In fundamentalist Christian eschatology, the Rapture is the name given to the future event in which it is believed that Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven, accompanied by the spirits of all the saints of God, both from the pre-incarnation period and after, who have passed on prior to the rapture, and then the bodies of the saints are joined with their spirits in a resurrection - the First Resurrection - to meet the Lord. Summary of Christian eschatological differencesIn Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the study of its religious Beliefs concerning all Future and Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity The Incarnation is the belief in Christianity that Jesus Christ is the God of Israel in the flesh This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title Immediately after this, all true Christians alive on the earth are simultaneously transported to meet the Lord and those who have preceded them in the air as well, all, having been transformed into immortal bodies like Jesus' body, often referred to as the "resurrection body". A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Body of Resurrection is a typical term of Esoteric Christianity, used to indicate a spiritual body associated with a special enlightenment or experience

This doctrine gained popularity in the 1830s, and more recently in the 1970s, with proponents of the premillennialist, and in particular the dispensationalist, interpretations of scripture. Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the Premillennialism in Christian eschatology is the belief that Christ will literally reign on the earth for 1000 years at his Second coming. Dispensationalism is a Christian theological view of history and Biblical interpretation that became popular during the 1800s and early 1900s and is However, proponents of the doctrine have argued that it can be found in the early Church fathers and the New Testament. The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church

There is much disagreement amongst rapture proponents over when the rapture will occur in relation to the Tribulation, a seven-year period preceding the second coming of Christ to the earth, or indeed, if the duration of the Tribulation will be seven years or only a 3 1/2 year period. The Tribulation (or " Great Tribulation " is an event referred to in the New Testament of the Bible at ("For then shall be great tribulation In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic Some understand the tribulation of Matthew 24 as having already taken place in 70 AD at the destruction of Jerusalem. The Olivet discourse is a biblical passage found in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew ( Mark ( and Luke ( (see Preterism). Preterism is a variant of Christian eschatology which holds that some or all of the biblical prophecies concerning the Last Days or End Times Three different views predominate. The first is that it will take place sometime prior to the Tribulation. The second is that it will take place mid-way through the Tribulation. The third is that it will take place after the Tribulation, when Christ comes to earth to establish His kingdom, the Kingdom of God, taking over rulership of the world for 1,000 years. (see Millennialism). This is an article on sociological Millennialism You may be looking for the article on Christian Premillennialism. A fourth view has recently developed, called the Pre-Wrath view.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History of doctrine 3 Scriptural basis 4 Views on the timing of the rapture 4.1 Pre-Tribulation 4.1.1 Imminent or not imminent? 4.2 Mid-Tribulation 4.3 Prewrath rapture 4.4 Post-Tribulation 4.5 Agnostic position 5 Date setting 6 Cultural references 6.1 Movies 6.2 Books 6.3 Television 6.4 Music 6.5 Internet 6.6 Video Games 7 See also 8 References 9 External links 9.1 Support a rapture 9.2 Oppose a rapture 9.3 Neutral

Etymology

"Rapture", when used in eschatological terms, is an English word used in place of the Latin word raptus; taken from the Vulgate, which in turn is a translation of the Koine Greek word harpazo, which is found in the Greek New Testament manuscripts of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Eschatology (from the Greek, Eschatos meaning "last" and -logy meaning "the study of" is a part of Theology English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Vulgate is an early Fifth Century version of the Bible in Latin, and largely the result of the labours of Jerome, who was commissioned by Koine Greek (Κοινὴ Ἑλληνική, "common Greek" or, ciˈni ðiˈale̞kto̞s "the common dialect" is the popular form of Greek which emerged in Koine Greek (Κοινὴ Ἑλληνική, "common Greek" or, ciˈni ðiˈale̞kto̞s "the common dialect" is the popular form of Greek which emerged in A manuscript is any Document that is Written by hand as opposed to being printed or reproduced in some other way In many modern English translations of the Bible, harpazo is translated; "caught up", or "taken away". English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin

"Harpazo" \har-pad'-zo\ Koine Greek; "forcibly snatched away", "taken for oneself". Koine Greek (Κοινὴ Ἑλληνική, "common Greek" or, ciˈni ðiˈale̞kto̞s "the common dialect" is the popular form of Greek which emerged in

