The Revelation of the Rapture

This is the second rebuke of Tracy Johnson concerning his false doctrine on the rapture of the Church. Again, this is not meant to be an exhaustive study but a correction of false teachings.

Tracy stated that “The Rapture is a man-made invention from the late 1800’s by John Nelson Darby from the Plymouth Brethren.”

With respect to the rapture, not only is it biblical and historical according to the scriptures, but it is also inevitable.

Part 1 of 2

The first evidence in the scriptures is Enoch whom the Lord removed from the earth prior to pouring out His righteous wrath upon a demonically oppressed and possessed humanity. Notice that the high level of demonic activity came after Enoch was translated and then the Lord protected Noah during the outpouring of His wrath. Enoch represented the Church while Noah represents Israel.

21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD; AND HE WAS NOT, FOR GOD TOOK HIM. Genesis 5:21-24

5 By faith Enoch WAS TAKEN AWAY SO THAT HE DID NOT SEE DEATH, "AND WAS NOT FOUND, BECAUSE GOD HAD TAKEN HIM"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:5

How did Enoch please God? By believing in the sacrifices of lambs like his father taught him and he passed down through his son and grandson to Noah - his great grandson. The proof of Enoch's faith to us not God, was his lifestyle represented by his "walk" with God.

Enoch prophesied the same message that the Church is charged with declaring today. and exactly what Rick mentioned in his original post. Come to Christ or face His righteous indignation and just judgment.

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." Jude 1:14-15

Then we have the prophet Elijah whom the LORD God translated.

9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." 10 So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and ELIJAH WENT UP BY A WHIRLWIND INTO HEAVEN (alive). 2 Kings 2:9-11

Once again we see the grace, mercy, and power of the Almighty in preservation through translation and preservation through trials. Elijah preserved from the coming apostasy and Elisha. The Lord gave Elisha a double portion to withstand the greater evil of the people of Israel as they whole heartedly turned from God to idols which is covetousness today. One saved from while the other saved through.

We have seen the rapture during the age of the patriarchs. We have seen the rapture during the age of Law. We will see the rapture at the end of the Church age as promised in the scriptures.

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 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 by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 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. 17 THEN WE (the born again believers) WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Did you notice that there is no wrath? No judgment? No killing? Only comfort as the scriptures depicts the Tribulation otherwise known as Jacob's trouble;

7 Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble,

But he shall be saved out of it. Jeremiah 30:7

The Day of the Lord;

15 Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty. 16 Is not the food cut off before our eyes, Joy and gladness from the house of our God? 17 The seed shrivels under the clods, Storehouses are in shambles; Barns are broken down, For the grain has withered. 18 How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment. 19 O LORD, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, And a flame has burned all the trees of the field. 20 The beasts of the field also cry out to You, For the water brooks are dried up, And fire has devoured the open pastures. 1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness,

Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them,

Even for many successive generations. Joel 1:15 - 2:2

11 The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it? Joel 2:11

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. 32 And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. (saved from the antichrist) For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance (by the Lord Jesus upon His return), as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls. Joel 2:31-32

6 Therefore the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, says this: "There shall be wailing in all streets, And they shall say in all the highways, 'Alas! Alas!' They shall call the farmer to mourning, And skillful lamenters to wailing. 17 In all vineyards there shall be wailing,

For I will pass through you," Says the LORD. 18 Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light.

19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him! 20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? Amos 5:16-20

There you have it. The tribulation is a "day" (age or period) the outpouring of the wrath of God and a day of severe judgment upon an evil, wicked, sin saturated, demonic influenced world in total rebellion against its Creator who is holy who is a Savior.

18 The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but HE BY NO MEANS CLEARS THE GUILTY, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.' Numbers 14:18