The Doctrine of The Rapture - Deborah Rule Ministries

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LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

THE DOCTRINE OF THE RAPTURE

A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO

THE FACULTY OF LIBERTY BAPTIST SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE COURSE

THEO 530

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY II

DEBORAH D. RULE

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

DECEMBER, 2012

THESIS STATEMENT

Does “the falling away” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 refer to a rebellion against God and His Truth which prepares the way for the Antichrist to be revealed, or does it represent the Rapture of Christ’s church in a physical departure that clears the way for the man of sin to be revealed? Is the Rapture biblical and what proof do we have that believers are interpreting the Scripture correctly?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THESIS STATEMENT..……………………….………………………………………….Page 2

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………Page 4

IS THE RAPTURE BIBLICAL……………………………………………………………Page 4

RAPTURE ADVOCATES….……………………………………………………………..Page10

SIGNS OF THE RAPTURE……………………………………………………………….Page12

PRE, MID, AND POSTTRIBULATION RAPTURE……………………………………..Page14

CONCLUSION………….………………………………………………………………….Page15

BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………………….Page16

INTRODUCTION

Will there be a Rapture of the church (“God did not appoint us to wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9) along with the Holy Spirit (“He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians. 2:7.)? If believers are to be “caught up”, when will this “rapio” occur? Will this snatching away come before the tribulations of the end time, will it happen mid-tribulation, or like some believe, post-tribulation? The Scripture give us definite proof that we will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air?

IS THE RAPTURE BIBLICAL

The word “rapture” is not contained within the Bible. The word rapture stems from the Latin noun raptura and the verb rapio which means “caught up”. The Greek root word which the Latin translation refers to is harpazo. Harpazo means to “take by force” or “to catch up or away” and is used in the New Testament fourteen times. [1] In Acts 8:39, 23:10; John 6:15; and Jude 23 it is used in reference to “removing”. In John 10:12, 28, 29; Matthew 11:12; 12:29; and 13:19, harpazo is used to reference plundering and stealing. “

In First Thess 4:16-17 harpazo refers to “caught up” (NKJV).

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an

Archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive

and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus

shall we always be with the Lord. (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 refers to the same eschatological event mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.[2]

Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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

incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (NKJV)

In Revelation 4:1 John is temporarily raptured to heaven “in the Spirit.” [3] John is transported in his Spirit into heaven to view what would happen in the future on earth. The apostle Paul experienced a similar harpagenta or “caught up” ascension into heaven and is described by him in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the

Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether

out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I

know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, God knows—how he was

caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.(NKJV)

Revelation 3:10 states:

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of

trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (NKJV)

This verse is the basis for the Reverend Charles Stanley’s belief that the church will be raptured prior to the Tribulation. [4]

Christ’s promise to keep the believers from the hour of trial indicates that He will remove the believers premillennial, therefore removing them before He returns to “fight the battle of Armageddon.” This also means Christ will remove the believers before He judges the unbelievers and before Christ sets up His 1000-year kingdom of this earth.[5]

First Corinthians 15: 23-24 reads:

But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His

coming. Then comes the end when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. (NKJV)

In this verse God indicates that He has a particular order for resurrection. The

word “order” can be translated to “rank” when used as a Greek military term. The Commander is raised first, followed by His troops. In verse 24 the “end” refers to the events occurring after the Rapture of the church and is followed by Christ putting “an end to all rule” and delivers the kingdom to God. This places the coming of Christ for His church before the tribulation period.

