The document discusses the author's beliefs about eschatological issues like the rapture and end times. The author does not believe in a literal rapture or 1,000 year reign of Jesus described by premillennialism. Instead, the author argues that biblical texts about the end times refer to God's judgment on Israel by Rome in 70 AD, not a future tribulation. The author believes Jesus will return to live with humanity on the new earth, not remove believers from earth. The end involves God restoring creation and humanity living eternally in peace with God on earth.

3. Today’s word of the day is:
CONTEXT

4. For Those Who Care Where I Stand…
I Am A:
- Non-rapture
(I.e. I don’t believe in a literal “rapture,” or that
“the rapture” is even a Biblical concept…)
- Amillennialist
(I.e. I don’t believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of
Jesus,
or a calendarized version of “the tribulation”)

5. THIS IS A NON-ESSENTIAL ISSUE!
For Those Who Care Where I Stand…
I Am A:
- Non-rapture
(I.e. I don’t believe in a literal “rapture,” or that
“the rapture” is even a Biblical concept…)
- Amillennialist
(I.e. I don’t believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of
Jesus,
or a calendarized version of “the tribulation”)

6. The Big Questions To Consider…
Question #1
What does THE BIBLE say about “the rapture”?
Question #2
What does THE BIBLE say about the “end times?”

7. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven,
with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first. And after that
we who are still alive and are left will be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

8. Luke 17:34-35
I tell you, one that night two people will be in one bed;
one will be taken, and the other left. Two women
will be grinding grain together; one will be taken,
and the other left.

9. The Cosmology of “The Rapture”
Earth
Heaven
God’s
People

10. The Cosmology of Scripture
Earth
Heaven

11. The Cosmology of Scripture
New
Heaven
New
Earth

12. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
…And after that we who are still alive and are left will
be caught up together* with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air*. And so we will be with the Lord
f*o craeuveghr.t up = harpazw (harpazow) =
to seize, be seized; to claim, to be claimed as
one’s own

13. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
…And after that we who are still alive and are left will
be caught up together* with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air*. And so we will be with the Lord
f*o craeuveghr.t up = harpazw (harpazow) =
to seize, be seized; to claim, to be claimed as
*o nine ’tsh eo wainr = a domain of authority around the earth
(Ephesians 2:2)

14. The “Snatching” of “The Rapture”
Person A
Heaven
Earth
Person B

15. Luke 17:34-35
“I tell you, one that night two people will be in one
bed;
one will be taken, and the other left. Two women
will be grinding grain together; one will be taken,
and the other left.”

16. Luke 17:34-35
“I tell you, one that night two people will be in one
bed;
one will be taken, and the other left. Two women
will be grinding grain together; one will be taken,
and the other left.”
“Where, Lord?” they asked.
He replied, “Where there is a dead body,
there the vultures will gather.”

17. The “Snatching” of The Jews By
Rome
Person A
Roman
Empire
Jerusalem 66 - 70 AD
Person B
Crucified
Unmarked
Grave

18. Matthew 24:37-41
For in the days before the flood, people were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew
nothing about what would happen until the flood
came and took them all away. This is how it will be
at the coming at the Son of Man. Two men will be
in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding with a mill; one will be
taken and the other left.

19. The “Signs” Leading to “The
Rapture”
Earthquakes,
Wars,
Rumors of
wars, etc.
Heaven
Signs to
let us know
the end
is near…
Jesus
will return
to rescue us
from the
tribulation

20. Mark 13:1-2
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples
said to Him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones!
What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus.
“Not one stone here will be left on another; every one
of them will be thrown down.”

21. Mark 13:3
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite
the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked
Him
privately, “Tell us, when will these things* happen?
And what will be the sign they are all about to be
fulfilled?”
* These things= the destruction of the temple; they’re
not asking about the ending of history, just of their
world as they know it…

22. The “Signs” Jesus Is Referring To
Jesus’
Prophetic
judgment
against Israel Signs =
God’s
judgment
is real
Roman
Empire
destroys
Jerusalem
Up to
70 AD

23. Mark 13:30
Truly I tell you this generation will certainly not
pass away until all these things have happened.

24. Mark 13:24-26
“But in those days, following that distress,
‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not
give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the
heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time people
will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great
power and glory.”
* NONE of these signs are meant literally & are NOT
meant re: “the end times,” but re: Jesus’ prophecy…

25. The Big Questions To Consider…
Question #1
What does THE BIBLE say about “the rapture”?
* The word is never used in scripture
* The words used are efforts to describe what
it will be like to welcome Jesus as our returning,
conquering King who will live WITH US
* He will not be snatching us from trouble, but
walking
with us as we patiently endure in the midst of it

26. Where History Is Heading…
New
Heaven
New
Earth

27. Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and
there
was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her
husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne
saying,
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people,
and He will dwell with them.”

28. Revelation 21:1-4
They will be His people, and God Himself will be with
them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from
their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning
or crying
or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

29. Revelation 21:22-27
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord
God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city
does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for
the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its
lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings
of the earth will bring
their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever
be shut, for there will be no night there.

30. Revelation 21:22-27
The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into
it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone
who
does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those
whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

31. Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of
life,
as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God
and
of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the
city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,
bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every
month.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of
the nations. No longer will there be any curse.

32. Revelation 22:1-5
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city,
and His servants will serve Him. They will see His
face,
and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be
no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp
or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them
light. And they will reign for ever and ever...

33. The Big Questions To Consider…
Question #2
What does THE BIBLE say about “the end times”?
* There are no signs we should be looking for
* He’s not taking us AWAY to dwell in a separate
dimension; He’s bring HIS dimension TO US
* He’s not doing AWAY w/earth; He’s RESTORING
it
* It will be a reality marked by unimaginable peace,
joy, meaningfully creative activity, and LIFE