The Rapture What does the Bible Say? Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of a trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; 17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.

15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of a trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first;

17 then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.

Those who are left are caught up to meet the Lord This is usually the first passage that Rapture enthusiasts points to as grounds for their belief in the Rapture. The word Rapture comes from the Latin word meaning “caught up.” These people believe that Jesus will come back soon, maybe today, tomorrow or in a few years, and take all the Christians off of the earth and bring them to heaven. The “left behind books” portray airplanes, cars, buses and train crashing because all of the true Christians will be taken up into heaven without time to land, or park their planes, cars or trains. Often times they believe that Rapture is the first event that leads to the end of the world.

This is usually the first passage that Rapture enthusiasts points to as grounds for their belief in the Rapture.

The word Rapture comes from the Latin word meaning “caught up.”

These people believe that Jesus will come back soon, maybe today, tomorrow or in a few years, and take all the Christians off of the earth and bring them to heaven.

The “left behind books” portray airplanes, cars, buses and train crashing because all of the true Christians will be taken up into heaven without time to land, or park their planes, cars or trains.

Often times they believe that Rapture is the first event that leads to the end of the world.

Tribulation After all the Christians are taken up into heaven then a 7 year period of tribulation will begin. Mt. 24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places This will results in the death of a great number of people. There will be false prophets. The anti-Christ will be reveled and he will have power over all the nations of the earth.

After all the Christians are taken up into heaven then a 7 year period of tribulation will begin.

Mt. 24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places

This will results in the death of a great number of people.

There will be false prophets.

The anti-Christ will be reveled and he will have power over all the nations of the earth.

Anti-Christ Persecution will be worse in the last 3½ years than in the first 3½ years. After the 7 years Christ will return and slay the Anti-Christ’s armies at the battle of Armageddon. The Anti-Christ will be thrown into Hell. Christ will then establish a physical kingdom here on earth and reign for 1,000 years and will rule with the saints by his side. After 1,000 years Satan will be let loose and gather the armies of Gog and Magog to wage war on the saints. Satan and his armies will be destroyed by fire from heaven.

Persecution will be worse in the last 3½ years than in the first 3½ years.

After the 7 years Christ will return and slay the Anti-Christ’s armies at the battle of Armageddon.

The Anti-Christ will be thrown into Hell.

Christ will then establish a physical kingdom here on earth and reign for 1,000 years and will rule with the saints by his side.

After 1,000 years Satan will be let loose and gather the armies of Gog and Magog to wage war on the saints.

Satan and his armies will be destroyed by fire from heaven.

Satan’s Lake Then Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire. Then there will be a resurrection of the dead followed by the final judgment and the end of the world. Protestant Rapture theology follows this pattern: Rapture of all Christians Tribulation Appearance of the Anti-Christ More Tribulation.

Then Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire.

Then there will be a resurrection of the dead followed by the final judgment and the end of the world.

Protestant Rapture theology follows this pattern:

Rapture of all Christians

Tribulation

Appearance of the Anti-Christ

More Tribulation.

Sola Scriptura Christ returns and defeats the Anti-Christ A 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth. Satan let loose and wages war on the saints. Satan is defeated Resurrection of the dead. Final judgment End of the world. If you believe in “sola scriptura” the “Bible alone” theory of how all of us can read the Bible and decide for ourselves what is true or false doctrine then you need to get on the internet and type in the word “Rapture.”

Christ returns and defeats the Anti-Christ

A 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth.

Satan let loose and wages war on the saints.

Satan is defeated

Resurrection of the dead.

Final judgment

End of the world.

If you believe in “sola scriptura” the “Bible alone” theory of how all of us can read the Bible and decide for ourselves what is true or false doctrine then you need to get on the internet and type in the word “Rapture.”

Opinions There are thousands of opinions about Rapture, and each person believes that their interpretation of the scripture is correct. As you can see this leads to mass confusion as to what the Bible is really saying. Pre-Tribs are people that believe that the Rapture will occur before the tribulations. There are people that believe that the tribulations will occurs at the half way point and they are called the Mid-Tribs . There are people that believe that the rapture won’t happen until the end of the tribulations these people are called Post-Tribs .

There are thousands of opinions about Rapture, and each person believes that their interpretation of the scripture is correct.

As you can see this leads to mass confusion as to what the Bible is really saying.

Pre-Tribs are people that believe that the Rapture will occur before the tribulations.

There are people that believe that the tribulations will occurs at the half way point and they are called the Mid-Tribs .

There are people that believe that the rapture won’t happen until the end of the tribulations these people are called Post-Tribs .

Sola Scriptura THEY ALL POINT TO THE BIBLE AS THE SOLE SOURCE OF THEIR BELIEF. The sites don’t agree on when the raptures will occur but they also disagree on the number of raptures that will occur. Some sites say there will be 3 or 4 Raptures. Some say that Christ will return 2 or 3 times or more. Some sites are looking forward to 3 or 4 resurrections of the dead. Some sites admit that they were once pre-tribs who have found other passages that support their new view of mid-trib or post-trib belief and they want to share them with you.

THEY ALL POINT TO THE BIBLE AS THE SOLE SOURCE OF THEIR BELIEF.

The sites don’t agree on when the raptures will occur but they also disagree on the number of raptures that will occur.

Some sites say there will be 3 or 4 Raptures.