The promise of Christ’s coming is given in the Old Testament. Christ’s coming is broken into two separate series of events. In the first coming, the Gospels reveal the Virgin conception, Christ’s birth, His perfect life, His ministry, His atoning death, and then His resurrection, His appearances, and His ascension are all included. [6] Next, the Epistles record the next two phases to occur which are the rapture and the revelation. The rapture and revelation are to be separated by a seven (7) year period (Daniel 9:27). The rapture is included in the first phrase, followed by the “resurrection, translation”, Christ’s judgment seat, and the Lamb’s marriage supper. [7] The next series of events included in this second phrase, first the revelation, next Armageddon. Following that is the millennial kingdom, and lastly the white throne judgment.[8]

Stitzinger describes investigation into the coming of Christ as one of intrigue and astonishment. This writer agrees.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 reads:

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together

to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled either by spirit or by word or by letter,

as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means, for that day

will not come until the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed. (NKJV)

When Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, the Thessalonian believers were losing hope in the Second Coming. Paul is speaking about the rapture and the coming of the Lord. [9] The Thessalonian Christians were troubled, disturbed, and shaken in mind and the “Day of the Lord was at hand. [10] But why were they so afraid of the coming of the Day of the Lord? William Harrison explains that these Christians believed the Day of the Lord was very close or they were actually in it. [11] Paul did not mention the Second Advent, or that Christ was already on earth. Rather he mentions the apostasy and the man of sin, which is referred to in Matthew 24:15 by the Lord. The revealing of the man of sin after the apostasy ushers in the great tribulation, which is mentioned in Matthew 24:16-21. Matthew 24:15-21 reads:

Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet

(Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 and Daniel 11:31) standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand) then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop

not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his

clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days. And

pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. (NKJV)

Paul is reassuring the people that Christ had not returned and several major events which occur before His return have not happened. These events must preceed the day of the Lord that is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. That Scripture reads:

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write

to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

For when they say, “Peace and safety”, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains

upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that

this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of

the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For

those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of

the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who

died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort

each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. (NKJV)

Paul is reminding the Thessalonians that the falling away must take place and then the man of sin will be revealed. Because the Christians were so afraid that the great tribulation had taken place which is connected with the coming of the Lord, it is clear that the Thessalonians were taught by Paul that their saving and salvation from the great tribulation would come about by the event of the rapture. Therefore they believed they had missed the rapture.

Many today believe in the church that the rapture will take the church out of the world, along with the Holy Spirit. This falling away will take place first. Then the door is opened for the lawless one to enter onto the world scene. Many believe this son of perdition (2 Thes. 2:3, 8) is alive and waiting for his role in taking the place of Christ. He is the false Christ or a pseudo-Christ.[12]

RAPTURE ADVOCATES

Pretribulationism exists in the history of the church. The early church fathers clearly believed in Christ’s return as being imminent, which is central to the pretribulational thought. [13]

Ephraem of Nisibis (306-373) was an important prolific writer.[14] He was also known as Pseudo-Ephraem and he was a theologian of the Eastern (Byzantine) Church. He wrote a very important sermon titled, “On the Last Times, the Antichrist and the End of the World.”[15] This sermon declares that the elect and saints of God are “gathered together” prior to the tribulation. These elect and saints are taken to the Lord, so that “they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins.”[16]

In addition, Pseudo-Ephraem includes in his sermon, a description of the rapture which is followed by 3 ½ years of tribulation under the Antichrist’s rule. The coming of Christ is detailed next which is followed by the Antichrist being defeated, then the eternal state. Pseudo-Ephraem definitely followed the pretribulationalist view of the rapture preceeding the tribulation.

There are different theories as to who first formulated the modern pretribulation rapture theology of the saints. Mark Patterson gives the credit to Edward Irving, a puritan and prophet in a “Geneva Gown.” [17]

Patterson describes Irving as the true originator of the premillennial rapture and that his role is fiercely debated and controversial. A debate rages to this day as to whether Edward Irving was the originator of the rapture theology or if that distinction should be credited to John Nelson Darby (1800-1833). Darby was a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and in 1825 began his ministry in the Church of England. He later became associated with “the Brethren”, a group that rejected professional ministry, church hierarchy, and looked at the church as “spiritual in nature.”[18] Darby later became the founder of the Darbyites and his work in ecclesiology and eschatology influenced the Niagara Bible Conferences.

