There are many being taken in by the rapture theory, unfortunately it is a theory without biblical truth. This belief is that our Lord is returning to gather His people out of the earth so they do not have to go through the tribulation. To believe this lie would be having our Lord return three times to the earth, the resurrection, to gather His church and a third and final return to reign forever! Scripture teaches us the day of the Lord will be AFTER the tribulation! We find this answer in the book of Matthew that all tribes (All people) of the earth will mourn, and if He were to come and take people then all tribes would not be here at His return (Matthew 24:29-31) Immediately after the tribulation of those days 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: 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. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The rapture theory sure sounds good to be taken away from the tribulation that is coming, after all who wouldn’t want to avoid hard and difficult times. To believe God would remove His people that He has instructed in His will is to take away the infinite power He has to protect His own. Why would His people be equipped with His whole armour, only to be removed at the time of much tribulation and battle they are called to do???? (Ephesians 6:10-18). We have His promise that He will most certainly Protect and keep His people as seen in the following passage! (Revelation 3:10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
The fly away doctrine is taken out of context from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 which is teaching us of the return of the Lord, and not the taking away or flying away of people! What has been sadly overlooked in these passages is that the Lord will be returning and will then REMAIN here on earth, and is not leaving and taking people with Him as rapture theorist’s believe! He will not be leaving, but will REMAIN on earth to set up His righteous kingdom once and for all. In the following passages the Lord will be bringing with Him those who have previously died in Him, and this poses the question if He were returning to take anyone out then WHY would He be bringing back those who have died only to retake them away again?????
It is vital to understand the word REMAIN, so when you read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 it teaches of the day when the Lord returns to REMAIN and not leave.
REMAIN= To stay in the place that one has been occupying, to stay in the same place or with the same person or group, To abide or to dwell, If you remain in a place, you stay there and do not move away.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The truth is “The rapture” so many buy into is really THE DAY OF THE LORD when Christ returns to dwell forever to reign in His righteous kingdom, and no man knows the hour!
In a previous post written about the rapture a comment from Mary brings up excellent points and I am including her comment here: Great job Julia. People who remain faithful through great tribulation will get special rewards. Those that endure through the great tribulation will wear white robes and receive special acknowledgment. I always wonder why people think God would spare all the Christians living now from tribulation and not all the other believers throughout history. They say God wouldn’t want them to suffer. I guess God did want all the other martyrs to suffer, just not them? I agree that the rapture teaching will leave many confused and bitter against God when the rapture doesn’t happen. It’s such a harmful teaching and I feel it’s the devils work to mislead Christians. This might be what causes the great falling away.
Precious Sheep Of Renown 
Thanks for sharing. I too have heard the debates over whether the rapture will take place before or during the tribulation. I lean toward it happening before for several reasons. One aspect of the tribulation that leads me to believe it will be before is the “mark of the beast” those living will have to have in order to be sustained on earth during that time. I believe that time will be a time for those who rejected Christ to have another opportunity to find Him. Because they rejected him the first time, they will need to survive extremely difficult times to find him during the tribulation. This is what I believe. However, I’m always reading, always meditating, and most importantly, always open to hearing from the Holy Spirit who always has illuminated my mind to what the scripture is saying or has corrected my erroneous interpretation or thinking on it. It’s why we need the Holy Spirit. Blessings! 🙂👍🏼
The mark of the beast will be taken by many, and your understanding it will be a time before the tribulation is spot on! As this post tells of the rapture theorists mixing up “The day of the Lord” when He returns, it is then His people will begin the thousand year reign with Christ and As You Say….. Will teach people and some will accept or reject the Lord. This you speak of is called “The first resurrection” (Revelation 20:1-6).
So good to hear you listen to the Holy Spirit and discern if it is the flesh or Spirit guiding you. Refreshing to hear this Ellie!
Many Blessings.
Julia
Thanks for sharing. I’ve always been taught this rapture in the church and when I was a new Christian I believed it because it sounded better I guess, it gave me comfort. But as I studied the Bible more and more I realized it was not biblical and my beliefs about it changed. And I realized that, like you also said, I don’t have to worry anyways, because God promised to keep His people even in the midst of the tribulation. Our hope as Christians is not that we will escape hardships, but that God is always with us, no matter what happens, and we know that in the end, we will be with Him.
God bless you!
Thank you so much for this comment! Yes many are taught this comforting lie and accept it as gospel. Praise the Lord through the guidance of His Holy Spirit are we taught the truth, and the promise that we will be protected and kept safe no matter what comes our way. May you be Blessed Always in your walk with Him.
Julia
Bless you Julia for covering this topic. It’s not a popular one and I’ve found some get angry when you try to tell them there’s no pre-tribulation rapture. If they’re wrong, I hope their faith will remain strong anyways. I hope they don’t fall away.
Amen So true this is an unpopular subject! If people would truly study the word they would see how bogus this belief really is, but I think they cling to the false comfort of not facing sorrowful times as the tribulation will surely be. Just as the narrow road is difficult, many like the wide road of destruction. Stay Strong Sister. Many Blessings.
Julia
Oh, there is plenty of scriptural evidence and church fathers’ quotes and commentaries that have stated there is a pre-trib rapture. Perhaps you need to do the research into Polycarp’s and Irenaeus’ statements on it? The evidence is there in the Bible as well as in the church fathers’ writings. And, no, it’s not taken out of context but is quite clear. We are not appointed unto wrath. The Tribulation is God’s wrath. It is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble-it is for the Jews’ judgement, not the Church’s. We have tribulations and persecutions due to man’s wrath, but we are not appointed to suffer God’s wrath since Christ bore that for us, amen! \o/
So true we are not appointed unto wrath, as those who have lived for the Lord will be protected THROUGH the tribulation. I suppose I could research Polycarp and Irenaeus which stems from the catholic religion, but as a follower of Christ I cannot gain my knowledge through mans religion. I rely only on the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth.
You say: “The Tribulation is God’s wrath. It is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble-it is for the Jews’ judgement, not the Church’s.”
We cannot separate that which even God has not separated, for IN CHRIST through faith there is neither Jew nor greek , bond nor free, male nor female. For we are all one in Christ and I have not read where at the time of the tribulation there is a separation that the Jews suffer and not the church??? (Galatians 3:26-29).
To say the time of Jacob’s trouble is for the Jews judgment and not the church is to show respect of one to the other, but God is not a respector of persons and will not be singling out the Jew’s to pour His wrath out upon, as the whole earth will go through the tribulation (Romans 2:8-11) But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.
You say: We have tribulations and persecutions due to man’s wrath, but we are not appointed to suffer God’s wrath since Christ bore that for us, amen! \o/
Yes we do have tribulations due to man, but all will go through the tribulation when Gods wrath is poured out upon the earth, and it will be those who kept His word and did His will that He will protect. They will be given white robes for having to of endured going through the tribulation. (Revelation 7:13,14) And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.(Revelation 7:13,14).
Blessings.
Julia
Thank you for this insightful presentation that exposes this horrendous lie about a rapture. Great job! May Yah continue to bless and keep you. kwh
Thank you for the encouraging words! May Yah abundantly Bless You Always.
Julia
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