History of doctrine

The Catholic and Orthodox churches as well as the Reformed denominations have no tradition of such a teaching and reject the doctrine, in part because they cannot find any reference to it among any of the early Church fathers^[1]. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant Denominations formally characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine historically Some also reject it because they interpret prophetic scriptures in either an amillennial or postmillennial fashion, as being more spiritual than physical. Amillennialism ( Latin: a- "not" + mille "thousand" + annum "year" is a view in Christian eschatology In Christian eschatology, postmillennialism is an interpretation of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation which sees Christ 's Second coming

Proponents of the rapture insist that the doctrine of amillennialism originated with Alexandrian scholars such as Clement and Origen^[2] and was later brought wholly into Roman Catholic dogma by Augustine. Saint Clement of Alexandria (born Titus Flavius Clemens) (c150 - 211/216 was the first notable member of the Church of Alexandria, and one of its most Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca ^[3] Hence, the church up until then held to premillennial views, which see an impending apocalypse from which the church will be rescued after being raptured by the Lord. This is even extrapolated by some to mean that the early church espoused pretribulationism. ^[4]

Some Pre-Tribulation proponents maintain that the earliest known extra-Biblical reference to the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is from a sermon falsely attributed to the fourth-century Church Father Ephraem the Syrian, which says, "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins. Pseudepigrapha (from Ancient Greek ψευδής The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church Ephrem the Syrian ( Syriac: ܐܦܪܝܡ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ Mor Afrêm Sûryāyâ; Greek:; Latin "^[5][6] However, the interpretation of this writing, as supporting Pre-Tribulation rapture, is debated. ^[7][8]

There exists at least one 18th century and two 19th century Pre-Tribulation references, in a book published in 1788, in the writings of a Catholic priest Emmanuel Lacunza ^[9] in 1812, and by John Nelson Darby himself in 1827. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year John Nelson Darby, (18 November 1800 - 29 April 1882 was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common ^[10] However, both the book published in 1788 and the writings of Lacunza have opposing views regarding their interpretations, as well.

The rise in belief in the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is sometimes attributed to a 15-year old Scottish-Irish girl named Margaret McDonald (a follower of Edward Irving), who in 1830 had a vision that was later^[11] published in 1861. Margaret McDonald was born in 1815 and lived in Port Glasgow, Scotland during the beginning years of the Dispensationalism movement under John Nelson Edward Irving ( August 4, 1792 &ndash December 7, 1834) Scottish clergyman generally regarded as the main figure behind the foundation

The popularization of the term is associated with teaching of John Nelson Darby, prominent among the Plymouth Brethren, and the rise of premillennialism and dispensationalism in English-speaking churches at the end of the 19th century. John Nelson Darby, (18 November 1800 - 29 April 1882 was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. The Plymouth Brethren is a Conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland Premillennialism in Christian eschatology is the belief that Christ will literally reign on the earth for 1000 years at his Second coming. Dispensationalism is a Christian theological view of history and Biblical interpretation that became popular during the 1800s and early 1900s and is The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar In 1908, the doctrine of the rapture was further popularized by an evangelist named William Eugene Blackstone, whose book, Jesus Is Coming, sold more than one million copies. Dr William Eugene Blackstone ( October 6 1841 – November 7 1935) was an American evangelist and Christian Zionist influenced The first known appearance of the theological use of the word "rapture" in print occurs with the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909. ^[12]

In 1957, Dr. John Walvoord, a theologian at Dallas Theological Seminary, authored a book, "The Rapture Question," that gave theological support to the Pre-Tribulation rapture; this book eventually sold over 65,000 copies. John F Walvoord ( May 1, 1910 – December 20, 2002) was a Christian theologian, pastor and president of Dallas Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS is an evangelical theological Seminary located in Dallas Texas and the North American institution for popularizing In 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost authored another book supporting the Pre-Tribulation rapture, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, that sold 215,000 copies. J Dwight Pentecost (born 1915 is a Christian Theologian best known for his book Things to Come.

