Revelation (The Apocalypse)

Rethinking The Rapture: More Questions

Rick TryonLeave a comment

According to the standard Evangelical/Dispensational Rapture doctrine, the Rapture occurs before the apocalyptic events of the Book of Revelation begin to unfold.

So why is the Rapture not explicitly mentioned in Revelation, not even once?

Why would the most shocking, impactful, and monumental event (supposedly) in the Bible and in human history; an event that miraculously and suddenly removes millions of people from the earth triggering the beginning of a worldwide apocalypse, not be mentioned at all in the book of the Bible called the Apocalypse?

Yes, I’m aware of the interpretations of Revelation 4:1-2, where John is called up to heaven, supposedly being a symbolic reference to the Rapture. I’m not buying it though. That kind of handling of the Word is a perfect example of reading a preconceived notion into scripture rather than letting scripture speak for itself.

To speculate that Revelation 4:1, where John heard a voice that said, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter…” is referring to the Rapture seems to me a weak, almost desperate, argument. And the same for the ‘missing church’ argument that claims the absence of the Greek word for ‘church’, ekklesia, after Revelation chapter 3 implies a Rapture occurs somewhere between chapter 3 and 4.

The Rapture is not mentioned at all in the Book of Revelation. Why?

More to come in this ongoing series, “Rethinking The Rapture”.

Rethinking The Rapture: Questions

Rick TryonLeave a comment

In the Left Behind series, the Rapture is depicted as the sudden disappearance of all true Christian believers, leaving behind their clothes, possessions, and even prosthetic devices. This event is based on biblical passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, where believers are “caught up together…to meet the Lord in the air”.

The immediate aftermath is chaos—planes crash as pilots vanish, cars swerve off roads, and families are torn apart. Governments and media scramble to explain the mass disappearances, with theories ranging from natural disasters to extraterrestrial intervention.

The two main ‘proof texts’ for this interpretation of what is called ‘the Rapture’ are 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and Matthew 24:40-42.

Matthew 24:40-42 “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “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:
 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.”

Questions

Now, let’s ask some questions about the presumed meaning of these verses:

Would the people who heard the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 24 have understood that he was referring to a future Rapture of the Church? The context would definitely suggest that they would not have understood his words to mean a future Rapture. Read the chapter and consider the general topic Jesus was discussing and who he was teaching at that time.

Similarly, would the 1st Century Thessalonians and other Christians, Greeks, and Jews of that place and time have understood Paul’s words in his first epistle to the Thessalonians to be describing a ‘secret Rapture’ as described in a 20th Century fiction novel? What in their experience, religious teaching, or worldview would have given them a basis to picture such an event?

Or did Paul know that those who read his teachings in Thessalonians would understand something entirely different than a suctioning up of believers to be secretly carried away somewhere for seven years while the world goes to hell in a handbasket?

We’ll be taking up each of those questions in order in coming installments of this series on ‘Rethinking The Rapture’.

Rethinking The Rapture: Introduction

Rick Tryon1 Comment

There are three major views on the so-called ‘Rapture’ and its biblical legitimacy; pre-tribulation, post-tribulation, and non-rapture.

Bible Rebel will be spending some time rethinking the traditional, evangelical Rapture doctrine and weighing it against the other views.

The first installment in this series is the following summary and introduction to the Rapture doctrine and it’s variations and alternatives.

1. Pre-Tribulation Rapture (Dispensational View)

Summary:
This view holds that the Rapture will occur before a seven-year period of tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 6–19), removing true believers from the earth to be with Christ. It is most commonly associated with Dispensational Premillennialism.

Key Verses Used:

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 — “…the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive… will be caught up together with them…”
  • John 14:2–3 — “I will come back and take you to be with me…”
  • Revelation 3:10 — “I will keep you from the hour of trial…”

Arguments For:

  • Emphasizes a literal interpretation of prophecy.
  • Sees a clear distinction between Israel and the Church.
  • Argues that believers are promised deliverance from God’s wrath.

Notable Proponents:

  • John Walvoord
  • Tim LaHaye (co-author of Left Behind)
  • Dallas Theological Seminary

Sources:

  • John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question
  • Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, Left Behind series (fictional but influential)

2. Post-Tribulation Rapture

Summary:
This view asserts that the Rapture and Second Coming of Christ are a single event that occurs after the tribulation. Believers will endure the tribulation and be raptured when Christ returns to establish His kingdom.

