In my early Christian experience, the message preached was a secret sudden disappearance of millions. The belief was that very suddenly, Jesus Christ would secretly return to take born again believers back to heaven with him. Preached was that this could happen at any moment, in the twinkling of an eye, millions of people worldwide would just suddenly disappear. It is taught that this secret sudden disappearance is the Rapture of the church.
I never questioned this teaching or belief until I was in my forties. I had no reason not to believe it. If it is preached from a pulpit by a good minister, then it has to be true, right? A Christian would never teach something false, would they? After all, these spirit-filled trained professionals know the Bible inside and out. They know God.
My suspicion grew when I realized that not all Christianity believed in a secret sudden rapture of the church. This belief is held largely by evangelicals but rejected by other parts of Christianity. How could this be if there is only one Lord, one faith, one body, and one Spirit? Who’s right and who’s wrong if every Christian is born again of the same Spirit?
Examining the Rapture Doctrine
In this blog we are going to examine the biblical rapture view held by so many in the Christian religion. Let’s look at the biblical evidence used to support a secret sudden disappearance of millions. Maybe this is just a matter of misinterpreting the Bible?
Personally, I hope the rapture is true. But if it’s not, would it be important to know that? The Adversary could use a manufactured theory like the rapture doctrine to destroy the hopes and faith of millions if it is believed wrong? More information in my book, The Adversary. https://theadversary.blog/
My First Experience
My first memorable experience with Christianity was in 1968 when I was just eight years old. As a youngster I attended Vacation Bible School (VBS) every summer while growing up. I also went through all the various Sunday school grades that were comparable to the public school system at the time.
There was never anything bad to taint my memories. VBS was like a weeklong fun social club that had biblical themes, many of which are still with me today. I had friends that would come and go but still see them at regular school. For me, this was my first experience with God. What was taught was the gospel truth and I never had any reason to ever doubt it.
I stayed until 2005 when I abruptly left between Sunday school and the main service. I never went back to church again.
My first pastor was Charles E. “Chuck” Westendorf. When I first attended there was another pastor that was soon replaced by Westendorf. He was a good speaker and a genuine minister. I always listened when he spoke and prayed. Pastor Westendorf wasn’t an old guy; but he was old compared to me at the time being in his thirties or so. He had a wife and three kids my age and younger.
A Thief in the Night
During VBS in 1974, a film titled A Thief in the Night was shown. Click link below to watch.
As a new impressionable teenage Christian, the film’s theme of a secret sudden disappearance of the church stopped my heart. I was determined to be ready when Jesus would suddenly return. This was an Iowa film. The ending scene was filmed not far from where I was watching it, so it was literally close to home!
Writing to Provoke Thought
In March 2001, something unusual and profound happened in my life that I can only describe as nothing less than spiritual. It caused me to search for who God really is and what the Bible actually taught. I don’t look down on my former church, but it could no longer satisfy my desire to know the truth by staying. I had to leave to grow – a decision I have never regretted!
Leaving organized Christianity in 2005 forced me to look deeper into several practices and beliefs, including the secret sudden disappearance of the church doctrine. I started with where I came from. It didn’t take too long to realize that other organizations suffered from the same deficits of biblical truth, having parts of the truth but denying others. To join another church would only result in the same learning disadvantage.
I do not write to debate or change anyone’s mind. I write to provoke thought. The Holy Spirit changes the mind and leads into all truth.
Ground Rule No. 1
To pursue biblical truth, there must be some basic ground rules in place. Asking if there is a secret sudden disappearance of the church or not is a valid question for anyone interested in following Jesus. It’s a belief that I hope to be true, but if not, then we should have the courage to find out why and accept the conclusion. To discover truth, by necessity one must go back and walk in the time and culture in which Jesus lived and taught.
In Jesus’ ability and power, he is not confined by time, space, or matter.
A foundational biblical fact: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
This is ground rule No. 1 – God never changes! And, yes, Jesus Christ is God! This will involve a whole new blog at a later time.
Ground Rule No. 2
Apostle Paul writes, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
What is often overlooked is the fact that a New Testament never existed when Paul wrote this. That was still centuries away, so what “scriptures” were inspired by God? The only scripture extant at the time that apostle Paul was familiar with was the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings.
Ground rule No. 2: It is only from the source of the ‘Jewish’ Tanakh that all New Testament doctrines originate.
Ground Rule No. 3
This takes us to Matthew 5:17-19 when Jesus gave his famous sermon on the Temple Mount address:
- Think not [do not let it enter your mind] that I am come to destroy [abrogate, rescind, alter] the law [Torah], or the prophets [Nevi’im]: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil [to make full of meaning].
