question about the rapture

[KGM]

I read this poem and it sounded an awful lot like the Protestant belief in the rapture. Here is the poem whose author is unknown. Has anyone heard of this poem before? If so what do you think? If I am completely wrong in my suspicion please feel free to say so and provide an explanation. I’m looking to uderstand it from a Catholic perspective.

Thanks
God Bless
KGM

Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house,
not a creature was praying, not one in the house.

Their bibles were lain on the shelf without care, In hopes that Jesus would never come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed, not one ever kneeling or bowing a head.

And mom on her rocker with baby on lap, was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out on the East there arose such a clatter. I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter and through up the sash.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.

With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray, I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!

The light of his face made me cover my head, It was Jesus returning just like he had said.

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth, I cried when I saw him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life, which he held in his hand, was written the name of every saved man.

He spoke not a word as he searched for my name, When he said, “It’s not here” my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love, He gathered to take to His Father above.

With those who were ready He rose without sound, while all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late, I waited too long and thus sealed my fate.

I stood and cried as they rose out of sight, Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear, the coming of Lord Jesus is coming near.
There is only one life and when comes the last call, we will find that the bible was right after all!

 

[Beaver]

KGM:

With those who were ready He rose without sound, while all the rest were left standing around.

Sound like the rapture to me!!!

There are two camps at the end of time, heaven and hell.

 

[PaulDupre]

KGM:

I read this poem and it sounded an awful lot like the Protestant belief in the rapture. Here is the poem whose author is unknown. Has anyone heard of this poem before? If so what do you think? If I am completely wrong in my suspicion please feel free to say so and provide an explanation. I’m looking to understand it from a Catholic perspective.

Thanks
God Bless
KGM

This has nothing to do with “the rapture” as understood by modern evangelicals. It is about the second coming of Christ. The doctrine of “the rapture” was concocted in the 1800’s and states that before the Great Tribulation spoken of by Jesus (which will happen well in advance of His Second Coming), all Christians will be taken away from the earth so they won’t suffer through those tribulations (aka the pre-trib rapture).
The true doctrine, as taught by the Catholic Church and historical Protestant Churches, is that these bible passages all pertain to the Second Coming of Christ. When Jesus appears, the dead in Christ will rise first, then those who are alive will be caught up in the air to meet Him. Jesus, His angels, and those (both dead and alive) who are caught up to meet Him, will then come and set up His Kingdom on earth.

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."

(Note that this passage is really about the reality of the bodily resurrection, not an exposition on the end times.)

A lot of fundamentalist modernists (especially those who read the “Left Behind” books) will be very confused when the Great Tribulation begins and they are still here. Because they are pinning all their hopes on escaping the tribulations, they are likely to lose faith in Jesus completely. I believe that the spreading of this pernicious doctrine of the (pre-trib) rapture is part of Satan’s plot to steal the faith of many Christians during the end times. The Satanic leaders will say “See, you are still here - Christianity is a fraud!!” We Catholics need to be educated about this issue so that we can explain it to them. Otherwise, they are in danger of complete apostacy.
Paul

 

[Exporter]

Paul, you gave us an excellent Catholic explaination of the myth of a rapture. Thanks.

 

[KGM]

Thanks Paul for the information. I have a lot to learn when it comes to the end times. I wanted to make sure about this poem because I found it on a great Catholic website and wanted to make sure it is a trustworthy site for information concerning what the Church believes.

God Bless You
KGM

 

[Romie]

I have heard many christians speaking of the Rapture.I also heard that it was the Catholics who founded it in the first place. From a man named Dr. Jack VanImpe can anyone elaborate on this.?

 

[PaulDupre]

Romie:

I have heard many christians speaking of the Rapture.I also heard that it was the Catholics who founded it in the first place. From a man named Dr. Jack VanImpe can anyone elaborate on this.?

I enjoy Jack Van Impe’s program, though I disagree with much of his theology. He is the only televangelist I know of who defends Catholics. But he does take many of the writings of Church doctors and Early Church Fathers out of context and misinterprets them. I have heard him quote from Augustine, who was writing about the second coming as I posted above, and say that Augustine believed in a pre-tribulation rapture. It’s just not so.
Grace to you,
Paul

 

[Maccabees]

I head Jack Van Impe once Claim that the catholic church now agree we are saved by faith alone. Just about fell out my seat.

This was after the CATHOLIC AND LUTHERAN DIALOGUE where there was agree ment that we are saved by grace alone and saved by faith through this unearned grace in the initial stage of justification. That’s were the agreement ended. We always agreed with the Lutherans on this unfortunaely through politics and relgiious turmoil we talked past each other and not recognized how much we agreed with each other. However we still realize we have differences catholics still beleive in justification as a process and our cooperation in the sacrmanet of reconcilliation and works can help us reestablish our state of grace with God when we turn to mortal sin. However in Luthernism justification is not a process but a legal declatory contract and ones cooperation through the sacramnet of reconcilliation and works makes no difference if you are justified or not after the justification had been declared valid. THus Van Impe was way off like he is on a lot of things. HE pretends to know catholic doctrine but doesn’t he does a good job of taking some catholic teaching and making them appear to be modern day fundamentalism. I think he has a soft space in his heart for catholics unlike other fundamentalist but I wouldn’t have him teaching a CCD class anytime soon!

 

[Romie]

Thanks everyone for your (name removed by moderator)ut.
God Bless.