      Answers to questions regarding the Christian Rapture
                        by Fire Escape

1> What is the "Rapture"?

   First off, the word "rapture" is never found in the Bible. It is a term
coined by christians to refer to the particular event predicted in the
christian scriptures in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17. Rapture means to be
"caught up or snatched away". So the "rapture" is a reference to the
"snatching away or carrying off" of the Church of Christ. This is said in
scripture to be an instantaneous event that will transpire in a fraction
of a millisecond (the twinkling of an eye). This verse gives us this 
information. But doesn't tell us WHEN this "rapture" will exactly happen.
All we can tell from this verse is that the "dead in Christ" will rise 
first at the sound of the trumpet, and then we who are alive at this 
event will be caught away with them to be with Jesus. That is all we CAN 
know from this very simple text. Many people in the christian church 
ASSUME that this "rapture" will be BEFORE the 7 year tribulation that the
books of Daniel and Revelation refer to. But no where in the Bible are we
told that the rapture will absolutely occur "before the tribulation". This
is a belief based on ONE interpretation of the given texts. It's a point 
of view that has divided Christian denominations for centuries. 

    In the past several decades, the "PRE-tribulational" view of the 
"rapture" has gained popularity because it offers to the believer a means
of "escape", and it adds the element of fear and surprise to the judgement.
Many mainline denominations, reject the PRE-tribulational rapture doctrine
and believe that the church will suffer through the great 7 year 
tribulation as a means of purging the hypocritical and false "christians" 
out of the ranks, thus making the true believer more spiritual and ready 
to meet the Lord at the end of the tribulation. They believe the rapture 
will occur at the END of the great tribulation. Some christian sects on 
the other hand, hold that the disappearance of millions of believers BEFORE
the Great Tribulation will be a powerful catalyst for the conversion of the 
remaining non-believers who must face the next seven years of God's wrath. 
Still other sects hold to a rapture theory in which they see only the most
devout christians (the creme de la crop) being taken in the rapture. This
is called the "partial" rapture theory (one wholely UNsupported in 
scripture by the way). The basic thought is that those "carnal" or 
backslidden christians who are NOT taken in the rapture will be refined 
in the trials of the tribulation and will lead many unbelievers to faith 
in Christ during the seven year interval. I don't share this view for one
main reason, and this is why: It's works-righteousness. It teaches  that 
only those that "do" certain religious activities can earn God's favor 
enough to be "raptured". The premise of the whole Christian gospel is 
God's grace. Salvation through faith even though we don't merit it. In 
light of that, the partial judgemental pre-tribulational rapture theory is
antifaith and antigrace. I would contend that IF the rapture is going to 
be a PREtribulational one, then it would have to be a TOTAL rapture. That
means that ALL christians (including the backslidden, the carnal and the 
weak ones) will go. NOT just the overzealous or agressive types.

2> When will the "rapture" occur?

   For centuries certain Christians and christian-like religions have 
taught that only those awaiting and believeing in the rapture will 
get to go. You may recall the earliest beginnings of the Watchtower 
Society (now known as the Jehovah Witnesses) who were told the "rapture"
would occur on a certain day. They sold their possessions and sat on their
rooftops waiting in faith for the blessed event. It never came. And even 
after a couple of more attempts, it still did not occur. Today they try to
obscure and forget this little faux pas. But it's a vital lesson that we
should all learn from. Today there are STILL sects that prophesy this same
"rapture" and each year comes and goes as it has always done, and they are
proven wrong. Yet people still follow their self-appointed prophets! Why?

    There is no verse in the Bible that teaches that one must have faith
in "the rapture" to be saved. If one is "saved" in the Christian faith, then
one is "saved" through faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore IF a "rapture" of
believers DOES occur, it will be the rapture of believers in JESUS, not
believers in "the rapture"!! (there is a VITAL difference). To set any 
criteria for rapture other than faith (trust) in Jesus, is to add "works"
to the gospel. Yes, Jesus spoke of being watchful and yes he did talk of 
being prepared. But in my opinion the exhortation was not so that we could
"save ourselves" by our preparation (since salvation is by God's grace 
alone apart from anything we could do ourselves - Ephesians 2:8-9) but 
rather it's so that we can point out the signs to others and help them to
believe before the Holy Spirit is removed from the world. After that 
happens, it will be extremely difficult to repent or have faith (The Holy
Spirit is the person who draws us from sin and enables us to trust in 
God the Son. See 2nd Thessalonians 1:6-7: the "one holding back the rise 
of the anti-christ" is none other than the influence of the person of the
Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Holy Trinity of God. Jesus teaches in 
John 16:8-11 that the Holy Spirit condemns the "prince of this world" 
(Satan) by His very presence here. When He [The Holy Spirit] is removed 
by God the Father prior to the rise of the anti-christ, the world will be
absent of the very influences Jesus lists in John 16:8-11).

