Bullet Point 11 (of 12) - Last Days Rapture!

Bullet Point 11 (of 12): In the Last Days a 'rapture' will occur. Mostly from Thess.4:16-18, but also from Matt. 24:30,31 & Mk.13:24-27.

Firstly, those who believe in the rapture are naturally discouraged from striving to make changes on this earth, because those who are favored by God are destined to be taken away from the earth by this event.

This flies in the face of what Jesus said to Peter when he blessed him for recognizing him as the Christ, the son of the living God. Matt. 16:19 (and also in Matt.18:18). "...I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 

Another evidence that expectations of the rapture are frivolous are from the record of how the second coming of Elijah actually occurred. No one knew when the Messiah would come but they knew that Elijah had to come first. There is a record in 2Kings2:11 that Elijah ascended into heaven in a fiery chariot. So, naturally there must have been many who thought that it would be impossible to miss the return of Elijah promised in the Malachi prophecy (Mal.4:5)

Yet, Jesus declared, speaking of John the Baptist, "...And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come." No literal descent from heaven, but another man, born on the earth, with a different name. Similarly the references to the rapture in the Bible are not to be taken literally.

A third reason that the rapture is not something that you should expect, is that there is evidence that the 2nd Coming already took place. And, because it didn't align with the doctrine of the Church centered Christianity, has gone largely unnoticed. If you think this is beyond belief you need to reconsider that the first chosen people still, to this day, are awaiting the first coming. Why should it seem so strange that the 2nd chosen people (aka Christianity) would not make a similar humongous mistake. I am personally of the opinion that Church centered Christians will be among the very last to connect with the 2nd Advent of Christ.

Here is where to check the evidence that the 2 A of Christ took place shortly after WW1.

I delivered Bullet Point 8 to a street in my neighborhood today and, shortly after, the wife of a Sunday School teacher appeared like a thundercloud at my door with the unopened letter returned into our mailbox and stated, in no uncertain terms, that she wanted no more letters from me. Out of the nearly 100 that I gave out it was a Church centered Christian who returned it without even engaging with the different point of view.

It was mankind (1st ancestors) who invited Satan in. So, isn't it more likely that it will not be God, but 'we the people' who should invite Satan out again? Hoping that you'll start to consider putting expectations of 'rapture' in the trash can, where they belong.

Let's get real about our own portion of responsibility with regard to the kingdom of heaven and our relationship with God. Let's think too about True Parents as the goal of restoration history, that were lost with the Fall of Man, rather than thinking about the terms Christ, or Messiah. St Paul did, rightly, equate Jesus with Adam after all. 

Here is an invitation to a Spring Workshop (March 18-20) with one of the topics being, "True Parents and the Completed Testament Age." It can be attended in person at a mountain retreat in West Virginia, USA, or on-line.

​Andrew and Marie Derricutt