What is the rapture? Is the rapture biblical?

If what you believe about the Rapture isn't really true would you want to know it? Have you ever really proved what you believe about a pre-tribulation catching away, or Rapture of the church is true by looking at what the Bible really says about your beliefs? WHAT DOES THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SAY about the Rapture? Do you believe what your church teaches about the Rapture, or do you believe God?

Will we stand with the truth of God, or will we continue to follow teachings that really have no Biblical foundation? The Bible tells us to Prove All Things. Have you actually proved your Rapture belief from the Bible? Your eternal life depends on you knowing the truth!

When do Christians really rise to meet Jesus and where do they go with Him? Many preachers were teaching that the Rapture of the church to Heaven would occur on September 23, 2017, right after the Feast Of Trumpets. They said the Great Tribulation would start the next day, right after the Rapture. They expected to be protected in Heaven for 7 years while all Hell breaks loose on the sinners on earth. None of this happened! Why? Is this what the Bible really says about a Rapture? You need to know the actual truth about the Rapture from Scripture so you won't be upset or disappointed and question God or your salvation if you are still here during the Great Tribulation and no Rapture occurred. It's time we know the truth as actually written in the Bible and not some assumptions or someone's interpretation of events. What does the Bible really say about the Rapture?

Does the Bible really say Jesus will return to earth twice, once secretly to Rapture the church, and then again 7 years later in power and glory?
Does the Bible actually tell us Jesus will come secretly to Rapture all authentic Christians to Heaven before the Great Tribulation?
Does the Bible actually say believers will be here on earth during the Great Tribulation?
Let's see what the Bible really says about the Rapture.

In the 19th Century a young Scottish girl named Margaret McDonald prophesied about a great catching away, or Rapture of the church. She believed God was actually going to secretly Rapture the church to Heaven at any moment. Some churches at the time began to assimilate her belief of this Rapture doctrine. It should be noted that this is actually a relatively new doctrine and was not taught by Christ, the Apostles, or the early church. The Rapture is not spoken of in the Bible as a separate, specific event. The verses people use to support the Rapture belief are actually private interpretations of prophetic Scriptures concerning the second coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the saints. They are taken out of context to make them say what people who believe in the Rapture really want them to say.

2 Peter 1:20 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."

What the Bible says concerning the resurrection of the dead believers and of living Christians is not to be interpreted privately. Margaret McDonald did not obey God. The Bible, our only authority, speaks very clearly on this subject for those willing to listen. 

Let's look at a few scriptures that people claim support the Rapture doctrine. 

1 Corinthians 15:51-53, "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." 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up (Greek word "harpazo" meaning to seize) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."

Matthew 24:31 "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." 

What Does The Bible Clearly Tell Us About A Pre-tribulation vs Post-tribulation Rapture?

The key to the entire question of when dead believers are raised imperishable, or living Christians will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, is really all a matter of timing. When does this resurrection occur? When do believers really rise from their graves? When does the Bible say those living Christians, changed from living flesh and blood to spirit beings, actually ascend into the clouds to meet Jesus? When does the Bible say Jesus will .... send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds ? 

When does the Bible really tell us believers will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ?
When does the Bible actually say the dead be raised imperishable, and we will be changed ?
When does the Bible Plainly say we who are alive and remain will be caught up....together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ?
When does the Bible really say shall we always be with the Lord"? 

The Bible tells us the answer in Matthew 24:29, "Immediately after the tribulation....." 

Matthew 24:29-30, "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: 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." 

This catching away of the church, this Rapture of true believers, does NOT actually occur before the tribulation, not before the last trumpet, not before the beast and the Anti-Christ bring destruction upon the whole earth, and not before the persecution of the church by the devil. 

"We will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" ...... after the tribulation at the blast of a great trumpet. 

1 Corinthians 15:21-24 "For since death is through man, also through a Man is a resurrection of the dead; for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruit; afterward those of Christ AT HIS COMING. Then is the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God, even the Father, when He makes to cease all rule and all authority and power." 

When does this actually happen? Those of Christ are resurrected, if dead, or rise up to meet Him if they are living, at His coming, not seven years earlier. They really meet Him as He is returning to establish His Kingdom on earth.  When are all made alive? At His coming , When the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, believers will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye.  There is nothing secret or quiet about this!  This is at His one and only second coming!  Where is ANY verse that says He returns quietly to Rapture His church?  No shouting. No Trumpet.  No fanfare.  Where is the Rapture actually mentioned as a separate event in the Bible?

Does The Bible Really Say Jesus Returns Twice? Rapture theories explained.

