The Great Snatching Away A.K.A. The Rapture

[Tony N]

There are quite a few sincere believers who do not believe in the snatching away.
While I do believe that there are scriptures misappropriated by those who teach about the "rapture," such as these:

Mat 24:40 Then two shall be in the field; one is taken along and one left:
Mat 24:41 two grinding at the millstone; one is taken along and one left.
Mat 24:42 Be watching, then, for you are not aware on what day your Lord is coming."

I believe that verses 40 and 41 above are actually talking about when the Lord comes and sets up the kingdom in Israel and the messengers come with him, that He will be kicking out of the kingdom the lawless etc., hence the saying "one is taken along and one left." The one left is the one who remains in the kingdom. The one taken is the one kicked out. However, that pertains to Israel.

This pertains to us of the nations:


"For, if we are believing that Jesus died and rose, thus
also, those who are put to repose, will God, through Jesus, lead forth
together with Him."  (15)  For this we are saying to you by the word of
the Lord, that we, the living, who are surviving to the presence of the Lord,
should by no means outstrip those who are put to repose,  (16)  for the
Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command,
with the voice of the Chief Messenger, and with the trumpet of God, and
the dead in Christ shall be rising first,  (17)  Thereupon we, the living
who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with
them in clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And thus shall we always be
together with the Lord."  (18)  So that, console one another with these
words" (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18).

"Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall
not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed,  (52)  in an instant, in
the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and
the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed."  (53)  For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality."
(54)  Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and
this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the
word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory" (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

Notice in the Thessalonians passage that it is the whole body of Christ as the very same time. It is all or nothing. It is not one at a time.

That's how I see it anyway.
Tony

[PaulTheJesusFreak]

 To be blunt, I don't believe in "the rapture". Pre-trib, nor post-trib, but I believe in the Resurrection of the Christians, those dead and alive on the Earth, when Jesus Christ returns to set up His 1,000 year Kingdom here on Earth.

The word "rapture" isn't even in the Bible, anyway.

The DEAD in Christ shall rise first. 1 Thes. 4:16

1 Thes. 4:18 Comfort one another with these words.

1 Thes. 4:16-17 The dead in Christ shall rise first, then those who are alive and remain shall be caught up.

This scripture does not give any indication, in context, that we will be saved from the Wrath of God during the Tribulation.

In John 11:25 Jesus said, "I am the resurrection." He did not say I am the "rapture"

John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. ([Again] > John 6:39)

John 11:23,24 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: 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.

Rev 20:5-6
5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The resurrection of the dead and the living Christians is not to "save us" from God's Wrath, for He can provide protection while we are still here on the Earth. Noah survived the flood in a Boat, not in Heaven with God. If the "rapture" of the dead and living was to "save us" from God's Judgements, why not leave the dead dead in their graves? They have nothing to be saved from as they are unconcious and know nothing.  :grin:

7And when the thousand years are expired, ...

The resurrection of the living and dead Christians on Earth is clearly going to occur right as Christ is returning to the Earth to set up His 1,000 year Kingdom, and we will reign with Him there, until Satan is let loosed after the time is up, to deceive the nations. The Bible repeats the "resurrection" of the dead and living to change them. We will become incorruptible, immortal. We will never die again. This resurrection of the dead and the living into the skies to transform our bodies is the beginning of eternity with Christ at His coming, after the 7 Year Tribulation.

I do not believe it is "before."