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What about the rapture of the church and the Antichrist?
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8/10/2009 4:46:25 PM
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The Rapture of the Church
What is the Rapture of the Church? Basically, we Christians believe that the church, true believers in Jesus Christ, who are alive in the Last Days will be removed from this planet in the "twinkling of an eye"! (see: 1 Corinthians 15:52) This removal process is what we call "The Rapture". While the word is no where in the Bible, it is just a word we use to describe the event. The bible has many references to this event and uses different terms to describe it which we will look at now:
1 Corinthians 15:50-53Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed 52 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Here the apostle Paul informs the Corinthian Christians about this event. First he explains to them "that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God", meaning we can not enter heaven in an earthly body. We must be changed! That is what happens in The Rapture. He clarifies this event by telling them that we shall not all sleep referring to the death of a Christian. As Christians, death is just a transplantation into heaven. The term sleep is indicative of a restful state. It is a place we go to rest from the life we lived while we wait for our full resurrection. But Paul's point is addressing the Christian people that are still alive at the end during the time of the Second Coming of Jesus! We that are alive will not die, but rather be changed. This is the time of the resurrection of the first group as well. In fact he goes on to say that they would be resurrected first "raised incorruptible" and then we shall be "changed". That change is The Rapture which Paul referred to as "a mystery".
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4Now, 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 unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Here Paul is addressing The Rapture again as well as the revelation & works of the Antichrist! He addresses the fact that there were, and are today, folks who say that Jesus has already come back to earth. He uses the terms "our gathering together to Him" to describe The Rapture. He also uses the terms "falling away". Many interpret this phrase to mean the apostasy (weakening, sickness of the church in the last days). (see my blog What about the pathetic state of the Christian Church in these Last Days? describing it). But it is my believe that this "falling away" symbolizes our falling up to meet Jesus in the clouds.
The remainder of the passage is a description of the Antichrist. First, who he is: "the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition". Secondly, what he does: "who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God". Need I say more as to the Antichrist? I think Paul did an excellent job and my words would fall far short of God's on this point! Suffice it to say, billions of people will worship him as god at that time!
The Revelation of the Antichrist
When will he appear on the scene? In order to understand the time of his appearing as described in the bible, we fist must look at a couple issues not directly relevant to eschatology (study of the last days): God has dealt with us in different ways through time from the creation, to our present day and even into the future. In the pre-Christ days (B.C.), Gods Spirit never indwelt any individual. His Spirit settled upon people from time to time, to endow them with spiritual power, insight and skills. (see: Judges 6:34, 1 Samuel 16:13, 2 Chronicles 24:20, Isaiah 61:1 and many others!) Gods Spirit would also depart from people as in 1 Samuel 16:14.
For Christians, during the dispensation of grace (the Church spreading the Gospel on the earth) age (A.D.) it is different. Gods Spirit indwells us and never leaves us. Or we would lose our salvation; a teaching that is abhorrent to God! (see: John 14:16, John 16:7, Heb 13:5 and many others)
Ok with this spiritual truth as a foundation, lets look at what Gods word has to say about the revelation of the Antichrist. The first place specifically identifying the time of his appearing as the Antichrist (he will already exsist as a man prior to the rapture) is found in 2 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
In these verses, Paul explains to the Thessalonians who had a hunger for truth about the last days and the Lords return, the order of events and the reason WHY they must occur in that order. Paul is saying that the Antichrist is being restrained from appearing on the world seen while God accomplishes His preliminary work (i.e. spreading the gospel to all the world via the church). He clarifies that with the fact that the spirit of the Antichrist (Satan) was & is currently working his guile purposes too! But his full revelation to the world is being restrained by "He who now restrains" and that the restraint would go on until "He is taken out of the way". Notice the terms "He", this is a reference to God! God is the only one who can restrain Satan. And God does restrain him until God the Spirit is taken out of the way! Satan and God can not occupy the world in full force at the same time! Satan would be destroyed by God's Spirit: hence it restrains him. But after the Spirit of God leaves the earth (taken out of the way), "then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming". Again a spiritual proof that they can't coexist in their full nature in the same place.
Are you ready for that day? OK, now back to the Spirit (God The Restrainer) who indwells believers. God's Spirit will 1 day leave this world when His work is done here and then the Antichrist will be revealed. Problem: How can God's Spirit leave this world when He indwells millions of Christians? He will not "leave you nor forsake you"! (Heb 13:5) Only 1 logical answer: we go with Him! Hence, the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church! |
Summary
We are being
warned! God is showing us what His purpose for this
world entails. As we get closer and closer to the end,
the world has become more and more sinful! And
unfortunately, this condition will worsen till He
returns and redeems us from ourselves. Don't let sin,
self or Satan who has invaded our planet separate you
from the free gift of salvation that Jesus extends to
you in His invitation to be born-again:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send
His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that
the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes
in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
Are You Ready? If not get ready, "Repent
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand"!
Click to Read:
Luke 13:3;
Ephesians 2:8-9;
Romans 10:8-13;
Acts2:38
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