Sorry, "Left Behind" Fans, "The Rapture" Is Not in the Bible

Aleteia ^ | May 5, 2015 | John Martignoni

[EveningStar]

Question: A friend of mine has been reading the Left Behind books that have all of this stuff about the “Rapture” in them. Is there really going to be a “Rapture” like these books talk about?
 
Answer: No.The “Rapture” refers to a passage in First Thessalonians 4, where Christians are “caught up” in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Many Christians believe, and the Left Behind books promote, that this being “caught up” to meet the Lord will occur before the Great Tribulation sometime in the near future. Christians will simply vanish, meet Jesus somewhere in the air, and then return with Him to Heaven to await the end of time.

[MHGinTN]

"He said it to give us hope and a warning to stay watchful and spiritually prepared!" What Jesus gave us, through Paul in 1Thess4:13-18 was to give us hope, just as he offered it to the Thessalonians to give them hope.

The seventieth week of Daniel exposition is not given to James, John, Peter, and Andrew (and us you might say) as a comfort, unless the surety of His finishing His judgments is a comfort to you. The exposition gave details to see even now as the proof that He is going to return and set foot on this putrifacted Earth, as Gabriel was instructed to show Daniel.

The key to unravel this seeming puzzle is the standing of the abomination of desolation in the Holy of Holies. This same thing happened with Antiochus Epiphanes when he placed a statue of Zeus in the Holy of Holies, in 167 BC.

When the Romans razed the Temple to the ground, they did not commit this act of desecration in the Holy of Holies. They could not have done so because fire destroyed the temple before they could raid it and sack it, which ticked off Titus since he expected to get lots of Gold from the inside. The Roman soldiers gathered their banners at the Eastern gate and worshipped them, but they did not commit the abomination that makes desolate. But Jesus says this will happen mid-way in Dabiels seventieth week! So the Temple will have to be rebuilt and dedicated, having a 'Holy of Holies' section that the man of sin enters and stand there proclaiming himself to be god ... with TV will no doubt cover, so the whole world will see the desecration live.

[mdmathis6]

Perhaps that is why the verse of the Bible says..”They will gaze upon him who was pierced and mourn...” There will be realization that the conquering messiah and the suffering messiah were the same person....

[MHGinTN]

An excellent point! They will ask Him where He got the wounds he carries. He will tell them ‘in the house of my friends’, IIRC.

[mdmathis6]

I never thought the Romans had committed the Abomination made Desolate. Antiochus had done so during the time of the Maccabees but it was obvious that wasn’t the same abomination that Jesus warned that was coming as well as Revelation and Daniel. Antiochus called himself Epiphanes(God on Earth) had a pig slaughted in the temple, set up images and many priests and Jewish folks killed sparking massive rebellion. He historically is seen as a “type” or forerunner of the Hideous thing that is coming...that Satan, indwelling the first beast will declare himself God in the temple and throw the gauntlet down in God’s face!

You don’t want to be around on Earth and have the beast’s mark when that happens.

[MHGinTN]

Amen!

[CynicalBear]

>>While something may be probable, that something doesn’t make it certain or knowable.<<

The number of days after that peace treaty is signed are specifically stated in Daniels prophecies.

[CynicalBear]

>>Another point....a lot of bad things are happening all in the space of the “pre-7 years era”, then the 7 years minus whatever shortening of time God has allowed.<<

I'm not sure what you think needs to happen during the "pre-7 years era" and what you think happens during the "7 years minus".

[CynicalBear]

>>It is Judah that rejected him, not “The Lost Sheep of The House of Israel.”<<

Did Christ come to be King of only the house of Judah?

>>The evangelism recorded in the NT is almost totally of the dispersed, gentile House of Israel.<<

Romans 11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery-- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

Romans 11:11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

Why deny what scripture clearly states editor? It clearly indicates a distinction between the Israelites and the Gentiles. And yes, I understand that the Hebrew and Greek word translated Gentile can also be used for the people of Israel. But the distinction is clearly made when non Israelite people/nations are being spoken of.

>>He told you that in Matthew 15:24, but you choose not to believe him.<<

I've already addressed that and showed scripture to back up my claim.

