Biblical Reference to the Rapture

[Cat_Herder]

RAPIEMUR

a latin word

and you guys wonder why some Christians call it “rapture”?

The New Testament wasn’t written in Latin, but rather Greek. You correctly note that the English “rapture” is derived from the Latin rapiemur, but isn’t it ironic that most of the pre-trib rapture churches are anti-Catholic while gladly borrowing Latin Rite terminology?

 

[Doxiemom]

The New Testament wasn’t written in Latin, but rather Greek. You correctly note that the English “rapture” is derived from the Latin rapiemur, but isn’t it ironic that most of the pre-trib rapture churches are anti-Catholic while gladly borrowing Latin Rite terminology?

Very ironic also that a good percentage of catholics have no idea where the word “rapture” came from either.

 

[Vince1022]

Very ironic also that a good percentage of catholics have no idea where the word “rapture” came from either.

I agree…never thought of that before…thanks! Great points.

 

[CEM5]

So, in a conversation with my betrothed regarding the 3 days of darkness, we stated discussing the Rapture, and the Biblical nature of the idea of the Rapture.
I googled “Biblical References to the Rapture”, and came up with this site: What is the Rapture?. As I have gone through the Bible verses, I see how the idea of the Rapture can be inferred, but I also see how the idea of the dead and the live are taken to Heaven for Judgement.

Please help me understand the Biblical references to the Rapture, and why you believe in this idea.

TYIA and God Bless!

x-posted to Non-Catholic Religions

Hi PatienceAndLove,

first of all the word “rapture” comes from the Latin word “rapio” = “caught up”. Which is what Paul says:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, …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.

This is what will happen at the END OF TIME – when Jesus comes again to gather all of the living and the dead. It happens all at once. There is no 1/2 coming of Jesus where He takes the Christians out of the world and leaves only the non-believers. That is unbiblical. Jesus only comes again ONCE - not several times as some of these heretics teach. We who are faithful to God will have to suffer - we are told that we must bear our crosses and God will help us through any trying times. Just as the early Church martyrs were persecuted and killed, so too will we face by those who hate God, and it continues to this day: many faithful are being tortured and murdered for their faith in God, yet you don’t see them being “raptured”.

Here is the Catholic teaching - an excellent source:
americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac1005.asp

blessings,

 

[CEM5]

The elect, those who mourn, are the 144,000 jews who are sealed by God. They remain, but are under God’s protection.

Hi Doxiemom,

No, the 144,000 are not Jews. This number is symbolic and ancient Jews (and those who converted to Christianity) used a numerical system called gematria. That is also why they used this number system to hide the name of Nero (his name added up to 666),

The square of 12, which is the number of the Tribes of Israel (12 X 12), multiplied by 1,000 (a number meaning MANY - too many to count) symbolic of the New Israel (the Church), that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue (see vs. 9 of Rev 7:1-9) and the 144,000 whose foreheads were sealed represent ALL Christian people. (Rev 14)

 

[Lev23]

So, in a conversation with my betrothed regarding the 3 days of darkness, we stated discussing the Rapture, and the Biblical nature of the idea of the Rapture.
I googled “Biblical References to the Rapture”, and came up with this site: What is the Rapture?. As I have gone through the Bible verses, I see how the idea of the Rapture can be inferred, but I also see how the idea of the dead and the live are taken to Heaven for Judgement.

Please help me understand the Biblical references to the Rapture, and why you believe in this idea.

TYIA and God Bless!

x-posted to Non-Catholic Religions

It basically comes down to the differences in the amillennial and millennial viewpoints. The major factor in the differences is the partially-hardened nation of Israel. Consider this question. Do they as a distinct people and nation still have a place in God’s prophecy, or do they not?

 

[Lev23]

As the CA tract says, most Catholics are simply uninterested in this end-times stuff. It is a big deal to many protestants (who are convinced that the last days are upon us - which is nothing new; see Heb 1:2). If you believe (as I do) that humanity has tens of thousands of years left, then you suddenly become very uninterested in Last Days prophecies. What makes us think we’re gonna get it right, anyway? The Jews had all those prophecies about their own Messiah, and when he finally came, they handed him over to be crucified. I tend to think that prophecy is best viewed in hindsight.

For starters, the Apostles were very interested in end-times stuff. After the resurrection of Christ, the Apostles spent 40 days with Jesus teaching them about the Kingdom of God. And they came away with this question-

**Acts 1:6
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.**

Tens of thousands of years left?

