For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)

The Rapture Is Real

One of the popular doctrines in recent history is the teaching of a rapture where saints of God mysteriously disappear without warning. The rapture precedes a seven-year habitation of the righteous with Christ, followed by a battle of Armageddon and Jesus establishing a kingdom to reign for a thousand years. This doctrine is credited to being authored by John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), a 19^th-century theologian. Darby was an influential member of the Plymouth Brethren and founder of the Exclusive Brethren.   Hal Lindsey’s book The Late Great Planet Earth became a textbook in the 1970s on the doctrine of premillennialism, and the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye helped the teaching become entrenched in the minds of many in the religious world. In the early 20^th century, the doctrine became the basis of the Schofield Reference Bible.

The rapture is real fiction. Of the many doctrines created by the imagination of human wisdom, the teaching of a rapture is nowhere found in scripture in any form or suggestion. Honest students of scripture recognize when a doctrine is not found in the Bible, it is false – without question. The word rapture is never found in the word of God. There is nothing more clearly defined than the absence of the rapture. Remarkably, the proof text often presented as evidence of a rapture shows it cannot be a quiet disappearance of the saints.

Paul encouraged the saints in Thessalonica to comfort one another with the knowledge of Christ’s return. The early Christians believed strongly in the return of Jesus Christ, as if it could happen at any moment. Many first-century disciples did not understand death and resurrection and became concerned about what would happen to those who had died when Jesus returned. They were afraid the dead would not enjoy the fruits of the coming of Jesus. Paul assured them there was nothing to be concerned about. Jesus would return to earth, and those who had fallen asleep in Jesus (died) would not be left behind.

The coming of the Lord would be a very loud and visible event. Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout. This does not suggest a quiet, invisible appearance of the Lord to a select few. A heavenly shout is something heard worldwide at the same time. Those in Kansas would hear the shout as those in New Zealand would also hear the sound of heaven burst forth. In addition, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God would be heard. It is unclear what the voice of an archangel sounds like and how loud God’s trumpet will be, but there is no doubt it will be the most deafening sound human ears have ever heard. The followers of the rapture say there will be no sound which means the rapture is real fiction.

There is nothing further from the truth than the Left Behind dogma of a rapture. Jesus Christ will return for only a second time, and the world will be destroyed. He will never set up a kingdom on earth because He is reigning at the right hand of God as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The dead in Christ will rise first, and then in the twinkling of an eye, those who are alive and remain will be caught up together with all the saved in the clouds (not earth) to meet the Lord in the air (not the earth). The good news of grace is this is how the saints will always be – with the Lord.

The rapture is real fiction and a fairytale that will deceive the hearts and minds of those who refuse to be honest with the Bible. Nothing in the Bible suggests a rapture. This false doctrine is only the imagination of human wisdom. Be honest and be true. Do not accept or believe such a thing will take place. Jesus will return to earth again, and no further work will be done. His return will bring a final end to creation and then the judgment. Forget the rapture – are you ready for final judgment?