Some say that Christ will return 2 or 3 times or more.

Some sites are looking forward to 3 or 4 resurrections of the dead.

Some sites admit that they were once pre-tribs who have found other passages that support their new view of mid-trib or post-trib belief and they want to share them with you.

New Interpretation Based on the Bible they believed one way and then other passages changed their mind and those passages led them to a new and better interpretation. What makes you think they won’t change their mind again and adopt still another tribulation theory? There is no authority behind these teachings other than the person’s own interpretation of the Bible.

Based on the Bible they believed one way and then other passages changed their mind and those passages led them to a new and better interpretation.

What makes you think they won’t change their mind again and adopt still another tribulation theory?

There is no authority behind these teachings other than the person’s own interpretation of the Bible.

1 Timothy 3:15 15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth . In this Rapture or Left Behind philosophy it is every person for themselves. Everyone who believes in “Sola Scriptura” can believe anything they want about the Rapture because there is no central, standard or definite belief among the thousands of “Sola Scriptura” churches in the world.

15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth .

In this Rapture or Left Behind philosophy it is every person for themselves.

Everyone who believes in “Sola Scriptura” can believe anything they want about the Rapture because there is no central, standard or definite belief among the thousands of “Sola Scriptura” churches in the world.

Bible Believing Not all Bible believing Protestant churches believe in the Rapture. Lutherans Episcopalians Methodists Presbyterians and others don’t believe in the Rapture. Many Christian churches that go by the Bible alone do not believe in the Rapture. Within many Protestant or Christian churches we have many who: Believe in the Rapture and People who don’t believe in the Rapture.

Not all Bible believing Protestant churches believe in the Rapture.

Lutherans

Episcopalians

Methodists

Presbyterians and others don’t believe in the Rapture.

Many Christian churches that go by the Bible alone do not believe in the Rapture.

Within many Protestant or Christian churches we have many who:

Believe in the Rapture and People who don’t believe in the Rapture.

Variations in Beliefs People that believe in a pre-trib rapture and others that believe in a mid or post trib rapture. People that believe in only one rapture but others that believe in two or more raptures. People that believe in a second coming of Christ and others that believe in the second, third or more comings of Christ.

People that believe in a pre-trib rapture and others that believe in a mid or post trib rapture.

People that believe in only one rapture but others that believe in two or more raptures.

People that believe in a second coming of Christ and others that believe in the second, third or more comings of Christ.

Catholics Catholics don’t believe in a rapture that occurs before the final coming of Christ, which occurs at the end of time. Catholics don’t believe in a physical and literal 1,000 year reign of Christ after the tribulation. The Church teaches there will be one tribulation that will occur shortly before the coming of Christ. It will be a time of terrible persecution. At this time many people will be led astray by the false religion of the Anti-Christ.

Catholics don’t believe in a rapture that occurs before the final coming of Christ, which occurs at the end of time.

Catholics don’t believe in a physical and literal 1,000 year reign of Christ after the tribulation.

The Church teaches there will be one tribulation that will occur shortly before the coming of Christ.

It will be a time of terrible persecution.

At this time many people will be led astray by the false religion of the Anti-Christ.

Catechism of the Catholic Church This clear doctrine of the end times is outlined in the Catechism paragraphs 675-677. There will be a mass conversion of Jews back to Christ (CCC 674). Nothing is given for the timing of the conversion. All evil will end with God’s victory at the final coming, when Christ comes the second time, the first time being His birth 2000 years ago.

This clear doctrine of the end times is outlined in the Catechism paragraphs 675-677.

There will be a mass conversion of Jews back to Christ (CCC 674).

Nothing is given for the timing of the conversion.

All evil will end with God’s victory at the final coming,

when Christ comes the second time, the first time being His birth 2000 years ago.

Incorruptible Bodies There will be a resurrection of all of the dead. All of our bodies will be changed into incorruptible bodies. CCC 988 and paragraphs 997 – 1001. The final judgment occurs when the good enter into heaven and the evil into eternal damnation (CCC 678-9, 1038-1041) The kingdom of God comes as the New Jerusalem The righteous reign for ever with Christ. The heaven and earth will pass away and a new heaven and a new earth come into being (CCC 1042-1050) Rev. 21:1.

There will be a resurrection of all of the dead.

All of our bodies will be changed into incorruptible bodies. CCC 988 and paragraphs 997 – 1001.

The final judgment occurs when the good enter into heaven and the evil into eternal damnation (CCC 678-9, 1038-1041)

The kingdom of God comes as the New Jerusalem

The righteous reign for ever with Christ.

The heaven and earth will pass away and a new heaven and a new earth come into being (CCC 1042-1050) Rev. 21:1.

The Catholic Church Teaches Tribulation Mass conversion of the Jews The Anti-Christ Jesus returns in power and glory and defeats evil once and for all. The dead are resurrected and our corruptible bodies are replaced with incorruptible bodies Final judgment, heaven for the good and hell for the wicked. The universe is converted into a new heaven and a new earth for the eternal reign of Christ.

Tribulation

Mass conversion of the Jews

The Anti-Christ

Jesus returns in power and glory and defeats evil once and for all.

The dead are resurrected and our corruptible bodies are replaced with incorruptible bodies

Final judgment, heaven for the good and hell for the wicked.

The universe is converted into a new heaven and a new earth for the eternal reign of Christ.