The "Rapture" is the GREAT DECEPTION spoken of in II Thessalonians.

Here is a copy of a letter that my brother wrote to a pastor friend of his. I don't agree with every "jot and tittle," but thought it excellent, and worthy of being shared with my fellow Christians here:

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Hi John,

I am feeling like we are in Acts 2:17 which makes me an old man, LOL. Things are popping into my head almost by the hour, new revelations and such. I want your take on the below strictly from a scriptural prospective to make sure the "wrong" spirits aren't at work here. What I am about to share with you is a matter of life or death and I'm not exaggerating!! I am not crazy, misguided, spiritually deprived or given to self-importance. If you read this and allow your heart to be open, nothing will bless you more as a Christian, other than salvation itself.

The Rapture doctrine is a lie, it is from Satan. Nowhere is the Rapture taught in the Bible. There isn't a single Rapture lesson that can be found. Jesus certainly never taught it and according to Mark 13:23 Jesus said, "But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand." This passage appears in the middle of the Olivet Discourse where Jesus is discussing the appearance of Antichrist. Jesus later says in John 15:15, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." But if you look at all the Words of Jesus you will only see Him discussing ONE RETURN and that return is clearly AFTER the Tribulation. Nowhere does Jesus teach the Rapture concept. In fact there is not a single passage anywhere in the Bible that teaches 1) two returns of Christ, 2) a return BEFORE the Tribulation or 3) shows the Raptured Church in heaven during the tribulation.

The Rapture theory attempts to clear up supposed "discrepancies" or "conflicts" in the Bible but it really creates them because the Bible is worded perfectly with no need to be "corrected" by any doctrine or theory such as Dispensationalism. The biggest problem leading to creation of the Rapture theory is a fundamental lack of understanding concerning the Tribulation, Resurrection and God's plan for the Church.

Once the Tribulation is understood and defined, then it because crystal clear when the Lord returns and it resolves all "conflicts" that the Rapture doctrine supposedly solves.

Let's clear up what the Great Tribulation is then we can discuss timing:

Tribulation = (2347) thlipsis from root (2346) thlibo: to crowd, afflict, narrow, throng, persecution, suffer trouble.

In the context of Revelation, we know that John also calls it, "The hour of temptation" Rev 3:10.

Temptation = (3986) peirasmos; a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline of provocation); by implication adversity: - temptation x try.

If we look at Rev 2:22 we see John tell the church, "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts"

"Great Tribulation" appears just three times in the Bible (KJV). Mat 24:21, Rev 2:22 and to describe the multitudes in heaven, Rev 7:14.

Once you understand what the Tribulation is and what it's purpose is, there can be no doubt about what the Rapture is and when it is. For those who think the Tribulation is a period where mountains are being cast into the sea, trees and grass getting burned up, asteroid attacks, oceans turning to blood, sun and moon turning black from massive volcanic eruptions, huge pits billowing smoke, literal locusts attacking men, etc., have got this 100% WRONG!!!! We have the beginnings of sorrows which last up to the Abomination of Desolation, during this time we have the seduction of man. The first 4 trumpets represent Satan's deceiving us but I won't cover that here.

The great tribulation, as Jesus and John call it, is simply the TEMPTATION OF ANTI-CHRIST. It is as John says in Rev 3:10, "10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

The whole world (not just the world that is left after a supposed Rapture) will have to chose between the Anti-Christ and the Real Messiah. When Jesus came, most of His people rejected Him as the true Messiah. He will test the world 2,000 years later to see who can discern between the Antichrist/Satan and HIMSELF. Those that fail the test will be slaughtered. This is not fiction or an overstatement. This slaughter is FACT. After the slaughter of 1/3 of the entire population, and a period of A/C rule, God will pour out HIS bowls of wrath on the Beast and Satan's kingdom. That is the Tribulation in a nut shell. After that, Jesus' "enemies will indeed become His footstool" by the Bowls of God's Wrath and He will return, thus fulfilling Psalm 110.

