Tuesday, June 17, 2008

What the Rapture Isn't

Matt 24:29
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. 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.

This, 100% positively is NOT the rapture. Proof? What's happening here?

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.

1. ANGELS are GATHERING 2. From WHERE? gather together his elect from the four winds, FROM ONE END OF HEAVEN TO THE OTHER. You see anything in there about anyone on the EARTH? I don't. I see a GATHERING from the FOUR WINDS OF HEAVEN. Where's the whole idea of people going/moving/translating from EARTH to HEAVEN here. I sure don't see it. Once again those who insist that this is the rapture have to twist the scipture to say something that IT DOES'NT SAY. The rapture is a translation from EARTH to heaven NOT a gathering from the four winds of heaven. Whatever that "gathering" is, it is a gathering of some "elect" that are already in heaven, NO MENTION OF EARTH. Kind of important omission don't you think?

Compare to:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 [15] According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ WILL RISE first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Matthew 24:29 makes NO mention of anyone "rising" or being "caught up" that's a HUGE difference in word usage from 1 Thess 4. Either the Holy Spirit made a mistake or people are (surprise) twisting the bible to make it say something it clearly does not say.

Compare:

(gather elect from four winds of HEAVEN)

to

(the Lord himself will COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN and we will be CAUGHT UP)

Two completely different events, different words are used for a reason. This may sound cruel, but people who argue that Matt 24:29 = the rapture event in 1 Thess 4:15 need to learn how to read english, or greek. Words mean what they do as written, not as people wish/hoped they meant.

grace and peace