subject: The Different Beliefs About the Rapture [print this page] The Different Beliefs About the Rapture The Different Beliefs About the Rapture
The Rapture is defined as event in the bible that discusses the gathering of the Christians to meet Jesus on his return to this world. This return of Jesus to the world is commonly known as the Second Coming. The Rapture is said to be one of the most important events in the prophecy of Jesus' Second Coming.
During this event, Jesus will assemble all the saints together. It is said by believers and devoted Christians that The Rapture is indicated in the bible in a passage in the Book of Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 15-17 where it is stated that: "and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." This biblical text is proposed by Christians as the biblical proof of The Rapture. The word "rapture" came from the Latin word rapio which means to be "caught up" or "taken away".
Christian believers have two major interpretation of the time that The Rapture will occur and be fulfilled. The first view is presented by the Dispensationalist Pre-millenialist is that Jesus' Second Coming will occur in two stages. The first is described in Thessalonians 4:15-17 and the second stage is described in Matthew 24:29-31.
The first event, they believed was to be unseen and known only to those who will be raptured or saved and the second event will be publicized as the Second Coming of Jesus to finish the battle of Armageddon.
The second interpretation is proposes by the Amillennialists, the Postmillenialist, and the Historic Premillennailists. The Amillennialists includes the Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutherans, and the Anglicans. The Postmillennialists include the Presbyteians and the Historic Premillenialist includes the Calvinistic Baptists and others. They believe that Jesus' Second coming will only occur in only one public event. They propose that all the biblical passages which refer to the rapture is only one event.
Another aspect of The Rapture that many believers debate on is the destination as to where Jesus will take those who will be saved. The Dispensationalists say that heaven is the destination. The Anglicans say that the destination will be a certain place still in earth. Others believe that the destination will be Jerusalem.
In the pre-millennialist interpretation of the rapture, the prevalent belief is that of a pre-tribulation event. The pre-tribulation timing is the main factor that differentiates The Rapture from the Second Coming of Jesus. The other views in pre-millennialism are mid-tribulation and partial rapture.
In the pre-tribulation, it is described that The Rapture will happen before the tribulation and the Second Coming will happen at the end of the Tribulation.
The mid-tribulation posits that the Rapture will happen in the middle of the tribulation period and that the tribulation period is divided into two because of this having three and a half years each. The partial rapture proposes that The Rapture will happen partially at different times during the entire tribulation period, which would mean that numerous raptures will take place during this period.
