The Rapture

 

Hebrews 9:28 ESV

 

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

From <https://www.openbible.info/topics/the_rapture>

There is so much controversy about whether there will be a Rapture. The Rapture is an event which will take place to remove the Christians who would otherwise go through the coming time of Tribulation that is to happen at the end of the Church Age.

 

A lot of Christians do not believe that such an event will happen. The scriptures are not really very clear about the matter.  It is one of those topics where there are scriptures and theological opinions which can be used to make a case for, or against, the Rapture.

 

I think myself, that Hebrews 9 verse 28 is one of the stronger verses in support of the Rapture. It tells us that Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

 

Now many would say that Christ will appear a second time to resurrect that living, and the dead, saints of the Church Age. This will occur, I believe, immediately at the end of Tribulation Judgement. No question about it and it is not the Rapture.

 

The Rapture, is to evacuate the living saints before the Tribulation begins. The reason is to spare them the time of judgement (Revelation 3:10). Another reason is found in Revelation 7:1-8, where God is consecrating 144,000 Jewish persons, 12,000 of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. This group of people are set aside to take the gospel to the nations in the Tribulation time along with the Two Witnesses.

The question here is why? Where is the Church? I would suggest that there are three possibilities. First, the Church for some reason no longer exists, second, all of the Christians have been martyred, third, the Church has been raptured to allow Israel to take the batten back. Messianic Jewish Christians consecrated to take the gospel to nations in the Tribulation.

 

So, whatever you believe about the Rapture. There is a valid argument that it will happen and it could be said that the literal fulfillment of several prophetic scriptures depend upon the Rapture taking place. It could also be said the parable of the Foolish Virgins would not even make sense unless Jesus was returning to take his Church out of harm's way. My thoughts only but I believe there will be a Rapture.