The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ 4

 LESSON 4

THE SECRET RAPTURE DOCTRINE

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible Study Programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. The topic for this study is: The Secret Rapture Doctrine. Beloved, among the teachings that have become prominent and untouchable within many mainstream Christian denominations today is the secret rapture doctrine. In this study, I want us to consider the following questions in regard to the secret rapture doctrine:

i) What are the basic tenets of the secret rapture doctrine?

ii) Do these tenets synchronize with the Bible?

1. Friends, the basic tenets of the secret rapture doctrine are as follows:

A) The rapture doctrine purports that Christ will come back to this earth in two phases. First, He will come spiritually to "rapture away” believers who have been faithful to Him. This first phase of His coming is going to be silent or secret. 

B) After the righteous are raptured away to heaven, a fierce antichrist power will appear on the earth and rule the world for a period of seven years. This seven year period is popularly referred to as the tribulation period.

C) During this tribulation period, people who will refuse to go along with the new order of the antichrist will be brutally persecuted. However, amidst the great persecution by this satanic power, anyone who will believe and embrace Christ at this difficult time will have a second chance at salvation.

D) After the seven-year tribulation period, Christ returns visibly to destroy the antichrist power and dispense His wrath on the world's nations. This is the general teaching of the secret rapture doctrine. 

2) Even though many people are aware of the basic tenets of the rapture doctrine as outlined above, they do not really know where the teaching originates from. In fact, many Christians will confidently tell you that the secret rapture doctrine is solidly based on the Bible. But friends, we will soon see from the biblical analysis I’m going to share with you in this study that the secret rapture doctrine does not harmonize with Scripture. Beloved, the real fact is that the secret rapture doctrine was born out of the theory of futurism. The theory of futurism was formulated by a Jesuit monk, named Francisco Ribera (1537-1591). This theory basically postulates that the antichrist has not shown up yet, but he will in the future. Unfortunately, Ribera's end time concepts in relation to the antichrist have been made popular within Christendom and beyond not because these concepts are solidly grounded on the Word of God, but because they had been carried worldwide by books such as Hal Lindsey's; “The Late Great Planet Earth" and "Countdown to Armageddon". 

Beloved, from Ribera's futurism ideas, a lot of unbiblical teachings slowly made their way into the Christian church. And one of such teachings is the secret rapture doctrine. Even though this doctrine has become very popular and accepted as credible in most Christian churches today, the irony is that it is shattered to pieces when one decides to compare its basic tenets with what the Bible has to say concerning the antichrist power and the second coming of Christ. 

Friends, just like the theory of futurism, the secret rapture doctrine has also been carried forward not so much by Scriptural evidence, but through novels and movies such as; the “Left Behind” series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. This “Left Behind” series has really printed the false concepts of the secret rapture doctrine in the minds of several people across the globe. Even though the authors Tim and Jerry have clearly indicated at the cover of their book that the book is a novel of the earth's last days, many Christians actually come to believe that the contents of the book actually present the real issues that will take place at the final hours of this earth’s history. Thus, irrespective of the fact that the Left Behind series is a novel, many Christian denominations have gone ahead to make the contents of the series a fundamental belief.

3. At this point, I want us to assess how the secret rapture doctrine will do when it is weighed along the pages of Scripture:

A) First and foremost, the Bible does not teach a two-phase second coming of Jesus as the secret rapture doctrine postulates. Friends, the order of events where Christ first comes spiritually or secretly, and then later visibly is not taught anywhere in the Bible. The Bible actually teaches a single and final second coming of Jesus. Let's check the biblical evidence:

i) From John 14:3, we read the following words of assurance from Christ: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." 

ii) From Acts 1:9-11, we read this testimony from angels: "9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." 

iii) From Hebrews 9:28, we read: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear THE SECOND TIME without sin unto salvation" (Capital Emphasis Added).

Beloved, the texts above together with other texts of Scripture such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Matthew 24:27-31, Jude 1:14 and Revelation 1:7 do support a SINGLE and FINAL second coming of Jesus. There is no text in Scripture which divides the second coming of Christ into two phases as the secret rapture doctrine does. 

B) The secret rapture doctrine also teaches that the antichrist will come after Christ has raptured the saints away to heaven. The Bible however teaches differently. Let's check the scriptural evidence:

From 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 9, we read the following from the apostle Paul in relation to the second coming of Christ:

“2:1 We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

2:9 "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders”  (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 9).

Beloved, the basic message from the first three verses in 2 Thessalonians 2 is that; Jesus Christ will not come back the second time unless the man of sin or the antichrist power has been revealed. To put this differently, Paul is basically saying in these verses that the man of sin or the antichrist will be revealed before Christ comes the second time. Meanwhile, the rapture theory however places the coming of the antichrist after the second coming of Christ. Friends, one of the main reasons for the proposition of the secret rapture doctrine was to hide the identity of the antichrist power. Now, if the whole world is made to believe that the antichrist is supposed to come in the future after the rapture, then no one is likely to identify the antichrist with any present power now because the rapture has not yet taken place. Thus, this deception clears the way for the antichrist power to rapidly progress towards its universal agenda. Clever, isn't it? 

