The Rapture: For Christians Only Please (Jesus Christ, Earth, Messiah, doomsday)

[FFH]

Originally Posted by Dentonz

Okay people, the word 'rapture' is not in the Bible; but the explanation is.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 " 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."

Rapture is defined in the dictionary as: the state of being transported by a lofty emotion; ecstacy, abduction, carrying off, or to be transported from one place to another.

It just wouldn't sound good to talk about the 'caught up', so we use a more suitable word.

I love this post. Explains it very well.

The term "Rapture" was just a word used to describe an event. A man named John Darby may have coined this word the same year that he discovered this Biblical doctrine.

I will quote BenJosh, an RLDS forum member here.

"John Darby developed it after he hit his head in a riding accident. While recouping and bed-ridden in 1827 he came up with the rapture doctrine."

"The Messianic believers tie the rapture with the feast of Rosh Hashanah, the sounding of trumpets."

This also has subtle references to the "day that no man knoweth".

The city of Enoch was "raptured" or "caught up" into heaven.

According to the lost portions of Genesis, that were revealed to Joseph Smith, in the "Inspired Version" of the Bible, or the "Joseph Smith Translation" of the Bible, we will meet the city of Enoch in the air, with Christ, and all those that have ever lived and died on earth that truly believe in Christ, and keep all of His commandments. We will meet all true followers of Christ in an event called "the rapture". This includes all people of every Christian religion. Most Mormons have not even considered this and would say they don't believe in it. Why they don't is beyond me. It is scriptural and is sound doctrine. We meet Christ in the air at His Second Coming, NOT ON EARTH. I think it would be safe to say that most Mormons believe in "the rapture" they just call it the "Second Coming" and do not FULLY understand this event, when we will meet Christ "in the air" at his second coming.

Any Mormon that does not believe this, has not read their scriptures, thoroughly, and choose to be ignorant of such things.

I am a believer in an event, referred to by millions of Christians, as "the rapture". I can prove it through widely accepted scripture, the Bible. The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, some of which is in the Pearl of Great Price, called the Book of Moses.

[FFH]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

Isn't this about Matthew 24:36-44?

Yes it is.

[TheGreaterGame]

I hold to the classical position, more commonly known as the Amillenial view.

[Daniel Burbank]

Originally Posted by Dentonz

No the rapture doctrine teaches that he will not set foot on the earth at this time. But he will appear to the ones that are raptured. He will set foot on the earth in the second coming when he sets up his kingdom, that's the distiction. This verse is where the rapture doctrine comes from. Or one of the main verses it comes from.

Yes, the church of god likes to call it the "meeting in the air".

[FFH]

Originally Posted by TheGreaterGame

I hold to the classical position, more commonly known as the Amillenial view.

My view is simply this: Half way through the tribulation, spoken of by Daniel, the Saints will be "raptured' or taken from the earth. The tribulation is a time period when the anti-Christ will set up his kingdom and rule for seven years. The seven year tribulation, as many know, is when the anti-Christ will begin to show forth more and more power on the earth. Satan will begin to rule more and more on the earth, just prior to Christ setting up His kingdom on earth, for a thousand years, which will begin at the end of the ant-Christ's seven year reign. Mid-way through this anti-Christ's reign, or this 7 year tribulation period, Christ will take his true followers from the earth. There will be Jews left on earth, because they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Christians who really were not ready, because of sin, will also be "left behind", at Christ's second coming.

I believe there will be a third coming of Christ, (This is referred to as "the third watch") in inspired scripture. There is a "first watch", which is Christ's life and ministry on earth. Then there is a "second watch", which is Christ's second coming, when many will be "left behind". Then there is a "third watch" when the remnant of Christ's repentant church or followers, as well as the Jews, will then be spared destrution. The rest of the world will then be destroyed.

The Jews and all those repentant Christians that were "left behind" as a result of not fully beliving in Christ and all of His commandments, will be spared this destruction. We must obey all of Christ's commandments to be ready for the "second watch" or Second Coming or "the rapture" or the "catching away" of His "saints" on earth, as well as all those that "sleep in Christ" and will come forth from their graves or the spirit world.

