Rapture

The Rapture (first proposed by the British preacher John Nelson Darby in the mid-19th century) is believed by genuine Christians to be an event that will take place sometime in the future. The theory of the rapture is derived from the Bible, specifically, but not limited to, the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. The belief is that Jesus will return to earth, gather up the believers, and then return to Heaven with the Church.

Some evangelical commentators suggest that the following events need to occur for the Rapture to take place:

• The countries of the world must have the same currency.
• Peace in Israel
• One World Government, like the Revelation's 7th beast.
• Jerusalem must rebuild the Jewish temple.
• The Jewish people must control Israel.
• The Antichrist must be walking the earth in human form.

The website 'Rapture Ready' maintains an index of how close we are claimed to be to the Rapture.

Once these conditions have been met, and a red heifer has been sacrificed in the Temple of Solomon, Jesus will rise once again to wipe away the sinful world and reward all the faithful.^{[Citation Needed]}

There is some debate in such circles over whether the Rapture will occur before, during or after the reign of the Antichrist, but the original reference by St Paul to the faithful being 'caught up into the clouds' at I Thessalonians 4:17 clearly dates it to the time of the Second Coming, and does not suggest in any way that it will result in Christians being spared in advance the horrors of the Last Times, as is sometimes proposed. Matthew 24:29-31 seems to favor the post-tribulation position, however. (Immediately after the tribulation of those days...they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.)

• Premillennial Dispensationalism
• Postmillennial Dispensationalism
• Midmillennial Dispensationalism

Sources

• Armstrong, K., The Battle for God (Harper Perennial, 2000)
• Cruden, A., Complete Concordance to the Old and New Testaments (Lutterworth, 1930)
• The Holy Bible (King James Version)
• The New English Bible (Oxford & Cambridge University Presses, 1970)
• The New Jerusalem Bible (Darton, Longman & Todd, 1990)
• Peake, A.S., Commentary on the Bible (Nelson, 1962)
• Young, R., Analytical Concordance to the Holy Bible (Lutterworth, 1939)