None of God's ELECT will endure God's Wrath. God has NEVER removed a group from earth to protect them, not even for the flood when He destroyed the whole earth. He didn't rapture Lot, Rahab or the Jews from the Passover in Egypt. In every case, instructions were to be obeyed on how to escape HIS wrath. So to Rapture a group off to heaven would be completely unprecedented and unnecessary and God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow; AND so is Satan and His methods.

The 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 Bowls are NOT all part of the Tribulation, they are NOT all from God, and they are NOT all literal. Satan's time is at the 6th Seal, 6th Trumpet, 6th Bowl or another way of saying it is Satan's time is 6-6-6. But the Lord's time is 7-7-7. But that is a whole separate topic.

All the symbolism of Revelation dealing with the Harlot, fornication, the 144,000 being virgins, etc speak to IDOLATRY not sexual impropriety. Jesus uses this same symbolism in Mat 24:19, "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!" This has nothing to do with literal pregnant women or nursing mothers, as a child is a gift from God, not a curse. Also, nobody can help if they are pregnant when this time comes. When Jesus returns, he expects to find his virgin bride, not those who have been worshiping Anti-Christ. This point is so important to understand!!!!

The 144,000 are the ELECT, they are the cream of the crop of all Christians, the "firstfruits redeemed from men." They are spiritually virgin, not having believed in false religions, gods, or doctrines. The 144K are the one's Jesus goes to battle with (Joel Chapter 2), not some weak, recent converts not worthy of the Rapture, thus having been "left behind." The fact that these 144K are still on earth alone destroys there being an earlier Rapture. 1 Cor 15:20-24 teaches us the correct order.

Read Mat 24:15-26 in the correct light of what the purpose of the Tribulation really is and you will see how very clear it becomes and how much the Lord warns us about the False One:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, (OR GREAT TEMPTATION FROM ANTI-CHRIST/SATAN) such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders (REV 13:13) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.

Therefore there is no rapture of the church before this HOUR OF TEMPTATION. If there was, the whole world would not be tempted. If there was a Rapture, Jesus' warnings would be meaningless and the whole Book of Revelation would be meaningless to end times Christians. GOD will test the whole world to see who will follow the Anti-Christ and who will reject the A/C and wait for the real Messiah to return. PAUL GIVES THE SAME ORDER AND WARNING IN 2 THES 2. John gives the same order in Revelation if you know what to look for.

After this "TEST" or "TEMPTATION" the Christian population will be decimated as we will see in a few paragraphs. The 144K will be left and perhaps others who are not part of the 144K but are part of the ELECT who knew the truth. That is why Paul uses the phrase, "Alive and remain." This phrase implies a small group that survived something terrible. At some point after this "test", God will pour out HIS WRATH on the BEAST and his KINGDOM, Rev 16. After God has made Christ's enemies "His Footstool" Christ will return. This is what most call the Rapture. But nobody is getting "raptured" off to heaven. First, most Christians fail the test and are in heaven already. The rest, HIS ELECT, receive glorified bodies and remain on earth and become teachers and priests and reign with Christ during the Millennium.

What I am about to tell you will really make you think I am crazy, but this is absolutely scriptural and will come to pass. Those who fail this test, will be KILLED, slaughtered actually - and I'll prove it!! Those that think the real Christ comes first will be far more susceptible than those who believe in Post Trib. Ask yourself this, if the Rapture is not taught in the Bible, than who is behind it? There is only one possible answer.

If Satan is behind the Rapture then clearly God cannot be happy with anyone who believes it let alone teaches it. You will not lose you salvation but you will get a quick ticket to heaven, but not by a glorious Rapture as most think.

Yes, "failed" saints go to heaven. They accepted Christ as savior therefore they are saved even though they failed the "test/temptation" and "went out" when Jesus told them not to. They believed in Satan's Rapture doctrine thinking the first "Christ" to appear would be the real Christ rather than believing the Word as written. They are the ones slaughtered by A/C and in heaven by Rev 7, as the great multitude who, "Came out of the Great Tribulation." This will be most of the "church" thus the church isn't mentioned again until the Trib is over.

