Is the rapture biblical

Answer 1

A:

Not really. The 'Rapture' is a theological invention of John Nelson Darby, the nineteenth-century founder of the Plymouth Brethren. Although few people belong the the Plymouth Brethren Church, many Christians believe in its founder's most enduring theological creation, the Rapture.

Barbara R. Rossing (The Rapture Exposed) says that according to one critic, the Rapture has its origins with a young girl's vision. In 1830, in Port Glasgow, Scotland, fifteen-year-old Margaret MacDonald attended a healing service. There, she was said to have seen a vision of a two-stage return of Jesus Christ. The story of her vision was adopted and amplified by Darby.

The belief that Jesus will come again was not new, and Christians have always taught that Jesus will return to earth and that believers should live in anticipation of his second coming. Darby's new teaching was that Christ would return twice, first in secret to "Rapture" his church out of the world and up to heaven, then a second time after seven years of global tribulation for non-believers, to establish a Jerusalem-based kingdom on earth (called the "Glorious Appearing" - a phrase from Titus 2:13).

John Nelson Darby has sunk into obscurity, apart from his followers in the Plymouth Brethren, and so should his theology. The Rapture has no genuine biblical support, so there is no good reason to believe there will ever be a Rapture or that the church and its members will be taken bodily up into heaven.

Answer 2

As the concept has developed and is believed today... no.

The "rapture" is a doctrine given birth in the mid to late 1800's [19th century] that's supposedly based on the prophecies regarding the events surrounding the "return of Jesus Christ to earth."

As it has evolved over the years... it has become more of an "escapist" concept of religious "safety and comfort" in which it's believers expect God to prevent bad things to happen to them... including "swooping down to carry them off to heaven" before the advent of a time global distress Jesus calls "Great Tribulation" [Matt.24:21] comes on the earth.

It fails to come to grips with the reality that the "heroes" of The Bible, for the most part, weren't spared discomfort, persecution and even death in their journies through life; including Jesus Christ, Himself.

Beliefs regarding the timing of the "rapture" also vary... some believing they'll "go to heaven" BEFORE the Tribulation; some DURING the Tribulation; some AFTER it -- and some at any number of different times.

Thus, the "rapture" has taken on a life of its own with many people who haven't studied all the scriptures regarding Jesus' return... which say nothing about "going to heaven" -- but "meeting Him in the clouds." A phenomenon that occurs "within the earth's breatheable atmosphere."

In most [if not all] of the "rapture" concepts... it's assumed that heaven is the final destination of this "meeting in the clouds"... that they're all going to turn around and head back the way Jesus came... instead of what the Bible says about Jesus' RETURN TO EARTH:

"And His feet shall stand in that Day [of the Lord, verse 1] upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east..." (Zech.14:4).

If a loved one leaves home and later returns; and you go out to "meet him" upon his return -- you would expect that you would all finish his return journey back home with him, TOGETHER. You wouldn't figure on him turning around to leave again where you met... with all of you leaving with him.

Since its fairly recent 19th century concept... the "rapture" has embellished and spread into different schools of belief far beyond the few simple chronological prophecies of the Bible... with the word "rapture" not in the Bible at all.

Answer #2

This response is accurate the timing is exactly 1830-33, its documented in the Morning Star a paper of Port Glasgow, Scotland, by the name of Margret Macdonald. It was picked up by two priests by the name of John Nelson Darby and Edward Irving. The rapture does not align with the sequence and order of events written in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, Neither does it align with the book of Revelation which places the one world system and the anti christ of Revelation 13 ahead of Christ's return. And theres the book of Ephesians where the Apostle Paul tells us to Stand with the gospel armor on. Finally there is Ezekiel chapter 13 where our Father speaks out against those who teach our children to fly to save their souls.

Answer 3

Not using that word "Rapture". It's not found in the Bible. Instead rapture describes the catching away from 1Th_4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

When most people talking about the rapture of the church they are talking about the theory that the Church (Christians) disappear before the world enters a time of terrible stress and disasters called the Great Tribulation.

However, the timing may be in question as nowhere in the Bible does it say Christians will not go through the Tribulation. In fact, many statements by Jesus, Himself, point to the fact Believers may be here for much of the Tribulation, only disappearing when the rapture occurs at the "last trump", before the Wrath of God is pour out.