What is the Rapture?

[SavedbyHisBlood]

My understanding is that belief in the rapture (something about the assumption of all Christians into heaven before the end of the world but prior to judgment day) is a prodominatly Protestant belief and that it is not a belief shared by Catholics, so this is a two part question:

Firstly to Protestants, what is the rapture? Can you please explain what you expect to happen, when and why? Where did the doctrine come from and what scripture/tradition supports it?

Secondly to Catholics, If this is a common Christian belief why doesnt the RCC support it? Is there scripture/tradition that denounces it? is there anything in the CCC or a letter of some kind from the Pope about it?

Clarification would be great. Thanks everyone

:EDIT: If i am incorrect on anything please let me know.

 

[crazzeto]

This is not percisly correct, official Catholic teaching includes the very same idea of a “rapture”, though we don’t use that word (even though it appears in the vulgate). I suspect this is due to Protestants taking the idea and running with it.

What is rejected is this, the protestant idea that the rapture will happen before the tribbluation. That infact the tribluation will be, mainly for unbelievers (who aren’t raptured), and that the tribluation will in fact be ushered in by all christians in the world suddenly dissapearing.

This is rejected by the very simple fact, 1 Thess states that first the dead in Christ will rise (on the last day), then the rapture will happen. This rapture will include all faithful Christians whether they were (mortally) dead or alive on the day it happens.

More over, the very passages from which “left behind” get’s it’s name, compares the coming of Christ to the great Flood, and the destruction of Soddom and Gahmora.

In both these cases, the justified were left behind, ie not taken by the flood waters or in fire and brim-stone.

I hope this helps.

 

[Publisher]

The “rapture” as an event in eschatology as held by many Fundamentalist/Evangelical Christians has it’s origins in the late 19th centrury under the ministry of John Darby, a Plymouth Brethren minister who was influenced by the visions and writings of…I don’t remember exactly…I’m going off of memory…but this “rapture” doctrine is quite late on the scene as things go.

 

[FCEGM]

My understanding is that belief in the rapture (something about the assumption of all Christians into heaven before the end of the world but prior to judgment day) is a prodominatly Protestant belief and that it is not a belief shared by Catholics, so this is a two part question:

Firstly to Protestants, what is the rapture? Can you please explain what you expect to happen, when and why? Where did the doctrine come from and what scripture/tradition supports it?

Secondly to Catholics, If this is a common Christian belief why doesnt the RCC support it? Is there scripture/tradition that denounces it? is there anything in the CCC or a letter of some kind from the Pope about it?

Clarification would be great. Thanks everyone

:EDIT: If i am incorrect on anything please let me know.

These articles - and one radio show - will help:

catholic.com/library/Rapture.asp

catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0109fea3.asp

catholic.com/radio/event.php?calendar=1&category=0&event=5481&date=2008-12-30

catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0209fea5.asp

Quickly, though, the popularized version of a “rapture” is rather new on the Christian scene and thus is not a common Christian belief (though it is popular among some Protestant denominations), but arises from an erroneous interpretation of Scripture by those who have no authority to interpret it.

 

[twopekinguys]

My understanding is that belief in the rapture (something about the assumption of all Christians into heaven before the end of the world but prior to judgment day) is a prodominatly Protestant belief and that it is not a belief shared by Catholics, so this is a two part question:

Firstly to Protestants, what is the rapture? Can you please explain what you expect to happen, when and why? Where did the doctrine come from and what scripture/tradition supports it?

Secondly to Catholics, If this is a common Christian belief why doesnt the RCC support it? Is there scripture/tradition that denounces it? is there anything in the CCC or a letter of some kind from the Pope about it?

Clarification would be great. Thanks everyone

:EDIT: If i am incorrect on anything please let me know.

As a former protestant, my understanding of the Rapture is that in the end times, God will remove all living people who are “saved” from the earth. Body and soul, and take them to heaven. Leaving those who aren’t “saved” to stay on earth to face the final tribulations.

Like I said, that is 'My" understanding. I haven’t been a protestant for many years now.