Add another name to the debate of the originator of modern rapture theology, and that name is Margaret MacDonald. It has been suggested that Margaret MacDonald was the first to suggest that the church would not go through the tribulation. In 1830 MacDonald, an Irvingite woman, supposing spoke in an “unknown tongue” [19] and then her words were interpreted. Different conspiracy theories have arisen over the years with the lead person being Dave Macpherson in the Incredible Cover Up.[20] MacPherson accuses Darby of pirating the doctrine from Irving and even goes so far as to accuse Edward Irving followers as those influenced by the Occult.[21] Thomas Ice writes that MacPherson makes errors in his theory of Margaret MacDonald being the first to form the basis for a pretribulation rapture.

SIGNS OF THE RAPTURE

Thomas Ice interrupts Margaret MacDonald as saying that those persons who are spiritual will see a sign that precedes the postribulation second coming of the Son of Man. Ice explains that only those having the Holy Spirit within will be able to see the “secret sign” not the “secret rapture”[22] Margaret Macdonald writes:

“Tis Christ in us that will lift us up—he is the light—tis only those that are alive

In him that will be caught up to meet him in the air. [23]

Ice further elaborates that MacDonald was a historicist and believed the church had been in the tribulation for hundreds of years. Ice indicates MacDonald did believe the antichrist was to be revealed before the second coming of Christ and she believed they would go thru the fiery trials yet still to come. With so many interruptions of the beliefs of one in the past history of the church, it is clear to see how a person’s views can be misconstrued especially when it comes to a subject such as the rapture of the church.

Another sign many refer to as one of the rapture is in Matthew 24:37-39 which reads:

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the

days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day

that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also

will the coming of the Son of Man be. (NKJV)

There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, but what is indicated to be wrong is the fact that the people of the end times will not be thinking of God or of the judgment to come.

Jesus in Luke 17:26-36 Jesus makes reference to the Flood and also to the destruction of Sodom. In the story of Lot, the ones left behind are destroyed while the righteous are taken away. In both stories, Jesus is relaying that it is important to be ready. [24]

Elmer Towns in Bible Answers For Almost All Your Questions, shares with his readers that there will be no signs to tell us exactly when the rapture will occur. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matt. 24:36). We should know because of certain signs that the Lord’s coming is near.[25]

God told Exekiel (Ezek. 37:11-14) that He would bring Israel back as a nation (dry

bones) and that He would reestablish “David” on Israel’s throne.[26] The book of Revelation is one of signs and symbols of the end times and many look to the absence of the church after chapter three in Revelation as an indication that the church is no longer on the earth.

Revelation 3:10-11 is viewed by some to be the only passage in Revelation pointing to the rapture. [27] In Revelation 4:1-2 some believe there is a “reference in this book to the rapture.” It reads:

After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I

heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, come up hither, and I will show thee

the things which must come to pass thereafter. Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there

was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne.” (ASV) [28]

This verse immediately follows the last message given to the church and after scenes of heaven depicted in chapters 4 and 5, the next course Revelation details is that of the great tribulation.[29]

There are other numerous signs written in the Bible which point to the coming of Christ. A few scripture references are Matt. 24:7, Daniel 12:4, Matt. 24:6, 2 Tim. 3:13, 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Tim. 4:2-4, 2 Peter 3:3-14, Jude 16-18, James 5:3-6, Matt. 24:11, 2 Tim. 3:1, 2 Tim. 3:2,4,5.

In Matthew 24 Christ Himself gave the disciples a clue when they asked for a sign for the end of the age. The sign given by Christ was the “abomination of desolation in the temple” given by Christ in verses 15 and 16.[30]

PRE, MID, AND POSTTRIBULATION RAPTURE

As discussed in this paper, pretribulationists believe the church will be caught up before the seven-year period of tribulation, the beginning of the Day of the Lord or Daniel’s 70th week.[31] Also included is the revealing of the antichrist. The midtribulationists believe the church will be raptured during the tribulation. This period will be after the antichrist rises to power but will be before the severe judgments written in Revelation. The posttribulationists believe the church will remain on the earth throughout the “entire tribulation” and will be removed “at the end of the period when Christ returns in power.[32] The debate between these groups is ongoing. The Niagara Bible Conference was in decline with one of the four reasons being internal dissension over “pretribulationism and postribulationish. [33]

