Rapture Mania: Part One

Where did he go?

Perhaps no other topic has attracted more attention throughout the Christian church over the past 60 years than the Rapture.

There have been countless books, articles, web sites, movies and videos devoted to this subject. In fact, there are many Christians who spend at least as much--if not more time contemplating the Rapture than they do contemplating almost any other subject that involves their faith.

First of all, what is the Rapture? The Rapture involves the physical removal of the true church from the world by Jesus Christ shortly before God pours out His judgment on the earth during the Tribulation period. 

What is the Tribulation period? It's a seven year period of God's judgment against the world that's divided into two 3-1/2 year periods. The first half is called the Tribulation Period, and the second is called the Great Tribulation Period. The Tribulation Period will occur seven years prior to the return of Jesus Christ.

Is the Rapture biblical? Definitely. Christ said this: "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." (John 14:2-4)

The apostle Paul wrote this: "According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep (died). 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. 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." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)

When is this going to happen? Proponents of the "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" claim that this event will take place just before the dreaded Antichrist appears and assumes control over a world government. 

Why do they believe this? Because of a prophecy revealed by Paul in his second epistle to the Thessalonian Church. Paul wrote this: "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)

Pre-Trib Rapture proponents claim that the Holy Spirit is the one Paul referred to who restrains evil and prevents the Antichrist's appearance. 

Therefore, according to their interpretation, the Holy Spirit must be removed or taken out of the way by God in order for the Antichrist to appear. They believe that the removal of the Holy Spirit from the world is synonymous with the rapture of the church.

There's a very serious problem with that teaching. First of all, Paul wrote this in 2 Thessalonians 2:3: "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (Rapture) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction." 

If Paul was referring to the Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, then he contradicted himself because he claimed in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 that the church would indeed be around when the Antichrist appears.

Who then did Paul refer to as the restrainer of evil? He was likely referring to Michael the Archangel, who the prophet Daniel revealed protects God's people on earth. (Daniel 12:1) 

When Michael is removed, then the Antichrist will appear and promptly begin persecuting Christians throughout the world. (Daniel 7:25, Daniel 8:24, Revelation 13:7) There isn't a single scripture verse in the Bible that reveals the Holy Spirit as the restrainer of evil on earth.

In part two, serious discrepancies in the Pre-Trib Rapture doctrine that cannot be reconciled.