- For verily I say unto you [I tell you the truth], Till heaven and earth pass [after millennial reign a thousand years away], one jot or one tittle [the least smallest detail] shall in no wise [never] pass [change] from the law [Torah], till all be fulfilled [done].
- Whosoever therefore [if anyone] shall break one of these least [significant] commandments [of 613 in the Torah], and shall teach men so [discourage by example], he shall be called the least [no crown] in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them [encourage by example], the same shall be called great [earn a crown] in the kingdom of heaven.
This is ground rule No. 3: Jesus came to fulfill ground rule No. 2.
Ground Rule No. 4
What is the crux of Jesus’ message? He came preaching the Kingdom of heaven and how he was making it possible for all people to enter. He came to give an invitation to have a new life and to live forever in a restored Kingdom where he is supreme ruler. His teaching centered on the Kingdom of God and how a person can enter and what will not be allowed to enter. Entering the Kingdom and living forever is the essence of the good news or gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ground rule No. 4 is understanding the message Jesus came to deliver, that each individual accepting the invitation must be born again and live by the commandments. Jesus elevated the physical to the spiritual reaching into every nuance of human thought and behavior.
Ground rule No. 4 makes seeking the Kingdom and the righteousness of God the primary direction of transforming our external and internal lives. Looking for a secret sudden disappearance is a distraction from the work at hand.
Unpacking the Secret Sudden Disappearance
Jesus never changes, and he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. This is a foundational truth in all biblical ethics, beliefs and conclusions. He came to make full of meaning all his words in people who choose to follow him. God does nothing except it brings glory to himself.
If a doctrine cannot be found originating in the source the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings that Jesus came to fulfill, then it cannot be biblical truth. Jesus is not going to do something not written. He will not expect anything of someone he did not do first himself or not written. This is of primary importance when considering the validity of all beliefs, doctrines and practices.
Now we can start unpacking the RAPTURE doctrine and determine if a secret sudden disappearance of the church is biblical.
Believe and Be Ready
Two of the most common warnings surrounding RAPTURE are to believe and to be ready.
How ready does one have to be to be taken in the Rapture? Being left behind has always been a fearful consequence of not being ready enough. The danger is the coming Adversary mentally wearing down a person and whispering in their ear: you didn’t make it or you’re not good enough.
The world is getting bad. People are already guessing when the Rapture will happen. Everyone that believes in Jesus is ready while everyone not believing in him will be left behind. The problem with this logic is it diminishes the power of Jesus and places salvation on the believer.
What does it mean to believe? Even the demons believe according to James, but the demons don’t obey. So maybe belief is acting in obedience to God’s will? Maybe believing requires more than just thinking about something?
It’s illogical that we could be taken suddenly at any moment and then be unready and left behind in the very next. What does one have to do to be ready as opposed to not being ready? This is a conundrum for those preaching this doctrine as truth. How can this be explained?
Anchor of the Rapture
The anchor of the Rapture doctrine is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
- For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord [Torah & Prophets], that we which are alive and remain [still living] unto the coming [physical return] of the Lord shall not prevent [precede first] them which are asleep [having died throughout the ages].
- For the Lord himself [personally & physically] shall descend [appear] from heaven with a shout [a command], with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God [announcement; sound]: and the dead in Christ shall rise [resurrect] first:
- Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them [those deceased] in the clouds [angels], to meet the Lord in the air [above ground]: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Other questions are raised. Is the soul immortal? Is it true we go immediately to heaven or hell upon death? If so, why then would we need to be resurrected if already in our eternal place? A follow up question: If we go to heaven upon death, why does Jesus need to come back and resurrect us? Why not just wait for us to die and join Jesus in heaven?
What is Jesus waiting for? Why do we have to go through hell to get to heaven? Why not just go to heaven already?
Could it be possible that one error in misunderstanding engenders other errors in biblical understanding?
How Jesus Returns
Many scriptures support Jesus returning to establish a Kingdom he came to announce. How he returns is reported by two angels after he ascends to heaven.
“And when he [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud [witnesses, angels] received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven [where he returns from] as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 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 [back] in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9-11).
“Behold [pay careful attention to this], he cometh with clouds[angels that received him return with him]; and every eye shall see him [removes secrecy], and they also which pierced him [having been dead a long time resurrected for judgment]: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Revelation 1:7).