During the 1970s, the rapture became popular in wider circles, in part due to the books of Hal Lindsey, including The Late Great Planet Earth, which has reportedly sold between 15 million and 35 million copies and by the movie "A Thief in the Night" which based its title on the scriptural reference 1 Thessalonians 5:2. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. Harold Lee "Hal" Lindsey (born November 23 1929) is an American evangelist and Christian writer The Late Great Planet Earth is the title of a best-selling 1970 book co-authored by Hal Lindsey and Carole C ^[13] Lindsey proclaimed that the rapture was imminent, an idea that he based on world conditions at the time. The Cold War and the European Economic Community figured prominently in his predictions of impending Armageddon. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the In Christian mythology Armageddon ( Greek Αρμαγεδδων; also spelled Har-Magedon in some modern English translations also known as Other aspects of 1970s global politics were seen as having been predicted in the Bible. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Lindsey suggested, for example, that the seven-headed beast with ten horns, cited in the Book of Revelation, was the European Economic Community, a forebear of the European Union, which at the time aspired to ten nations; it now has 27 member states. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

In 1995, the doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation rapture was further popularized by Tim LaHaye's book series, Left Behind, which sold tens of millions of copies and was made into several movies. Timothy F LaHaye (b April 27, 1926 in Detroit Michigan) is an American evangelical Christian minister, Author ' Left Behind' is a series of 16 best-selling Novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B

The doctrine of the rapture continues to be an important component in fundamentalist Christian eschatology today. Fundamentalism refers to a "deep and totalistic commitment" to a belief in and strict adherence to a set of basic principles (often Religious in nature a reaction Summary of Christian eschatological differencesIn Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the study of its religious Beliefs concerning all Future and Many fundamentalist Christians continue to feel that world conditions point to the rapture, Tribulation, and return of Christ occurring soon.

Scriptural basis

Supporters of the doctrine of the rapture generally proof-text the following primary sources^[14] in the New Testament (the following are quoted from the NKJV):

• "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. The New King James Version (NKJV is a modern translation of the Bible published by Thomas Nelson Inc I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. "
  (John 14:2–3)

• "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon "
  (Philippians 3:20-21)

• "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. The Epistle to the Philippians (or simply Philippians) is a Book included in the New Testament of the Bible. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. ” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?""
  (1 Corinthians 15:49–55) Note that the saying that is quoted toward the end of these passages comes from the Old Testament as follows: "Death is swallowed up in victory" is from Isaiah 25:8 and "O Death, where is your sting?" is found in Hosea 13:14. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament.

• "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. "
  (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17)

• "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, also known as the First Letter to the Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. "
  (2 Thessalonians 2:1-7)

Views on the timing of the rapture

One of the tenets of the dispensationalist interpretation of Bible prophecy is that in the prophecy of 70 weeks from the book of Daniel (Daniel 9:27), between the 69th and 70th weeks there is a break, lasting an unspecified period of time. The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, also known as the Second Letter to the Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible The Prophecy of Seventy Septets (or literally 'seventy times seven' appears in the angel Gabriel 's reply to Daniel beginning with verse 22 and ending with verse 27 in the ninth Thus, the 70th week of seven years has not yet occurred. This seven-year period will mark the end of the current dispensation, and is referred to as the Tribulation. The Tribulation (or " Great Tribulation " is an event referred to in the New Testament of the Bible at ("For then shall be great tribulation There is considerable debate among Christians who believe in the rapture in regard to the timing of the rapture relative to the Tribulation. Most views hold that Christian believers will be either removed from, or protected from the judgment of God's wrath.

Pre-Tribulation

The Pre-Tribulation rapture is the view that the rapture will occur before the beginning of the Tribulation period. According to this view, the Christian Church that existed prior to that seven-year period has no vital role during the seven years of Tribulation, and will therefore be removed. Many people who accept Christ after the rapture will be martyred for their faith during the Tribulation (Rev 20:4). Saint John the Divine, which some believe is the apostle John, is seen in Revelation 4:1 as representing the Church caught up to Heaven. John of Patmos is the name given to the author of the Book of Revelation (or Book of the Apocalypse) in the New Testament. John hears the Trumpet and a voice that says, "Come up hither", and he is translated in the Spirit to Heaven and then sees what will happen for those left on earth. The Pre-Tribulation rapture is the most widely held position among American evangelical Christians. It has become popular in recent years around the world and through the work of dispensational preachers such as Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Tim LaHaye, Dr. J. Vernon McGee, Chuck Smith, Dr. Chuck Missler, Jack Van Impe, and Dr. Grant Jeffrey. J Dwight Pentecost (born 1915 is a Christian Theologian best known for his book Things to Come. Timothy F LaHaye (b April 27, 1926 in Detroit Michigan) is an American evangelical Christian minister, Author John Vernon McGee ThD, LLD, ( June 17, 1904 &ndash December 1, 1988) was an ordained Presbyterian minister Charles Ward “Chuck” Smith (born 25 June 1927 is the senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. This is a list of people who are notable due to their influence on the popularity or development of evangelical Christianity or for their professed Evangelicalism. Jack Leo Van Impe (born February 9 1931 is a Televangelist who appears on his weekly Television show Jack Grant R Jeffrey is a teacher of Bible prophecy and a leading proponent of Dispensational, Evangelical Christianity. ^[15]

Imminent or not imminent?

