Be careful what
you wish for.
You might just
get want you
want. Especially
since God honors
free will.
Would it
surprise you to
know that not
all Christians
are excited
about the
Rapture? Or that
some don't even
want to be
Raptured? At
least not while
they've got it
good.
Having had a few
discussions with
other
'believers' on
the topic of the
Rapture, and
after searching
the Scriptures
repeatedly for
myself, I have
come to the
conclusion that
the Lord will
not remove
anyone who does
not want to go
at that
appointed time.
Of course some
readers will
consider that a
harsh thing to
say. Some would
argue that
anyone and
everyone who
simply calls
themself a
Christian will
be rescued from
the coming
Tribulation. I
beg to differ. I
have found no
Scriptural basis
for that idea.
On the contrary,
there are plenty
of warnings and
examples in the
Bible telling us
to be found
ready and to be
watching.
Of course not
everyone who
claims to be a
Christian is
one. Remember
that Jesus did
say that we must
be born again to
see His Kingdom.
John 3 (all
Scripture NIV)
3
Jesus replied,
“Very truly I
tell you, no one
can see the
kingdom of God
unless they are
born again."
It's not enough
to know about
God. I contend
that one must
WANT to be part
of the Kingdom.
Must WANT to be
Raptured. It's
not enough to be
a casual
Christian or
regularly warm a
pew seat.
One Bible
passage in
particular
initially caused
me to wonder. In
Revelation 6 it
tells of souls
kept under the
throne who were
calling for
justice but were
told to wait
until the full
number of
martyrs is
reached. Why the
distinction
between 2
groups?
Revelation 6
9
When he opened
the fifth seal,
I saw under the
altar the souls
of those who had
been slain
because of the
word of God and
the testimony
they had
maintained.
10 They
called out in a
loud voice, “How
long, Sovereign
Lord, holy and
true, until you
judge the
inhabitants of
the earth and
avenge our
blood?” 11
Then each
of them was
given a white
robe, and they
were told to
wait a little
longer, until
the full number
of their fellow
servants, their
brothers and
sisters, were
killed just as
they had been.
The best
explanation I
can come up with
is that they
were nominal
Christians (not
born-again) at
the time of the
Rapture and it
didn't take much
to convince them
that they had
missed the
event, so they
were the first
crowd to get
martyred early
on during the
Tribulation. To
be followed
later on by
other martyrs.
But further to
the nominal
Christian
question, I've
come to wonder
about other
Christians who
are lukewarm, or
who have
unscriptural
ideas of the
Rapture.
There are 4
kinds of
Christians that
I've found
troubling when
I've talked
about the
Rapture to
others. I
believe their
thoughts go
against
Scripture and
God's nature:
1) Some
of the teens and
younger adults
that I have
talked to, get a
sad look in
their eyes. They
want to
graduate, find
the love of
their life, get
married, have
children, own a
home etc. The
Rapture to them
would cut short
their dreams and
ambitions.
I liken them to
children who
don't want to
take a bath or
go to bed when
they're supposed
to.
1 Corinthians 2
6
We do, however,
speak a message
of wisdom among
the mature, but
not the wisdom
of this age or
of the rulers of
this age, who
are coming to
nothing. 7
No, we
declare God’s
wisdom, a
mystery that has
been hidden and
that God
destined for our
glory before
time began.
8 None of
the rulers of
this age
understood it,
for if they had,
they would not
have crucified
the Lord of
glory. 9
However,
as it is
written:
“What no eye has
seen, what no
ear has heard,
and what no
human mind has
conceived” the
things God has
prepared for
those who love
Him.
2) Some
don’t believe in
the Rapture at
all, even though
they profess to
be Christians
and may be very
‘churchy’. A
couple of these
folks have said
to me that the
actual word
'Rapture' is not
found in the
english Bible.
Well neither is
the word
'Trinity'...
(forehead slap)
but it is easily
proven.
When someone in
the Church
doesn't want to
believe that
there will be a
Rapture at all,
aren't they
calling into
question a
Tribulation as
well? It just
snowballs from
there when we
want to ignore
or delete
sections of
Scripture. We
can't ignore
Scripture just
because it
disturbs us or
we find it
requires some
actual thinking.
Just because you
say you didn't
know what the
speed limit was
doesn't mean you
aren't going to
get a ticket.
Ignorance is no
excuse when you
stand before a
judge.
1 Thessalonians
4
15
According to the
Lord’s word, we
tell you that we
who are still
alive, who are
left until the
coming of the
Lord, will
certainly not
precede those
who have fallen
asleep.
16
For the Lord
himself will
come down from
heaven, with a
loud command,
with the voice
of the archangel
and with the
trumpet call of
God, and the
dead in Christ
will rise first.
17
After that, we
who are still
alive and are
left will be
caught up
together with
them in the
clouds to meet
the Lord in the
air. And so we
will be with the
Lord forever.