 

[Lev23]

Here’s some good teaching on this.
A friend of mine has been reading the “Left Behind” books that have all of this stuff about the “Rapture” in them…is there really going to be a “Rapture” like these books talk about?
And…FREE MP3 of this talk.
The Rapture and the Bible

What will really happen on "The Last Day"

If he attempted to put the land and people of Israel back into Christ’s prophecy, he would have to redo his teaching on the “last day”…

 

[Lev23]

[BIBLEDRB]Mt 24:21-22[/BIBLEDRB]

For the sake of the elect? Wait, weren’t the elect supposed to have been raptured? No, keep reading.

[BIBLEDRB]Mt 24:29-31[/BIBLEDRB]

As it says: The Rapture will occur after the tribulation.

In the case of Noah, those who were snatched away died. In the case of Sodom, those who were snatched away also died.

We WANT to be left behind!

You should want to be caught up with the Church, which will happen before the last seven years left that Israel has prophetically alotted for them (Dan9:24).

 

[Lev23]

The Bible has no references to the “rapture”. I thought I had posted in here already but maybe not. Here is a link:

catholic.com/library/Rapture.asp

It will have references if the the distinct people Israel have the prophetic importance the scriptures say they do.

 

[Lev23]

My protestant inlaws really got irritated with me when I pointed out that throughout the bible, being taken away is never a good thing.

:doh2:

Wasn’t it a “good thing” for Enoch when he was taken away? And how is a “bad thing” for the bride(Church) if she is taken away to heaven be wed to Christ before His coming back to Israel? Isn’t heaven where the wedding of the Lamb is before He comes back to Israel as the Lion from the tribe of Judah?

 

[Lev23]

Hi PatienceAndLove,

first of all the word “rapture” comes from the Latin word “rapio” = “caught up”. Which is what Paul says:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, …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.

This is what will happen at the END OF TIME – when Jesus comes again to gather all of the living and the dead. It happens all at once. There is no 1/2 coming of Jesus where He takes the Christians out of the world and leaves only the non-believers. That is unbiblical. Jesus only comes again ONCE - not several times as some of these heretics teach. We who are faithful to God will have to suffer - we are told that we must bear our crosses and God will help us through any trying times. Just as the early Church martyrs were persecuted and killed, so too will we face by those who hate God, and it continues to this day: many faithful are being tortured and murdered for their faith in God, yet you don’t see them being “raptured”.

Here is the Catholic teaching - an excellent source:
americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac1005.asp

blessings,

Actually, amillennialism can give three advents of Christ. It is common thought in this viewpoint that Christ came in the person(s) of the Roman armies that destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. The pre-tribulation rapture is a calling away of Christ’s Holy Spirit-filled bride, and not a advent of Christ to earth.

And the rapture of the church is not about escaping persecution, but about Christ calling His bride to up to be wed to Him. After which, through God’s prophetic plans and time, the last seven years counting down to Christ’s return to Israel and the earth will begin.

 

[Lev23]

Hi Doxiemom,

No, the 144,000 are not Jews. This number is symbolic and ancient Jews (and those who converted to Christianity) used a numerical system called gematria. That is also why they used this number system to hide the name of Nero (his name added up to 666),

The square of 12, which is the number of the Tribes of Israel (12 X 12), multiplied by 1,000 (a number meaning MANY - too many to count) symbolic of the New Israel (the Church), that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue (see vs. 9 of Rev 7:1-9) and the 144,000 whose foreheads were sealed represent ALL Christian people. (Rev 14)

The 144,000 are all Israelites and servants of God, and will be so when this takes place in the future during the 7 years prophetically alloted for Israel (Rev7/Dan9:24).. These Israelite’s servitude to God may lead to the multitudes from peoples of every nation, tribe, people and language spoken of in Revelation chapter 7, verses 9 and 10.

 

[Lev23]

Wasn’t it a “good thing” for Enoch when he was taken away? And how is it a “bad thing” for the bride(Church) if she is taken away to heaven be wed to Christ before His coming back to Israel? Isn’t heaven where the wedding of the Lamb is before He comes back to Israel as the Lion from the tribe of Judah?

 

[clmowry]

Acts 1:6
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Tens of thousands of years left?

Well either some sort of restoration has either already taken place, or it’s been ~2,000 years.

If something greater than 2,000 is still “soon” then why not 10,000?

Chuck

 

[Cat_Herder]

Wasn’t it a “good thing” for Enoch when he was taken away? And how is a “bad thing” for the bride(Church) if she is taken away to heaven be wed to Christ before His coming back to Israel? Isn’t heaven where the wedding of the Lamb is before He comes back to Israel as the Lion from the tribe of Judah?

What is Israel?

 

[Cat_Herder]

Actually, amillennialism can give three advents of Christ. It is common thought in this viewpoint that Christ came in the person(s) of the Roman armies that destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.