Meaning of ‘Caught Up’
Rapture comes from Greek word harpazo. It generally means to be caught up, but its expanded meaning implied in four other Bible applications is to catch, steal, to carry off; taken by force, pluck, and catch away. Other uses are equivalent “to being arrested, apprehended, and taken by force.”
When Jesus returns, he’s going to take the world by force and set up his Kingdom. It will be sudden but no secret. Those who remain alive will be apprehended by superior forces and protected since the world will be in a state of total panic. When the angel reapers appear, it will be to harpazo those running in fear for their lives.
This negates a first phase followed by a second phase theory seven years later. Jesus will return ONCE a second time, not twice. Jesus is not coming back to negotiate the release of his people. His intervention will be by force to take over all existing governments and institutions. He will set free his people that remain alive, and they will join those resurrected back to life.
The Resurrection
The resurrection will be conducted by the power and authority of Jesus Christ as he returns. This event will defeat the grave for millions. The dead in Christ will literally be taken by force from the grave. With the power and strength of the grave defeated, many will be made alive again, born again as spirit beings.
Those who remain alive will instantly be set free from the death and destruction of the Adversary and be changed in the twinkling of an eye. A resurrection scenario is more plausible to harpazō than a secret sudden disappearance of the church.
Order of The Resurrection
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Corinthians 15:22-23).
Being in a grave is opposite of being in the air.
The First Resurrection
“I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that, he must be loosed a little season.
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:1-6).
Who Are the Clouds?
Clouds are those white marshmallow looking objects floating in the sky but doesn’t represent the totality of what Paul is saying. Hebrews 12:1 starts out stating, “…seeing we also are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses [angels]….”
A cover of darkness with clouds or doom or trouble coincides with the prophet Joel. “A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness….” Foretells the great and terrible Day of the Lord (Joel 2:2).
Clouds describe an army of angels following Jesus returning to Earth. It is the same as he was seen leaving in his ascension nearly 2,000 years ago in Acts 1:11.
Their awesome approach returning to Earth creates the appearance of clouds since they take up the entire skyline. The Adversary and his demons anticipate their imminent demise, describing doom and darkness. They are the dark clouds filled with anger and violence.
The resurrected dead will be joined with Jesus and his army of angels. It is estimated two billion angels taking over the Earth according to figures provided by Psalm 68:17.
Where Will We Meet?
1 Thessalonians 4:17 – “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them [those deceased] in the clouds [angels], to meet the Lord in the air [above ground]: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Air: SSC 109 aēr, is a blanket surrounding the Earth, and it could also mean a substance of spirit. A cloud of witnesses in the previous definition of clouds will encompass the entire planet. It will form an inescapable blanket of air surrounding the Earth. This will be an airtight trap. There will be absolutely no chance of escape for any of the demon hoards cast down to Earth and occupying it at present. They will be totally cut off and apprehended.
Keep in mind that Lucifer drew away only one-third of the existing Kingdom. This means two-thirds of the Kingdom remains intact and loyal to the arriving King. Lucifer facing Yeshua’s armies are at a 2:1 disadvantage.
Where will we meet Jesus our King? Above ground, alive, not in the grave. On this Earth.
Timing of the Second Coming
“Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days…they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven…And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet….” (Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27).
It plainly reads AFTER the Tribulation, and every eye will SEE him. The question is, when and how long is the Tribulation? I’ve heard it could be seven to seventy years. Who knows? Maybe we have been experiencing tribulation all our lives?
A future Great Tribulation of 1,290 days at the end of the Age is what this website is warning the adherents of all religions about.
Once the Adversary is known by the world, he will only have a short but specific time left. Enduring this time, the worst of times, is what we are encouraged to be ready for. This will be the greatest test ever endured by man. Why?
Because repentance will be induced to produce a priesthood government and a great multitude without number with whitened robes of righteousness. Noah was saved through the flood, not from it. Israel was saved from Pharaoh through the Red Sea. Christian believers will be saved through the Great Tribulation, not from it.
Let Jesus finish his work in you!
When Will Jesus Return?
“Behold, I shew you a mystery: we shall not all sleep [die], 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…” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
Only those who will be changed in an instant, in a very quick moment, will be those in the first (next) resurrection. These will be the government of Jesus and great multitude without number that will join them. The priesthood government includes a limited number of 144,000 kings and priests, but a great multitude remains open and unlimited in number.
Jesus is coming to save those who are lost and stuck in hopeless situations.
When is the Last Trumpet?
“And the SEVENTH angel sounded: …thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints…” (Revelation 11:15-18).