As far as what Catholics believe, to be really honest, I have simply gone by what our pastor has said. It isn’t scripturally based, and is a matter of how Revelations is interpreted by different denominations.

I admit, I haven’t done any research on it. I took his word for it.

 

[Iowa_Mike]

My understanding is that belief in the rapture (something about the assumption of all Christians into heaven before the end of the world but prior to judgment day) is a prodominatly Protestant belief and that it is not a belief shared by Catholics, so this is a two part question:

Firstly to Protestants, what is the rapture? Can you please explain what you expect to happen, when and why? Where did the doctrine come from and what scripture/tradition supports it?

Secondly to Catholics, If this is a common Christian belief why doesnt the RCC support it? Is there scripture/tradition that denounces it? is there anything in the CCC or a letter of some kind from the Pope about it?

Clarification would be great. Thanks everyone

:EDIT: If i am incorrect on anything please let me know.

It’s not supported by the RCC because the Protestant view that the rapture is an event whereby God takes a select group of faithful Christians out of the world before the tribulation in incorrect and contradicts Sacred Scripture.

The following link is an excellent explanation of the what Catholics believe. It is titled, “A Catholic View of the Rapture” Just follow the link below.

catholicplanet.com/articles/article111.htm

God Bless,

Iowa Mike

 

[Catdan]

According to those teaching the secret rapture theory, the coming of Jesus will be in two separate stages. The first will be a secret rapture of the Church at the beginning of a seven year tribulation period followed by a glorious, triumphant return of Christ to the Earth accompanied by the Church at the end of the seven year period. They believe that during this seven year period the Antichrist is going to come into power and God will select and seal 144,000 literal Jews who will take the Gospel to the whole world converting immeasurable souls to Christ. They also believe the battle of Armageddon is a literal national war against literal Israel, which occurs near the end of the seven years and is brought to a halt by Christ’s return with His Church. Then literal Israel accepts the Lord as the Messiah and enters with Him as His covenant people into the 1,000 year (millennial) reign on earth known as the Kingdom Age. Christ will rule directly over the earth from the throne of David in Jerusalem, where the typical temple services function again. Those who ultimately reject Christ’s rule are eventually judged and destroyed at the end of the Millennium. The new believers will then receive immortality and eternity will begin.

However, the Bible nowhere speaks of these two separate comings and the word “rapture” is also an invention of theologians and occurs nowhere in the Bible. The deception does not stop there, Christians also debate whether we will be taken before the tribulation or in the middle of the seven years or at the completion of the seven year tribulation. These are called pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post tribulation. Now for the most amazing part of these views in regards to the seven year tribulation period; are you ready for this? It was manufactured by a Jesuit Priest who was commissioned to come up with this false interpretation of Bible Prophecy. This raises many questions, such as why was this done and how could so many be drawn into this lie.

 

[Catdan]

This is a brief point by point account of the order of events according to Scripture; there is Christ’s second coming, the resurrection, the catching up of the saints to meet Jesus in the air which all take place at the same time and at the end of the world. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 “…and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Why would Jesus promise to be with the Church until the end of the world if He intended to come seven years before the end to take them out of the world? The promise would then have no meaning.

This false doctrine on the secret rapture is contradictory to the words of Jesus in Matthew 13 when He said the wheat and tares would grow together until the “end of the world” and then would be separated. According to this dual coming secret rapture theory, both groups would not grow together until the end of the world. The righteous would be separated from the wicked seven years before the end. And what about the promise of the resurrection? Christ said, concerning the righteous, John 6:40 “…and I will raise him up at the last day.” No one denies that this means the last day of the world. Paul declares the saints are caught up to meet the Lord at the “same time” the dead in Christ are raised. He says, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “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: 17 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.” Did you note that Jesus called this resurrection the “last day?” But how could it be the “last day” if this gathering of the saints takes place seven years before the end of the world? And how could the “last trump” (see 1 Corinthians 15:52 below) sound if it really wasn’t the very last moment of time? Imagine the graves opening and the righteous rising and no one knowing that it had occurred? Consider also the added testimony from God’s Word;

Matthew 24:27 “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Matthew 24:30 “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.”

