THE RAPTURE QUESTION:
This blog post will be a quick introduction to the best rollercoaster ride you’ll ever take.
MANY VIEWS OF THIS TERM:
There are many points of view about the Rapture of the Church among Christian denominations. I am going to name some, but will not get to them until future posts. For now, I will give you a few names and the definition of what the Rapture means.
Pre-Rapture
Mid-Rapture
Post Rapture
No Rapture
Who is right?
The church has as many opinions as they do denominations, okay maybe not that many, but the Rapture will mean something different doctrinally to believers.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORLD EVENTS HAPPENING NOW:
In the past decades of teaching Bible studies, I didn’t realize how the world would turn and roll over to a world leader with such speed and ease, until now. I look at what’s happening across the globe and see that even church leaders did not fight this mandate or ordinance or suggestion of staying home and having everybody not fellowship at churches.
I wasn’t aware of how fast a one-world government would come about, but due to a “pandemic” that was made up to be worse than what it is, the set up has begun. Because of the ferocity and speed of world events turning towards this one-world government, I want to point people to Christ. As we see the world in chaos, I can’t help but think of how closely this resembles what the Bible says will happen in the last days.
Plus, I want to ensure that I don’t do any writing while I am angry or upset with what’s happening with the corona virus & the control of governments all over the world.
I would instead edify Christ than write something that I will regret later.
WE START WITH THE WORD RAPTURE OR RAPTURA:
We will start with the word RAPTURE. You will not see this word in the Bible since RAPTURA is a word written in Latin. That would be like me, writing in English, with the English word Rapture (Strongs G726 harpazó—ἁρπάζω) instead of the equivalent Greek word harpazo.
DIFFERENT PLACES SAME WORD:
Paul does not mention the word first; Jesus does. In Matthew 11:12, where Jesus is speaking of violence or force.
Jesus mentions this word in Matthew and also John twice.
RAPTURED PEOPLE:
In the book of Acts 8:39, we see the same word when Philipp is translated or raptured or ‘caught away’ from one place to another. This verse and the next one are what I call examples for the Great Rapture that will happen to the Church as a whole.
In 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul talks about “a man” who was Raptured or caught up to the Third Heaven. This is the same word harpazo, which Paul uses to explain the man being caught up to the Third Heaven.
I know this is mundane to read, but whenever there is so much controversy, as students of the Word, we must go back to the Bible and break it down to its purest forms, for us to catch a glimpse of what the meaning of the word is trying to convey.
There is one more instance where being caught up and taken from one place to another, whether in the spirit or physically, the scripture is in Revelation 12:5,
There’s a story about a red dragon (Satan), a woman (Israel), And a man child (Jesus) who was to rule all nations. The dragon fiercely aspires to kill the woman and child, but the man child is ‘caught up‘ to His throne. The woman then flees to the wilderness in 12:6.
This notion of being ‘caught up’ is not a one time deal in the Bible!
This notion of harpazo being a one time mention is incorrect. Because if we look at the word in its original language, which is Greek, we find this word 14 times. That is a perfect 7 twice.
ALL THIS TO SAY:
The word harpazo in all the examples I have given you, is used to mean—carry off, to be caught up, to snatch from, snatched away, take away by force.
This violent pulling up is what Paul tells us will happen to all believers when the Great Trump or Trumpet of God sounds 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
But it will be so fast that we will not experience the event in a bad manner.
This forceful pulling in my best earthly experience would be like riding the biggest and fastest rollercoaster in the world. Or, if you are ever blessed enough to get to fly or be a passenger on the space shuttle or military plane. That kind of force, where you can’t control your body to stay still because of how incredibly fast the G-Forces are pulling you. That is the kind of Harpazo we, who know Christ, will one day experience if we are still alive.
The Rapture will bring both the dead & alive together in the air. The dead will be more alive then ever!
They will not be the walking dead zombies like on TV! All of our 5 senses will be intensified!
Next blog post—Why so much division and confusion over this Harpazo word?
PAST BLOGS RELATED TO THE RAPTURE QUESTION:
FROM THE CROSS—TO THE GRAVE—TO THE TRUMPET BLAST OF THE LORD |THE LORD’S FEASTS 2019
YOM TERUAH—THE BLASTING SHOFAR OF GOD! |THE LORD’S FEASTS 2019
PleaseBeStillMoments by Oscar Roca 