Do the scriptures really say Jesus is coming back in two stages? Do the scriptures say he is returning secretly to Rapture His followers? Do they say Christ will quietly return part of the way, stop short in the clouds, and then return to heaven? Do the scriptures actually say believers will return to Heaven for seven years with Jesus? No. The Bible says none of this. These are all private INTERPRETATIONS of the scriptures.  This NOT what the Bible ACTUALLY SAYS!

Rather than simply allowing these scriptures to say what they really say, referring to the one and only return of Jesus, they have been privately and erroneously interpreted by some to be about a Rapture that occurs before the Great Tribulation. What does the Bible actually say, God's own words about the one and only return of Jesus? 

Acts 1:9, "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." 

How did Jesus go to heaven? He was seen publicly by a multitude of men of Galilee as he ascended. 

Acts 1:11, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." 

The Bible plainly says Jesus will be seen coming down from Heaven through the clouds. It will be difficult for anyone not to see Him. This does not sound like a secret Rapture.

Matthew 24:27, "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." 

1Thessalonians 4:16, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout ...." 

Matthew 24:30, "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. " 

We don't have to wonder about some secret return of Jesus to Rapture His church. We don't need to interpret these verses to mean something else. The Bible actually says Jesus will return to earth the same way he went to heaven, openly and in plain sight for all to see. He won't return secretly or quietly but with much fanfare. 

Matthew 24:30, "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 Bible actually says Jesus will be bright and shining like lightning, for all the world to see. It will be a worldwide event witnessed by all the tribes of the earth. It will really occur with trumpet blasts and loud shouts. This clearly eliminates the argument of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 supporting a secret return of Jesus and a Rapture of the saints, Pre-Tribulation. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13, "....even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." 

What Does The Bible Actually Say About How Jesus Will Return?

Don't believe what men say to you. Don't believe the relatively recent dream of a young Scottish girl about a Rapture. Believe what the Bible has actually said for two thousand years, without requiring any private interpretation or explanation.

Does the Bible plainly say in Matthew 24:30 that we will see Jesus return in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven? 

Jesus went up into the clouds in glory at His ascension and He will return the same way. ALL the earth will see Jesus coming openly and in power and glory in the clouds. There is nothing secret about this at all. 

What occurs after Jesus' return? The Bible says this is NOW when, we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. It says this is NOW when, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed and this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

The Bible plainly says this all occurs after the tribulation when the world sees Jesus return in power and glory. If you want to call this a Rapture when the dead believers rise from their graves and the living Christians rise up to meet Jesus in the clouds go ahead. You can call it what you want. All the verses people claim are a separate Rapture event are really about the one and only return of Jesus to set up His Kingdom on earth with His resurrected saints. This is what the Bible really says about a Rapture of the Saints.

Matthew 24:31, "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." 

When does the Bible say this great harvest of the believers is occurring? It occurs after the seventh and last trumpet sounds and announces the return of Jesus is imminent! There can be only ONE last trumpet. 

Revelation 11:15-16, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."

Scripture actually says this great harvest of believers occurs when Jesus returns in the clouds crowned with glory. This is His second coming when the kingdoms of the world become our Lord's. 

Revelation 19:11, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." 

Revelation 19:14, "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." 

Revelation 19:15, "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." 

Scripture says this is the returning of Jesus Christ with all His armies of angels, after the seventh and last trumpet, after the tribulation, and after the resurrection of the believers. Jesus is coming to the earth in power and glory to establish His kingdom and judge the nations. 

When Jesus comes in the clouds in power and glory, and believers rise up to meet Him in the clouds what actually happens to them? Do they go to Heaven for seven years? The Bible plainly says we shall always be with the Lord. 

1 Thessalonians 4:17, "Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. " 

Does The Bible Really Tell Us Where We Go With Jesus?

Where does Scripture say Jesus goes with the resurrected believers after meeting them in the clouds? Where does it say we will they always be with Him? Zechariah tells us something about this in his prophecy concerning the second coming of Jesus. 

Zechariah 14:4, "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, ..." 

The Bible really says Jesus, and therefore the believers who rose to meet Him on His way back to earth, and who "shall always be with the Lord" , will stand on the Mount of Olives on that very day.   (Not 7 years later.)

1 Corinthians 15:51-52, "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." 

"God will bring with Him (to the Mount of Olives) those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

Scripture says Jesus meets the believers in the clouds who have been resurrected and changed, AFTER the great tribulation is over. He actually brings them with Him and His armies of angels when he returns to the Mount of Olives. The believers all return to the earth with Jesus the very day they rise from their graves and are changed. There is no Rapture carrying them off to Heaven for seven years.