Key Verses Used:

  • Matthew 24:29–31 — “Immediately after the distress… he will send his angels… and they will gather his elect…”
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:1–4 — The day of the Lord will not come until the “man of lawlessness” is revealed.
  • Revelation 20:4–6 — Martyrs from the tribulation are raised to reign with Christ.

Arguments For:

  • Emphasizes the unity of Christ’s return and the Rapture.
  • Sees no Scriptural evidence of a secret or separate coming.
  • Suggests that the Church has always faced tribulation and will continue to do so.

Notable Proponents:

  • George E. Ladd
  • Craig S. Keener
  • Historic Premillennialists

Sources:

  • George Eldon Ladd, The Blessed Hope
  • Craig Keener, Revelation (NIVAC Commentary)

3. Amillennial/Non-Rapture View

Summary:
This view does not see the Rapture as a separate event at all. Instead, it interprets related texts symbolically or metaphorically. Christ’s Second Coming will be a single, visible event at the end of history, followed by the final judgment.

Key Verses Used:

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 — Interpreted as a metaphor for a royal welcome of Christ by His people.
  • 2 Peter 3:10 — Emphasizes a sudden final judgment, not two stages of return.
  • John 6:39–40 — Resurrection occurs “on the last day,” not before.

Arguments For:

  • Sees “rapture” texts as apocalyptic language, not literal.
  • Rejects a secret or pre-tribulational event.
  • Claims that church history lacks early support for the pre-tribulational Rapture.

Notable Proponents:

  • Augustine (early influence)
  • R.C. Sproul (Partial Preterism/Amillennialism)
  • Kim Riddlebarger

Sources:

  • R.C. Sproul, The Last Days According to Jesus
  • Kim Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism

Satanism And Witchcraft In America

Rick TryonLeave a comment

Satan has been defeated. The resurrected, ascended, and returning Son of God is victorious.

But while we await the final execution of the serpent, he runs loose for a time, all pissed off, still doing his best to steal, kill, and destroy those created in the image of the Most High God.

Satan knows he’s toast, but he will continue to deceive and seduce people into bending the knee to him. Some of those people are foolishly ignorant and think it’s a game, but some know exactly what they’re doing and, like their master, they hate God.

A quick AI request for news and stats on Satanism and witchcraft in America returned the following results:

  • Witchcraft and Paganism Growth: The number of Americans identifying as witches has risen dramatically. Estimates suggest 1 to 1.5 million people practice Wicca or paganism, surpassing the 1.4 million members of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. From Newsweek
  • Global Witchcraft Beliefs: A massive study found that 40% of people worldwide believe in witchcraft, translating to about 1 billion people across 95 countries. From Science Alert
  • Decline in Christianity: Younger generations are increasingly turning to alternative spiritual practices, including astrology, tarot, and Wicca, as they move away from traditional Christianity. From Newsweek
  • Rise of Witchcraft Among Millennials: Millennials are embracing witchcraft and occult practices as a form of spiritual freedom. Social media has played a significant role in popularizing these beliefs. From Newsweek
  • Academic Studies on Witchcraft: Research from American University highlights that witchcraft beliefs cut across socio-demographic groups, with education and economic security influencing belief levels. From Science Alert
  • Cultural Shifts: The “witch aesthetic” has gained popularity, with celebrities and activists embracing elements of witchcraft in their personal and public lives. From Newsweek

Are The L.A. Fires ‘The Wrath of God’

Rick Tryon2 Comments

No doubt there are going to be those who claim that the current devastating wildfires in Los Angeles are God’s wrath being poured out on a sinful and wicked city and state.

And sadly, this kind of ‘hellfire and brimstone’ nonsense will be preached by so-called ‘Christians’ as it has been countless times when death and tragedy strikes a particular community or geographical area. No wonder people are abandoning traditional and Evangelical Christian churches in droves.

Let’s look at the answer Jesus gave to his questioners in Luke 13:1-5 when they asked him about Pilate slaughtering a group of Galileans:

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.“

Our Lord could not be more clear. Disaster, suffering, and death, natural or man-caused, are not meted out according to the level of sinfulness present in an area. Bad things don’t happen to bad people exclusively, and tragedy is NOT a sign of God’s judgement in this present age.

However, there is a time coming when God’s judgement and restoration will fall on the entire creation. The Apocalypse is real, but it is reserved for a future time, and those who have already accepted and covered themselves in the sacrifice of the Lamb are spared from that great and terrible day.