Some who believe in a Pre-Tribulation rapture warn that the rapture is imminent, saying that all of the prophecies concerning the latter days have been fulfilled to the extent that the rapture could take place at any moment. Others suggest that certain requirements must first be met before a rapture can occur, such as these:

1. The nations of the world must unify their currency onto a universal standard.
2. There will be peace in Israel (Ezekiel 38).
3. There will be a one-world government, to correspond to the 7th beast of Revelation, prior to the Antichrist's 8th beast government.
4. The Jewish temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt in its original place.
5. Observance of Old Testament commandments concerning animal sacrifices must be reinstated.
6. There will be a great falling away and the AntiChrist will be revealed. 2 Thessalonians 2

Mid-Tribulation

A minority view, with few proponents today, is that the rapture happens half-way through the seven-year Tribulation. This view is supported by the 7th chapter of Daniel (Verse 25), where it says the saints will be given over to tribulation for "time, times, and half a time" which is interpreted to mean 3. 5 years. That is, half way through the seven years of the tribulation. At this juncture, the Antichrist commits the "abomination of desolation" by desecrating the Jerusalem temple (to be built on what is now called The Temple Mount. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name ) ^[16]

Prewrath rapture

Main article: Prewrath

The prewrath rapture view is that the tribulation of the church begins toward the latter part of the seven-year period, being Daniel's 70th week, when the Antichrist is revealed in the temple. The prewrath Rapture (also “pre-wrath” rapture is one of several Premillennial views on the timing of end-times events among Evangelical Christians The prewrath Rapture (also “pre-wrath” rapture is one of several Premillennial views on the timing of end-times events among Evangelical Christians The great Tribulation, according to this view, is of the Antichrist against the church at this time. The duration of this tribulation is unknown, except that it begins and ends during the second half of Daniel's 70th week. References from Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are used as evidence that this tribulation will be cut short by the coming of Christ to deliver the righteous by means of rapture, which will occur after the sixth seal is opened and the Sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood. ^[17] However, by this point many Christians will have been slaughtered as martyrs by the Antichrist. After the rapture comes God's seventh-seal wrath of trumpets and bowls (a. The seven seals is a concept of Christian eschatology, found in the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible, which states that when the world reaches k. a. "the Day of the Lord"). ^[18] The Day of the Lord's wrath against the ungodly will follow for the remainder of the seven years. ^[19]

Post-Tribulation

The Post-Tribulation rapture (or "Post-Trib") view places the rapture at the end of the Tribulation period, based on passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, seen as quoting the words of "the Lord" as indicated in Matthew 24:29-31 (see table below). In Christian eschatology, the Post Tribulation Rapture Doctrine is the belief in a combined Resurrection and Rapture (eg From this perspective, Christian believers will be on the earth as witnesses to Christ during the entire seven years, until the last day of the tribulation period.

Post-Tribulation advocates find no scriptural support for the so-called "Yo-Yo Theory", which they describe as the first-Second Coming of Christ in the clouds for the rapture and then coming back again for a second-Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Coming in two parts or the Second and Third Coming). In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic ^[20] However, the pre-trib believers would say that they do not support two comings of Christ. The first is for the Church (and not a return)- then Christ will return to the Earth to set up the millennial kingdom. The Rapture is not considered to be the coming of Christ but a specific snatching away of the Church.