Matthew 24:31 “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.” (This is clearly the time when Christ comes to gather His saints.)

1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

Revelation 6:16-17 “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

 

[Catdan]

There is no understood scripture that says the second coming of Christ to gather His saints will be a secret rapture. All these verses show it will be a very loud and very visible event that every eye shall see. There is nothing secret about any aspect of His coming. Those believing in the secret rapture sometimes quote Matthew 24:40-41 out of context. The entire passage reads;

Matthew 24:37-41 “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Jesus is demonstrating the parallels between the days of Noah and the second coming of Christ. The eight that entered Noah’s Ark were saved and those that scoffed perished as the flood “took them all away.” Many have been taught that the ones taken are the ones saved but note it is actually the ones taken that are destroyed. There was no second chance. Jesus said and “so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” The last verse of this chapter tells us what will happen to those who are taken to destruction. Matthew 24:51 “And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Those believing in the secret rapture also quote Jesus in saying He will come as a thief in the night, meaning it will be a secret rapture. Jesus said in Matthew 24:43-44 “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Jesus is not talking about coming secretly but coming unexpectedly when we least expect Him and so the wicked will be taken by surprise. This is why Jesus tells us to be ready as we know not the hour of His return. Those who are not right with Christ and living wickedly when Jesus returns we will be taken to destruction as in the days of Noah. See Matthew 24:37-41 above. See also 2 Thessalonians 2:8.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 is also quoted which reads, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” Same message as before be ready for Christ’s unexpected return. And what happens after His return? 1 Thessalonians 5:3 “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” How secret is sudden destruction? Those that are left after Jesus’ return encounter “sudden destruction.” Again, just like in the days of Noah.

These two “thief texts” are also used to teach a secret rapture. Revelation 3:3 “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” In both these instances just quoted, the secrecy is also in connection with the timing not the nature of the event, and is exactly the same as the other “thief texts.” Notice the phrase in chapter 3:3 which says “hold fast, and repent” and the last part of verse 15 which says “lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”

This is once again a warning to be not caught living in sin, because we know not the hour which Jesus will return. He will come unexpectedly when you least expect it as does a thief. It would be no good for the thief if you knew when he was coming as you would be ready for him and he could not rob you. In the same way we need to be ready and living in righteousness now and not just when we think Jesus is coming or we will be “caught naked and our shame seen.” Those who love and obey Jesus will be ready for His return. This is the meaning of the phrase “to come as a thief” that is used several times in the Bible to warn us so we will not be left behind.

And still one more. 2 Peter 3:10 says “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

Again, absolutely nothing secret. To the contrary, it could not be more obvious. It states after Jesus comes unexpectedly as does a thief, “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise” and “the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth … shall be burned up.” So when Jesus returns the very next thing is the end i.e. the last day. If coming “as a thief” is a secret rapture which takes place seven years before the end of the world, how can the heavens and earth “pass away” as Peter describes it? Three of these “thief texts” are all followed by the same unmistakable catastrophic sudden destruction. Coming as a thief is unexpected, NOT a secret!

 

[Ceil-1]

As a child, I was taught pre-tribulation and post-tribulation rapture. I was so confused, then realized my friends’ different denominations taught two different things. Honestly, deep inside I wondered how anyone could believe something so obviously ridiculous.

Would you mind giving the name of the heretical priest who came up with this idea, Cat? I know there have been priests who thought the second coming was on its way and high-tailed it to the mountains, but, not pre-trib. rapture.

