jjkirk: Secret rapture...
What has your searching of the word said to you?
I will wait for a few responses to post my findings w/scripture.
Peace be with you,
John.
I voted no in the poll, and yet I do believe that there will be a "rapture", if that is what you want to call it; I prefer to call it the resurrection as that is what Jesus called himself. He said, "I am the resurrection and the life," not the "rapture" and the life. When people use the word 'rapture' they are almost always referring to the pretribulation rapture, which I do not believe is going to happen.
The word 'harpazo' does, in fact, show up in the Greek texts, and the word does, in fact, mean "caught up" or "taken by force", but look at the thirteen verses and their context in which the word shows up in:
Matthew 11:12
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 13:19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which is sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and
take him
by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
John 10:12
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
John 10:28
And I gave unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:29
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord
caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 23:10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to
take him
by force from among them, and to bring him to the castle.
II Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, ( whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth; ) such an one
caught up to the third heaven.
II Corinthians 12:4 How that he was
caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
I Thessalonians 4:17 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.
Jude 23 And others save with fear,
pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was
caught up unto God, and to his throne.
So, the word 'rapture' isn't really the issue here, it's the timing of the event that is the problem.
Gracealone: The last trump mention here is not the last trumpet of Revelation 11:15, but the last trump of 1Thes.4:16 it is so designated because it signals the end of the present age.
Two groups are distinguished . The dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. The term 'dead' refers to those who have died in Christ,. The term 'we' refers to those who are still living at the time of the rapture.
1 Thes.5:9 tells us ;
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our lord Jesus Christ...........comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as you so do........(?)
once again I cannot vote on the poll. Reason: the question asks if i believe in a SECRET rapture.
The last trump mentioned here is not the last trump of Revelation 11:15, but the last trump of I Thessalonians 4:16? How many trumps are in I Thessalonians 4:16?
I Thessalonians 4:16 and I Corinthians 15:52 are referring to the exact same trump, and both chapters are on the last days. There is only one place in the entire Bible that discusses trumpets sounding in the last days, and that is in the book of Revelation. And pretribbers decide to believe that Paul must have been talking about another last trump that takes place at another time?
Would you say then, Gracealone, that people who believe that the last trump being referred to here is the one in Revelation, are twisting the scripture to make it mean what they want? That the most obvious answer here is not the trump in Revelation? Or, would you at least admit that it is, in fact, the most obvious thought here?
Had Paul not used the word 'last' here, you would have some ground to stand on. Why didn't he make himself a little more clear by saying, "the last trump of X", if he hadn't meant the very last trump that anyone would hear? Two more words would have made all the difference. I'm going to stick with the trump of Revelation, myself, and try to prepare myself the best that I can.
As for your statement about God not appointing believers to wrath, are you saying that God couldn't pour his wrath out on the earth and avoid hitting you? You wouldn't have made it in the days of Moses or Noah. Besides, there is a difference between 'tribulation' and 'wrath'.
DeeperStill: While I do believe in the pre-tribulation snatching away of the bride of Christ, I do not believe it is a secret. I believe God's word is clear and the truth of the snatching away is there for all to see who will to see it.
What is secret is when this will happen. We do not know the time : day, hour or minute that this snatching away will occur.
T
"who will to see it." is a good choice of words.
Let's look at a set of verses:
I 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.
I Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
I Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
I Corinthians 15:55 O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY?
If we dig back a little in that same chapter we see this set of verses:
I Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
I Corinthians 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
I Corinthians 15:26 The
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
There's that word again: last.
I Corinthians 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
I Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
How many times will death be defeated?
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until
the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Luke 17:29 But
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Then some further thought:
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in
one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
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.
I find the placement of this verse and it's context very interesting.
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER.
Revelation 6:16 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:
Do they see Him?
Then notice similarities in these two verses and their context:
Revelation 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Two separate events? Perhaps. But I don't believe so.
I believe that there will be one "rapture", one calling up. I believe that when the two witnesses are called up ( Revelation 11:12) that will be when everyone else is called up as well. One event.