[BIBLEDRB]Luke 9:27[/BIBLEDRB]

Where is the Kingdom of God?

 

[CEM5]

Actually, amillennialism can give three advents of Christ. It is common thought in this viewpoint that Christ came in the person(s) of the Roman armies that destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. The pre-tribulation rapture is a calling away of Christ’s Holy Spirit-filled bride, and not a advent of Christ to earth.

And the rapture of the church is not about escaping persecution, but about Christ calling His bride to up to be wed to Him. After which, through God’s prophetic plans and time, the last seven years counting down to Christ’s return to Israel and the earth will begin.

Hi Lev23,

Amillennialism is a heretical teaching and was NEVER taught in the Church. There is no pre-trib rapture.

Additionally, there is no “Israel” anymore. History (and the Bible) records that the 10 Northern Tribes of the kingdom of Israel turned their backs on God, and so around 720 BC the ancient Assyrians came and destroyed Israel, taking away the survivors and scattering (dispersing) them among many “gentile” nations, intermarrying them thus they became assimilated among those many Gentile nations. Only 2 Tribes remained: Benjamin and Judah, and from Judah came the term “Jew” or the Jewish peoples.

The New Testament is quite clear, as Paul teaches us, that the New Israel is the Bride o;f Christ (which is the Catholic Church shepherded under the Pope).

Christ did not come in the ‘person’ of the Roman army. That is nonsense! :doh2:

Recall the words of the angel when Christ ascended into heaven:

Acts 1:11 RSVA
and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Christ will come again and we on earth will all see this coming. It is not an invisible coming nor is it a 1/2 coming. He will come with a mighty blast of the trumpet, where He will gather us all and will judge the living and the dead. Those who have rejected God are going to hell and the righteous will have eternal salvation. There is no “7 yrs” after all this happens.

please read this link that teaches correctly re: the Rapture

www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/…/ac1005.asp

blessings,

 

[Cat_Herder]

Hi Lev23,

Amillennialism is a heretical teaching and was NEVER taught in the Church. There is no pre-trib rapture.

I think you meant to say that pre-tribulational premillennialism is a heretical teaching. Amillennialism is in fact the orthodox teaching that the current age is the millennium.

Among the early church fathers there were some premillennialists like Justin Martyr. However none of them held to a pre-tribulational rapture, a concept unheard of until the 19th century.

 

[CEM5]

The 144,000 are all Israelites and servants of God, and will be so when this takes place in the future during the 7 years prophetically alloted for Israel (Rev7/Dan9:24).. These Israelite’s servitude to God may lead to the multitudes from peoples of every nation, tribe, people and language spoken of in Revelation chapter 7, verses 9 and 10.

Hi Lev23,

with all due respect, No, the 144,000 are NOT the ancient Israelites. We Christians are now the New Israel through the Church - the ONE Church that Christ established on earth, His beloved Bride.

Again, knowing the history of the Bible, and the history of the times that this was written demonstrates that this figure was representative of ALL those faithful Christians belonging to God through Christ. There is no longer any tribe (or ancient kingdom) of Israel. They were conquered, dispersed and now are the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel, numbered among the “Gentile” nations. The word of Christ’s Good News was preached to them by the “Apostle of the Gentiles”, St. Paul, thereby ensuring that they too could be saved by converting.

The number 7 is not to be taken literally – this number represents completeness. A complete series.

For example, in Sirach, “The just man stumbles seven times a day” which means, he stumbles (is tempted) in every way possible. (He is completely tempted). It is not to be taken literally!! Numers have special meaning in the Bible.

The number 12 represents a “complete cycle”, (distinct from the number 7 which is a complete series). Twelve signifies “universal completeness” and if you have 12 of anything, you have ALL of it.

Therefore, the 12 x 12 (represents ALL of Christianity) multiplied by the number 1,000 stresses that completeness, or totality, all the more so. 12 is the totality of a thing, 12 times 12 is the total total of everything or everybody!!

When you multiply anything by 10, 100, or by 1,000 it stresses the primary meaning all that much more!!

Even St. Augustine knew this and that is why he taught that the 144,000 saints mentioned in Rev 7:4 represent the complete totality of saints – an innumerable number (too many to count)!!

No one was EVER supposed to take those numbers literally, as if only that many people (144,000) among the billions and billions of people who ever lived (and will live) would be the only ones to get to heaven.

Only those ignorant heretical teachers would devise such a deception since they are arrogant men who think they know better than the ancient writers of the Church and the Apostles! This nonsense of the “Rapture” was invented in the 1800’s!!

may the truth found within the Lord’s Church teach you, AMEN.