The rapture is the blessed hope of Christians. It is the "caught up" in the "clouds" to be with the Lord forever. This will be a physical disappearance, "in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye." Those who are raptured will be changed from a "corruptible body" to an "incorruptible" body. A new glorious body, never sick, without blemish, without sin, to live forever and ever with Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.
There are 5 theories on when this will occur.
Pre-trib- The rapture will occur before the 7-year tribulation period.
Mid-trib - The rapture will occur at mid point of the tribulation.
Post-trib-The Rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation right before the second coming of Christ back to earth; believers will be raptured up to meet Christ in the air and then will return immediately with Him back to the earth.
The partial rapture - Only the faithful, devoted believers will be raptured before the tribulation, the rest of the believers will be left behind to go through the tribulation.
Pre-Wrath - The rapture will take place 3/4 of the way into the tribulation, when the wrath of God begins to be poured out on the world.
I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture for many reasons.
1.The rapture is our "blessed hope." It is to be a comfort and blessing to believers, Titus 2:3.
2. We are told in the New Testament that the rapture is imminent, it could happen at anytime, 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 16:22; Titus 2:3; Matthew 24:44
3. The Lord promised that believers are "delivered from the wrath to come" 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; Revelation 3:10
4. The anti-christ can not be revealed until the Holy Spirit be taken out of the world. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7.
5. The church is not mentioned in the book of Revelation after chapter 3. In Revelation 4:1 "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. This is believed to be representing the church.
The rapture is a wonderful promise, a blessed hope given to us.
3 comments:
Teri,
Thanks for your post. I do want to correct you though on the Prewrath view. It does not affirm that the rapture takes place 3/4 into the 70th week.
I would encourage you to read the following description on what the prewrath view affirms:
http://www.prewrathrapture.com/2005/11/the_prewrath_rapture_1.php
Blessings,
Alan
You have one of the very best blogs anywhere! Excellent and thought-provoking! I just found a new rapture article you might enjoy seeing. It can be reached by Googling "Powered by Christ Ministries" and looking for "Pretrib Rapture Desperados" on the first page. Lou Norman
the 24 elders have recieved their crowns b 4 the judgment seat of jesus.the throne room is mentioned 10 times bcause the body of christ has been gathered together and caught up into heaven,in the throne room....this is evedent because they have recieved thier rewards and have crowns...paradise in heaven is now empty praise god!!!we are in the throne room with jesus worshipping the lamb of god which lives forever...
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