What are we told about this "Great Multitude?" They will no longer "hunger", "thirst", "be scorched" or "cry". Pay close attention to the order given. Also know these are spiritual terms in use here. Also remember Paul's lesson of the Olive Tree in Romans 11. This is very important. Just as some of us are grafted in, many will be ungrafted along with unbelieving Jews. Paul warns us specifically about this and warns us not to get haughty thinking we (the Church) are better than the Jews.

Rev 7:

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

There isn't supposed to be tears in heaven but this group was crying and it wasn't because they endured all kinds of terrible things on earth. We have a witness to this. Look at this group in Isaiah 65 contrasted to the ELECT. Compare the order given highlighted for these two groups below and above:

12 Therefore I will number you for the sword,
And you shall all bow down to the slaughter;
Because, when I called, you did not answer;
When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight. (SATAN'S LIE)
13 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, My servants shall eat,
But you shall be hungry;
Behold, My servants shall drink,
But you shall be thirsty;
Behold, My servants shall rejoice,
But you shall be ashamed;
14 Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart,
But you shall cry for sorrow of heart,
And wail for grief of spirit.
15 You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen;
For the Lord God will slay you,
And call His servants by another name; (SEE REV 2:17)
16 So that he who blesses himself in the earth
Shall bless himself in the God of truth;
And he who swears in the earth
Shall swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My eyes.
17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, (THEY WERE CRYING IN OLD JERUSALEM)
Nor the voice of crying."

Here is where we see them slaughtered. This is the "Hour of Temptation" John mentions in Rev 3:10. This is the warning Jesus gives in Mat 24:21-26.

Rev 9:

15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed...

I'm not making any bold assertions here but these colors are the exact colors of Pope Francis' crest. Pope Francis is already speaking of accepting of gays, atheists, and working towards a one-world religion.

Yes, the ELECT are the ones who get caught up and changed. Only the Elect are left when Christ returns. Paul includes himself in this group thinking it would happen in his lifetime. Christ returns on white horse, Rev 19:11. Then we see who Jesus brings with him.

Rev 20:

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Those who believe in the Rapture and "Go out" they believed Satan's lie and while they did not worship Satan, they lost their spiritual virginity. Thus they are NOT invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and thus they remain with GOD in heaven for one heaven day which is 1,000 earth years. (See 2 Peter 3:8)

5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

We see this same lesson and order of resurrection given by Paul in 1 Cor 15:20-24. Now look at the supposed key Rapture passage in the correct light. Someone went to a lot of trouble over this Rapture doctrine and it includes a BIG incorrect interpretation.

1 Thes 4:

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (NOTICE IT IS GOD WHO IS BRINGING THOSE WHO SLEEP IN JESUS. GOD RETURNS AFTER THE MILLENNIUM WITH THE NEW HEAVEN. THUS THOSE ASLEEP COME BACK LATER. THIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THOSE WHO REST. THERE WILL BE TWO GROUPS IN HEAVEN, THOSE WHO SLEEP AND THOSE WHO ARE RESTING)

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent* them which are asleep. [*THE NKJV USES "PRECEDE" instead of PREVENT BUT BOTH ARE WRONG!! THE WORD, "PREVENT" IS USED 6 TIMES IN THE KJV, ALL IN THE OT AND EACH TIME THE HEBREW TRANSLATION GIVEN IS "QADIM" 6923. BUT HERE, THE ONLY TIME THIS WORD IS USED IN THE NT, THE GREEK WORD NAQOD, 5348, MEANS: [FROM AN UNUSED ROOT MEANING, TO MARK (BY PUNCTURE OR BRANDING); SPOTTED - SPECKLED]. NAQOD SHOULD NOT BE TRANSLATED "PREVENT" OR "PRECEDE" - NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE CORRECT MEANING.