>>That will be for you to explain when you stand at the Great White Throne with the rest of the condemned.<<

Come on editor. Stop with the playing God and the personal insults against fellow freepers. It's a losing preposition I can assure you.

[editor-surveyor]

.
>> “Did Christ come to be King of only the house of Judah?” <<

.
He hasn’t come to be king yet.

When he does, he will bring “The Lost Sheep of The House of Israel” back with him. They are the people he came to save the first time, and he will be successful at the Day of Trumpets.

Citing the result of Greek mis-translations based in the same lack of understanding that plagues your every post will prove absolutely nothing.

Scripture is mainly Tanakh, and it states solidly that he would come to save only the people for his name and those that sojourned with them.

Your wild interpretations make the Bible a book of contradictions.

Little that you post ever has any backing in scripture; its all in your imagination.

You seem to exist to promote Satan’s pre-trib fool’s party, and lead as many astray as you can.
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[CynicalBear]

>>It was the ‘week’ of Jesus earthly ministry, cut short at three and a half years by His crucifixion.<<

Oh please. A week contains 7 days and we know that that last week is to be 7 years not 3 1/2. And if you think that 3 1/2 years of Jesus ministry was the time of Jacob's trouble guess again. Also, if that "week" was only 3 1/2 years God still owes Israel 3 1/2 years.

[CynicalBear]

You didn't answer the question. "Did Jesus come to be King of only the house of Judah?

You also didn't address the clear distinction between the nations of the Gentiles and the nation of Israel in the two verses I gave you.

[CynicalBear]

>>You seem to exist to promote Satan’s pre-trib fool’s party,<<

Matthew 5:22 "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

[editor-surveyor]

.
The nations of gentiles are the Lost Sheep of the house of Israel.

Time spent understanding Jacob’s prophecy would be well spent.

Not understanding that all of “The House of Israel” were gentiles at the time Yeshua walked the Earth will continue to be a barrier to understanding God’s word.
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[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

The author is obviously not well versed on the many differing views of 'the end times' held by Protestants world wide. Yes, unfortunately, many Evangelical and Pentecostal churches in North America, and by extension, the English speaking world and much of Africa, due to the missionary outreach by many such churches, seem to be quite enamoured of the idea of a 'pre-trib rapture'. That said, there are millions of Protestant Believers who find Darby's interpretation to be somewhat suspect. And yes, the '69 1/2 weeks' with a gap of over 2,000 years IS certainly a stumbling block. FWIW, the Evangelical Covenant church I was re-baptised in as an adult (after an infant baptist in a different denomination), took a 'partial preterist' view of the 'end times' and 'dispensationalism' was considered to be in error.

While I do not wish to go through a terrible 'tribulation' in my life, at least no more that I already have, I fear that so much of the preaching in N. America points to 'accept Jesus as Saviour, and He will make life easy and prosper you so you can buy your Pastor the new jet he craves needs' (sarc)!

A 'pre-trib rapture' suggests that we will skip all the pain that life can provide. Given that when we are 'in the valley', THAT is where God best shapes and molds us, as we have only He to depend upon. That said, such 'fire' burns away the dross of this world and focuses our attention on Him and His guiding us through such turmoil. Unfortunately, many who come to the Lord may fall away when times get tough. Teaching such as Darby's can lead a believer to despair when times get tough, and lose their faith. Reemember, Jesus instructed us to 'count the cost' of following Him.

I look at what Paul and the disciples and the saints went through, and what Believers are going through in Africa and the Middle East, and I find that a 'pre-trib rapture' makes no sense. We North Americans, are fat, rich and spoiled, versus our Christian brethren in much of the world. For many of us, our only concept of 'persecution' is that we cannot wear a scripture verse on their T-shirt or our kids can no longer pray in school! (And yes, I count myself among the fat, rich, spoiled North Americans!). How would we, who have suffered little, be 'raptured' while millions have suffered and ultimately died for their faith?

If Pastor Darby had not formulated his interpretation, a 'pre-trib rapture' sounds like an ending devised by Hollywood (before it went fully over to the dark side). For me, Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection is the climax, I don't need additional dramatic proof that He is who He claims to be. After all, on the cross He said, "It is finished." The job was done and the battle won. Anything else is anticlimactic.

