There Will Be No Rapture!

Many people have been lead to believe that an event called the Rapture will take place. Ministers have taught that in order to spare his saints from the great tribulation Jesus will return and take His church off into heaven. They use a number of scriptures to support their Rapture theory. First of all the word Rapture does not appear in the bible. The word Rapture is defined in the Webster Dictionary as meaning ecstasy-intense spiritual or emotional ecstasy. How does one make a connection with this and going off to heaven? There is none. We will examine the verses; the ministers use to support their rapture theory. And see what the scriptures are actually talking about when they tell of Jesus returning and His saints meeting Him in the air.

WHEN SAINTS ARE TAKEN
SAINTS THAT ARE LIVING

Matthew (24:40) Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(41) Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
(42) Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

This is one set of scriptures ministers quote as indicating the Rapture. The scriptures do suggest people being taken. However, the question one should ask is when this event will occur and where will they be taken? It does not say anyone is being taken to heaven. The following scriptures will answer the 1st part of the question as to when this event will occur.

Matthew (24:29) 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.

The above verses clearly state that Jesus will return and send His angels to gather His elect immediately following the tribulation. Ministers who teach that Jesus will Rapture the church off to heaven to spare them from the tribulation are teaching contrary to God=s words. The scriptures say the return of Jesus and the gathering of His elect will be immediately after the tribulation. According to scripture these events can not take place before or during the tribulation only after.

SAINTS THAT ARE DEAD

The above scriptures dealt with the saints, which are living. The following scriptures will deal with the saints, which are already dead and are to be gathered unto Jesus at his return. Ministers who teach the concept of a Rapture, also quote these verses in support of their theory.

I Thessalonians (4:13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
(16) 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:
(17) 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.
(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The above scriptures state that the dead in Christ along with those that are alive shall after the Lord=s return meet Him in the air and shall ever remain with Him. One should note that they also state that Jesus is descending from heaven. Clearly, He is leaving heaven and is on His way somewhere. It does not say He is coming from heaven to meet us to take us back to heaven. Rapture theorists claim that these scriptures show that we will meet the Lord in the air and he will take us off to heaven to forever be with Him. Now we know that this event is the same event spoken of in the above scriptures Matthew (24:29-31). This is the return of Jesus and the gathering of his elect by his angels. So we know this is taking place immediately after the tribulation. Again, there is no mention of anyone being taken to heaven. We know when Jesus will return and gather His elect. We still need to see what the scriptures say about where Jesus will take His elect once He has gathered them.

WHERE THE SAINTS ARE TAKEN

The following scriptures will clarify where Jesus will be taking His saints upon His return.

Zechariah (14:1) Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
(2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
(3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
(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, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
(5) And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

The above scriptures show that Jesus is coming to earth and His saints are coming with Him. Remember...

I Thessalonians (4:17) stated that the saints would meet Him in the air. They had to meet Him in the air in order to be coming with Him. Remember Jesus was coming from heaven. The saints are to simply meet Jesus in the air and return right back to earth.

WHY EARTH

Ministers have always preached about going to heaven. It may seem strange to find that going to heaven is actually contrary to the scriptures. In Revelation (21:1-2) we see that New Jerusalem the new city is coming down to earth. Like wise the above scriptures state that Jesus is returning to earth and the following shows this is where He will remain.

Psalms (132:13) For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
(14) This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

I wonder how many people truly understand the significance of the beginning of the Lord=s prayer? Jesus told us to pray this because this is His desire.

Matthew (6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
(10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

STILL NO RAPTURE

Ministers quote scriptures from all over the bible which are supposed to signify the Rapture. Following is still another example. But in them you will find, that Paul is simply saying those saints that are alive, along with the dead will be changed into spiritual beings at the last trump. They will meet the Lord in the air. This is the same event spoken of before. It is when Jesus returns and has His angels gather His elect, again this occurs after the tribulation.

I Corinthians (15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
(51) Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The above scriptures are used by ministers all the time at funerals. One has to wonder if they realize that this is referring to the 1st resurrection upon Jesus return and not about someone dying and going to heaven.