WHAT PAUL SEEMS TO BE SAYING IS FIRST HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF IN THE GROUP OF ELECT, WHICH WILL REMAIN ON EARTH UNTIL THE LORD'S RETURN. SECOND PAUL SEEMS TO BE SAYING THAT THE GROUP LEFT IN HEAVEN WHO THE LORD DOESN'T BRING BACK WITH HIM IN THE NEXT VERSE, GOD WILL BRING WITH HIM WHEN GOD RETURNS. PAUL SAYS, "THE GROUP THAT RETURNS WITH GOD WE SHOULD NOT BRAND AS SPECKLED, OR AS BLEMISHED SHEEP." WHAT A HUGE DIFFERENCE A WORD MAKES!!

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: THE DEAD IN CHRIST HERE IS TRANSLATED PERFECTLY AND MEANS THOSE WHO DIED IN CHRIST, NOT THE ANTICHRIST.

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD. IT IS THE ELECT WHO ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN AFTER THE TRIBULATION. THERE ARE TWO GROUPS CLEARLY DEFINED AS "CHRISTIANS WHO DIE" DURING THE TRIBULATION AND THEY CERTAINLY SEEM TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY, AT LEAST FOR THE MILLENNIUM. THE FIRST GROUP IS THE GREAT MULTITUDE THAT FELL FOR THE DECEPTION OF THE A/C AND HIS RAPTURE DOCTRINE. THE SECOND GROUP IS REFERENCED IN REV 14:12-13. THESE ARE THE ONES OF WHICH IS SAID, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on..." THERE WAS NO BLESSING MENTIONED FOR THE MULTITUDE. THESE WHO DIE "FROM NOW ON" MUST BE THE SAME ONES WHO ARE MENTIONED IN REV 20 WHO RETURN WITH THE LORD, THE BEHEADED MARTYRS, OR THOSE WHO DIDN'T WORSHIP THE BEAST. THUS IT IS THIS GROUP AND PERHAPS ALL OTHER MARTYRS IN HEAVEN THAT RULE DURING THE MILLENNIUM WITH THE ELECT WHO REMAINED UNTIL THE LORD COMES.
I could go into a bunch of other conflicts of the Rapture doctrine such as Zech 13 mentioning 2/3 of the Jews being cut off, 1/3 being saved. What about the Messianic Jews living in Israel, they represent 2% of the Jewish Nation and their numbers are growing as we know they will from Ezek 37? Shouldn't they have been raptured? So their fate isn't mentioned. Or we could talk about the "Staying at the right hand until the enemies are made your footstool" which appears 7 times in the Bible!! How can Jesus leave for a Rapture if God doesn't make His enemies His footstool until the Bowl Judgments? The list goes on and on. But the key thing to remember is Antichrist means "in place of Christ", not opposite of Christ. Antichrist has to come first or nobody would believe him if they saw the real Christ in all His glory appearing first.

I hope this gives you food for thought John and feel free to critique or ask questions. I sense there are some in your church who believe in the Pre-Trib Rapture. Hopefully you can see how dangerous this view is and who is behind it.

God Bless!!

The key thing I agree with wholeheartedly is his early statement that "the rapture doctrine is a lie."

IMO, it is one of the most dangerous things (along with un-Scriptural Israel-first foreign policy statements) emanating from the modern American mainline Protestant Churches.

Because of this "rapture" nonsense, most Christians have been rendered complacent, given up standing for righteousness in the public arena, and will LIKELY slip right into the beast system when it fully emerges.

Has anyone done a poll here on rapture believers v. Biblical eschatologists?

Error: The Hebrew word means "speckled" he should have looked up the Greek, which DOES MEAN "prevent" or "precede."

Minor. Bit important to note.

this makes more sense than anything i have ever heard about the subject

Glad you liked it. I'll get my bro on here to comment and answer questions soon.

:323235225:

During Prayer and Bible Study yesterday, I had the following insight. It was sudden clarity.

In short, I believe the Deception is already upon us. Many Christians are conflicted and deceived. The Deception is a vast conspiracy propagated by Satan through many channels, designed to cause mankind to not discover the path to Salvation.

Last weekend, I asked the Lord of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Yahweh, to give me the Spirit of Truth, and to release me of the Spirit of Double-Mindedness which had for the last year made me very conflicted about the validity of the Pauline Epistles as being part of the Un-errant Word of God.