The Post-Tribulation view brings Christ's "appearing" and his "coming" together in one all-encompassing, grand event. Matthew 24:29–31; "Immediately after the tribulation of those days…they shall gather together his elect…", is cited as a foundational scripture for this view. Pat Robertson describes the end times this way in his 1995 novel The End of the Age. Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson (born March 22 1930 is a controversial Televangelist from the United States. Another supporting scripture is John 17:15-16, where Jesus prays that the Father not take his (Jesus') disciples from the earth, but that he (the Father) would nevertheless "keep them from the evil one. " This is taken to preclude a Pre-Trib or a Mid-Trib rapture to heaven at any time. ^[21] Prominent authors supporting this view are Walter Ralston Martin, John Piper, George Eldon Ladd, Robert H. Gundry, and Douglas Moo. Walter Ralston Martin ( September 10 1928 &ndash June 26 1989) was an American Evangelical minister author and Christian apologist John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946, Chattanooga, Tennessee) is a Reformed and Baptist Theologian George Eldon Ladd (1911-1982 was a Baptist minister and professor of New Testament Exegesis and Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary Robert Horton Gundry is a Biblical scholar He received his Ph

Matthew 24:29-31 ASV

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 ASV

Matthew 24:29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 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 that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Agnostic position

This is a lesser-known position that maintains that the Scriptures are intentionally unclear about the relationship of the rapture to the Tribulation. As a result, believers could anticipate the return of Jesus to the clouds at any moment while yet watching for the rise of the Antichrist. This position claims to harmonize two seemingly contradictory threads.

Date setting

Generally, believers in the rapture of the church no longer make predictions regarding the exact timing of the event itself. The primary scripture reference cited for this position is Matthew 24:36, where Jesus is quoted saying; "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" (NASB). The New American Standard Bible (NASB is an English Translation of the Bible. Gary Demar has jokingly challenged "date setters" to sign a contract turning over all their assets to him on the day after they claim the Rapture is to occur (he has written a book, Last Days Madness, endorsing the preterist position and challenges many of the popular ideas of Bible prophecy). Preterism is a variant of Christian eschatology which holds that some or all of the biblical prophecies concerning the Last Days or End Times

Any individual or religious group that has dogmatically predicted the day of the rapture, referred to as "date setting", has been thoroughly embarrassed and discredited, as the predicted date of fulfillment came and went without event. ^[22][23] Some of these individuals and groups have offered excuses and "corrected" target dates, while others have simply released a reinterpretation of the meaning of the scripture to fit their current predicament, and then explained that although the prediction appeared to have not come true, in reality it had been completely accurate and fulfilled, albeit in a different way than many had expected.

Conversely, many of those who believe that the precise date of the rapture cannot be known, do affirm that the specific time frame that immediately precedes the rapture event can be known. This time frame is often referred to as "the season". The primary section of scripture cited for this position is Matthew 24:32-35; where Jesus is quoted teaching the parable of the fig tree, which is proposed as the key that unlocks the understanding of the general timing of the rapture, as well as the surrounding prophecies listed in the sections of scripture that precede and follow this parable. For the plant genus see Ficus. The Fig Tree and its fruit the Fig is mentioned several times in the New Testament, and

Some notable rapture predictions include the following:

• 1792 - Shakers calculated this date

• 1981 - Chuck Smith undogmatically predicted that Jesus would likely return by 1981. The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, was a Protestant religious denomination that originated in Manchester Charles Ward “Chuck” Smith (born 25 June 1927 is the senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.

• 1988 - Publication of 88 Reasons why the Rapture is in 1988, by Edgar C. Whisenant. Edgar C Whisenant ( September 25 1932 &ndash May 16 2001) a former NASA engineer and Bible student who predicted the Rapture would

• 1989 - Publication of The final shout: Rapture report 1989, by Edgar Whisenant. More predictions by this author appeared for 1992, 1995, and other years.

• 

  Posters placed in public locations around the New England area in 1992
  1992 - Korean group "Mission for the Coming Days" predicted October 28, 1992 as the date for the rapture. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the ^[24]
• 1993 - Seven years before the year 2000. The rapture would have to start to allow for seven years of the Tribulation before the Return in 2000. Multiple predictions.

• 1994 - Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church in Los Angeles predicted June 9, 1994. Radio evangelist Harold Camping predicted September 27, 1994. Harold Egbert Camping is an American radio and television broadcast host teaching an interpretation of Biblical and Christian doctrines ^[25]

• 1997 - Stan Johnson of the Prophecy Club predicted September 12, 1997.

• 1998 - Marilyn Agee, in The End of the Age, predicted May 31, 1998.

