What about the Rapture?
Religious people often accept the doctrine of premillennialism. The doctrine teaches that when Jesus
returns, he will establish His earthly kingdom and reign for 1,000 years in the city of Jerusalem.
One aspect of this theory is “the rapture”. The theory states that immediately
prior to the return of Christ to begin his thousand-year reign, he will immediately take his saints out of the world for a
period of seven years. According to the theory, this seven-year period is “the rapture.”
While the saints are in heaven for these seven years, a great tribulation will fall upon the people who are left on
earth. At the end of the seven-year period, Christ will return to the earth, establish his kingdom, and
rule over this earthly kingdom.
Does the
Bible teach this? An investigation will show that the word of God does not teach
a single element of “the rapture” theory.
Proponents of this theory use 1 Thess. 4:14-18 as proof that the saints will “be caught away.”
But there is no mention of a seven year period. Nor is there a mention of “the rapture.”
The saints will be “caught up in the clouds,” not for seven years but to “ever be with
the Lord.” When Paul wrote, “Even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him (1 Thess
4:14),” he was teaching the same thing that he taught in 1 Cor. 15:52, “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.”
God will raise the dead in Christ and change the living, and all will ascend to meet the Lord when he comes.
This passage speaks of the same final resurrection spoken of in 2 Thess. 1:5-10 and in 1 Cor. 15. After
this coming of Christ, Paul writes, “Then comes the end (1 Cor. 15:24).” There will be no other
resurrection.
Neither in 1 Thess. 4 nor elsewhere,
does the Bible teach that there will be a either a secret or public rapture for seven years.
1 Thess. 4 shows that Christ will never actually put his feet upon the earth again. Paul says that
he will come in the clouds and we will be caught up to ever be with the Lord.
There will be no earth from the time of the catching away of the saints because it will be burning up (2 Peter 3:12).
When Christ returns, instead of beginning
his reign and establishing an earthy kingdom, he will end his reign and deliver up his Kingdom to the Father (1 Cor. 23:26).
