Rapture Ahead! Not... Are You Ready? by Johanna Zender

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08/13/21

What does the Bible say about the rapture?

As I read Matthew 24 I couldn’t help but notice how many times Jesus warned His disciples not to be deceived. I want to talk about what I learned about the rapture and the second coming of Christ.

Honestly, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that there’s so much confusion on these topics, especially when dealing with the topic of the rapture. I want you to think about it for a moment. During the time of Christ’s first advent, weren’t God’s people confused about the manner of His coming?

Didn’t the Jews expect their Messiah to show up in power and great glory? And what happened? How did they end up denying the lowly Messiah? I mean, weren’t they well aware of the prophetic teachings from the Torah? How’d they get it wrong?

I believe this to be an object lesson for us today, because, in the same way, they expected a glorious deliverer back then, most Christians are expecting a silent rapture today. The prophecies of Isaiah described the Messiah as a lamb slaughtered.

I find it interesting how even Christ’s warnings fell on deaf ears. Are we making the same mistake today? I don’t want to allow false beliefs to blind my spiritual perceptions and catch me unprepared. So I looked into the matter a little deeper. This is a time for us to prepare ourselves to receive Christ, who will return for His people in power and glory.

Satan is using the same tactics he used on God’s people in the past and preparing the masses today with false doctrines that will find them hopelessly unprepared for the tribulations ahead. And what’s worse, these individuals will not be able to stand in the second coming of Christ.

While the world slumbers and the majority of Christians are expecting a secret rapture, Satan is preaching his false doctrines through popular agents. You’ll hear of people sharing magnificent dreams and visions. Some are even experiencing strange angelic sightings and sharing their gospel as proof while ignoring what has been written in the scriptures.We need to make sure we’re not deceived. But in order to do this, one’s spiritual perceptions must be sharpened through the study of the word of God.

There’s a work of transformation that we’re to dedicate our attention to at this time. The Bible counsels us to be watching and praying and with the Holy Spirit’s help, we will be ready to stand on that day.Matthew Henry said: “The nearer we come to the accomplishment of the scriptures, the greater regard we shall give to them. The time is at hand, and we should be so much more attentive as we see the day approaching.”There are many scriptural references that prove important truths about the parousia. For example, the book of Revelation talks about Jesus’s second coming and the judgment to come. First, we’re going to be looking at some verses that describe Christ’s second advent.

In John 14:1-3 we find this wonderful promise spoken by Jesus to His disciples, saying: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3.

In Revelation 1:7 we are being presented with a vision of Christ’s second advent.“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” Revelation 1:7

In the book “Danie & the Revelation” Uriah Smith shares a vivid commentary of this event: “Here John carries us forward to the second advent of Christ in glory, the climax and the crowning event of His intervention on behalf of this fallen world. Once He came in weakness, now He comes in power; once in humility, now in glory.”Smith continues to explain the manner of Jesus’s return: “Every eye shall see Him.”

All who are alive at the time of His coming shall see Jesus. Will believers will ascend into heaven, while the wicked stay on earth on a probationary period of seven years?

This brief Bible study aims to answer the following questions:-What does the Bible say about the rapture?-Where did the rapture belief originate from?-What is the truth of the rapture according to the Scriptures?-Where is the rapture mentioned in the Bible?-Where in the Bible does it talk about the destruction of the world?