Christ at his "Third Coming", during the battle of Armageddon, will come with the "rapured" saints, or all those that are true followers of Christ and keep ALL of His commandments, as an army of warriors, to do battle with the enemies of the remnant of Isreal still left on earth, as well as all of the remnant of repentant sinners of Christ's true church. There will be many Christians that were sinners that will repent and be "saved" on earth at this time too, they are all of those that were "left behind", Christ will come and deliver them along with the remnant of Isreal that was left behind. Many of the Jews will have fled to Petra for safety from their enemies. Petra is in the southern part of the land of Israel. The landscape is similar to Southern Utah, or Moab. The Messianic Jews will have already been taken from the earth, along with the many true followers of Christ throughout the earth. We will then all come to do battle with Christ at His "Third Coming", at the battle of Armageddon, when all nations will come to do battle with Israel, and the remnant of Christ's repentant saints on earth. There will be "second chance" for repentant sinners, who believe in Christ, as well as the Jews, who have not yet accepted Christ as their Messiah.

Basically what it comes down to is this, beliieve in Christ, and keep his commandments, and you will be part of the "Second Coming", or "rapture" of Christ's true church on the earth. Half of Christ's church will not be ready at this time, but will be living in sin, as described in the "Parable of the Ten Virgins". Christ will return the "Third time, during the "Battle of Armageddon", in the Valley or Plain of Megiddo, for all repentant sinners who believe in Christ, as well as the Jews, who will then accept Christ as their Messiah.

All of those that that are left at this time, will be destroyed and their spirits taken off the earth, and Satan and his followers will be bound for a "thousand years", because they have rebelled against Christ. They do not accept Christ and His teachings. They will be removed from the earth. Christ will then set up His Millenial reign. Christ will literally set up His Kingdom on earth. All wickedness will cease. All death and sorrow will cease for a thousand years, as a result of the righteousness of the saints.

[FFH]

Evidence, from scripture, of a "third watch".

Luke 12: 35-40

35- Let you loins be girded about, and your lights burning.

36- And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37- Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily i say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38- And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39- And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40- Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye thank not.

Let us be ready for this "second watch" or "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ, often referred to as "the rapture" by millions of true followers of Christ

The true followers of Christ, or those that keep His commandments and believe in Him, shall be worthy to be "caught up", at His coming.

We will then sit down to a "Wedding Feast", when Christ and his church shall be joined together. The "Bride of Christ", will sit down to a "Wedding Feast", prepared by Christ himself.

We will then return with Christ on the "third watch" to battle the wicked on earth. The remneant of those that believe in Christ and have repented of their sins, along with the Jews, will then join us and we will set up the kingdom of God on earth, and will experience peace and rest for a thousand years. The New Jerusalem, which is built in heaven, will then be set up on earth by Christ himself, It will be a miraculous event. A city built by God. I am sure that we will also be involved with building this city, but not in the same way that we build today. It is a "city built by God". Nothing like we know on earth, but it will be ON earth, during the Millenium, when all those that do not believe in Christ will be taken from the earth. They will not inherit this earth, but will inherit another world, the Telestial Kingdom, or Outer Darkness, after spending some time in Hell.

The earth will be Terrestrialized and recieve it's Terrestrial like glory. All death, pain and sorrow will cease. Those who abide a Terrestrial Law, will be worthy to live on earth during the Millenium.

[FFH]

Evidence, from scripture, of a "catching away" of the saints, to meet the Lord "in the air".


! Thessolonians 4: 16- 18

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 mee the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18- Wherefore comfort one another with these words.


Revelation 12: 5

"And she broought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto Go, and to his throne.


Doctrine and Covenants 76: 98-107

98- And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one, for as one star differes from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world,

99- For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas.

100- These are they who say they are some of one and some of another----some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esais, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;

101= BUt received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant.

102- Last of all, these all are they who will not be gathered with the saints, to be caught up unto the church of the Firstborn, and received into the cloud.

103- These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.

104- These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth.

105- These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.

106- These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almaighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work;

107- When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father, spotless, saying I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fiercness of the wrath of ALmighty God."


Doctrine and Covenants 88: 96-98

96- And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.

97- And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened, and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven---

98- They are Christ's the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.


Doctrine and Covenants 109: 75-76

75- That when the trump shall sound for the dead, we shall be caught up in the cloud to meet thee, that we may ever be with the Lord;

76- That our garments may be pure, that we may be clothed upon with robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads, and reap eternal joy for all our sufferings.

[FFH]

Wmam, you were asking thoughts on the rapture so I thought I would bump this up.

[Bick]

I would answer your poll if you had "None of the above" to check.

[nutshell]

Originally Posted by Bick

I would answer your poll if you had "None of the above" to check.

Without answering the poll, can you explain your beliefs regarding th rapture? I'm interested to know. Thanks.