 

[Catdan]

hose who believe in a “secret rapture” say that the Greek word “parousia” refers to the secret “coming” of Jesus in His presence and that the Greek word “apokalupsis” refers to the visible glorious “coming” of Jesus in power seven years later. They also teach in middle of this seven year period, (3.5 years) the antichrist will reign. But “parousia” and “apokalupsis” are BOTH used to describe the second coming as we will soon show by its parallel in the “days of Noah.”
aul uses the word “parousia” in the well known so called “rapture chapter” of 1 Thessalonians 4 when speaking of the coming of Christ and our gathering together unto Him. Paul then shows that this “parousia” will destroy the man of sin; the Antichrist. Paul says, “whom the Lord shall…destroy with the brightness of his coming [parousia].” 2 Thessalonians 2:8. These scriptures unmistakably describe the coming [parousia] of Christ as taking place after the reign of the man of sin, not as a secret rapture before the Antichrist’s reign begins.
he other Greek word “apokalupsis” [revelation] is used in a way that indicates it is not a separate second coming from the time the believers are gathered up. Peter said in 1 Peter 1:13 to “… be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [apokalupsis] of Jesus Christ;” Why would Christians be exhorted to continue hoping to the end of the world for the grace brought through the revelation of Jesus Christ if their real hope was a secret rapture seven years before the revelation?
hese following verses showing Matthew and Luke’s account of the same event prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the words “parousia” and “apokalupsis” do refer to the same event. In Matthew 24:37 we read, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be.” And the same account in Luke 17:26, 30; “As it was in the days of Noah…Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [apokalupsis].”
his shows that the coming [parousia] of Christ and the revelation [apokalupsis] of Christ are the same event. There is absolutely no basis for placing seven years in between. This whole counterfeit secret rapture is built upon a constant repetition of words and ideas that have been repeated so often that millions have assumed that they must be biblically sound.

 

[Catdan]

s there is so much secret rapture theology revolving around the seven year period, one would deduce that the Bible must speak frequently of this time period. There is in fact not one single scriptural reference which ties the seven years to the end of the world or the coming of Christ. Most secret rapture literature mention the seven year tribulation period without offering any Bible proof or explanation. One woman once asked me if I believed in the seven year tribulation period, which knowing the truth, I promptly replied no. I was then told I was wrong as the Holy Spirit had revealed this to her. I asked her where the scripture was to support this, of which she replied, “it is here in the Bible somewhere.” I am still waiting for her to give me the reference. Absolutely millions of people have assumed that it must be so well documented that no proof is needed. The fact is the absolute opposite is true. There just simply isn’t any evidence to give.

n early 1830, a 15 year old Scottish Girl called Margaret McDonald had visions that included a Secret Rapture of believers before the appearance of the Antichrist. Edward Irving (1792-1834) who was her Scottish Presbyterian pastor and forerunner of the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements, attended prophecy conferences that began in Dublin Ireland also in 1830 at Powerscourt Castle where he promoted the doctrine of the Secret Rapture as per her vision.
ohn Nelson Darby (1800-1882) who was a minister of the Church of Ireland later became a member of the Plymouth Brethren and also promoted the Secret Rapture after attending the same Powerscourt Bible Prophecy meeting in 1830 where he learned of Margaret McDonald’s supposed vision. Darby modified her views and then taught them under his own name. He developed and organized “futurism” into a system of prophetic teaching called “dispensationalism” with the so-called secret rapture at its centre. He visited Margaret McDonald at her home in Port Glasgow, Scotland and then later visited America several times where this Secret Rapture theology starting gaining a large acceptance in the 1850s and 1860s.
ohn Nelson Darby who was largely responsible for introducing this new teaching on a large scale also greatly influenced Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843-1921) who also incorporated this false doctrine into the notes of his Scofield Reference Bible, first published by Oxford University Press in 1909. One million copies were printed by 1930, firmly establishing this Futurist theory into different denominations and Bible schools of the United States in the 20th Century.

 

[Catdan]