18
Therefore
encourage one
another with
these words.
3) The
next is the
over-the-top
prepper. They
don’t believe
that we will be
spared the
Tribulation
Wrath of God.
They are not
only stocking
up, they're
blaring all over
social network
sites and
through emails
that we are
gonna see all of
the bad things
happen and that
we all need to
buy guns and
hoard peanut
butter and that
soon our
compasses won’t
work anymore.
Gasp!
Okay, I'll admit
that I have some
things stocked
away for
emergencies and
disasters. My
family has
suffered through
lengthy power
outages and ice
storms more than
once. But if you
have read the
Book of
Revelation
through, you
should be able
to figure out
that no amount
of prepping will
be sufficient
for 7 years of
God's Wrath.
Prep your heart
before you prep
your pantry.
So there are
'Christians' who
expect that the
Church will have
to go through
judgment and
wrath on this
earth. They
believe that
perhaps to
somehow purify
the Church we
would need to
suffer through
at least part of
the Tribulation.
"After all, so
many Christians
suffer in other
parts of the
world we can't
expect to be
spared."
Well I'm not
saying that we
won't see some
persecution or
trouble as well,
should the Lord
tarry. But just
because we have
had it so good
in America for
so long it
doesn't mean
that we deserve
payback during
the
Tribulation...
The Bible says
we are the bride
of Christ. Does
it make any
sense that a
groom (or loving
father) would
harm (or scare
to death) the
bride prior to
the getting her
for the wedding?
When someone
insists that the
Church will go
through some or
all of the
Tribulation,
they are
questioning and
insulting God's
character. To
quote Donna
Wasson: God is
not a wife
beater.
4) The
final type is
where I believe
a great many in
the Church are
today. They
understand there
will be a
Rapture, but
don’t seem to
want to fully
believe in any
of the 3
possibilities:
pre, mid, or
post. They are
kind of saying
"Whatever
happens will
happen." They
don’t think we
can know for
sure. One friend
like this was
confused by a
television
preacher who
spouted his
'bounce' theory.
In a nutshell
the preacher
said that the
Rapture and the
2nd coming are
the same
event... (If you
could see the
pain on my face
over this). Let
me just say for
the record that
they are NOT the
same event.
So, maybe some
Christians are
being kind of
ostrich-like and
don’t what to
think about it
too much. Or
they don’t want
to believe
anything for
fear of being
wrong. Or maybe
they've had
heard so many
Rapture sermons
that scared them
decades ago -
yet it has not
happened yet -
they can’t get
excited anymore.
They are
actually the
ones that are
mentioned here:
2 Peter 3
4
They will say,
“Where is this
‘coming’ he
promised? Ever
since our
ancestors died,
everything goes
on as it has
since the
beginning of
creation.”
5 But they
deliberately
forget that long
ago by God’s
word the heavens
came into being
and the earth
was formed out
of water and by
water. 6
By these
waters also the
world of that
time was deluged
and destroyed.
Now I can
understand those
who are weary of
waiting for His
promise to
return. There
have been date
setters hard at
work ever since
Jesus ascended.
There is also a
flood of
disinformation
coming from the
enemy in this
generation
especially.
Counterfeit
doomsday
countdowns have
been
'prophesied' by
the enemy to
dull our senses
and make cynics
of us all.
Old Testament
Example to Learn
From:
Jesus prophesied
that the Rapture
would be like
the removal of
Lot and his
family from
Sodom and
Gomorrah.
Luke 17
28
“It was the same
in the days of
Lot. People were
eating and
drinking, buying
and selling,
planting and
building.
29 But the
day Lot left
Sodom, fire and
sulfur rained
down from heaven
and destroyed
them all.
Outside of Lot's
immediate
family, not even
his future
sons-in-law
could be
convinced to
leave. They had
a choice
presented to Lot
by angels no
less. Yet they
obviously didn't
believe that a
rescue was
needed or
wanted. They
couldn't even
bother to check
out the angels
themselves.
Their mocking
could easily
have discouraged
others (probably
their own
families at the
very least) from
believing as
well.
Genesis 19
14
So Lot went out
and spoke to his
sons-in-law, who
were pledged to
marry his
daughters. He
said, “Hurry and
get out of this
place, because
the Lord is
about to destroy
the city!” But
his sons-in-law
thought he was
joking.
It actually took
some serious
coaxing and time
and still it was
basically a
forced
evacuation for
the angels to
physically get
Lot and his
immediate family
to leave the
doomed city.
Genesis 19
15
With the coming
of dawn, the
angels urged
Lot, saying,
“Hurry! Take
your wife and
your two
daughters who
are here, or you
will be swept
away when the
city is
punished.”
16
When he
hesitated, the
men grasped his
hand and the
hands of his
wife and of his
two daughters
and led them
safely out of
the city, for
the Lord was
merciful to
them.
