The Rapture

The Untold Story

The rapture doctrine says that Christians will be taken off to the third Heaven either just prior the 'Tribulation Period' or afterwards when YHVH (The Creator) sends plagues on the Earth. The idea of a rapture is said to have originated with a Spanish CATHOLIC Jesuit priest named Ribera, in 1580 A.D.*(see note) during a time of much bloodshed in Europe as Roman catholics Persecuted and Murdered**(see note) their opponents. This doctrine said that Christ was going to come and secretly snatch away the Church before a great seven-year tribulation, when the "Anti-Messiah" would rule the world. This futuristic interpretation of the book of Revelation, along with the future coming of the Anti-Messiah, was designed to take the pressure off the Roman catholic Pope, who was universally regarded as being the anti-Messiah by His opponents (his opponents were definitely on the right track).

* Read "The Rapture of the Wicked", by Stephen E. Jones or "The Rapture of the Saints", by Duncan McDougall.

** True Believers do not Kill or Murder their neighbors or their enemies.

While Revelation does describe a great many future events, involving The Anti-Messiah, it is still, nevertheless, true that the spirit of the Anti-Messiah, was already on the scene as early as the latter part of the First Century, A.D.*(see verse). Today, a future anti-Messiah concept complete with a pre-tribulation rapture, has become a popular view among all Christian churches too. The idea of going to a place of safety, whether on Earth or in Heaven, is a concept held by many. BUT... Is it the truth?

* I John 4:1-3 Beloved, don't believe every spirit (mindset), but test the spirits, whether they are of YHVH, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of YHVH: every spirit who confesses*(see note) that Y'Shua has come in the flesh is of YHVH, and every spirit who doesn't confess*(see note) that Y'Shua has come in the flesh is not of YHVH, and this is the spirit of the anti-Messiah, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already (some 2000 years ago).

Note: Confess or confesses, as used here, comes from the Greek "homologeo" (Strong's G3670) which carries with it the implication of having a "Covenant with YHVH". This word, homologeo," is made up of two other words. "logos" (Strong's 3056) and "homou" (Strong's 3674). "Logos" means mental "Intent" OR "Plan," as in the "Intent of the Heart" OR "Plan of Salvation;" and "homou" means having or being the same, as in being "Spiritually Identical" (LIKE MINDED). In other words, confess or confesses simply does not mean to make a statement that Y'Shua is the "Son of God." It means having and maintaining through your love of YHVH a Spiritual Marriage Covenant with YHVH. It means that when YHVH looks at you He sees a Spiritual Righteousness Seeking reflection of Himself. Everyone who does not have just such a relationship with YHVH and His Messiah (to mankind) is basically "Anti-Messiah" in their thoughts and actions.

1 John 4 Revealed: First let us look at the logic of the first three verses of 1 John 4. If someone teaches or believes that the Messiah is God, a god, part of the Trinity or an immortal prior to his physical birth, then somehow they must rule out as impossible the only explanation that cannot possibly be wrong. It is totally impossible for the belief that the Messiah was never anything more than flesh and blood to violate the principles of the first three verses and therefore fit the definition of an Anti-Messiah. To say Messiah Y'Shua was purely flesh and blood can in no way be construed to say that he did not come "In The Flesh." Every man or woman who was ever born "Flesh" came into existence "In The Flesh," and none of us are God, a god, part of the Trinity or immortal at birth. Additionally, the spirit of the Anti-Messiah or the teaching or the belief that the Messiah did not come purely "in the flesh" began before 95AD., and not with this Sabbatarian Ministry or any other ministry that does not teach the Trinity.
The Trinity is a pagan Babylonian belief and a Roman catholic Institution, and is not taught by pristine Scripture.
On the other hand, the other two possibilities, that Messiah Y'Shua is a god (God) or a demigod (God in the flesh) definitely betrays these false beliefs as teachings of Satan (source of Human Nature) and its religious-government organizations. The only mystery here is how anyone can believe such lies, but then again, it is human nature.

It is well known to True Believers and others that the saints shall undergo much tribulation and persecution, even right up to the time that they receive the Kingdom. (Daniel 7:8, 21-27) "I beheld, and the same horn (little horn) made war with the saints, and prevailed against them . . . . And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High and think to change times and laws:*(see note) and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time (three and one-half times)" Daniel 7:21,25. Verses 26-27 speak of the time when the little horn's kingdom (The Earth) shall be taken away and given to the saints**(see verse).

John 15:20-21 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is NOT greater than his lord. If they have PERSECUTED ME, they will ALSO PERSECUTE YOU; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things THEY WILL DO unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

1 Peter 1: 7 That the TRIAL OF YOUR FAITH, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory AT THE APPEARING of Messiah Y'Shua:

*Julian and Gregorian Calendars, Sunday as the sabbath, and MIDNIGHT as the changing of the DAY play down the importance of YHVH's Commandments (Wedding Vows of Love), etc... Of course, it was the Roman government and their Roman Universal church that caused YHVH's Sacred Calendar, Seventh Day Sabbath, and dusk (day change) to be abandoned.

** Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek (True Believers), for they shall inherit the Earth.

 

Christian Rapturists believe that they all go to the third Heaven when they die; then at some future date Christ will come for his saints, taking them in a rapture from their GRAVE back to the third Heaven, and then later come back with His saints to the Earth. Thus, they must illogically believe that many who have already died and gone to the third Heaven (according to catholic and protestant doctrines) will somehow be put back into the grave and be raptured to immortality again so that the dead saints can go back to the third Heaven and be with Messiah (again). This is so ludicrous as to be laughable. But much of the confusion is due to the fact that the Anglican-catholic King James Bible uses the singular word "Heaven" to represent three distinctly different heavens.

I Thessalonians 4:16-17
16) For the Lord (Kurios Proxy) himself shall descend from heaven (sky or low mountain top clouds) with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the (seventh) trump of YHVH: and the dead in Messiah (Like Minded) shall rise first:
17) Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds (low mountain top ?), to meet the Lord in the air (G-109 low dense air on Earth): and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Note: These verses say nothing about Messiah Y'Shua taking the saints to the third Heaven. The saints (who were asleep in their graves) are awakened and given immortality for the first time, and then rise up (from their graves onto their feet) to meet Y'Shua (Who will be establishing the kingdom of King David on the Earth) in the First Heaven (Mountain top Clouds or Atmosphere of Earth).

I Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Y'Shua died and rose again, even so them also which SLEEP (In The Grave) in YHVH will Y'Shua (YHVH's Proxy) bring with Him."

Supposedly this verse teaches that before Messiah Y'Shua returns, the righteous dead are taken to Heaven and now they are returning from Heaven. No, this is not the correct meaning! Paul knew that the dead are asleep (I Thessalonians 4:13-14), and so did Y'Shua (John 5:28). The righteous dead remain "asleep" in their graves, until the coming of the Kurios of YHVH! Then they join with HIM (YHVH's Kurios or Proxy) in the CLOUDS (Mount Olive ?). Then, Once They (Y'Shua, Angels, and the Saints) have ALL gathered together in the CLOUDS (Matthew 24:30-31), they return back to the flat surface of the Earth with The Messiah (Y'Shua) to cast out evil and establish YHVH's Kingdom on this Earth with Messiah as "King of Kings.".

The Great and Terrible Day of the LORD immediately follows The Tribulation Period (wrath of Satan or human nature of mankind). Matthew 24:29, Revelation 6:9-12, 8:1. It is not a day when we will all be snatched up into heaven. It will be a time when YHVH will shake both the heavens and the Earth and He will separate the Tares and Chaff from The Wheat. Both will be shaken until only wheat remains. See Isaiah 13:9-13, Hebrews 12:26-28, Amos 5:18, Matthew 13:24-30, 37-43. I repeat, only the wheat remains, because it is not the wheat that is removed or snatched away, but the Tares and the Chaff.

In Matthew 13:47-50, Y'Shua gives another parable of the good and bad fish caught in a net. Verse 49: "So shall it be At The End of The World: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just." Thus if there is to be any rapture at all, it must be a "rapture of the wicked" to a Place of Desolation and Spiritual Darkness.

In Matthew 24:36-42 there is a section used by rapturists to twist the Scriptures to mean the opposite of its true intent. Verses 40-41 are taken out of context to support the rapture, as being taken away to a place of safety. However, verses 36-39 speak of the wicked people in Noah's day (An Anthropomorphic Physical to Spiritual Parallel) who continued "doing their own thing" and "knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall, also, the coming of the Son of man be", verse 39. Those who are to be "taken" in verses 40-41 do not appear to be raptured to a place of safety, but taken away to be slain. As we have seen, "the righteous (wheat) shall never be removed: but the wicked (chaff or tares) shall not inhabit or inherit the Earth," (Proverbs 10:30). The wicked shall be gathered for punishment (Revelation 14:18-20). Y'Shua's prayer was not that His servants would be taken out of the world, but that they would be kept from the evil one (John 17:15, 20). No doubt the Savior wanted His followers to inherit the Kingdom of YHVH on The Earth (The Coming Paradise), Psalms 115:16. Solomon, also, knew this: "For The Upright Shall Dwell in The Land, and the Perfect Shall Remain in it (land), but the wicked shall be cut off from it (land), and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it (land or "Promised Land") . . . . Be not afraid of sudden fear neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For YHVH shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken" (Proverbs 2:21-22, 3:25-26). The chaff will be blown away, Psalms 1:4.

Nearly all rapturists falsely teach that after the rapture the saints will attend the "Marriage Feast of the Lamb" in the third heaven for a few years while the Great Tribulation rages on the earth. The Marriage Feast, as described in Revelation 19:7-9, must be to what Matthew 26:29, Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 22:18, and Luke 14:15-24 are referring. In these passages The Church makes herself ready and partakes of a feast with the Eternal, but no passage indicates that this marriage feast takes place in Heaven. This false understanding is due to the false belief that people go to heaven when they die. Instead, The Marriage Feast will take place when His Kingdom has been established on this Earth.

