The Rapture

Download the entire January 2009 issue of the Water of Life.

Many people in the religious world today believe in the rapture. Being premillennialists, they see the rapture as being a silent coming of the Lord when all those who are righteous (dead and alive) are going to mysteriously disappear from the earth leaving behind the unholy. These ideas, as of late, have been spread by the Left Behind series of books and videos. Does the Bible say anything about this kind of rapture? Let’s ask some questions concerning this wide-spread doctrine of a rapture.

How Many Resurrections Will There Be? The premillennialist believes that when Jesus returns, there will be a resurrection of the righteous dead (the rapture) followed by a second resurrection to take place at a later time. However, Jesus Himself said, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). Jesus says there will be a general (one time) resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous. Also, in Acts 24:15 Paul stated, “…there will be a (note the singularity—DCE) resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” If there is going to be one resurrection of the dead followed by another resurrection at a later time, the Son of God and His apostle Paul knew nothing of it.

Will the Coming of the Lord be a Quiet, Secretive Event? The rapture doctrine says the coming of the Lord will be silent and secretive. So much so, they say, that those left behind will not know what has transpired. However, 1 Corinthians 15:52 states, “…For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Again, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.” Is there anything that sounds even remotely quiet about a shout with the voice of an arch angel or the trumpet of the Lord? When the Lord returns, every living person will be aware of the events taking place.

Where Will Those Who Are “Left Behind” Stay? The premillennialist believes that after the rapture, a period of tribulation will begin here on the earth for those who have been left behind. How can this possibly be? In 2 Peter 3:10 we are told that, at the day of the Lord, “the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” When Jesus returns, the earth and everything in it will be destroyed, leaving no place for human life on earth. Friends, when the premillennialist idea of the rapture is examined by the Scriptures, it is found to be lacking, and is therefore false!

David Eldridge