In popular media we see directions of the Rapture where people magically disappear, or in another more interesting movie millions of people suddenly drop dead. In fact a similar event happened in a non-theological movie as well. In the aftermath there are left with no end times church, but more immediately airplanes falling out of the sky and cars swerving out of control and other equipment going crazy with nobody at the controls. That’s entertaining in movies, but is that really how it will be?
Before determining if the rapture is dangerous, let’s look at where it comes from. The word “Rapture” is not in the bible, but then again a lot of modern terms are not. A lot of people point to Matthew 24:40-42, so let’s take a look at that.
“Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; one will be taken and one left. “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
Yes, it says that, and many Christians will tell you this is the rapture. Most use this as their proof text, but there’s a problem there, and as it often is in theological debates, it’s context. What does the Bible say literally right before this passage in Matthew 24:37-39?
“For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man.”
Did God save those whom he washed away in the flood? No, he saved those who were left behind after the flood, Noah and his family. Therefore, this can not be a proof text regarding the Rapture. Of course the verse before and after these do state that nobody will know when this is to take place, indicating it will be a sudden event.
Now this verse is not about the Rapture, but what else does the Bible say? In Hebrews 9:27-28 we see a confirmation that there will be a second coming and that we will be judged, and through Christ we can be saved, however we also see that humans must die once, even God in Human form as Jesus did. Let’s take a look.
And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.
The theology of the Rapture indicates a special end times group who will not die, but the Bible shows that this is incorrect. Now the more studied of you will point out that Enoch and Elijah never died, but you fail to remember that in Revelation 11 we see two prophets or witnesses preach and then be brutally murdered as the world rejoices. These men must be Enoch and Elijah tying up their loose ends by dying so that they can be judges and enter paradise. In this we see that everyone will die, even those who have not yet died.
Now you might point back to the passage in Matthew and say that your death is the rapture, but that’s really not correct. The reference to the days of Noah indicates the context from Genesis 6:5 which reads:
But the LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.
This does not indicate salvation, but then again the reference to eight people, including Noah, being left on the Earth after the flood is being set aside. If that’s what the first book of the Bible shows, what does the last book say about anyone being set aside and not immediately killed in this parallel event? We need to look to Revelation 7:3-4 “Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, who had the seal of the living God. He shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission to damage the earth and the sea: “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Now I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:”
Just as the flood did not destroy the Earth until Noah and his family was protected, these 144000 will be protected from this destruction throughout this part of the tribulation so that they can perform an important job for the Lord. Consider the two prophets from earlier who could not be killed, but then were killed. But then later in Revelation 14:13 we see: “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”“
This idea of being spared from death and judgment goes against the biblical text, but a lot of people believe a lot of unbiblical ideas, and they’re still saved. Why do I claim the rapture is different? It has to do with psychology. If you think God promised you won’t suffer and he will protect you from pain and death, and then life gets rough and you’re being brutally murdered by supernatural forces, you might loose faith in God. How bad will it get? You might starve to death by not taking the marl, or you could be beheaded for not denying your faith. Let’s look to Revelation 20:4-6.
“Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
So this is like a communist government, but over the entire world. Consider something like the UN with more power over its members. Now about the mark, it’s old Hebrew slang. This is not a computer chip or anything like that. The mark is a mark of submission or ownership, like brand we may put on an animal. To take a mark on your forehead means you’re a fool who doesn’t know you fell for something, and to take it on your hand means you know it’s wrong, but it’s what you have to do to survive. The problem is you are choosing to abandon Jesus by this choice.
To get a clear picture of this, think of non-Muslims in Afghanistan under Taliban control. I know the Taliban is at least not communist, I’m just using their culture as an example. Their people may have to just go with the flow, or take the mark on their hand, to survive. Others believe in that government and the mark is on their head. Better to just be beheaded and be with the Lord, right?
Now let’s say you have faith in God, and you unfortunately believe that he promised to physically save you from this situation in this life and end your suffering. Then he doesn’t do that, because in fact God said that those who die for him are blessed, and that we are called to pick up our cross and carry it, knowing that doing so leads to a painful death.
Not knowing this could cause your faith in God to dwindle as you grow hungry and discontent, and eventually you may give in to the system abandoning God, even being mad at God. The fact is, you’re going to die anyway, if not right now, I’ll bet it happens in the next 100 years. Do you think going to the grave against God is wise? You know where that leads. That’s the danger of the Rapture.
So, where does the idea of the Rapture come from? Ancient Jewish scripture? No, they give us the resurrection though. Resurrection requires death, so you can’t get a new glorified body unless this one dies. Did Jesus talk about the Rapture? Nope, he said stay strong in the faith and a lot of people will have to die for him, but they will be blessed.
The concept of the Rapture dates all the way back to the 1820’s. That’s AD by the way, 200 years ago. A teenage girl named Margaret MacDonald had a dream where people were called up to Heaven before the tribulation. She then told her brother a long winded description, a key part of it being as follows:
‘Tis Christ in us that will lift us up – he is the light – ‘tis only those that are alive in him that will be caught up to meet him in the air.
The word for “caught up” in ancient Greek was Harpazō, which moved over to English as rapture. Her brother then told a very eccentric preacher who wrote a book about it. Eventually a local seminary picked it up and ran with it. The account of the Rapture is from eccentric people getting their theology from a teenage girl, not from the Bible. See the problem?
I’ve actually prayed on this asking God to reveal the end times to me, of course while reading his word, and I’ve had dreams where God showed me. Things get bad and keep getting worse, it’s terrifying and eventually you die. No getting pulled out in some rapture. This fits with what the Bible actually says.
The light that you see at the end of the tunnel is not an escape, it’s an oncoming train that you will have to face. I’m not suggesting that you get your theology from my dreams, but I’m saying maybe don’t get it from some girl in the 1800s either. Read the word of God and pray to God, and he will guide you.