• 2060 - Sir Isaac Newton undogmatically proposed, based upon his calculations using figures from the book of Daniel, that the rapture could happen no earlier than 2060. Sir Isaac Newton, FRS (ˈnjuːtən 4 January 1643 31 March 1727) Biography Early years See also Isaac Newton's early life and achievements ^[26][27]

Cultural references

Movies

The first full-fledged rapture movie was A Thief in the Night. A Thief in the Night is a 1972 Christian End times Film produced by Russell S That film was followed by three sequels and a novel, and set up the genre of the rapture film. With only a few exceptions the genre died out by the end of the 1970s only to resurface again in the 1990s with such films as Apocalypse, Revelation, The Rapture, Left Behind: The Movie, and The Omega Code. The Rapture is a 1991 psychological/religious drama Film starring Mimi Rogers, David Duchovny, Darwyn Carson, Left Behind The Movie is a film released to theaters VHS and DVD in 2000, starring Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson and Clarence Gilyard The Omega Code is a 1999 action-drama-horror film directed by Robert Marcarelli starring Casper Van Dien as the protagonist Dr Cloud Ten Pictures specializes in making end-time films. Cloud Ten Pictures (or C10) is a film production and distribution company located in St

In 2002, Dirk Been and Joel Klug (former "Survivor" cast members) starred in the movie Gone, which is about three lawyers who are left behind in the Philippines. The film was nominated for 'Best Christian Movie of the Year' by Christian Beats magazine and was seen on the Dove Awards on national TV. "Gone" went on to be seen by an estimated 1. 2 million people. It was written and directed by Tim Chey. ^[28]

In 2008, ROK Motion will release "Rapture" a thriller set in 2018. Rapture is a forthcoming feature Film, an urban crime thriller set in 2018 London and to be filmed around East London to be released in 2008 Urban decay is rife. Crime, drugs and poverty have reached epidemic levels. Rapture used the innovative casting method of auditioning online via a website BTMS to cast its two lead actors and support roles.

Books

In 1950, the novel Raptured by Ernest Angley was published. Ernest Angley (born August 9, 1921 in Gastonia North Carolina) is an international Christian evangelist based in Cuyahoga Falls It's a fictional novel based on the accounts foretold in the books of Daniel and Revelation. The novel focuses on a man whose mother is raptured along with other Christians, while he is left behind in the tribulation period. ^[29]

In 1995, Left Behind was published. ' Left Behind' is a series of 16 best-selling Novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B The rapture is a major component of the premise of the book and its various spin-offs. These books greatly revived public interest in this concept. The plot of the book was used as a basis for a 2000 movie and a 2006 video game. Left Behind The Movie is a film released to theaters VHS and DVD in 2000, starring Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson and Clarence Gilyard Left Behind Eternal Forces is a Real-time strategy game for Microsoft Windows by Left Behind Games.

In Mark E. Rogers' book The Dead, published in 2001, those chosen for salvation disappear in a blinding flash of light. Mark E Rogers (born 1952) is an American author-illustrator Biography He was named "Class Artist" in 1970 It is possible for people who have been left behind to redeem themselves in the eyes of God; those who do are immediately raptured. Sacrificing oneself to help others is one way of being redeemed. Some characters are actually under attack by reanimated corpses, or by Legion himself, at the time of their rapture. The blinding flash of light totally disorients the corpses who witness it, rendering them incapable of any action at all for a short time. The humans are literally "caught up" "in an instant" by God.

Television

On May 8, 2005, in Episode 19 in season 16 of The Simpsons titled "Thank God It's Doomsday", Homer predicts the rapture. " Thank God It's Doomsday " is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons ' sixteenth season. Homer Jay Simpson is a main fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and father of the eponymous family. After seeing a movie titled Left Below (a parody of Left Behind), he becomes paranoid and predicts that the rapture will occur at 3:15 p. m. on May 18. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. In another episode, Simpsons Bible Stories, the Simpsons fall asleep in church and wake up to find the Rapture occurring. " Simpsons Bible Stories " is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons ' tenth season. Along with The Flanders family, Lisa is raised up to Heaven, but Homer pulls her back down so she can go to Hell with the rest of the family. Nedward "Ned" Flanders is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons.