CONCLUSION

It is difficult to understand why views vary so on what is contained in God’s Word. From websites like RaptureReady.com[34] to movies like The Omega Code and A Thief in the Night, [35] to predictions of just exactly when Christ will return, [36] the debate involving the if and when the rapture occurs is one of immense interest and an extremely marketable topic for our society today. Michael Williams explains that the “millennial buzz words”: amillennialism, premillennialism, and postmillennialism fail to communicate what exactly a person is thinking.[37]

This writer believes, now more than ever after the preparation of this paper that a pretribulational rapture is what the evidence in Scripture proves beyond a reasonable doubt.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Artuso, Kathryn Stelmach. “Writing the Rapture: Prophecy Fiction in Evangelical America.”

Christianity and Literature 60, no 4 (2011): 675-677.

Baker, Kelly J. “Getting Rapture Ready: The Materiality of the Rapture in North America.”

Studies in World Christianity 17, no 2 (2011): 101-118.

Dean, David A. “Does 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Exclude The Pretribulational Rapture?”

Bibliotheca sacra 168, no 670 (April 2011): 193-216.

Dickerson, Matthew. “Who Gets Left Behind? How End Times Theories Shape The Ways We

View Our Earthly Abode.” Christianity Today 55, no 6 (June 2011): 38-41.

Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic,

2001.

Essex, Keith. “The Rapture and The Book of Revelation.” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2

(Fall 2002): 215-239.

“Harold Camping Is (Sort of) Right: Jesus will put an end to this earth—but that is not the end of

the story.” Christianity Today 55, no 7 (July 2011):63.

Harrison, William K. “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [3] The

Time Of The Rapture in Light of Matthew 24.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 458 (April 1958): 109-119.

Harrison, William K. “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [2] The

Time Of The Rapture in Second Thessalonians.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 457 (January 1958): 20-26.

Harrison, William K. “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [4] The

Time Of The Rapture in The Revelation.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 459 (July 1958): 201-211.

Hindson, Edward. The Book of Revelation: Unlocking the Future. Chattanooga, MI: AMG

Publishers, 2002.

Ice, Thomas D. “Why The Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin With

Margaret Macdonald.” Bibliotheca sacra 147, no 586 (Ap-Je 1990), 155-168.

Mayhue, Richard L. “Why a Pretribulational Rapture?” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall

2002): 241-253.

Patterson, Mark; Walker, Andrew. “Our Unspeakable Comfort”: Irving, Albury, and Origins of

The Pretribulation Rapture.” Fides et historia 31, no 1 (Wint-Spr 1999): 66-81.

Pettegrew, Larry Dean. “The Rapture Debate at the Niagara Bible Conference.” Bibliotheca

sacra 157, no 627 (July 2000): 331-347.

Stanley, Charles. The Glorious Journey, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1996.

Stitzinger, James F. “The Rapture In Twenty Centuries Of Biblical Interpretation.” Master’s

Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall 2002): 149-171.

Towns, Elmer L. A Journey Through the New Testament. Mason, OH: Thomson, 2004.

Towns, Elmer L. Bible Answers For Almost All Your Questions. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson,

2003.

Williams, Michael D. “Rapture of Resurrection.” Presbyterion 24, no 1 (Spring 1998): 9-37.

[1] Richard L. Mayhue. “Why A Pretribulational Rapture?” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall 2002):

242.

[2]Richard L. Mayhue. “Why A Pretribulational Rapture?” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall 2002):

243.

[3] Edward Hindson, Revelation: Unlocking The Future. (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2002). 57.

[4] Charles Stanley. The Glorious Journey, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1996. 254.

[5]James Stitzinger. “The Rapture in Twenty Centuries of Biblical Interpretation” Master’s Seminary Journal

13, no 2 (Fall 2002): 153.

