2) Let's Take Another Look at the Rapture

The Rapture Trap (Part 2)

(The Revelation the Lord has given to me by the Spirit, along with my teachings and comments are written in Blue) (May we all have ears to hear)

NOTE: My personal comments regarding specific passages or parts of Scripture will be written in this color and type of font, throughout this presentation. I will be laying a considerable amount of groundwork, presented in several parts, within Christian Biblical Scripture, in order to bring readers and those who seek truth, to a correct understanding of God’s Word, in regard to a “Theoretical Perspective” proclaiming the “Rapture of the Christian Church,” that has become so harmful, twisted and deceptive to many Christian believers. 

Also, I would like to say at the outset of this endeavor, that in no way am I saying that Christian Pastors, who have taught, and are still teaching this “Theoretical Perspective,” are bad guys. I firmly do not believe they are out to intentionally harm and mislead Christian believers. Many of them, some even from childhood and generations past, have been taught these views, along with various others, in several of the Christian Bible Colleges, or have picked them up somewhere along the way.

One more thing … Please spare me the comments like “If you do not believe in the Rapture, you’ll probably be left behind and won’t be included with those of us who will be taken away to be with the Lord in the air.” Or “Since you (meaning myself) will be left behind, you can watch after my dog, while I’m being taken away to be with our Lord in the air.” Over the past 40 years, I’ve heard just about every negative comment a person can make. I'm not saying the Christian church, with all of its true believers, isn't going to be, or isn't being, caught away. I am saying that the perspective may be somewhat, if not considerably different than what most believers have previously heard and learned. Over the years I’ve seen many of them backup and revisit the Scriptures. After a lot of diligent study, some of them come back around a few years later apologizing for saying those hateful things and stating “I now understand what our Lord was saying when He said what He said!! The truth and understanding were, and still is, right there in the Scripture all along. To God be the glory!!  

Luke 17:26-30 Notice that Jesus spoke this passage of Scripture prior to going to the cross. But here He specifically states in, Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. He is explaining about how the times will be in the days after the finished work of the cross. He further states in Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when (He, Christ Jesus) the Son of man is revealed.

Now the following passage Luke 17:34-37 is where a lot of folks have been taught incorrectly. According to the Rapture Theory, they that teach it, say that the one's taken, represents the Christian church being caught up and away in the Rapture into the Lord's presence in the air. And that the people left behind are the ones left here on earth to go through the tribulation period. Since Jesus spoke these words prior to going to the cross, and according to Him ... if it's going to be just like it was in the days of Noah, then we best take another look at this.

Luk 17:34-37 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be TAKEN, and the other shall be LEFT. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be TAKEN, and the other LEFT. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be TAKEN, and the other LEFT. 

So, now let's look at verse 37 in this same passage, where the listeners ask Jesus the question ... "Where Lord?" In other words, taken where? Where are they being taken??

Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. 

Mat 24:28 says it this way. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together

NOTES: Here it is in the International Standard Version Wherever there's a corpse, there the vultures will gather.  

In the New International Version, it states it like this. Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.

Therefore, for a clearer understanding, Luk 17:37 should basically read as follows: And they answered and said unto him, Where Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body (dead body) is, thither (there) will the eagles (vultures) be gathered together. This is certainly not being taken away to be in the presence of the Lord. These were killed. These were destroyed. Just like in the following verses in Mat 24:37-39, describing what happened to those that were (TOOK) or should I say TAKEN away, or destroyed in the flood. Mat 24:37-39 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 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, And knew not until the flood came, and TOOK them all away; so shall also the coming (presence) of the Son of man be.   

Matthew says, "the flood came, and TOOK THEM ALL AWAY." Luke describing the same moment says, "the flood came, and DESTROYED THEM ALL."

Luk 17:26-30 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and DESTROYED THEM ALL. Likewise, also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and DESTROYED THEM ALL. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (disclosed) 

Hopefully, by now, anyone should be able to see that in these passages, the ones that were TAKEN AWAY and DESTROYED BY THE FLOOD were the ones that stayed in their sinful ways; this is not the church being caught away The others that got into the Ark with Noah were SAVED. The ones that stayed in sin, refusing to leave the sinful city of Sodom, along with the ones that looked back, because they too, didn't really want to leave their sinful lives behind, were DESTROYED. But the ones with Lot, that left their sinful past lives behind and refused to look back, were SAVED.