“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).
At sounding of the last, the seventh trumpet, is beginning of the Lord’s Day, the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. I don’t know when the last trumpet will sound but do know it will not occur before the Great Tribulation and final event of the ages. Here is proof from the pages of the Bible!
Watching for the Lord
Jesus said, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42). Jesus is clear when he says we will not know the time of his return. He is not saying to watch for a secret sudden disappearance of the church.
While I’ve been accused of date setting because I say Jesus is returning on the Day of Trumpets, I would contend that those who believe in a Rapture have also set a date. They claim Jesus could come back anytime.
When Jesus says, that “no man knows,” is exactly what he means! Even I must prepare and watch year after year on the Day of Trumpets, for a day and hour that no man knows!
We will not know when it is until it actually occurs, but we do have signs that point to it.
Importance of the Holy Days
All the Holy Days have an initiation, intermediate and final fulfillment. The Day of Trumpets is the seventh new moon and first day of the seventh month. The Hebrew waited and watched for a new moon each month; but the seventh month has a specific meaning.
All the Holy Days picture events of monumental importance. They are holy rehearsals that we should be encouraging one another with according to Hebrews 10:25.
The Day of Trumpets
A Day of Trumpets is a day that holds the most significance for Jesus’ return and the true timing of the Rapture. This is not a secret sudden disappearance of believers.
Institution of this Holy Day begins in Exodus 19. Israel is sitting at the foot of Mt. Sinai when Moses is called up to the mountain. He is going to receive the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets.
It is at this precise moment that a “memorial” is set for Israel to remember (Leviticus 23:24). It reminds of a future event when a great trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise first and those who are alive and remain will be caught up with Jesus at his appearing.
The connection between the two Holy Days is the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets given to Moses on Pentecost at Mt. Sinai. And judging the same Ten Commandments now written on the heart on the Day of Trumpets.
How the law is written on the heart is what we are willing to obey in practice.
Judgment Day
Not having the moral law written on the heart, ALL ten of the commandments, may decide which resurrection one in. This includes remembering the seventh day Sabbath and its purpose for rehearsing and practicing.
Information on Sabbath can be found in Missing the Mark. http://thebp.net/264260
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). Jesus had a Hebrew reckoning of time. He knew what Day, he just never specified when that day or what year it would be.
That’s why a few verses later he said, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42). How can we mistake this for a secret sudden disappearance of the church?
Why would we need to watch for something that no one knows when it will happen? This is why we rehearse year after year, and watch!
If we can understand that Jesus fulfilled the spring Holy Days precisely to the day and hour. Then, we can be assured he will also fulfill the fall Holy Days with the same precise exactitude!
Yom Teruah is the only Holy Day in beginning on a day and hour that no one knows. No one knows when it is until the sliver of the new moon is sighted on that day.
Synopsis of Judgment Day
Jesus will return at the sound of a trumpet, with the voice of an archangel on the Day of Trumpets. He will separate the sheep from the goats on the Day of Atonement. Preparation for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb on the Feast of Tabernacles. The Last Great Day will be judgment of the nations with eternal life or death awarded. Both judgments will be permanent and final.
No where in a Judgment Day scenario is a reference to a secret sudden disappearance of believers.
Beware Anti-messiah Coming Before the Real Jesus
D-CON is rat poison that is 99.5% good food for a rat to eat mixed with .5% poison. It is the large amount of good tasting food that attracts a rat. But it is the small amount of tasteless poison added that is lethal and kills the rat. Many are eating the tasteless poison surreptitiously added to humanist religion. They are already eating the perceived good and tasty food provided by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They are eating the poison added by the Adversary that causes the mind to explode and kill one another.
Many will die by order of the Adversary. There will be endless war. The Jews wait for their messiah, Christians wait for the rapture, and Muslims wait for their twelfth Imam. Guess who will be offering peace and unity to a devastated world at war. Yep! You guessed it! The Adversary.
The Adversary will be the personification of a long-awaited Jewish messiah. He will be a peace-making Christian Jesus of the rapture and Islamic twelfth Imam all rolled into one. This individual will be pleasing to the eye, charismatic and believable. He will deceive the whole world!
The Take-Away
What you can take away from this website. Know that the Adversary will come before the real Jesus that ascended to heaven returns from heaven. The coming of the real Jesus will be unmistakable, but the Adversary will come first in all forms of deception.
Could it be possible that the doctrine of a secret sudden disappearance of born-again Christians be part of the deception?
Feel free to leave a comment!