No one goes to heaven for seven years! The Word of God says the reign of Jesus and the resurrected saints begins the very day of His return in glory. The believers return with Jesus to the Mount of Olives and the Kingdom of God is actually established upon the earth. 

There are no references to the return of Christ anywhere in the Bible alluding to or stating that Jesus will really come back to earth more than once. Believing that He is only returning in the air to Rapture the saints to go to Heaven is a misinterpretation of Scripture. A  Rapture prior to the Great Tribulation is a private interpretation of the scriptures based upon the dream of a young woman and her human reasoning. It is not what the Bible really says.

At His return, the anger of God will be upon His enemies. Every reference in the Bible indicates the one and only return of Jesus is a final judgment on the wicked. There isn't one scripture that states the Church will be caught up in a Rapture to Heaven before the wrath of God comes upon the earth. 

The pre-tribulation Rapture is a belief that is not based upon what the Bible really says. Rapture believers try to make the Scriptures say what they want it to say, but when we listen to what the Bible REALLY says, it is clear that Jesus only returns once to this earth. He does this in the sight of all in His great power and glory with the resurrected saints, AFTER the tribulation. 

What Does The Bible Really Say About Jesus Return In The Book Of Revelation?

The Scriptures say to us in the Book of Revelation in symbolic language that the church (woman , is a symbol for the church in prophecy) will be protected from the wrath of Satan right here on earth.  God doesn't need to Rapture Christians to heaven to protect them if He so chooses. He is fully capable of protecting His children right here on earth. He doesn't need to Rapture them to heaven for seven years. 

Revelation 12:14-16, "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." 

The fact is that God will use many Christians to teach the truth during the Great Tribulation. These brethren will be afflicted, hated, and persecuted unto death during the Great Tribulation. How is this possible if we have all been taken off to Heaven in some Rapture before the Great Tribulation?

Revelation 12:17 then says dogmatically ......"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

These are true CHRISTIANS!  No other people on earth has the testimony of Jesus and keep the commandments of God!

"for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. "  (Revelation 12:10-11)

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."  (Matt 24:9)

"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matt 24:22)

For the sake of true Christians who are not martyred for giving their testimony, God will actually shorten those days and protect us from death!

What Does Scripture Tell Us About The Restrainer?

Some believers think the Restrainer mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 is a reference to the Holy Spirit and somehow proves that Christians are not on the earth during the Great Tribulation, being Raptured beforehand.  “And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way”.  This is a stumbling block to the truth so should be addressed here.

For the record, he who now restrains is really not specifically identified as the Holy Spirit in the Bible. It’s just someone’s opinion. Men interpreted this verse about a restrainer this way, perhaps to support the Rapture theory, but all of the most credible Biblical scholars actually admit no one REALLY knows who the restrainer is.  God does not say!  The word used for he who now is the Greek word arti.  It’s an adverb in Greek, used many times in the Bible, and it simply means “just now, this moment”.  It is never used to represent the Holy Spirit anywhere in Scripture.  Also, the word used for “restrains” is from the Greek word “katecho” and it is used many times in the Bible but never as representing the Holy Spirit. It is a verb that actually means “to hold back, detain, retain.”  The best translation for this is…”he, at this moment holds back”.  Even this does not tell us who “he” really is. But Scripture interprets Scripture. We can see from other examples of Scripture who or what this might be.

Could it actually be an angel? Do we see angels do this very thing, holding back and restraining things like the wind and judgments, that are then opened or released like these for example?

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." (Revelation 7:1)

"And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind." (Revelation 9:15)

Perhaps he who now restrains is actually Michael the Archangel. He is a powerful warrior angel who does battle with Satan and evil forces. Maybe he is holding things back until the right time. Throughout Revelation chapters 6-18, the people of God are present on this earth, including when the 6 vials of God’s wrath are poured out on the earth in Rev 16, so the Holy Spirit also has to be here for Christians who are on the earth. God can’t leave us alone!  It’s not possible. So that means the restrainer can’t be the Holy Spirit being removed. We simply can’t know what God doesn’t tell us.  If it was the Holy Spirit, we would expect God to show us plainly as He usually does.

If you choose to believe a girl's dream about a supposed Rapture rather than what the Bible really says you will be totally disillusioned when you see the Great Tribulation begin and you are a believer still on earth. Don't be confused and lose faith in God when you are not carried off to Heaven in a Rapture during that time. God can protect you right here on the earth! He doesn't need to Rapture us to Heaven.

Don't believe a dream.  Believe what THE BIBLE REALLY SAYS!

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