Instead of focusing on endless debate over the 'end times', we should be focused on spreading the Gospel and 'being the hands and feet' of Jesus. If the Bible is true, and I find nothing contradictory in it, then if I am in Him, it does not matter whether there is a tribulation or not. If I am in Him, Satan CANNOT steal me away, my salvation is assured! Having us focus on how time will wind down is yet another ploy by the Deceiver to take our eyes off Jesus and can cause us to miss what He wants us to do.

[MHGinTN]

if I am strolling along a road and there is a house on fire ahead, do I keep strolling or go and see what I can do to help if there are people in need? You are so correct that Americans should be seeing to what He wants US to do. Sadly, our elected leadership is sold out to those who are using our power to trample the world into accepting a one world government and economic system. So, while this is happening, this misuse of the power of America, American Christians are waxing cold, or at best luke warm/tepid. The Holy Spirit is in them yet they are not faithing in His leadership, like the Laodiceans. How do we stir these tepid believers into action? ... By emphasizing that time is short. He is coming soon to rapture His bride and the oil in the lamps better be up to the watch. Darby may have been used to focus believers to the coming events. To poo poo Darby for raising again an issue which has old roots in Christendom is sort of oblique to the thing you end on, that we need to be about whatever it is that Our God has for us to do. How many Christian professors believe the Bible is The Word of God in books? How many actually believe His prophecies are ALWAYS accurate? How do we stir up a luke warm degenerating body of believers? Imminence. When Daniel registered his prophecy, Gabriel told him the exact number of days from the command to rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah King. To the day. It happened exactly as Gabriel said it would for 69 weeks of sabbatical years, with 360 days per year as the calculation factor. The 69th week ended the day Jesus rode the donkey with a colt into Jerusalem. The seventieth week will begin just as Daniel told Daniel it will, with the Jewish people signing a seven year compact for Peace and Safety. The restrainer will be out of the way when that happens. Now, whom do you think is the restrainer and what is He doing during this Church Age?

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

Thank you, Formerly Proud, for your post. I agree with you. And yes, God IS in charge!

And we are to have our wicks trimmed, our lamps full! The Bride-Groom is coming!

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

Chapter and verse, please, Cynical...

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for your insights, dear brother in Christ!

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

I do not agree with Pastor Darby's interpretation of Scripture, nor do a large portion of Protestants in the World. Jesus said in Matthew 13:49-50, that, "This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Jesus' comment seems to be opposite to Pastor Darby's contention of a 'rapture' of the Church.

My intention is not to start an endless (and pointless) debate about eschatology! That said, do such differences in interpretation make me any less a Christian than you, or you, any less a Christian than I? No! In its position paper, 'Christ at the Centre', the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada starts the paper with the subtitle: "Unity in Essentials, Liberty in Non-Essentials, Love in All Things". That, I believe, is a very wise position. (The position paper may be viewed here.)

I believe that eschatological debates, especially those that drag on endlessly, without resolution, are one of the Accuser's weapons used to drive us from God's Word and to fracture the Church. If he can keep us battling each other over small stuff, we are not focused on Jesus. In addition, non-Believers will see the internal discord and we lose the opportunity to witness impactfully to them.

In conclusion, I do not agree with Pastor Darby's interpretation of the 'end times', but that is not an essential of the faith. The Bible tells me that Jesus is coming again, to save those who are in Him and vanquish Satan, his demons and nonbelievers. That is good enough for me. How He accomplishes it is His business. I expect there to be trouble in this life because He said so and I have experienced much over the last three years. In many ways, my troubles have deepened my faith in Him!

[MHGinTN]

Daniel chapter 9:24-27. The seventieth week of seven years is verse 27. There is a gap between 69 and 70 of Daniel of AT LEAST 37 years because we know Jerusalem was destroyed 37 years after Messiah was 'cut off'. We also know from Daniel 9:27 that the seventieth week begins with 'the many' (always refers to Israel) making a seven year contract with the man of sin. Since the contract is not entered into yet, we know the gap has last 2000 years, so far.

I find nothing which shows how much time between the rapture and the start of WK 70. BUT an interesting prophecy given to Rabbi Judah Ben Samuel in 1217 marks the history of control of Jerusalem in Jubilee segments of fifty year periods until 2017 when a 'treaty' will seal Jerusalem's fate is signed.