C) The secret rapture doctrine also teaches that when Christ raptures away His faithful believers to heaven, those who will be left behind will actually have a second chance to be saved. The theory teaches that after the rapture comes a seven - year tribulation period. During this tribulation period, people who will refuse to go along with the orders of the antichrist will be brutally persecuted. However, amidst the great persecution by this satanic power, anyone who will believe and embrace Christ at this difficult time will have a second chance at salvation.

But friends, the Bible however teaches differently concerning this issue of believers being offered a second chance to be saved. From Revelation 22:11-12, we read the following words from Christ Himself just before His second advent: 

“11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Revelation 22:11-12). 

Beloved, from this passage, we learn that probation even closes before the second advent of Christ. Before our Lord comes the second time, the destinies of all men will have been fixed through the investigative judgement. This explains why Christ is able to come back with His reward at His second advent. Thus, contrary to the secret rapture doctrine, there wouldn’t be any opportunity of a second chance for people to repent once Christ appears in the skies of heaven. 

Friends, besides the fact that probation will even close before Christ comes the second time, the Bible is also very clear about what happens to the wicked at the second coming of Christ. Let us consider some few Bible texts that clarify this point:

i) "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that no not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

ii) “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:” (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

iii) "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground” (Jeremiah 25:33).

Friends, the texts above make it clear that the wicked inhabitants of the earth will perish when Christ comes back the second time (Revelation 16:17-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:8). From 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we also learn that Christ will take the saints to heaven with Him at His second coming. Thus, we can deduce from these facts that when Christ comes back the second time, there will not be any living human being on the planet for some antichrist power to come and persecute. 

In fact, the Prophet Jeremiah makes this point clear when he prophesies the following in relation to the nature of the earth after the second coming of Christ: “23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. 27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end” (Jeremiah 4:23-27).

D) Friends, contrary to the secret rapture position that faithful believers in Christ will be raptured away to escape the end time tribulation, the Bible teaches that God’s faithful children will actually go through a time of persecution before they are delivered from the planet (Revelation 13:11-17). In fact, we learn from Scripture that many of God’s faithful children had to drink of the cup of persecution that their Saviour drank. For instance, out of the 11 faithful apostles of Christ, only one did not die a martyr’s death. From Hebrews 11:35-38, we learn how several of the early disciples were tortured and killed because of their faith in Christ. Friends, the prophecy which Christ gave concerning the sons of Zebedee in Mathew 20:23, also applies to God’s people who will be living in the final hours of this earth’s history. God’s people who will be living at the time of the end will also drink of the cup of persecution that the Saviour drank, and be baptized with the baptism that He was baptized with.  Let’s check out some few Bible texts that prove this point:

i) “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;…” (John 15:20).

ii) "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).

iii) "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:9, 13).

iv) “ 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (2 Peter 4:12-13).

v) “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

Beloved, the Bible texts above make it clear that God’s children, instead of being freed from persecution, actually go through the process before they are translated to heaven. This experience of sharing in Christ’s sufferings is one of the measures that God utilizes to perfect the character of the saints and fit them for the eternal kingdom of His Son. Moreover, the saints, having shared in the sufferings of their Saviour will also be able to share in His joy when the great controversy is over, and the planet is restored to its Edenic state.

Friends, from our study so far, we have proven from the pages of Scripture that not even one of the basic tenets of the secret rapture doctrine is supported by Scripture. In fact, contrary to what the secret rapture doctrine postulates, the Bible makes it clear that Christ's second coming is going to be a literal event, a visible event, an audible event, a glorious event, a worldwide event and a climactic event. For an in – depth study on the way or manner that Christ will come back the second time, you can request for our previous study captioned: The Manner of Christ's Second Coming.

Exhortation: Beloved, there is no second chance for salvation when Christ appears in the skies of heaven. The King comes the second time with His reward in hand to give unto everyone according to their works (Revelation 22:12). At this point, I want to simply ask you that with the kind of life you are living today, will you really receive a good reward from the Master or you’ll make up with a bad one? My dear friend, why not ask God to give you the strength to live a godly life today so you can embrace Christ at His coming?

 

In our subsequent studies, we are going to examine various New Testament texts that many Christians frequently use to support their belief in the secret rapture doctrine. We will be considering texts such as: Matthew 24:40-41, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, and 1 Corinthians 15:52.

In our next study, we will consider the topic: "...the one shall be taken, and the other left": An Exposition on Christ's Words in Matthew 24:40-41. Please do well to go through this passage before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!