istorical evidence actually reveals it originated much earlier. Before and during the Protestant Reformation, the Reformers embraced the true “Historical” interpretation of the Bible where the antichrist was clearly seen as a system of apostasy and persecution rather than a single individual. John spoke of antichrist that “shall come” but he also added that “even now are there MANY antichrists” 1 John 2:18. So we know that there was not just one but many antichrists and that the antichrist system was operating when John was writing about 2000 years ago. The conclusion of those who studied these prophecies during the Reformation was that there was only one system that fit all the characteristics of who is the antichrist power which was the Papal system of the Roman Catholic Church. The following are the many identifiable characteristics:
It will rise to be a great power after the fall of the pagan Roman Empire (after 476 A.D.)
It will be a geographically small nation (a little horn). (Dan 7:8)
It will rule over many people, nations, and tongues (it will be universal). (Rev 13:7)
It will be headquartered in the city of seven hills, Rome.
It will be a religio-political entity - a political city-state ruled by a priest-king.
Its priest-king will make great and blasphemous claims. (Rev 13:1, 6)
It will claim authority over all kings. (Rev 17:18)
It will claim its power to change the holy times and laws of God as its mark of authority. (Dan 7:25)
It will be an apostate Church that makes the nations drink her cup of apostate doctrine. (Rev 14:8)
It will be a “mother” harlot Church, with apostate daughters coming from her. (Rev 17:5)
It will be a persecuting power, killing the faithful saints of Jesus Christ as heretics. (Rev 13:7)
It will hold power and authority for 1260 years following the fall of pagan Rome.
It will suffer a deadly wound that will end 1260 years of dominance and persecution.
It will be revived after the deadly wound, and all the world would wonder at its revival. (Rev 13:3)

 

[Catdan]

o wonder the Roman Catholic Church was so opposed to the Bible being available for everyone to read for themselves. To control what they called heretical doctrine, the Catholic Church called for a special meeting known as the Fifth Lateran Council, (1512-1517) which forbade anyone to publish a book without prior censorship and also prohibited anyone from preaching on the subject of antichrist. The leaders of the Council and the Catholic Church also attempted to ban or burn all Bibles, heretical books, and the heretics that owned or preached from them.
he major characteristic identifying the antichrist power was this 1260 years of persecution of the “saints” which was fulfilled in the Catholic Church’s persecution of Christians throughout the dark ages beginning in 538 A.D. after the fall of the pagan Roman empire, and extending to 1798 (1260 years exactly), when the Pope was taken prisoner by Napoleons general Berthier and died. This was the deadly head wound. (Revelation 13:3) In order to divert attention away from the Roman Catholic Church as the antichrist power, a new interpretation would have to be found. This was done by rejecting the true “Historical” interpretation and accepting a false “Futurist” interpretation proposed by a Jesuit doctor of theology, Francisco Ribera (1537-1591).
n his book, entitled “In Sacrum Beati Ioannis Apostoli, & Evangelistiae Apocalypsin Commentarij”, he postulated that the 1260 day prophecy were not 1260 years but a literal 3 1/2 years, or 1260 actual days, and therefore none of the book of Revelation had any application to the Middle Ages or the Papacy. It applied to a future period just prior to the Second Coming of Christ; hence it was called “Futurism” or the “Futurist” interpretation. Manuel De Lacunza (1731-1801), a Jesuit priest from Chile, also advocated futurism in his manuscript entitled “La Venida del Mesias en Gloria y Magestad” (The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty). Writing under the assumed name of Juan Josafa (Rabbi) Ben-Ezra, Lacunza hoped to obscure the fact that he was a Roman Catholic, in order to give his book better acceptance in Protestantism.

his historicism chart illustrates the three schools of interpretation regarding antichrist. Ribera’s futurism puts the antichrist into a future three and one-half literal years. Alcazar’s preterism identifies the antichrist as Nero. Both put antichrist outside the Middle Ages and the reformation period identified by Protestant Historicists as antichrist’s reign of 1260 prophetic years. The truly amazing part of all this is that the Futurist theory dominates Protestant teaching today. That scenario is directly traceable back to the pen of the Jesuit Francisco Ribera who manufactured this theory for the sole purpose of diverting attention from the Papacy. In what could only be described as a stunning reversal, Protestants have over time actually become the Papacy’s greatest ally by spreading its Jesuit spawned propaganda. What irony that Protestants who originally broke away from what they clearly recognized to be the harlot antichrist led Church of prophecy, now champion the Futurist interpretation from high profile ministries. Futurism has without doubt, been successful beyond the wildest dreams of its Jesuit authors. The same applies to the Preterist interpretation of Luis De Alcazar, although to a much lesser degree. For very detailed information, see the origins of Futurism.

