PREMILLENNIALISM (6)

The Rapture (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

          In our last article, we began a discussion of “The Rapture” as taught by Premillennialists.  ChatGPT summarizes the doctrine of the rapture in this manner:  “In dispensationalism, the rapture refers to the sudden, supernatural event in which Jesus Christ returns invisibly to remove all true believers from the earth, both living and resurrected, before a period of tribulation and judgment.  This event is seen as pre-tribulational and premillennial, meaning it occurs before a seven-year tribulation and Christ’s millennial reign.  Believers are ‘caught up’ to meet Christ in the air, based on interpretations of passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.”

          There are five main texts in the New Testament that premillennialism uses to set forth the theory of The Rapture.  The main text is 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.  Paul writes:  “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.”  The key words of this text are “caught up.”  The premillennialist also believes that Jesus referred to The Rapture in Matthew 24:40-41.  “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”  1 Corinthians 15:51-53 is another text the premillennialist will use to support The Rapture.  Here, Paul writes about what the living will experience when the Lord returns.  “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.  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.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”  Two other passages are often used to uphold the pre-tribulation rapture of the church.  To the Thessalonians, Paul wrote:  “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”  The premillennialist tells us that “the wrath to come” is the tribulation period.  Revelation 3:10 is similar to 1 Thessalonians 1:10.  Jesus is speaking to the church at Philadelphia, and says:  “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”  “The hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world” is asserted to be the period of tribulation.  Jesus promises Philadelphia that He would keep them from that hour.  This reference, according to premillennialism, is the rapture.

          In the remainder of this article, let’s refute the doctrine of “The Rapture.”  Let’s begin with its primary proof-text, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.  If we were reading this epistle for the first time, we would not contemplate an invisible return of Christ for the church prior to the tribulation when reading this text.  We would see it as it is an explanation of what Christians will experience at the Second Coming of Christ. 

Paul was addressing a concern the Thessalonians had regarding the Second Coming of Christ.  It seems that they manifested a sorrow for Christians who died before the Lord’s return.  They seemed to believe that these individuals would miss Jesus since they would be dead at His return.  Thus, Paul writes:  “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” (1 Thess. 4:13).  He assured them that the dead in Christ will not miss the Christ.  In fact, they would be with Jesus when He returns.  “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thess. 4:14).  It is important to understand that Paul is only writing to Christians about Christians.  He is not addressing the wicked dead in this text.  According to Jesus, they, too, will be raised from the dead when Jesus returns.   “Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29).

When Jesus comes again, all the faithful in Christ Jesus will be “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”  Both the righteous dead and the righteous living will get to be with Jesus when He returns.  All of them will be in the air.  Now, notice how Paul ends 1 Thessalonians 4:17.  “…and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”  The word “so” is an adverb of manner.  Once the faithful have been taken from the earth, they will be with the Lord in the air forever and ever.  They will not return to the earth again following the seven-year tribulation. 

If one pays attention to the Premillennialist, he will find that the premillennialist believes in two comings of the Lord at the end of time.  First, He comes invisibly for the church at The Rapture.  Then, he comes again with all of His saints at the end of the Great Tribulation to establish His earthly kingdom.  Premillennialists will try to argue that they only believe in one Second Coming.  They claim, however, that it happens in two parts.  Regardless of how they attempt to phrase it, they really believe in two comings.  One is invisible.  One is visible.  One is for the saints.  One is with the saints.  One is to rapture the church from the earth prior to the tribulation.  One is to establish Christ’s kingdom in the city of Jerusalem and reign for a thousand years. 

The Bible teaches only one Second Coming.  In Matthew 25, Jesus proclaims three parables that involve His coming.  Each of the parables teaches that He will come only one time.  “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage:  and the door was shut” (Matt. 25:10).  “After a long time, the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them” (Matt. 25:19).  “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left” (Matt. 25:31-33).  Dear readers, there are not two Second Comings.  There is not one Second Coming that happens in two parts.  Jesus will only return one time.

Another answer to The Rapture theory centers upon the last day.  The Rapture theory holds that the Lord will come for His saints one thousand seven years before the last day.  Four times in John 6 Jesus denies this assertion.  He proclaims that His faithful will not be raised until “the last day.”   “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (John 6:39).  “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life:  and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).  “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him;  and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54).  The question that needs to be asked is this:  “Who is right?”  The Premillennialist?  Or, Jesus?  Jesus is definitely right.  He knows that His followers will be raised at the last day.  They will not be raised prior to the tribulation which is one thousand seven years before the last day.