In the Drawn Together episode "Lost in Parking Space, Part One", Princess Clara, a devout Christian, warns her unconcerned housemates that the rapture is coming, even going so far as to contact a rapture hotline run by Kirk Cameron (star of Left Behind: The Movie). Drawn Together is an American Animated television series, which ran on Comedy Central from October 27, 2004 to November " Lost in Parking Space Part One " is the twenty-ninth episode of the Animated television series Drawn Together. Princess Clara is a Fictional character in the Animated series Drawn Together. Kirk Thomas Cameron (born October 12, 1970) is an American Actor best-known for his role as Mike Seaver on the television Situation comedy Left Behind The Movie is a film released to theaters VHS and DVD in 2000, starring Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson and Clarence Gilyard When her housemates later run off to the mall without her, she fears they have been taken off to heaven and she has been left behind.

"Rapture" is the twelfth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series, Battlestar Galactica. " Rapture " is the twelfth episode of the third season from the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar Galactica is a franchise of Science fiction Films and television series, the first of which was produced in 1978 In this episode Athena commits suicide in order to be reborn (raptured) on a Cylon ship.

In the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode "Kidney Car", Master Shake is seen wearing a racing helmet upon returning from a demolition derby in which he wrecked Carl's car. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (also known as ATHF) is an American Animated television series shown on Cartoon Network as part Aqua Teen Hunger Force (also known as ATHF) is an American Animated television series shown on Cartoon Network as part Aqua Teen Hunger Force (also known as ATHF) is an American Animated television series shown on Cartoon Network as part When questioned about the purpose of the helmet by a suspicious Carl, Shake claims it is "For the Rapture".

In the second episode of the fourth season of HBO's "Six Feet Under" titled "In Case of Rapture", a 49 year old Christian woman called Dorothy Sheedy abandons her vehicle which displays a bumper sticker "I BRAKE FOR THE RAPTURE!" having witnessed the accidental liberation of numerous helium filled 'sex dolls' from the back of a truck. "In Case Of Rapture" is the title given to the second episode (aired in 2004 in season four of the HBO show Six Feet Under which chronicles the A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth A bumper sticker is an adhesive Label or sticker with a message intended to be attached to the bumper of an Automobile and to be read by the occupants Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical A sex doll (also love doll) is a type of Sex toy in the size and shape of a sexual partner for aid in Masturbation. As they float off into the atmosphere she mistakes this event for the Rapture falsely perceiving them in heavenly white gowns and rushes into the middle of a busy road that she may join them in their ascent to Heaven, whereupon she is hit by a vehicle and instantly killed. Her husband is never aware of the reason for her running into the traffic but benignly accepts her death as God's will without question or curiosity.

Music

At the height of the Jesus Movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the rapture figured prominently in popular songs by secular artists, such as "Are You Ready?" by Pacific Gas & Electric (#14 in August 1970) and "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans (#1 in July 1969). The Jesus movement was the major Christian element within the Hippie Counterculture, or conversely the major hippie element within some strands of Pacific Gas & Electric was an American rock band, best known for the song "Are You Ready?" released in 1970 Events Charles Wuorinen, aged 32 becomes the youngest composer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. "2525" redirects here For the year 2525, see 26th century. Zager and Evans were a Lincoln Nebraska rock - pop duo of the late 1960s and early 1970s named after its two members Denny Zager and Events Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts Also at that time, the song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" was written and performed by Larry Norman, one of the founders of the nascent "Jesus Rock" movement in the early 70s. Larry David Norman ( April 8 1947 &ndash February 24 2008) was an American musician singer songwriter and producer Other examples of apocalyptic themes like the rapture, the Anti-Christ, Armageddon and The Second Coming of Christ in Norman's writing are: "U.F.O." from the 1976 album "In Another Land", Six Sixty Six" from the same album and "Messiah" from Stop This Flight. For other uses see Antichrist (disambiguation In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person office In Christian mythology Armageddon ( Greek Αρμαγεδδων; also spelled Har-Magedon in some modern English translations also known as In Another Land is the title of an album recorded by Larry Norman in 1975 Examples of apocalyptic themes in Bob Dylan's writing are "When He Returns" from the 1979 album Slow Train Coming and - quoting 1 Corinthians 15:49–55 - Ye Shall Be Changed, released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare And Unreleased, 1961-1991. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Slow Train Coming is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan 's 19th Studio album, released in 1979 by Columbia Records. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased 1961–1991 is a compilation box set by Bob Dylan. Other songs about the Christian end times include "Goin' by the Book", "The Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash, from the album American IV: The Man Comes Around, released in 2002, and "Tribulation" by Charlie Daniels. "The Man Comes Around" is the Title track from Johnny Cash 's American IV The Man Comes Around, released in 2002 (see 2002 in Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. American IV The Man Comes Around is the fourth album in the American series by Johnny Cash, released in 2002. Later popular songs based on the Apocalypse, if not explicitly the Rapture, are "1999" by Prince and "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" by REM. " 1999 " is one of Prince 's most well-known songs and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status Prince Rogers Nelson (born June 7 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American musician " It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine " is a song by the rock band R REM is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe ( lead vocals) Peter Buck ( Guitar Norman Greenbaum's song "Spirit in the Sky" is also related to the subject. " Spirit in the Sky " is a song written by Norman Greenbaum and released in 1969 Avenged Sevenfold's song titled "To End The Rapture" from the album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. Avenged Sevenfold is an American Hard rock band formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach California. Sounding the Seventh Trumpet is the first full length album from then American metalcore band Avenged Sevenfold. Senses Fail's song titled "The Rapture" from their album Still Searching. Senses Fail is an American band based in Ridgewood New Jersey, formed in 2002. Still Searching is the second full-length album by Senses Fail, released on Vagrant Records.