 

[Catdan]

ost Bible students are stunned to learn where the seven years came from. In Daniel 9:24-27 God gave a prophecy concerning the probation of Israel. Daniel 9:24 reads, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
od was going to allow Daniel’s people seventy weeks to end their rebellion against God and if they failed, Israel would be rejected as a nation. The seventy weeks are prophetic time and each day represents a literal year (Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34). So the seventy weeks would actually be a literal 490 years after which the Israelites were no longer God’s people. The seventy prophetic weeks were to begin with the decree to restore and build Jerusalem.
aniel 9:25 “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”
hat well known date is 457 B.C., when Artaxerxes sent out the decree. (Ezra 7:13) From that date the Jews would have exactly 490 years to stop their rebellion towards God. The 490 year probation ended in A.D. 34 and the Jews ceased to be God’s chosen people. Daniel 9:25 says that the Messiah would be anointed after the total of sixty nine of those prophetic weeks had passed by. That would be 483 years from the decree date of 457 B.C. It takes no mathematician to figure the end of that prediction. It brings us to the year A.D. 27, the very year that Jesus was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit anointed Him for His ministry. Since “Messiah” means “Anointed One,” this can only be the fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy that the Messiah would appear in A.D. 27. Seventy weeks were assigned to the Jewish probation but Christ appeared as the Messiah after sixty nine weeks. That leaves the final and seventieth week for Christ to minister before the Jews probation ended. What was to happen in the seventieth week?
aniel 9:27 tells us, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.”
he “midst of the week” would be three and a half prophetic days (or 3.5 literal years) from His baptism and according to the Bible, the ministry of Jesus lasted for exactly that, three and a half years. In the spring of A.D. 31 Jesus was crucified and the veil of the temple was rent (Matthew 27:51), signifying the end of sacrifices. By His death He caused the “sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” Another three and a half years would lead up to the end of the seventy weeks and the end of Jewish probation. During that three and a half years the disciples laboured mainly for the Jews but in A.D. 34 the seventy weeks ended; Stephen was stoned after his immense speech before the council in Acts chapter 7 and the gospel began to go to the Gentiles (Acts 8:4). The Jews had rejected the gospel message and were no longer God’s chosen people just as Daniel had predicted. Now they could only be saved as individuals in exactly the same way as the Gentiles.
he seventy weeks or 490 years was the time God gave His chosen nation to end their rebellion where He would then forgive them for their transgressions. Notice how Jesus refers to this prophetic time period here in His conversation with Peter. Seventy times seven is of course 490.
atthew 18:21 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
ow, to make the Jesuit manufactured prophecy fit its new interpretation, Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 which began in 457 B.C. with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 7:1-27) had to develop a “gap.” Arbitrarily the 70th week (7 days = 7 years) of Daniel’s prophecy is detached from its context and placed at the end of the age 2000 years later where it logically can no longer be the seventieth week. This “week” will according to its proponents constitute the “seven year tribulation period,” prior to which the Secret Rapture will occur.
his false and illogical “gap” theory states that all fulfilment of this prophecy is suspended until the Christian era is over. Then the last week of the 70 weeks prophecy becomes operative again constituting the seven year tribulation period. This false Jesuit manufactured theory teaches that the first sixty nine weeks of this seventy week prophecy (490 years) reached from 457 B.C. to the year 27 A.D. when Jesus began His ministry. The true “Historical” view teaches that the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 began in 457 B.C. and ended when Stephen was stoned to death in 34 A.D. It was at that time that the gospel went to the Gentiles and the Jewish people lost their place as those “Chosen” to spread God’s message to the world. They had also rejected Christ by calling for His crucifixion in the “middle of the week,” in 31 A.D. and then rejected Christ’s followers by stoning Stephen 3.5 years later at the end of the 70th week. (34 A.D.)

