Could “Rapture” mean physical death ?

J2

Active Member
I’m a little embarrassed to ask this, but is there any possibility that our rapture could be in spirit only, leaving our earthly bodies behind? I can imagine the narrative of how suddenly “x” percent of the global population dropped dead easier to become disillusioned about then our vanishing from “alien abduction”.
 

borrowedtime

Well-Known Member
Highly unlikely.

Rapture is really harpazo in Greek


harpazō

1) to seize, carry off by force
2) to seize on, claim for one' s self eagerly
3) to snatch out or away

none of those definitions would imply a separate bodily/spiritual event. The word seems like it’s a compete removal.

I think anything else is very lucid interpretation.
 

borrowedtime

Well-Known Member
All Bible verse with Harpazo



Matthew 11:12: "suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
Matthew 13:19: "the wicked one, and catcheth awaythat which was sown in his heart."
John 6:15: "they would come and take him by force, to make him"
John 10:12: "and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereththe"
John 10:28: "they shall never perish, neither shall anyman pluck them"
John 10:29: "and no man is able to pluck them out of myFather's hand."
Acts 8:39: "water, the Spirit of the Lord caught awayPhilip, that the eunuch"
Acts 23:10: "the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them,"
2 Corinthians 12:2: "I cannot tell: God knoweth such a one caught up to the third"
2 Corinthians 12:4: "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words,"
1 Thessalonians 4:17: "we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in"
Jude 1:23: "save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating"
Revelation 12:5: "and her child was caught up unto God, and to his"
 
Paul describes us as being transformed rather than dying:

"Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Corinthians 15:50-56, NASB, emphasis mine)

Combined with 1 Thessalonians 4:17, we see that the dead will be raised first and changed, then we who are alive will be changed and brought to meet them and the Lord in the clouds.
 
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Kerbluey

Well-Known Member
I’m a little embarrassed to ask this, but is there any possibility that our rapture could be in spirit only, leaving our earthly bodies behind? I can imagine the narrative of how suddenly “x” percent of the global population dropped dead easier to become disillusioned about then our vanishing from “alien abduction”.

If you haven’t yet read Alien Encounters it goes into what the “aliens” have been telling people for a long time. I’d kind of dismissed the alien abduction explanation for the same reasons (after believing it for decades) until I read the book. People who have spirit “guides” are being told similar things.

For anyone interested, these “aliens” are telling people mother earth has to purge herself of toxicity in the form of natural disasters. We all need to come together as one to progress. Those who can’t will be abducted (the twinkling of an eye phrase is used) so everyone else can advance. I’ve no doubt the twinkling verse will be used deceptively post rapture.
 

J2

Active Member
If you haven’t yet read Alien Encounters it goes into what the “aliens” have been telling people for a long time. I’d kind of dismissed the alien abduction explanation for the same reasons (after believing it for decades) until I read the book. People who have spirit “guides” are being told similar things.

For anyone interested, these “aliens” are telling people mother earth has to purge herself of toxicity in the form of natural disasters. We all need to come together as one to progress. Those who can’t will be abducted (the twinkling of an eye phrase is used) so everyone else can advance. I’ve no doubt the twinkling verse will be used deceptively post rapture.
I downloaded it last week on kindle! Have only gotten into the first chapter though, since so much of my reading has been trying to keep up with the madness lately!
 

Kerbluey

Well-Known Member
I downloaded it last week on kindle! Have only gotten into the first chapter though, since so much of my reading has been trying to keep up with the madness lately!

I remember! The chapter on physics went sailing over my head, lol.
 

Batman

Well-Known Member
I agree that the rapture for living Christians is about life and life more abundantly............perfect bodies, changed from corruptible to incorruptible instantaneously, and immediately heading to Heaven until the last hours of the Tribulation Period.
 

kathymendel

Well-Known Member
It could just be a breath. In the blink of an eye, we could exhale..........then inhale with our changed bodies.

ETA: The bible does teach it is appointed for man to die once......... so, either we die when we accept Christ............. or,
we could do a quick death/change thing at the rapture. Guess we will find out soon.
 

Batman

Well-Known Member
I'm still believing that the rapture is different and not death with Elijah and Enoch as the precursors, even if Elijah dies as foretold in Revelation before being raised in a globally seen rapture/resurrection. God will do what he did instantaneously with lepers, deafness and blindness, fish/loaves, oil for Elijah and widow/son, the calming of the sea by Christ, etc. I cling to instantaneous with no death and hope I'm right when it's all over for whomever gets the reward of being alive and raptured, but ok if I am wrong too.
 

Rocky R.

Well-Known Member
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed

We will not all sleep means "not all of us will die". That's the only exception we get from physical death is if Jesus Christ returns, and that promise is only for the true believer, one who has trusted in Christ. So the rapture means we get to go to Heaven without passing death.
 

InsuranceGuy

Well-Known Member
I'm still believing that the rapture is different and not death with Elijah and Enoch as the precursors, even if Elijah dies as foretold in Revelation before being raised in a globally seen rapture/resurrection. God will do what he did instantaneously with lepers, deafness and blindness, fish/loaves, oil for Elijah and widow/son, the calming of the sea by Christ, etc. I cling to instantaneous with no death and hope I'm right when it's all over for whomever gets the reward of being alive and raptured, but ok if I am wrong too.

You get a reward just for being Raptured? Where exactly is that verse?
 

TheRedeemed

Well-Known Member
You get a reward just for being Raptured? Where exactly is that verse?

Timothy2 4:8 says Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

This is a crown every Raptured person will receive for looking for and anticipating the coming of Christ.

A crown of righteousness for all!
 

Rocky R.

Well-Known Member
Timothy2 4:8 says Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

This is a crown every Raptured person will receive for looking for and anticipating the coming of Christ.

A crown of righteousness for all!

Yes, a crown for expecting (and being excited) about the Master's coming. Life begins in the womb, and its proper ending finds itself in the arms of Jesus (well done, thou good and faithful servant!)
 

Batman

Well-Known Member
The reward I was referring to is my terminology (not the Bible) of being a part of the rapture moment and not having to suffer death. I think of it as a reward since all others except Elijah and Enoch had to die rather than experience the rapture as an extremely exclusive and rare gift (reward). But I do agree with the other posts about the crown as a reward; however wouldn't that reward be true for all who died in Christ, not just those who are raptured.
 

Lovin Jesus

Well-Known Member
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed

We will not all sleep means "not all of us will die". That's the only exception we get from physical death is if Jesus Christ returns, and that promise is only for the true believer, one who has trusted in Christ. So the rapture means we get to go to Heaven without passing death.
Amen.
 
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