    Over the past 3 centuries there has been an ever increasing number of
people who have received visions or special knowledge from spiritual
sources. This advent of spiritism has greatly increased the confusion
regarding the TRUE prophecies of God found ONLY in the Bible. Visions and
signs that are from the Lord will correspond to the nature of God and of
His plan already recorded for us in His word the Bible. One must be very
careful to discern the "spirits" to know wether something is a word from
God or wether it is a deception by lying and deceitful demons. John told
us plainly that the true test of a source lies in what that source says 
about Jesus. If Jesus is not accepted as God in the flesh and the message
is something contrary to the basic gospel of salvation by faith in the 
death and bodily ressurection of God the Son, then it should NOT be accepted.
The Bible is our standard and all revelations sould be measured for their
inspiration against it!

    Some groups base their entire faith and doctrine on the visions 
that other people have received. Think about this verse: "The coming of 
the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus 
will overthrow...this coming will be in accordance with the work of Satan
displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in
every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing...for this reason
God sends a powerful delusion upon them so that they will believe the great
lie and so that everyone who has not believed the truth will be condemned."
(2nd Thessalonians 2:9-12) Can we really then put our confidence in visions
or special "signs"? I would say not. Especially when we have all we need to 
know revealed for us in the prophecies of the Bible. One must weigh each 
"miracle and sign" against what God has said in the Bible. And where they
differ, one must go with the Bible.

    Many people take biblical scripture out of it's given context and
re-interpret it after the shape of their own beliefs to falsely support
their own interpretation. A good example of this re-interpreting of the
scriptures is found in a recent attempt to "fix" the date of the "rapture"
by reading into scripture hidden symbologies that are speculative at best!
The Genesis account of the seven days of creation is interpreted by 
certain individuals into some unstated symbolic reference to six thousand 
years. These alleged years are purported to reference the time between 
the Creation and the onset of the Tribulation. They proceed to draw upon 
Peter's statement about time distortion in 2nd Peter 3:8 (Which refers to
the Lord viewing one of our "days" as a "thousand years"). This verse gives
no indication that Peter is making a theological revelation about time. I
don't feel that this example is meant to absolutely define days as years.
In my opinion, Peter was simply giving an example of how differently God's
view of time differs from ours. 

    In light of the fact that Ushers Chronology of the Bible (as well as 
many other respected Scientific Creationists like Henry Morris) has placed the 
earth's age ALREADY well over 8000 years (very much past the 6,000 years 
allowed by this itenerent theory) either these individuals have a rather 
funky way of doing their math OR their basic premise is flawed from the 
outset.

    Then there are still other christian groups that believe the return of
Christ will coincide with the Jewish feast of trumpets. This is one of the 
more obscure views yet! No where are we told that Jesus will return on any
given day or at any given feast. It's entirely possible that He may choose
something relevent from among his own people [The Jews] to mark His return,
but no one could ever know that for certain. Yes, Jesus refers to the 
sounding of trumpets at his return, but could one imagine the arrival of 
ANY kind of king without trumpet fanfare? And what of the symbologies of 
the bridegroom coming for his betrothed? According to Jewish custom the
bridegroom would come unsuspectingly at a time appointed ONLY by the 
bridegroom's "father", he would approach the woman's home and when they 
were within hearing distance, one of his friends would sound a horn to 
give the woman a chance to gather up her wedding garment before being 
whisked off to the father-in-law's home for the wedding feast. Sound 
familiar? It should. It's the exact same ettiquette that Jesus foretold 
pertaining to how He would return to claim His "bride". And just like the
Bridegroom, He's at His Father's house preparing a room for us and will 
not come for us until the Father inspects His work and says, "okay, go get
her!".

4> Some Christians are predicting the "Rapture" in the month of October, 
   during the feast of Trumpets (a jewish holiday). Is this biblical?

   God has always strived with men before He has condemned them (Sodom and
Gomorrah) and in cases, He has sent messengers to warn people to repent 
(Nineveh and Noah) and yes, Jesus did compare the END times to the 
antedivulian time of Noah. But can we really extrapolate from these to say
that God will spell out the end in so many letters?  I will grant that the
Bible says that we can know the general time by the signs in society and 
in the coming of the antichrist. But Jesus also stated that the end would
be at a time no one expected as well. So to some people, it will be a 
surprise, but to others who are watching the signs, it will not. I have 
never read anything anywhere that has convinced me that the day of the Lord
can be known exactly. Nor have I been convinced that the "church" will be
spared by a "PRE" - tribulational rapture (though it would be very much 
perferred). 

   My conclusion then is "Yes, it could happen in October, on the Feast of
trumpets or it could happen tomarrow or the day after that.. the season 
"seems" right, and we SHOULD be prepared for the coming of the Lord. But 
should we stop everything we are doing and just give up and wait for it? 
NO! We should prayerfully ask God what He'd like us to be doing and be 
found busily serving Him when He arrives. In my opinion, if one trusts in
Jesus and allows Jesus total Lordship of his whole life, then wether the 
rapture comes this year, next year or even after the tribulation, we will
be taken. It doesn't matter if we agree with our more dogmatic "brothers"
or not. It's Jesus who saves, not faith in the rapture or any other "SIDE"
doctrine.

4> What must one "do" to be "raptured"?

   Regardless what anyone implies about being zelously watchful and being
ready, the only thing one can do to be included in ANY rapture (Pre or 
Post Tribulational) is to surrender one's trust to Jesus as God the Son 
and rely completely on His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of 
one's sins, giving to Him total Lordship of one's heart and life. What one
believes about the "rapture" matters NOT. Nowhere in the Bible does it say
that one must believe in a doctrine or prophecy regarding the "rapture" to
be saved!!

5> Some maintain that "The Great Tribulation" is at hand. Is this Biblical?

   I find no fault in this. The Tribulation will happen BEFORE the great 
judgement, it will be SEVEN years long and anyone who receives the mark of
the beast WILLINGLY, can never be regenerated. I personally believe that 
this "mark" is accompanied by some sort of "spiritual possession". I can't
think any other reason why simply receiving a "physical mark" would prevent 
repentance and salvation UNLESS it involved some sort of "spiritual bondage"
as well. But this is merely "speculation" and can not be proven one way or
another: I'll gladly point out when I am speculating, too bad other people
can't extend the same courtesy.

7> What exactly IS the "mark or sign of the beast"? What is 666?

   There have been scores of books written on this "mark" and on the "beast"
but no matter what is written, it can ONLY be speculation at best. All we
KNOW for sure is what the Bible tells us. The Bible doesn't tell us about
the European Economic Community (which many SPECULATE to be the "beast").
We can't know for sure if the "ten heads" of the "beast" is to be taken
litterally or symbolically (Many believe it only symbolic). It's one thing
to say "it could be this" and it's quite another to say "It's gonna be this
way and if you don't agree, you're going to get left behind to suffer." See
the difference? People have been paranoid over the social security system 
for years but it has never been proven that this system or any other 
computer based information system has ever been linked to Satanism, 
religion or anything involving the numbers 666. But people will repeat any
thing sensational or re-reactionary to convert people through fear. Jesus 
didn't use scare tactics and neither should we!
 
8> The hour of His return IS drawing near.

   Yes. It's more likely for Jesus to return now than at any other time
in the past. But each day that passes makes it all the more likely. My main
concern with pushing for conversion based upon a single prophecy of the
"rapture" or "the tribulation" (which most likely is based on mere 
speculation or radical interpretation) is the fact that when the time comes
and passes without event, those who have come to faith out of fear will 
begin to question the validity of their faith. Reasoning that "If the 
leaders and prophets of a certain sect are wrong about this event, then 
who's to say they are right about Jesus and their personal salvation?"
It's a dangerous business to proseletize with end-time prophecy. The only
way to recover from it is to lie and cover up, just look at all the lying 
and covering up the Jehovah Witnesses and Latter Day Saints had to do when
their modern prophets made promises and predictions that never transpired.
We have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to base our faith upon. Do we really
NEED the dubious word of prophets that we can't be sure are from the Lord?
Do you know what the Israelites did to people who prophesied falsely? They
killed them. Obviously God doesn't take false prophesy lightly. Jesus
warned us that as the time of His return drew near, many false prophets
would appear. Claiming Jesus was here or there or coming at one time or
another. He said if their prophesies differed from what He has told us
through the record of His disciples, we should NOT believe them. The fact
that there are so many false prophets today should alert us to the imminent
return of Jesus as He foretold Himself.

  I Hope you could understand my points well enough. If you have any 
comments or questions, please feel free to direct them to my electronic 
mailbox. I'll do my best to give you an honest answer. God be with you all.
 
   See you there or IN THE AIR!
   Fire Escape