Will Satan try to cause folks to miss the Rapture? Sure he will. As a result, Satan will first try to convince you that it will not happen. If he cannot convince you of that, he will try to convince you it is fake. All the while, Satan will try to make sure that you are living in sin at the moment it happens.

For the Saints of the Earth, be mindful that it is entirely possible that the coming new moon is in fact the real Feast of Trumpets for the Hebrew New Year -- the first New Moon after the Fall Solstice, i.e. the true start of the Fall Feasts. Conjunction on October 5, but first sighting more likely on 10/6 or 10/7. Good video on the topic here:

[link to www.youtube.com]

So Paul should be kicked out of the canon, AND we should adhere to the rapture doctrine that is largely based on his writings.

Gotcha....

Funny. Thats what the jews said at His first coming.

Tell me, How do you reconcile the unknowable yet imminent return with the prophecy in Daniel that tells the very day of the return to the Temple Mount for those who can add?

Overall very good writup

Here is my perception of "The Rapture" . . .

Earth is about to be severely affected by something from Space, which is why I believe public access to the government and NASA has been cut off, allowing certain people to be in their bunkers without being missed, as with an unexplained absence.

Back to the Space threat, I believe extraterrestrials will try to save some of Humanity.

Thus, some Human, plant, animal and sea life will be "beamed" to ships overhead. That, imo, will be "The Rapture".

On a related note, it is 80F degrees (10 degrees above normal) near Provo, UT at 10:30am MDT. On Friday, three days from now, the forecast is 47F degrees with a chance of snow. Tell me something is not affecting Earth in a big way.

I think the devil will use his abilities to convince those who believe in "aliens" to worship him, as our only savior from "the threat." But otherwise, no. I do not believe in two separate "comings."

I don't remember anything about the Jews looking for two distinct ComingS of a Messiah. What Bible are you reading?

Daniel's prophecy does not mention the word "rapture," or anything that could be confused with two distinct comingS of Christ in the end times.

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Funny. Thats what the jews said at His first coming.

What if Jesus comes in a spaceship during tribulation, and taking with him people who choose to come with him to get away from the doom?

The Rapture is a misinterpretation of people that don't know what the hell they are doing!

THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONTRADICT ITSELF!

If one interpretation is contradictory of another in the scriptures----it is a wrong interpretation!

This is what the Bible says:

Proverbs 10:30
English Standard Version

"The righteous will NEVER BE REMOVED, but the wicked will not dwell in the land".

Once again: THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONTRADICT ITSELF!

Ac 8679....Right on!

AC 7891...Funny....almost...

After the Rapture has occurred all you idiots who poo pooed it will be crying and gnashing your teeth. Hope you enjoy starvation/beheading/damned if you take the mark. Good Luck.

You will most certainly be stuck here with the rest of us with an attitude like that.

:romneylol:

Too bad you'll be poo pooing your pants here with the rest of us Christians during the tribulation mr escapist.

Don't cry too much when you realize your bedtime story by Darby/Scofeld was a fable.

That will be the antichrist spreading his BS about Jesus and all the major religious figures being ascended masters.Telling us how we need to unite into one new age religion and commune with our space brethren yada yada yada

cue great deception....

That is a great pair of posts AC 4729!!!

There simply is no pretribulation rapture.
You are mistaken.

This deception is honestly beyond anything I've ever seen.
The new age religion and the coming of demons under the guise of aliens/ascended masters is the perfect excuse to unite all of humanity under a 'we are all god/all paths lead to heaven' type Babylonian mystery religion.

A lot of the new agers explicitly state that their coming new age will see the reemergence of ancient 'mystery religions'Perhaps this is why the whore of revelation is referred to as 'mystery babylon'.

All religions will be garbled together to form this religion.And it will have the blood of all the true followers of Jesus on it's hands

You simply don't understand the Bible fool.

Attitude has nothing to do with it you moron. You think your filthy rags impress the King? Go fuck yourself. Have some faith in grace for once.

Luke 21:36

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."

Your brother is a pretty smart guy, OP. Impressive letter!