Today we all live in a very sinful world, where many refuse to receive Christ Jesus as their Saviour. But today, Christ Jesus Himself is the Ark. In Him is the only safe place where we can be SAVED and have life more abundantly. In His presence we abide in the strength of His joy. He abides in us Eternally. 

Now concerning the others, look at what Jesus said about them in Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. Doesn't it look a lot like the one's who go into the Ark (Christ Jesus) are SAVED and remain Eternally. But, the one's who refuse to get into the Ark (Christ Jesus) are TAKEN AWAY and DESTROYED. 

Surely by now, we must all understand that the one's TAKEN in this passage are the one's who are killed and/or DESTROYED. This is why the question "Where, Lord" is answered with "dead bodies and vultures" in verse 37. It is certainly not the rapture of the followers of Christ Jesus. The one's that are LEFT are the one's who are SAVED in Christ Jesus in order to advance God's Kingdom.

Luk 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 

Luk 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

Luk 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. 

Pro 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 

Pro 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken. 

Before going any farther, I would like to clarify a couple of issues. Why is it so important for the Christian believer to clearly understand the truth of what is meant by the instantaneous pre, mid or post tribulation catching away, or "rapture" of the believing congregation, built on Christ Jesus? 

Well, it's this! If you are one who is "waiting for the instantaneous catching away or rapture" to take place, then because you've bought into a false teaching, you're one who will be wasting your life, and waiting for the rest of your life, for a false scenario and perspective of something that will never happen. People can easily get trapped into this false "mind-set" and spend years and years waiting for the Lord to take them up from the earth, to meet Him in the air. They falsely believe they will not have to go through any kind of serious trouble and/or tribulation during their lives, because they sincerely believe they're going to be caught away in the rapture, while the sinful non-believers, who have rejected Christ Jesus, will be left here on earth to experience all of, or at least part of, a great 7-year tribulation period. 

Now hear this! The truth is simple. Don't make it complicated. Deceived people do not realize they have been deceived. 1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God... The only time we will be caught away, is when we lay our flesh body down to return to dust. When this happens to those of us who are members of the Lord's congregation, Christ Jesus the Son remains alive in us, as we remain alive in Him. At this point, our very being, then absent from our flesh body, will immediately enter into the complete presence of the Eternal Spirit of the one and only true God, and our own Heavenly Father. 

Well, once again ... why is this false belief in this rapture thing so important? I'll tell you why. Because if you are one who is waiting for the Lord to come and pick you up at the bus stop, then the bottom line is that you will continue to waste your life "waiting," never accomplishing anything towards what the Lord had planned for you to do ... not to mention all of the blessings He had for you, if you would have just followed Him, instead of wasting your life.  People who think like this think ... why should they attempt to do anything for God, because in their own deceived mind, they believe they won't be here. They will have been raptured out of here. This is a flat out lie from you know who!!

The Lord needs every believer and follower of Christ Jesus to get into the battle that's going on daily, while you are here on this earth. Especially, considering all that is taking place in our country today. 

Our Lord is faithful to reveal His plan and a purpose for you. He wants you to live your life, in Christ Jesus, fulfilling the purposes of our Heavenly Father, at your full potential. If you're going to wait for the "rapture" to take place, you'll never do anything to advance God's Kingdom ... you know the prayer, "...in earth, as it is in Heaven." Why do you think in Ephesians, He encourages us to put on the whole armor of God? ... to wait on the rapture??? I don't think so!!! Of course not. We all need to put on the whole armor of God, in order to withstand the wiles of the devil, and get into the battle here and now. The Lord doesn't need to have us caught up into His Most Holy Place right now. The Lord needs us to follow His lead here. He's not coming to take the entire congregation of Christian believers out of here. Our very Freedom and God given Liberty are at stake as I write these comments. Our weapons are not carnal, but they are Spiritual weapons. The Apostle Paul said it best. The following Scripture is as good today as it was the day back in the first century when it was first written. 

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (YES STAND UP IN THIS BATTLE HERE ON THIS EARTH ... AT THE MOMENT, WE ARE NOT WAITING TO BE CAUGHT UP AND AWAY, IN ORDER TO BE WITH THE LORD IN THE AIR) Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Eph 6:19 And for me (the Apostle Paul) (AS WELL AS FOR ALL OF US),  that utterance may be given unto me (AND US), that I (AND WE) may open my (OUR) mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, Eph 6:20  For which I (Paul) am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. This should go for all of us as well. The Battle is here folks. We don't need to put on the Whole Armour of God in order to WAIT ON THE RAPTURE! Quit waiting for Him to take you out. He's waiting on you, to listen to His lead, be obedient to it, and DO what He tells you to do. Be a DOER and not a HEARER ONLY!

