“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
–2TIMOTHY 4:4
One of the most popular end times stories–especially among the church folk–is the one about the “pre-tribulation rapture.”
This particular tale is very much like a noxious weed: it spreads because it is so easy to believe.
This story sings a siren song to the flesh: no end times persecution, no end times trials or troubles; none of the messy witnessing for Jesus Christ and the unpleasantness THAT will no doubt cause. Folks who have Jesus on their lips will be spirited away to heaven (And won’t everyone wonder about all of the clothes and shoes which these people leave behind!?!) to sit out the events written in God’s Word, while “losers” are “Left Behind” on earth to give their lives in witness for Jesus Christ.
Because it appeals to the flesh, it is attractive to the “casual Christians” who congregate in the buildings commonly called “churches.”
But what is behind this end times deception?
Despite the false teachers’ best efforts, the pre-tribulation rapture story is a fairly recent one: there is NOTHING in the Bible; NOTHING in the words of Jesus Christ; NOTHING in the history of Christianity which show this fable being told until about 180 years ago.
God’s Word is clear: there IS a “gathering together” of all those who are in the kingdom of heaven and are still alive when Jesus returns.
This does NOT take place prior to the day Jesus returns, as the Bible makes VERY clear.
One of the greatest deceptions of the “pre-tribulation rapture” is that it has taught church-goers a disregard for God’s Word. The church folk have been taught that disagreements over the timing of the gathering together are merely matters of opinion which cannot be determined.
“Oh well, that is your opinion.”
This is patently false.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”
–2PETER 1:20
It does LITTLE good to quote Bible verses to the lost.
However, several are offered in the hopes that it will stir a few who are comfortable with lies to begin study on their own before they are led away to their destruction.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition”
–2THESSALONIANS 2:1-3
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
–Revelation 7:14
(Wonder what that is all about?)
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
–1THESSALONIANS 4:16-17
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.”
–Mark 13:24-27
Leave aside for the moment that all of those pre-tribulation rapture stories are strangely silent about the dead in Christ rising first.
Forget for a moment that there are a NUMBER of Scripture which refer to the “gathering together” AND WHEN IT CLEARLY TAKES PLACE.
Disregard for a moment that the “pre-tribulation rapture” stories slander the true believers by claiming that they are unworthy and are”left behind.”
Basically, these fables claim that a group of people too timid to stand up for Jesus Christ are going to meet secretly with Him; then He will whisk them off to Heaven where they will avoid any unpleasantness (“They want to cut off my head!” ) while “unworthy” true believers “who have been Left Behind” give their lives for the witness of Jesus.
It is easy to see why this is NOT to be found in God’s Word.
IN FACT, it contradicts EVERYTHING God’s Word has to say on these topics.
So, why might the workers of iniquity be so interested in spending YEARS indoctrinating the church folk with a story about the sudden disappearance of millions of church folk?
Why would Satan want some church folk to not panic when millions of them cannot be found before the last days begin in earnest?
What is to be gained by the sudden vanishing of a group of folks who are presently lost BUT not actively working for the mystery of iniquity? Might at least some of these folks hold the potential to cause trouble when the man of sin is revealed–IF they were still around?
IF the reader can answer these four questions, he may just stumble onto one of the BIG motivations behind years of satanic disinformation.
It is not YET too late: there is still time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: Making a Choice
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: The Power of God Unto Salvation
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: The End Times Power of God Unleashed
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: February 17, 2020.]
MORE
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- Great Falling Away is NOT the Rapture
- RAPTURE: The Bible is Clear on the Rapture
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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