Rapture – Not in the Bible?
Rapture – Not in the Bible?
By Dennis Huebshman
Wish I had just a dime for every time I have heard someone say the Rapture isn’t real because it isn’t in the Bible.
Ok, if this scenario holds true, then TRINITY doesn’t exist because it isn’t specifically in the Bible. Also, BIBLE, VANILLA, CHOCOLATE and BUTTER PECAN don’t exist either. I can just about hear you laughing right now as we all know these things really do exist. However, these actual words are not in God’s Holy Letter.
God did not intend for us to be so engrossed as to be skeptical of the absence of such a word. He does expect us to use some COMMON SENSE in figuring some things out which have common meanings. Rapture comes from a word RAPTUS in the Latin Vulgate, and in Greek HARPAZO. One meaning of this is “caught up” as given in 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18.
Also, how about Acts 1: 9-10. Jesus was “lifted up” into a cloud. Isn’t that what Paul said would happen to all believers – the dead in Christ first and then all who are still alive? Therefore, we have a “Rapture” or “Harpazo” or “Caught up” as described in the Bible as Jesus was caught up. It’s just that His going up was a lot slower than we will see when the Shofar/Trumpet sounds. Ours will be the Blink of an Eye.
The fact “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible does not mean the Father, Son and Holy Spirit do not exist, but they are definitely referenced in many places. Genesis 1:26 is the first reference to a plural Godhead as God said let “us” make man.
Jesus constantly spoke of He and the Father being the same, which is two parts of the Trinity. In John 14: 16-17, Jesus refers to sending an “advocate” the “Spirit of Truth” to be with his disciples and by extension, to be with all who accept Him as Savior. This is the third person of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Trinity. No mortal man can explain how this is possible, but we have faith that God’s word is true, and the Trinity is real. When we get Home, all will become clear to us.
Trying to be too literal sometimes causes issues. I believe God provided the words that we should be able to understand by applying common sense. Many people believe Revelation is just a bunch of myths and is not to be taken as real. Question, how would a first century Christian describe a helicopter or missiles or nuclear warfare when none of this existed then? Also, why would the Father give us 65 books of prophecy and instruction and leave the last book as pure fantasy?
Jesus provided John a vocabulary that the people of that era could relate to. By taking those illustrations and applying them to today, we can see all is actually in place for the tribulation with everything the anti-christ would need, and we can see what John actually saw.
How could the world witness the execution and later the resurrection of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 if there wasn’t some method of televising it all around the world at once? No one prior to the 20th. Century ever saw a television, but John was shown how it would be seen. I imagine it just about overwhelmed him as to all the sights.
We have a mental picture of all the devastation that will occur during the tribulation, but even then we can’t imagine just how horrible it really will be. We’re told it will be a time as never has been on this earth, and if the days were not cut short, no one would survive. (Matthew 24:22)
One thing that helps when reading God’s word is to ask Him to have the Holy Spirit provide understanding as to what we are reading, and how the passages apply to us today. There have been times I have read verses over and over again, but they really didn’t sink in until I went to the Father and asked for understanding. After my mind-block cleared, I realized I was trying too hard to understand just how clear things really are.
One thing people do that needs to stop is trying to find out what Works they have to do, or how they can Earn their own salvation. Jesus was very clear on this. Accept Him as God’s Son who came to earth to be our perfect sacrifice for our sins. Ask Him to forgive our sins and come into our hearts and be our Savior. Accept this as a FREE GIFT and know that there aren’t enough works or things you can do to earn your salvation if you lived a million lifetimes. Some examples of this are John 3:18; 1 John 5: 10-12; John 14:6 just to name a couple.
If you accept Jesus, you have the Father and the Holy Spirit will come to dwell in you. Period. This is the perfect relationship with the Trinity.
Remember, when the common (plain) sense makes good sense, accept no other sense or you will have nonsense. I can’t remember who said that first, but I’ve heard it from numerous speakers. Thing is, it makes sense!
Maranatha – Come our Blessed Lord Jesus!