The Rapture Deception



I have put this article off for a long time (really since I started this website). I have been waiting for the right time- waiting for the Holy Spirit's prompting. That time has now come.

I will tell you that this subject will challenge the things you have been taught about the timing of the "rapture". I will also tell you that many people have an immediate, emotional reaction when something this important is challenged. Bearing this in mind, I URGE you to pray for wisdom, discernment, and open eyes BEFORE you read this article.
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THE RAPTURE DECEPTION

I believe you have been deceived. I believe you have been misled. I do not believe that it was intentionally done by certain teachers/ministers/pastors. I believe they were passing along the deception that they were taught by others, without question. However, this deception had to start somewhere, and it had to start with someone. I believe this deception was inspired by Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44).

You have been taught that you will escape the tribulation. You have been taught that you can live your easy life until the day you are raptured away. I've even heard many ministers say "We don't need to study Revelation, because we won't be here for it!" And then the whole congregations cheers wildly.

Other very prominent ministers have actually formed a group/conference of ministers and teachers, and will not allow any minister to attend if they do not fall in line with their "Pre Tribulation" rapture teaching. Seriously- they must conform or they will not be allowed to attend. No exceptions.

Deception can only continue if teachers are unwilling to stick their necks out, and if believers are unwilling to honestly seek the truth. So I hereby stick my neck out in service, and say to all who will seek the truth:

THE RAPTURE WILL NOT COME BEFORE THE TRIBULATION

IF THE TRIBULATION STARTS SOON, YOU WILL BE IN IT

I understand that this will not be a popular message, especially in the age of "prosperity" teaching and "your best life now" teaching. But seriously... where does it say in the Bible that life will always be easy for believers? Where does Jesus teach that you deserve huge houses, fancy cars, and a fat, easy life? NOWHERE. You will not find it. In fact, you will find the opposite. Most of the 12 disciples were crucified, stoned, and beheaded AFTER they had lived lives full of persecution.

TIMING

The Book of Revelation gives us key markers of the tribulation (Jacob's trouble/ distress). These markers are the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 vials (bowls).

I believe the rapture (transformation and catching away) will occur after the 7 seals, after six trumpets, and at the 7th trumpet found in Revelation. We will endure through the tribulation, and will be caught away prior to the 7 vials (bowls) being poured out upon the earth.

SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT

In Matthew 24, the disciples approached Jesus and said:
"Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

Jesus replied:  "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:

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.
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 shows that the elect will be gathered at the sound of the trumpet, AFTER the tribulation.
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Luke 21 describes the same:
The disciples approached Jesus: "And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?"

After describing many of the same signs found above, Jesus said in Luke 21:22-28
"For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

Again, Jesus shows us that He will appear, and we are to lift up our heads after all of these horrible events have been taking place.
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1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
"According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we (fellow believers) who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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."

Paul seems to make a point here that may be missed. He repeats the idea that we (the elect) who are still alive and are left, will be "raptured" at the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. Paul seems to be emphasizing that there will be Christians that will endure through the tribulation (many will die as seen in Matthew 24:22), and these are the people that will be "raptured".

The Christians that die during the tribulation are described in Revelation 20:4-
"...and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

These Christians are also described in Revelation 7:9,13-14
"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"

I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

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1 Corinthians 15:51-52
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

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."

Once again, the mystery of the rapture is taking place at the last trumpet call.
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After the seven seals and at the sixth trumpet (the second woe), Revelation 11:13-14 says:
"And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly."

This shows that the remnant (the elect) are still present on earth at the sixth trumpet.
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After the seven seals and at the 7th trumpet, Revelation 10 says: (vs1-3,7)
"And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. "

Revelation 11:15-19
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."

CONCLUSION

To recap:
I believe the rapture (transformation and catching away) will occur after the 7 seals, after six trumpets, and at the 7th trumpet found in Revelation. We will endure through the tribulation, and will be caught away prior to the 7 vials (bowls) being poured out upon the earth.

I ask that you read this article again carefully examing the scriptures given, and take it to the LORD in prayer. Do not take my word for it, and do not take another man's word for it. Receive your instruction from the LORD.

Imagine if you expected to be raptured away before the tribulation started, and you come to find yourself right in the middle of it. With all the horrors that will take place, it may be enough to make some "fall away" from their faith. On a mass scale, this could create the conditions for the "falling away" spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

I do not want you to be deceived. I do not want you to fall away from your faith. I want you to understand the things that will be coming upon the earth, so that you will not have a spirit of fear.  Set your face like flint, and never take your eyes off the LORD.