[6] James Stitzinger. “The Rapture in Twenty Centuries of Biblical Interpretation” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall 2002): 150.

[7]James Stitzinger. “The Rapture in Twenty Centuries of Biblical Interpretation” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall 2002): 150.

[8]Ibid., 150.

[9] William K. Harrison, “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [2] The

Time Of The Rapture in Second Thessalonians.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 457 (January 1958): 20.

[10] William K. Harrison, “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [2] TheTime Of The Rapture in Second Thessalonians.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 457 (January 1958): 20.

[11] Ibid., 21.

[12] Towns, Elmer L. A Journey Through the New Testament. Mason, OH: Thomson, 2004.346-347.

[13] James Stitzinger. “The Rapture in Twenty Centuries of Biblical Interpretation” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2 (Fall 2002): 154.

[14] Ibid., 157.

[15] Ibid., 157.

[16] Ibid., 157.

[17] Mark Patterson; Walker, Andrew. “Our Unspeakable Comfort”: Irving, Albury, and Origins of

The Pretribulation Rapture.” Fides et historia 31, no 1 (Wint-Spr 1999): 67.

[18] Mark Patterson; Walker, Andrew. “Our Unspeakable Comfort”: Irving, Albury, and Origins of

The Pretribulation Rapture.” Fides et historia 31, no 1 (Wint-Spr 1999): 67.

[19] Ibid., 71.

[20] Ice, Thomas D. “Why The Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin With

Margaret Macdonald.” Bibliotheca sacra 147, no 586 (Ap-Je 1990), 158.

[21] Mark Patterson; Walker, Andrew. “Our Unspeakable Comfort”: Irving, Albury, and Origins of

The Pretribulation Rapture.” Fides et historia 31, no 1 (Wint-Spr 1999): 71.

[22] Ice, Thomas D. “Why The Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin With

Margaret Macdonald.” Bibliotheca sacra 147, no 586 (Ap-Je 1990), 158.

[23] Ice, Thomas D. “Why The Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin With

Margaret Macdonald.” Bibliotheca sacra 147, no 586 (Ap-Je 1990), 158.

[24] Dickerson, Matthew. “Who Gets Left Behind? How End Times Theories Shape The Ways We View Our Earthly Abode.” Christianity Today 55, no 6 (June 2011): 40.

[25] Towns, Elmer L. Bible Answers For Almost All Your Questions. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson,

2003. 236.

[26] Ibid.,237.

[27] Essex, Keith. “The Rapture and The Book of Revelation.” Master’s Seminary Journal 13, no 2

(Fall 2002): 215.

[28] Harrison, William K. “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [4] The Time Of The Rapture in The Revelation.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 459 (July 1958): 206.

[29] Ibid., 206.

[30] Harrison, William K. “The Time of The Rapture As Indicated In Certain Scriptures: [3] TheTime Of The Rapture in Light of Matthew 24.” Bibliotheca sacra 115, no 458 (April 1958): 118.

[31] Dean, David A. “Does 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Exclude The Pretribulational Rapture?”

Bibliotheca sacra 168, no 670 (April 2011): 198.

[32] Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic,

2001. 983.

[33] Pettegrew, Larry Dean. “The Rapture Debate at the Niagara Bible Conference.” Bibliotheca

sacra 157, no 627 (July 2000): 332.

[34] Baker, Kelly J. “Getting Rapture Ready: The Materiality of the Rapture in North America.”

Studies in World Christianity 17, no 2 (2011): 104.

[35] Artuso, Kathryn Stelmach. “Writing the Rapture: Prophecy Fiction in Evangelical America.”

Christianity and Literature 60, no 4 (2011): 675-677.

[36] “Harold Camping Is (Sort of) Right: Jesus will put an end to this earth—but that is not the end of

the story.” Christianity Today 55, no 7 (July 2011):63.

[37] Williams, Michael D. “Rapture of Resurrection.” Presbyterion 24, no 1 (Spring 1998): 9-37.

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