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The “rapture” theory is that Christ will return for His saints secretly the first time and they will be gathered to Him in the air. This period of rapture with the Lord in the air will last only seven years, during which time a period of great “tribulation” will take place on earth, marked by great affliction of those remaining on the earth. At the end of the seven years of “rapture” the saved and the Lord are supposed to return to the earth to usher in the thousand-year reign of Christ from Jerusalem, according to the theory. These notions are based on misinterpretations of several Scripture passages (e.g., Mat. 24:21; 1 The. 4:16–17; Rev. 20.4 etc.).
- This theory requires a “first second coming” that is known only to the saved and a “second second coming” that will be known by all. The Bible speaks of only one, universally seen second coming (Rev. 1:7).
- It is true that the saved shall be caught up in the air to meet the Lord, but not for seven years. The verse that says we are caught up also says “so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 The. 4:17). This is a bit longer than seven years.
- The favorite passage used for proof of the “great tribulation” during the “rapture” (Mat. 24:21) refers not to the end of the world, but to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The elect (saved) are on earth, not in Heaven in the “rapture” during this “great tribulation,” and are to flee to the mountains to escape the siege against Jerusalem (Mat. 24:15–22).
- There is no future kingdom on earth lasting one thousand years. Christ reigns now over His kingdom (Acts 2:30–35; 1 Cor. 15:24–26) which is His church (Mat. 16:18–19; Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28).
- The earth will be destroyed when Christ returns (2 Pet. 3:8–10).
[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in the “Bible Thoughts” Column for the Hood County News, Granbury, Texas, May 8, 1977.]
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
