The term rapture comes from a latin word which means “to be caught up” as mention in Thessalonians. The latin word and doctrine is much older then Darby.
I understand that people have a hard time with the concept of being “caught up” as was Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:1), but to say that it never happened or will never happen again is not taking Scripture seriously.
I certainly don’t completely understand all of the end times stuff, but when someone says that all of the Revelation stuff happened under Nero, I have to scratch my head.
When was 1/3 of the earth burned up? (Rev. 8:7)
When did 1/3 of the sea become blood and 1/3 of creatures in the sea died? (Rev. 8:8-9)
When did 1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars get deminished? (Rev. 8:12-13)
When did 1/3 of the whole earths people die? (Rev. 8:13-21)
There’s more, but the point is that all of this hasn’t happened yet.
Sincerely
Well said.
What They Didn’t Teach You in History Class
Many groups try to discredit the pre-trib rapture by saying most of the end-time events in the Bible have already taken place. A group of people called preterists claims that the Book of Revelation was mostly fulfilled by 70 AD. If the events described in the Book of Revelation took place in the past, I’m at a loss to explain some of the current situations I see around us: the rebirth of Israel, the reunification of Europe, the number of global wars that have occurred, and the development of nuclear weapons. During history class, I must have slept through the part where the teacher talked about the time when a third of the trees were burned up, 100-pound hailstones fell from the sky, and the sea turned into blood (Rev 8:7-8, 16:21).
I think several people would have to question their opposition to the pre-trib rapture doctrine if they knew that the evidence provided to them was based on the understanding that most tribulation prophecies have already occurred.
Matt 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
It will be worse than Noah's flood...Sodom's destruction...etc.