The Rapture - Introduction & Warnings

Introduction and Warnings on the Rapture Doctrine

The Thessalonians were confused concerning the Rapture and the Day of the Lord. Paul wrote two letters to them to address their concerns and misconceptions about Yeshua's return.

While trying to clear up these issues, Paul also issues a stern warning:

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (LITV) "But if anyone does not obey our Word through the letter, mark that one, and do not associate with him, that he be shamed. [15] But do not count him as one hostile, but warn him as a brother."

A 2016 Lifeway Research study found that 36% of American pastors believed in and taught a pre-tribulation rapture. If 36% of pastors are preaching this, how many Christians in America are following their teaching? What will be their reaction when the tribulation events occur, and they’re still here experiencing the hardships?

I saw a t-shirt the other day. It read: "If Paul we here, we'd be getting a letter."

That is a lot of Truth for the Western Christian community. I believe we owe a lot of the confusion to the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye. Scripture, in no way, shape, or form supports a pre-tribulation rapture. We'll get to this in part 2.

Scripture warns against deception: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (LITV) "Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, because that Day will not come unless [1] first comes the falling away, and [2] the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition."

So, above we have two conditions set in stone.  That day will not come until:

[1] The apostacy - falling away... so called Christians abandoning their faith in Yeshua.

[2] The Antichrist will be revealed.  There will be no more guessing, or speculating, we will know exactly who the Antichrist is.

The important point to notice is number [2] above.  The Antichrist is not revealed until the mid-point of Daniel's 70th week.  

So what does that mean?  This is a clue as to the timing of "that Day will not come".  Which day?

[2Th 2:1 CJB]  But in connection with the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah AND our gathering together to meet him, we ask you, brothers,

This is undeniable evidence that the pre-trib rapture is a lie! Which leads us to the "falling away".

This ties into apostasy in the last days:

1 Timothy 4:1-2 (LITV) "But the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, cleaving to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, [2] in lying speakers in hypocrisy, being seared in their own conscience."

Most of Western Christianity has been taught, and believes, that we will be raptured out of this world before the beginning of Daniel's 70th week.

What do you suppose will happen to the faith of those, who find themselves caught directly in the path of the tribulation period? They'll be wondering why Yeshua hasn't come for them! Why are we going through these difficult times? We were supposed to be raptured out of here! Those preachers lied to us! How can we believe anything that came out of their mouths?! etc. I don't know about you, but I can see people abandoning their faith over this.

And...

2 Timothy 3:1-9 (LITV) "But know this, that in the last days grievous times will be upon us. [2] For men will be lovers of themselves, money-lovers, braggarts, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] without natural feeling, unyielding, slanderers, without self-control, savage, haters of good, [4] betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, [5] having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it; even turn away from these. [6] For of these are those creeping into houses and leading silly women captive, the ones having been heaped with sins, being led away by various lusts, [7] always learning, but never being able to come to a full knowledge of the truth. [8] But in the way Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also these withstand the truth, men having been corrupted in mind, found worthless concerning the faith. [9] But they will not go further, for their foolishness will be plain to all, as also that of those became."

Does the above passage sound familiar to anyone? All you have to do is turn on your local news station.

Revelation 7:9-15 (LITV) describes a great multitude from the tribulation: "After these things I saw, and behold, a great crowd which no one was able to number them, out of every nation, even tribes and peoples and tongues, standing in front of the throne, and before the Lamb, having been clothed with white robes, and in their hands palm branches. [10] And they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation to our God sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb. [11] And all the angels and of the elders and of the four living creatures stood around the throne. And they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, [12] saying, Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength to our God forever and ever. Amen. [13] And one of the elders answered, saying to me, These, the ones having been clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where did they come? [14] And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are those coming out of the great tribulation; and they washed their robes and whitened them in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Because of this they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His sanctuary. And He sitting on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them."

The passage above from Revelation occurs at a specific time... at the opening of the sixth seal... which does not occur until well into the second half of Daniel's 70th week. We'll move on now to section 2 - follow the link: Core Argument Against Pre-Tribulation Rapture