This is a topic that stirs much passion and debate. But it is a critical issue for understanding the End Times.
You hear the argument the word does not appear in the Bible, which is true. But it is a straw-man argument as will be shown.
138)
Transliterated WordTDNT Entry
Harpazo1:472,80
Phonetic SpellingParts of Speech
har-pad'-zo Verb
Definition
carry off 1, caught 4, snatch 2, snatched...away 1, snatches 1, snatches away 1, snatching 1, take...away...by force 1, take...by force 2In the Vulgate Bible the Greek word 'Harpazo' is translated as the Latin word 'raptus.' Then 'raptus' was translated into the English word 'rapture' for theological purposes.
Now, before anyone screams I am doing the straw-man, let me remind you many theological terms commonly used are not in the Bible, such as 'trinity' and 'first, second and third person of the Godhead.'
Interestingly, Catholics are among those who use the 'not in the Bible.' Strange, when 'Pope,' 'Cardinal,' 'Holy Roman Church,' etc are not in the Bible or even hinted at existing. They came from the ancient Roman Pagan Religion, not God or the Bible.
Finally, many words in the English Bible are not one for one translations of the Greek or Hebrew. In example, Jesus should be Joshua.
The Rapture is not to be confused with resurrection of the Two Witnesses that will occur at Mid-Trib and saints at the Second Coming.
There is another unique 'Thief in the Night' event at the end of Time after the Millennial Kingdom, but that is a different topic.
It is defined as:
Pinning down the time is where a lot of debate comes in. Here are some key verses to examine:
Matthew 24
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
This obviously eliminates a number of theologies. The Trib is 7 years long, so once the Trib begins there time marker you can count from to time following events.
It also clearly shows the Rapture cannot happen during the Trib. The Trib is not a time of normal living.
Further, this is a clear showing of being snatched away as in 1 Thessalonians 4.
This church coexists with the 7th church, the false church.
The 6th church is promised to be kept from the Hour of Trial. A very important promise since 'kept from' in the Greek means protected by being removed from the place at issue. No testing of these Christians.
In other words, they are Raptured since the place of trial is the whole earth. Noah was removed from the land, the place of destruction then. Lot was removed from the plains, the place of destruction then.
Nowhere in the Bible has anyone God 'kept from' something been in it and through it. They are always out of it, be it a country, city, etc.
The 7th church is cast into the Trib.
The very next verses show the lampstands, meaning covenant, of the Church is gone and replaced by the Two Witnesses, the lampstands of the New Covenant to Israel and Judah.
More so, you can overlay the 70th Week of Daniel onto the 7 year Trib of Revelation and see they are the same time period. Both begin with the Anti-Christ and his treaty.
That is significant because the AC cannot be revealed until the Restrainer is removed from the earth.
Some try to say the Church is the Restrainer and others Michael. Neither can be true because the Church did not exist before the Resurrection and neither the Church or Michael are everywhere on the earth at the same time, but lawlessness is.
The Church is not to been seen or talked about again until the end of the Trib. The 24 Elders of Old Testament Israel are sitting before the Throne of the Father.
This all means the Rapture and the revealing of the AC happen at the same time. The OT saints are glorified and the Church is in the Wedding Supper.
That is the Pre-Trib Rapture.
You hear the argument the word does not appear in the Bible, which is true. But it is a straw-man argument as will be shown.
138)
Transliterated WordTDNT Entry
Harpazo1:472,80
Phonetic SpellingParts of Speech
har-pad'-zo Verb
Definition
- to seize, carry off by force
- to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly
- to snatch out or away
carry off 1, caught 4, snatch 2, snatched...away 1, snatches 1, snatches away 1, snatching 1, take...away...by force 1, take...by force 2In the Vulgate Bible the Greek word 'Harpazo' is translated as the Latin word 'raptus.' Then 'raptus' was translated into the English word 'rapture' for theological purposes.
Now, before anyone screams I am doing the straw-man, let me remind you many theological terms commonly used are not in the Bible, such as 'trinity' and 'first, second and third person of the Godhead.'
Interestingly, Catholics are among those who use the 'not in the Bible.' Strange, when 'Pope,' 'Cardinal,' 'Holy Roman Church,' etc are not in the Bible or even hinted at existing. They came from the ancient Roman Pagan Religion, not God or the Bible.
Finally, many words in the English Bible are not one for one translations of the Greek or Hebrew. In example, Jesus should be Joshua.
The Rapture is not to be confused with resurrection of the Two Witnesses that will occur at Mid-Trib and saints at the Second Coming.
There is another unique 'Thief in the Night' event at the end of Time after the Millennial Kingdom, but that is a different topic.
It is defined as:
- The Lord descending to the clouds, not the earth, as at the Second Coming
- A Thief in the Night event, again not as at the Second Coming
- The dead saints rising back to life (resurrection) first
- The dead and living saints being snatched up the Christ in the clouds
- All going to the Father's House in Heaven for the Marriage Supper
- Historicist
- Preterist
- Amillenialism (no Rapture)
- Pre-Trib Rapture
- Mid-Trib Rapture
- Pre-Wrath Rapture
- Post-Trib Rapture
- Partial-Rapture
- Post-Millenial Rapture
Pinning down the time is where a lot of debate comes in. Here are some key verses to examine:
Matthew 24
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
This obviously eliminates a number of theologies. The Trib is 7 years long, so once the Trib begins there time marker you can count from to time following events.
It also clearly shows the Rapture cannot happen during the Trib. The Trib is not a time of normal living.
Further, this is a clear showing of being snatched away as in 1 Thessalonians 4.
Revelation 3
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
Again, looking at the prior chapters and verses in Revelation you see a time flow. This is of the Church Age. This church is still faithful, but weak, a description of Christians today.This church coexists with the 7th church, the false church.
The 6th church is promised to be kept from the Hour of Trial. A very important promise since 'kept from' in the Greek means protected by being removed from the place at issue. No testing of these Christians.
In other words, they are Raptured since the place of trial is the whole earth. Noah was removed from the land, the place of destruction then. Lot was removed from the plains, the place of destruction then.
Nowhere in the Bible has anyone God 'kept from' something been in it and through it. They are always out of it, be it a country, city, etc.
The 7th church is cast into the Trib.
The very next verses show the lampstands, meaning covenant, of the Church is gone and replaced by the Two Witnesses, the lampstands of the New Covenant to Israel and Judah.
More so, you can overlay the 70th Week of Daniel onto the 7 year Trib of Revelation and see they are the same time period. Both begin with the Anti-Christ and his treaty.
That is significant because the AC cannot be revealed until the Restrainer is removed from the earth.
2 Thessalonians 2
6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
The Restrainer is the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit indwells every Church saint, so to be removed the Church also has to be removed, meaning the Rapture.Some try to say the Church is the Restrainer and others Michael. Neither can be true because the Church did not exist before the Resurrection and neither the Church or Michael are everywhere on the earth at the same time, but lawlessness is.
The Church is not to been seen or talked about again until the end of the Trib. The 24 Elders of Old Testament Israel are sitting before the Throne of the Father.
This all means the Rapture and the revealing of the AC happen at the same time. The OT saints are glorified and the Church is in the Wedding Supper.
That is the Pre-Trib Rapture.
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