As a result of the Eternal's war against the wicked, many are slain in the winepress of His wrath. All manner of birds will be called together to Feast on the dead flesh of those slain by the conquering Messiah. Truly, the wicked shall be cut off from the earth to be slain and removed (snatched or "raptured" if you will) from the Righteous. *

* Revelation 19:10-21.

* Ezekiel 39:17-20.

 

I Thessalonians 5:1-4 Says that the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Will Messiah Y'Shua return, rapture away His true believers, with the rest of mankind unaware of what happened? Not at all . . . There will be a lot of noise, and destruction when the Messiah returns. The whole Earth shall see Him returning. HE will come "unexpectedly,"as a thief, in full view of all (not secretly) Revelation 3:3, 16:15.*

* Joel 1:15 Alas for the day! For the day of YHVH is at hand, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

* Joel 2:1-2 Blow you the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of YHVH comes, For it is close at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn spreading on the mountains, A great and strong people; There has never been the like, Neither will there be any more after them, Even to the years of many generations.

* II Peter 3:10 But the day of the Kurios of YHVH (Lord) will come as a thief in the night (unexpectedly); in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

* Matthew 24:26-30
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The word rapture comes from the Latin "raptus" meaning to snatch or seize. A similar Greek word is "harpazo"*, meaning to seize, pluck up or take by force. This Greek word is used in I Thessalonians 4:17, "caught up together with them in the clouds." Does this refer to going to the third Heaven where God's throne is? Not hardly !

* II Corinthians 12:2, 4 and Revelation 12:5 do use "harpazo" to refer to being caught up to YHVH's Heaven (the clouds of the first heaven), but "Harpazo" does not infer Heaven, just the act of being snatched.

At a moment when we are about to perish, the merciful Eternal will snatch us up to meet with Him (and His Angels) In The Clouds (first heaven), as He is returning to defeat our enemies and rid The Earth of all the wicked*.

* Revelation 20:1-3 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for one thousand years (The Sabbath Millennium), and cast him into the abyss (Tartarus Hell), and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time (100 years).

Some Rapturists believe in "two phases" of Messiah Y'Shua's coming: first a "secret" rapture for the saints to take them to Heaven for 3 1/2 or 7 years, while the Anti-Messiah deceives the nations and tortures all who won't submit to him. This time they refer to as the "tribulation" and "Day of the Lord." Then they say the "second phase" of the Messiah's coming will occur. Y'Shua will come visibly, in power and glory, with the saints, to conquer the Anti-Messiah. However, the Bible time sequence of last day events does not allow for this interpretation. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 parallel the events described in Revelation 6 and 8:

 It is very clear from the above that the "Tribulation" and "Day of the Lord" represent two distinct periods of time, separated by the heavenly signs. Matthew 24:29 shows that the heavenly signs happen immediately after the Tribulation, and Joel 2:31 says that the heavenly signs occur before the Day of The Lord. Pretty easy, huh?

The Tribulation Period is Satan's wrath. He is angry because he knows his time is short, and he wants revenge on the faithful believers who keep the Eternal's commandments (Revelation 12:7-17, 3:10).

The "Day of the Lord" is YHVH's wrath (Revelation 6:17) during which seven trumpets of punishment are sounded, culminating in the seventh trumpet of seven last plagues, Revelation 8, 9, 15, 16, 19.

Notice that the Elect (Chosen Few) are not gathered before the Tribulation, but during the Day of The Lord (Matthew 24:29-31). Specifically, the righteous dead are resurrected at the seventh, or Last Trumpet (Revelation 11:15-18 / I Corinthians 15:50-52 / I Thessalonians 4:16-17). The prophetic time sequence laid out in Scripture allows no such thing as a "pre-tribulation rapture." Even during the wrath of the "Great And Terrible Day Of The Lord", the true servants of YHVH are not taken to Heaven, but remain on Earth. Revelation 7:1-10 describes 144,000 servants of YHVH who are sealed in their foreheads (Shema), so they will be protected during the wrath of YHVH on the Earth.

Now, if YHVH's servants were already in Heaven, and immortal; why would they have to be sealed for protection?

It is during the "Day of the Kurios" that the feet of the Kurios (the Messiah) will stand on the Mount of Olives (on Earth), Zechariah 14:1, 4.

Ezekiel 9:4-10 (A Dual or Parallel Prophecy)

YHVH said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of it. To the others he said in my hearing, Go you through the city after him, and strike: don't let your eye spare, neither have you pity; kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don't come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary.

Then they began at the old men that were before the house. He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go you forth. They went forth, and struck in the city. It happened, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord YHVH! will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem? Then said he to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of wrestling of judgment: for they say, YHVH has forsaken the land, and YHVH doesn't see. As for me also, my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.

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