I was doing some more Bible reading this morning on all of this, and got sidetracked, but thought I'd check in to see what was happening.
Maybe we get a little too hung up on terms like 'THE Antichrist' and 'the Rapture'. Jesus said there were MANY antichrists, and he had come already:
1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jo 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.....
1Jo 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jo 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [[but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also]. http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1Jo/1Jo002.html#18
There are a whole LOT of these people, EVEN in the church, and that's our main problem. They have denied the Lord who bought them, and let the enemy into our midst: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/2Pe/2/1.html
On 'the Rapture', Jesus said:
Jhn 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Jhn/Jhn017.html#15
also:
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Once again, we see the Kingdom is the Lord's FOR EVER.
Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand FOR EVER. +++ http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Dan/2/44.html +++
Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: +++ and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Dan/Dan002.html#44
and:
Psa 104:5 [Who] laid the foundations of the earth, [that] it should NOT BE REMOVED FOR EVER.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Psa/Psa104.html#5
It is the WICKED that will be removed:
Psa 104:35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD. http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Psa/104/35.html
Remember we still have this to look forward to:
Rev 3:12 Him that OVERCOMETH wll I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] NEW Jerusalem, WHICH COMETH DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. [CHRISTian! see Ephesians 3:14 - 15 http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Eph/Eph003.html#15 ].
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rev/Rev003.html#12
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Rev/3/12.html
Isa 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
Isa 62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Isa/Isa062.html#7
Isa 62:1 — For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Isa/62/1.html
Now one thing you should know is that the OLD Jerusalem, where they deny the Son, is not the same as the NEW Jerusalem.
And, BTW, remember that THE BIBLE [that the popes used to burn] does not say that MARY is the mother of us all, blessed though she may be, but the JERUSALEM WHICH IS ABOVE [and which came/comes? down out of heaven] is the mother of us all:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Gal/Gal004.html#26
As it was in Noah's day.....it was the UNGODLY that were taken away. You don't want to be taken away. The enemy has deceived you with fairy tales so that you will lay down your 'arms', and not CONTEND FOR THE FAITH:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Jud/Jud001.html#3
2Cr 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Cr 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2Cr/2Cr010.html#4
Therefore:
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Eph/Eph006.html#10 to verse 18.
The choice is ours: overcomers or fearful?
Rev 21:7 He that OVERCOMETH shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the FEARFUL, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rev/Rev021.html#8
He didn't say it would be a picnic. He said to take up the Cross. [more on that later.] I KNOW it gets heavy, believe me, I know it.
Here are some easy introductions to the world of Preterism [check all against the Bible]:
BIBLE PROPHECY END TIMES NOW? http://www.bibleprophecy.com/
Bible prophecy books reveal end times answers http://www.bibleprophecy.com/bible_prophecy_books.html [Including 'Leaving the Rapture BEHIND', and 'Seal Up Vision and Prophecy' - A study of the 70 weeks of Daniel. The emphasis of this prophecy is not future hysteria but historical realization...]
SERVANT OF THE REIGNING CHRIST
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/ad70/
Actually that was John, not Jesus, but yes there have been many Anti-christs. But Revelations makes it clear that there will be one in-particular that figures prominently in the end time events.
Ultimately it is the wicked that are removed. But at some point Christians who are alive at the time meet Jesus in the air. This is the first rapture. While the kindom of God will not perish, the earth and the Heavens will be destroyed by fire (2 Pet) and a new heaven and earth will be created. (Rev)
And saying it AGAIN!! You have to find the ROOT of the Rapture teaching, to deceive yourself thinking that was the interpretation of those scriptures back to Christ's time is not a good thing. Gonna be a lot of freaked out people whose very foundation will be shaken when they see they are not leaving, But will have to STAND. Rapture doctrine was not a teaching until the early 1800's. Beware adding to and taking away from scripture.
"Take an AX to the ROOT." ROOT ...ROOT...ROOT..ROOT..ROOT!! Find the ROOT of that teaching...goes right back to the whore!! Time to GET OFF the milk bottles and spoon feedings and BE BEREAN!!