:" "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom." "And five of them were wise, and five were foolish." "They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:" But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." "Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps." "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out." "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut." "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us." "But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not." "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:" "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:" "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:" "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?" "When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?" "Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?" "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:" "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:" "I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not." "Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?" "Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

"Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

"Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." "And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants." "And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through." Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

"Behold, I shew 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." "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." "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." Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you." 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." "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," "Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."

"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels," "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:" "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;" "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him," "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"

"And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

"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." "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,"

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints," "To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"

"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."

"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."

"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

"Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not." "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."