 

[Catdan]

o we find this false rapturist theory gets the seven years tribulation by lifting that seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy completely out of its context and shoving it far into the future where it is logically no longer the seventieth week. They claim it will be fulfilled after Christ comes to snatch away the righteous secretly. They agree that the sixty nine weeks of Daniel 9:25 refer to the period before Christ’s first advent, but then they insert a 2000 year gap before the seventieth week is fulfilled. They allot 69 weeks plus 2,000 years plus one week, or a total of approximately 2,490 years. By this devious manipulation of God’s Word by the Papacy, the rapturist’s believe they have extended the Jewish probation and based upon this, they teach that all the Jews will be saved in a great second chance after the “secret rapture” takes place.

he tragedy of this Jesuit spawned rapture theory that was commissioned by the Papacy is that it takes this beautiful messianic prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, that proves Jesus is the Messiah by predicting His coming, His baptism and crucifixion, and then applying it to the Antichrist. They do this by stating that it is Antichrist that causes the sacrifice and oblation to cease after three and a half years. But Daniel states that it is Jesus who caused the sacrificial system of the Jews to cease when He died on the cross. A misinterpretation that confuses something Christ has done and applies it to the devil instead, is certainly a tragic and blasphemous occurrence. This is however the only way they could arrive at a seven year tribulation period. How very sad.
hen speaking of Christ’s second coming, you often hear the question are you pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation or post tribulation. These terms are also the result of the very same Jesuit spawned propaganda. It also comes from the seventieth week of Daniel’s 70 week prophecy. Pre-tribulation is taken from the time of Christ’s anointing, mid-tribulation comes from the time Christ was crucified and post tribulation comes from the end of Daniel’s 70 week period which was the end of Israel’s time to repent of there rebellion and coincided with Stephens stoning.

 

[Catdan]

n the 1990s, Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins took the future one-man Antichrist idea of Hal Lindsey, Cyrus Scofield, John Darby, Irving, Newman, Todd, Maitland, Bellarmine, and Ribera and turned it into “The most successful Christian-fiction series ever” (Publishers Weekly).
al Lindsey’s book, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” was largely theological, which limited its appeal, while “Left Behind” is a sequence of highly imaginative fictional novels. The television ministries of Jack Van Impe, Peter and Paul Lalonde and Pastor John Hagee have all worked together to produce “LEFT BEHIND: The Movie.” This project even caught the attention of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, resulting in an interview with LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins on Larry King Live. Left Behind is now teaching much of the same Jesuit Futurism as Francisco Ribera, which is hiding the real truth about the Antichrist. Through Left Behind, Futurism has taken a very strong hold, unleashing a massive tidal wave of false prophecy which is sweeping over the world. Everyone believes movies and books, right? With all the false teaching already circulating on the secret rapture and seven year tribulation period, even though these books are fictional, many have taken them as being greatly truth. Satan continues to clap his hands in glee over just another one of his great deceptions on the Christian world. And as usual, many Christians and even Pastors will not entertain the idea of this being possible as they will not consider the majority could be wrong and so the lie continues to spread like a disease.
f Christians don’t start waking up to the devils many deceptions, a lot of good people are going to perish. Satan’s deceptions are strong and convincing, but Christ has given us ample information to help us discern truth from error if we will only diligently study His Word.

 

[Teneas]

The “rapture” theory is easily debunked anyway.

Matthew 24:37-41 “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

If the end of days is to be like the days of Noah, then how come in the days of Noah were the GOOD guys left?! The BAD guys were the ones taken.

So, if the rapture theories are correct, I honestly hope I am one of the ones left behind!

 

[Ceil-1]

How do you know this Rabbi Ben-Ezra was who you claim him to be? And were these supposed priests and their writings approved by the Church? Or condemned?

There are several points you made, such as the great power after the Roman pagan empire, and 1260 years of power, for which you did not give a Scriptural reference. Where did those ideas come from.

I also find it suspicious that these verses are a “hodge podge” from Daniel, and Revelation. Anyone can “cut and paste” verses to fit a preconcieved notion.

It all seems a little too contrived to me.

 

[Dancelittleewok]

Catdan, by forum rules we are to cite the articles we use and not post lengthy posts. Next time, please cite your article link in one post please!