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To most Christians the rapture theory is held up as a truth, but the word rapture is not in the Bible. Since the word rapture is not in the Bible we will look at it in the English. Main Entry: 1rap·ture Pronunciation: 'rap-chur Function: noun Etymology: Latin raptus Date: 1629 1 a : a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion b : a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things 2 : an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion synonym see ECSTASY - rap·tur·ous /'rap-chu-ras, 'rap-shrus / adjective - rap·tur·ous·ly adverb - rap·tur·ous·ness noun Main Entry: ec·sta·sy Pronunciation: 'ek-sta-sE Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural -sies Etymology: Middle English extasie, from Middle French, from Late Latin ecstasis, from Greek ekstasis, from existanai to derange, from ex- out + histanai to cause to stand -- more at EX-, STAND Date: 14th century 1 a : a state of being beyond reason and self-control b archaic : SWOON 2 : a state of overwhelming emotion; especially : rapturous delight 3 : TRANCE; especially : a mystic or prophetic trance 4 : a synthetic amphetamine analogue C11H15NO2 used illicitly for its mood-enhancing and hallucinogenic properties synonyms ECSTASY, RAPTURE, TRANSPORT mean intense exaltation of mind and feelings. ECSTASY and RAPTURE both suggest a state of trance or near immobility produced by an overpowering emotion. ECSTASY may apply to any strong emotion (as joy, fear, rage, adoration) religious ecstasy. RAPTURE usually implies intense bliss or beatitude in speechless rapture. TRANSPORT applies to any powerful emotion that lifts one out of oneself and may provoke frenzied action [in a transport of rage]. The rapture, leave before the tribulation or in the middle, its not what christians are supposed to do. You are to make a STAND for Jesus Christ. Lets look at the most popular rapture verse, 1Thessalonians 4:17, starting at verse 13. 1Thessalonians 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. We have started with 1Thessalonians 4:13 to get the subject. The subject is not rapture but were are the dead. 1Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Paul said the dead in Christ will come back with Him. Why? If Jesus rose then the dead in Christ have rose too. 1Thessalonians 4:15 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. Why can't you go before the dead in Christ? Because their already gone. Lets go to 2Corinthians 5:6. 2Corinthians 5:6 Therefore [we are] always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 2Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 2Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, not in a hole in the ground. Back to 1Thessalonians 4:16. 1Thessalonians 4:16 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: At the last trump, not before or in the middle of the tribulation, the dead rise first. Why? Because the dead are with the Father already, their not in a hole in the ground. 1Thessalonians 4:17 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. The famous rapture verse must be taken with other verses to see the truth. First of all the word cloud is used in other places by Paul to mean a group. Lets go to 1Corinthians 15 to see the same event written by the same person, Paul. 1Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, This is the same event as 1Thessalonians 4:17, how many shall be changed? All! Changed into what? Spirit body. Why? To meet the Lord in the spirit, not the air. 1Corinthians 15:52 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. Its going to happen in the twinkling of an eye, you are not going any where. At the LAST trumpet, not before. Paul wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians and 1Thessalonians 4:17 was miss understood, so Paul wrote Second Thessalonians 2Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him, What is the subject? The coming of the Lord and gathering together to Him. 2Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Don't get all shaken up over that first letter, 1Thessalonians 4:17, thinking the day of Christ is at hand. 2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Don't be deceived by the any moment fly away. The day of Christ shall not come before the falling away to Satan happens. Satan comes first as antichrist, antichrist in the Greek means instead of Christ. 2Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Christ return will not happen until Satan sits in Jerusalem claiming to be Christ. Like it or lump it, that is how it will be. Lets go to the great prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel 13:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Ezekiel 13:2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Prophesy means to teach. Who ever makes up fables and teaches them, hear ye the Word of the LORD. Ezekiel 13:3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Does it say great preachers? No, it says WOE unto the foolish prophets. It says they have seen NOTHING! Ezekiel 13:4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ezekiel 13:5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. It says the preachers are telling the house of Israel to run or rapture, and not to stand in the battle on Jesus Christ side. Just who's side are the rapture people on anyway? In the battle in the great DAY of THE LORD what are you going to do, rapture or STAND? Ezekiel 13:6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made [others] to hope that they would confirm the word. Lets bring this up to today. It is saying preachers will be teaching, the LORD said to rapture and not to STAND in the Day of the LORD. You can't have it both ways, rapture or STAND. Ezekiel 13:7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith [it]; albeit I have not spoken? You don't have to study the Bible, your going to fly up in the air, the LORD told me. This is all you hear today in most churches. The LORD said STAND! Ezekiel 13:8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I [am] against you, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 13:9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD. Assembly means church. There will not be any fable tellers in the church or the house of Israel. Lets move ahead to verse 18. Ezekiel 13:18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women] that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive [that come] unto you? This means with fables they cover our Father's out reached arms of salvation. Ezekiel 13:19 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies? They do it for money, saving souls. Have you been hunting souls saying, are you saved? Do you know anybody who does this? Ezekiel 13:20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, [even] the souls that ye hunt to make [them] fly. Have you been hunting souls and teaching them to fly or RAPTURE? Well, if you have read all this and you are still going to rapture, then here it is, the only rapture I can find. Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Bible Prophecy The Studies | ||||
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