"The Earth Belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof."
"The Earth Belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof."
Is the Rapture a Biblical Doctrine? Part 3
(To read the entire piece now go to my Noahide Nazarene Site)
(To read the entire piece now go to my Noahide Nazarene Site)
For Part One Click Here
For Part Two Click Here
Now we will consider some of the verses people use to support the Doctrine of the Rapture:Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe [Noah] entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [note that for this entire pre-flood period Noah was warning the people that God's judgment was soon approaching even as many people are today. They "knew not" because they chose to know not. The word was given.]
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Does this "taking" refer to the Rapture? No. A few verses earlier Prophet Y'shua explained this when he said,
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains [to Petra according to other Prophets]:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: [it says the one on the roof would have that option, but it will be best to simply flee to Petra rather than take the risk of going back into the house. In other words, when you hear that the Rex Mundi has proclaimed his divinity, FLEE! At the Rapture, as envisioned, there will be no option "to return to your house," Christians will simply and instantly vanish.]
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes [again, in the "Rapture" this would not be an option].
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! [Why? In the Rapture, as envisioned, Christian moms and their pre-born babies would both be Raptured. These verses make no sense if applied to the Rapture].
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day [Again, the weather and day would not matter in the Rapture. Plus, the vast majority of Christians do not observe the biblical Sabbath anyway, they honor the day of the Sun God Sol Invictus worshiped by Constantine (for more on this see my study on the origins of the Christians Faith, so again, the Rapture occurring on the Sabbath wouldn't matter to Christians. For more on this topic see my study on the rise of Babylon the Great].
No, these verses (17-20 and 39-42) are not talking about a Rapture. They are giving a severe warning to those Jews (and doubtless Noahides) living in Jerusalem to be ready to immediately flee the City (and elsewhere) because when the Rex Mundi is killed, ...then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
These verses are clearly not talking about a Rapture of Gentile Christians when understood in context.
Likewise some people point to I Corinthians 15 as evidence for the Rapture:
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [ie be dead], but we shall all be changed,
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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
"At the last trump[et]" is the key to understanding here. To understand this timing we return to Matthew 24:
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together [you will recall this as a reference to the Battle of Armageddon].
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days [the battle concludes the seven year Tribulation Period, thus after the timing offered by both Pre and Mid Tribulation Rapture proponents] shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [the Moshiach will come and still there is no final trumpet!].
31 And he [Moshiach] shall send his angels [messengers and representatives] with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect [ie the Jews] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
When does this historic gathering of Jews occur? The "last trump" will announce the establishment of the global Kingdom of HaShem and the Jews will all go to Jerusalem. The new theocratic government and global Jewish priesthood will be established. During the thousand year theocracy death will not occur (Oh death where your sting!). Again, this is not a reference to the Rapture.
So then, if the prophets did not reference a Rapture, what is to become of the Church?
Part Four Coming Soon!
To read the entire piece now go to my Noahide Nazarene Site)
 Of Noah All | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment