The Manifestation of the Rapture

If you ask anyone familiar with the Christian concept of the Rapture to describe the event, they will invariably recount a mind's eye view stated in any number of books about the End Times. That is, people will vanish as they are raptured or snatched away from this Earth to be with Jesus. This is the mystery spoken of in the New Testament that occurs contemporaneously with the Tribulation. Authors such as Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye have popularized this contemporary view of the Rapture dating back to the 80's. This document does not take issue with the concept of the Rapture, but it will present a different view of its manifestation. This alternate view will be based on scripture and not on the assumptions associated with translational connotation. This representation of the Rapture's manifestation will be upsetting to some, but the subject needs to be addressed, and here is the reason.

We are warned of a deception:

"See -- ye may not be led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying--I am he, and the time hath come nigh; go not on then after them"

Luke 21:8 (YLT)

"Take heed that no one may lead you astray"

Matthew 24:4 (YLT)

"And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray"

Matthew 24:11 (YLT)

Note the words Jesus used: ". . . Many shall come . . . will deceive many." Many false prophets arise to deceive and lead many astray. The Greek word polus, translated "many", means "many, much, great", (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985).

This deception will clearly be widespread. Are these unbelievers who are deceived? No, we cannot assume these are pagans knowingly following false gods. Satan is a usurper – He will mimic scripture and mimic Jesus. Jesus issues these warnings to us – to believers because we can be deceived. History has shown us many times that Christians can be deceived. To believe we are above deception is folly. This will be a time of testing and so you can not assume you will be coached.

Jesus warned that others would come in His name and that we should not follow them. I have always wondered how anyone could be deceived about the key players in the End Times after having witnessed what would amount to the most spectacular and pervasive miracle in all of history. Not to belittle other miracles that have occurred, but the Rapture will be a world wide event witnessed by or affecting virtually everyone on earth. Faith will not be a requirement for belief if the Rapture is manifested as a global disappearance of millions. How then is it possible to explain away the literal disappearance of millions of people? If the Rapture occurred in this spectacular manner and witnessed by billions, who would not recognize it as the event described in the Bible?

Stated again; how can there be widespread deception if there is a global, high-visibility miracle that spectacularly confirms the Bible?

The explanation offered in the popular series of books, Left Behind, is unconvincing. The authors faced a dilemma – they know the secular government at the time will have to offer a viable explanation for the event, they chose to depict the Rapture as a physical disappearance, and they needed a way to explain in their fictional account how most people would not immediately recognize the event as a supernatural act of God. Many Christian authors have labored with this dilemma. In Left Behind the authors resorted to a healthy dose of science fiction in an attempt to make their version sound plausible.

Again, who would follow the Antichrist after the Bible had just been confirmed in such a supernatural way? Yet we are told that many are deceived and follow the Antichrist and his false prophet. Perhaps we Christians have made some incorrect assumptions about how the Rapture will be physically manifested. I submit that there is a way the Rapture could occur in complete accordance with scripture and yet not be recognized by many as a supernatural act.

First of all, the Bible never states people will literally vanish. The term 'rapture' is not even in the Bible – only the concept. This concept that believers will be removed prior to the Great Tribulation is clearly supported by scripture, but the mechanism or manifestation of our removal is not stated. We Christians in our hope and exhortation have built this concept into a high profile miracle. However, does God intend the Rapture to be a high profile miracle or is He only addressing a select group? Based on the amount of scripture referencing the event, perhaps God's patience is running out, and He just wants to move his faithful out of the way before the public miracles really get started.

Here is the classic Rapture scripture and the source of the perception and assumption of a great disappearance.

. . . then we who are living, who are remaining over, together with them shall be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in air, and so always with the Lord we shall be.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (YLT)

Additionally, we are told that we will be changed.

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51 NASB

Scripture states that those of us alive at the time of the Rapture will be caught up with those Christians who have preceded us in death. Many of those who precede us no longer have physical bodies. Their souls are all that are required, and it is their soul that is awakened from the Christian Sleep at the Rapture. God does not need their flesh and blood for this change or transformation nor does He need ours. He simply transforms or transplants our soul from our corrupted and corruptible bodies to new incorruptible bodies.

It is an assumption on our part to claim that the physical body is taken. To the contrary, we are told that God has no use for our physical body.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1 Corinthians 15:50 (KJV)

To be more precise, we are told that God can not use our body. Why would something that God is "not able to inherit" be taken into the presence of God?

And so it makes perfect sense to understand 'taken' as referring to the spirit, the soul, the consciousness, and the identity of the believer. This is supported by the statement in 1 Corinthians 15:51, ". . we will all be changed". In 2 Corinthians 3:18 we are given more insight; ". . . transformed into his likeness". Reaching down from heaven and retrieving your personal spirit, giving you an incorruptible body, and transporting you into the presence of your Savior in the realm of God is certainly a change, and it certainly constitutes being taken. Our soul is taken and we are transformed. What form our new body takes in heaven is unknown to us now, but we do know that it is different and that it is physically incorruptible.

Here is the problem. We only know or understand our existence as perceived from our body and we can not comprehend leaving it behind. It is disturbing for us to consider that something so intimate and familiar to us would continue to exist when our soul, our consciousness was Raptured away. It is easier for us, it is more comfortable for us to envision ourselves in the same shell at the Rapture. People just cannot accept leaving their body behind. I believe this to be the reason of this pervasive assumption of a physical disappearance that is simply not scriptural. Presentation of this alternative manifestation of the Rapture is almost universally met with scorn and defensive posturing to include trying to rationalize the relevant scripture.

Now back to the original question. If the believer's soul, his consciousness, is raptured and transformed, what happens to the body, to the corruptible shell that is no longer required and not permitted in the realm of God? What will one man in the field see when his friend is "taken" at the Rapture? I propose that he will see what appears to be a seizure followed in minutes, perhaps hours, by what appears to be death. The raptured believer will not have experienced physical death, and the Christian sleep will not have occurred. The separation of consciousness and body would have already occurred; nothing is left but the corruptible shell, and it would soon cease to function without any awareness. We know that the dead in Christ rise first, and they don't require their bodies, and so why should those alive in Christ need theirs?

The believer has shed his corruptible shell, left it behind, and is standing in the presence of angels in awe at the sight of our savior.

So, I submit that there won't be a physical disappearance. The Rapture is likely to be manifested as an apparent great plague. It will appear to have a rapid, actually instantaneous, onset. The after effects of the Rapture event will perhaps last for several days. There will not be any vacated clothing as we read in the fictional and rationalized accounts.

There is a danger in holding to the belief in a physical disappearance. If we as Christians continue forward in the belief that we will be physically snatched away at the Rapture, and if it does not happen as we expect, then many of us, (and many who have heard the false teaching), will be deceived by a very popular and effective leader while they wait for an event that has already transpired. This well respected peacemaker, the Antichrist, at the peak of his popularity would not have to explain away an obvious miracle – only a plague. The Antichrist will probably call the apparent plague an "act of God". It is easy to look back with 20-20 hindsight at leaders like Adolph Hitler and say, "I would have recognized him for what he was", but in actuality, Hitler was very popular and well respected around the world in the early 1930's. Many Bible believing, spirit filled Christians saw him as a 'godsend' for Europe. Even today, more and more people deny that Hitler's atrocities ever occurred. My point is that people are often deceived by charismatic leaders.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Matthew 24:24-25 (KJV)

What are we teaching when we witness to those who are not "the very elect"? Even Christians looking in the wrong direction may be deceived. Are all who profess to be Christians in the group Jesus calls "the very elect"? Are you in this very elect group or can you be deceived? Are you deceived and are you deceiving?

Nothing I have said here should be upsetting to any believer and yet many reject this out of hand quoting back the same scriptures along with their alternative interpretation. I have offered a viable explanation of the Rapture without assumptions. The Rapture manifested as an apparent great plague is fully possible within the confines of all scriptural reference. The Rapture manifested as a physical disappearance does not appear to be scriptural.

The reader is encouraged to research this subject with various translations. It is best to use a lexicon to research key words in their original language.

If I am correct then this serves to alert and warn. If I am not correct then no harm is done. I am simply saying to my fellow believers – be watchful and keep an open mind. Do not make assumptions; do not teach assumptions; and do not be a part of the great deception.

James R. Lawrence Sr.

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