Internet

On August 2, 2001, humorist Elroy Willis posted a Usenet article titled; "Mistaken Rapture Kills Arkansas Woman". Usenet, a Portmanteau of "user" and "network" is a world-wide distributed Internet discussion system This fictional, satirical story about a woman who causes a traffic accident and is killed when she believes the rapture has started, circulated widely on the Internet and was believed by many people to be a description of an actual incident. Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Elements of the story appeared in an episode of the HBO television drama Six Feet Under, and a slightly modified version of the story was reprinted in the US tabloid newspaper Weekly World News. Six Feet Under is an American Television Drama created by Alan Ball that was originally broadcast from 2001 to 2005 The Weekly World News ( WWN) (wwwweeklyworldnewscom is a news source that has inspired musicals ("Bat Boy The Musical" books ("Bat Boy The story continues to circulate by electronic mail as a chain letter. Electronic mail, often abbreviated to e-mail, email, or originally eMail, is a Store-and-forward method of writing sending receiving A typical chain letter consists of a Message that attempts to induce the recipient to make a number of copies of the letter and then pass them on to as many recipients ^[30]

One organization, the Rapture Fund, is offering a "Rapture Will" that provides terms by which a Christian can transfer his or her estate to the Rapture Fund in the event of the Rapture. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The organization's website indicates that funds are to be used for publication of the Gospel during the Tribulation. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament ^[31]

Video Games

In the videogame BioShock the underwater city is called Rapture, named by its creator as a mockery of common belief. BioShock is a video game by 2K Boston/2K Australia —previously known as Irrational Games

In Final Fantasy VIII, the special spell Rapture is available to Selphie Tilmitt when she reaches her limit break. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation in 1999 as part of the This spell attempts to destroy all non-boss enemies by giving them wings and sending them directly to heaven - whether they want to see the light or not.

See also

• Ascension
• Antichrist
• Apocalypse
• Armageddon
• Bible Prophecy
• Christian eschatology
• Covenantalism
• Dispensationalism
• End Times
• Eschatology
• Futurism
• Left Behind
• Number of the Beast
• Post Tribulation Rapture
• Prewrath
• Prophecy
• Rapture Ready
• Resurrection
• Revelation
• Summary of Christian eschatological differences
• Second Coming
• Tribulation
• Unfulfilled historical predictions by Christians

References

External links

Support a rapture

• Rapture Ready (see also Rapture Ready)
• Rapture: Lord's Coming from Biblecentre. Rapture Ready is one of the largest and oldest Evangelical Christian sites on the Internet. org
• The Rapture of the Church, position statement of the Assemblies of God
• A chronological chart of Revelation, depicting multiple raptures
• Rapture Forums Website and Discussion board for the Rapture

Oppose a rapture

• Essays on Rapture from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
• The Left Behind Deception by Steve Wohlberg (Adventist Review)
• Farewell to the Rapture by N. T. Wright (Bible Review, August 2001)
• Barbara Rossing Interview at Trinity Institute (', 2007)

Neutral

• The Rapture: Hoax or Hope? at Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
• The different views of the rapture in relation to the Great Tribulation by David M. The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations Nicholas Thomas "Tom" Wright (born 1 December 1948) is the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and a leading New Testament The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance ( OCRT) is a group in Ontario, Canada, formed with the stated purpose of Williams

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