In this
historical
account we can
see God at first
actually forcing
Lot and his
family to leave
seemingly
against their
wishes, but in
the end he gave
them a choice
and ultimately
honored their
free will. They
still had a
decision to
make.
Genesis 19
17
And it came to
pass, when they
had brought them
forth abroad,
that he said,
Escape for thy
life; look not
behind thee,
neither stay
thou in all the
plain; escape to
the mountain,
lest thou be
consumed.
Lot's wife is
not even
mentioned by
name in the Book
of Genesis. What
a frightening
thought. Such a
prominent
character
example in the
Bible yet we
don't even know
her name from
the Scriptures.
These
frightening
words of the
Jesus come to
mind:
Matthew 7:21-23
21
“Not everyone
who says to Me,
‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the
kingdom of
heaven, but he
who does the
will of My
Father in
heaven. 22
Many will
say to Me in
that day, ‘Lord,
Lord, have we
not prophesied
in Your name,
cast out demons
in Your name,
and done many
wonders in Your
name?’ 23
And then I
will declare to
them, ‘I never
knew you; depart
from Me, you who
practice
lawlessness!’
We simply know
her as Lot's
wife. I would
venture to say
that her name is
blotted out of
the Book of
Life. Shudder.
Genesis 19
26
But Lot’s wife
looked back, and
she became a
pillar of salt.
She stands as an
eternal monument
to portray God's
insistence on
honoring free
will. She will
forever 'look
back' at that
proud place. She
obviously didn't
want to leave.
Her heart was
not in the right
place and she
was not pointed
in the right
direction. She
must have been
considered
somewhat
righteous to be
a candidate for
rescuing. But
she had regrets
or second
thoughts. Now
honestly, would
the Lord want to
Rapture anyone
who would cast a
glance back
while on their
way towards him
for 'the meeting
in the air' so
beautifully
promised (in 1
Thessalonians
4:17) ?
I think not. I
consider her to
be the example
of the nominal
Christian. Here
is what Jesus
said about her
in verse 32:
Luke 17
30
“It will be just
like this on the
day the Son of
Man is revealed.
31 On
that day no one
who is on the
housetop, with
possessions
inside, should
go down to get
them. Likewise,
no one in the
field should go
back for
anything.
32
Remember Lot’s
wife!
33
Whoever tries to
keep their life
will lose it,
and whoever
loses their life
will preserve
it.
34
I tell you, on
that night two
people will be
in one bed; one
will be taken
and the other
left.
35
Two women will
be grinding
grain together;
one will be
taken and the
other left.”
In the parable
Jesus told in
Matthew 25, the
groom comes only
once for His
bride (one
Rapture) and
there is only
one wedding
feast (Marriage
Supper of the
Lamb). When the
groom surprises,
He won't be
looking for
guests or
bridesmaids. He
will be coming
only for the
'Wise Virgins'
who are found
ready. Those who
are ready will
enter into the
wedding feast.
The Rapture is
not for
bridesmaids. Nor
is it for a
runaway or
reluctant bride.
Rather, He comes
for the virgin
bride who is
ready.
Matthew 25
1
“At that time
the kingdom of
heaven will be
like ten virgins
who took their
lamps and went
out to meet the
bridegroom.
2 Five of
them were
foolish and five
were wise.
3 The
foolish ones
took their lamps
but did not take
any oil with
them. 4
The wise ones,
however, took
oil in jars
along with their
lamps. 5
The bridegroom
was a long time
in coming, and
they all became
drowsy and fell
asleep.
6
“At midnight the
cry rang out:
‘Here’s the
bridegroom! Come
out to meet
him!’
It is not by or
own efforts or
works that we
would be saved
or Raptured. We
are saved by
grace alone.
Ephesians 2
8
For it is by
grace you have
been saved,
through
faith—and this
is not from
yourselves, it
is the gift of
God— 9
not by works, so
that no one can
boast.
Watching cannot
earn us
salvation, but
the Lord is
coming to call
up and rescue
those who are in
right
relationship
with Him, who
want to go
willingly. We
certainly are to
told by Jesus to
be watching for
His return. So
it must matter
to Him.
Luke 21
34
“Be careful, or
your hearts will
be weighed down
with carousing,
drunkenness and
the anxieties of
life, and that
day will close
on you suddenly
like a trap.
35
For it will come
on all those who
live on the face
of the whole
earth. 36
Be always on the
watch, and pray
that you may be
able to escape
all that is
about to happen,
and that you may
be able to stand
before the Son
of Man.”
And finally,
there is a
reward for
loving the Day
of His Return.
As Paul tells
us:
2 Timothy 4
8
Now there is in
store for me the
crown of
righteousness,
which the Lord,
the righteous
Judge, will
award to me on
that day—and not
only to me, but
also to all who
have longed for
his appearing.
Don't look back.
Look up!