Stay with me. I'll be posting a lot more on this particular subject soon!! You'll be glad you did!                             

                                                                                  J Stone Grant 

1) Rapture Theory History

The Rapture Trap (Part 1)

(The Revelation the Lord has given to me by the Spirit, along with my teachings and comments are written in Blue) (May we all have ears to hear)

Let’s begin by taking a look at the Irvingite Movement named after Edward Irving (1792-1834)

The Catholic Apostolic Church (CAC), also known as the Irvingian Church, is a Christian denomination which originated in Scotland around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States. The tradition to which the Catholic Apostolic Church belongs is referred to as Irvingism or the Irvingian movement after Edward Irving (1792–1834).

In the early 1800’s the teachings of Edward Irving were somewhat controversial in Scotland and England. In 1833, he was excommunicated and deposed from the ministry of the Church of Scotland, because of false teaching to do with what he called “the sinfulness of Christ’s humanity.” He also began teaching the “rapture of the Church.”

A young girl named Margaret MacDonald, while living in her hometown of Port-Glasgow, Scotland, claimed to have gone into a trance and described a vision in which she said she saw the saints leaving the earth at the return of the Lord before the tribulation. This trance and vision took place in the spring of 1830. Her “revelation” was recorded in a book written by R.N. Norton and printed in London, England in 1861. This book is no longer in print. It is almost impossible to find a copy. Years ago, I knew of a minister who had a copy of the part of that book pertaining to the trance and vision of Margaret MacDonald.

On April 30, 1831, a Mrs. J.B. Cardale, while in a home prayer meeting, shared a personal word that mirrored a pre-tribulation rapture previously revealed in the trance and vision of Margaret MacDonald. It was from this supposed revelation, that the rapture theory came from, that we still hear from many pulpits today. It did not come from Holy Scripture, but it came from falsehood. It came from what falsely pretended to be the Spirit of God and was certainly not in line with Scripture as set forth in the Christian Bible.

Edward Irving accepted this false teaching as truth, and it was taught at prophetic meetings as truthful revelation at Powerscourt House in Ireland. These meetings were attended by Plymouth Brethren organizer John Darby along with C.H. Mackintosh both of whose views were influenced by Irving as well as C.I. Scofield, whose Biblical notes made this new theory extremely popular.

So, it was a young girl from Scotland, who first brought about the so-called pre-tribulation rapture theory from a vision in a trance. It is recorded in R.N. Norton’s book entitled “The Catholic Apostolic Church.” John Darby (1800-1882) an Anglo-Irish Evangelist later known for inventing the false doctrine of the rapture, C.I. Scofield (1843-1921) an American Theologian, and Clarence Larkin (1850-1924) born in England, then became an American Baptist Pastor, who along with his Biblical timelines and charts, began to teach this new theory. By the early 1900’s it became extremely popular among many various denominations. Many Christian Bible Schools and Colleges promulgated the pre-tribulation rapture teaching. Along the way, came not only pre-tribulation rapture, but also mid-tribulation rapture and post-tribulation rapture theories.

Prior to 1830 AD and going all of the way back, even unto the days of the first Apostles of Christ Jesus in the early 1^st Century AD, there is no known record of the “escape rapture theory” being taught by any Christian Church denomination, group or anyone else. The true Christian leadership from the days of Christ Jesus finishing His work on the Cross, unto this present time, has always taught that Christians will always go through any and all tribulations victoriously. To Almighty God be the Glory!!

Note: I do not argue with people in regard to Christian Biblical Scripture. If you are one who has doubt or questions about what has been stated here in this very brief summary, then I would suggest you pray in the Holy Ghost in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, seek out the answers in truth, study and research these things until you receive a witness in the Holy Spirit. Plus, through the availability of so much information in many various libraries everywhere, as well as on the Internet, it is not impossible for you to find correct answers for yourself. It does take time, work, tenacity, determination and serious effort. May God bless you abundantly in the correct revelation of His Word!! 

I will be posting a lot more information and Scripture regarding this subject in the near future! If you stay with me and continue to read these posts, I believe you will never regret taking the time to do so!!

                                                                  J Stone Grant