SECRECY #16 - The Rapture
(Margaret MacDonald, John Nelson Darby & C.I. Scofield)
Today is the sixteenth part in the study about "secrecy." I know that today's topic might be upsetting to many (it was for me) but we need to face the truth - Jesus is the Truth, so there is no fear in questioning and researching.
I grew up believing in "Pretribulation Rapture" but I have just recently found out that we have not been told the whole story about the Rapture "theory".
Our topic today is "The Rapture".
We will begin by defining:
Rapture - the transporting of a person from one place to another, especially to heaven by supernatural means.
Did you know that the word "rapture" does NOT actually appear in our English bibles? I was shocked when I found that out.
Word etymology: rapt + ure
From the French & Latin. First used around 1600.
The meaning: An abduction, kidnapping or sudden and violent snatching away.
Did you also know that this theory did not become mainstream until the 1850's??
I was shocked at that also.
It supposedly started with a vision that a 15 year old Scottish girl (Margaret MacDonald) had around 1830. That's right - this entire theory was supposedly started by a teenager.
Now don't get me wrong - I believe that the gift of prophecy is real (we recently did a series on "The Spiritual Gifts" - click HERE to read "Spiritual Gifts Part#3"). I also believe that our Heavenly Father can and does work through people of all ages, classes and races but this just seemed suspicious to me.
Now we move onto John Nelson Darby who is considered to be the father of modern dispensationalism (pre-tribulation rapture). There are many scholars who believe that he implemented this rapture theory from Margaret MacDonald's vision. The reason that scholars believe the vision and Darby's implementation are linked is because he established Pre-trib rapture in the 1830's. That is quite a date coincidence since it is the exact same time as Margaret's vision.
I need to clarify again - I am NOT limiting our Heavenly Father - He can indeed give two people the same vision at the same time but I am getting to proof soon.
First we have to talk about the third and final person who is credited with making this theory mainstream and that is C. I. Scofield. Scofield brought this theology to America and eventually created the "Scofield Reference Bible" (which is widely used today). There is much scandal around Scofield - he accepted bribes, stole political contributions intended for a senator by forging signatures, abandoned his wife and two daughters and was a heavy drinker.
Another clarification - Yes, maybe Scofield changed when he truly found Jesus. After all, before Paul became a follower of Christ he was most likely responsible for putting early Christians in prison and even having them killed.
Now to my proof. I believe that the "rapture" is actually the evil getting removed (which matches with the word etymology above "violent snatching away"). A few years ago I did a series on the book of Jude. Within this small book of the Bible, Jude quotes from the book of Enoch (click HERE to read "Jude part#4 - Apostates Depraved & Doomed")
The book of Enoch is no longer in our Bibles (it still remains in the Ethiopian Bible which is considered to be one of the earliest versions). If we believe that the Bible is inspired by God, then since Jude quoted directly from the book of Enoch - that should prove that Enoch is inspired also. The verses in Jude in the white box below is the exact quote from Enoch.
I only shared that verse from Jude to validate my next quote taken from 1 Enoch. See below - it says that all the wicked and godless are to be removed!!!
The wicked being removed has happened often in the Old Testament. Let's think about Noah & the flood - the wicked were washed away while Noah and his family were kept safe in the boat. Or the Israelites crossing the Red Sea - the Egyptians were removed by being destroyed when they were engulfed by the water.
This view of Christians being "raptured" during the tribulation just makes Christians lackadaisical. I can't tell you how many times I've heard my fellow Christians say "I won't be here for the torture so I don't have to worry." Even saying that to non-Christians. It's like saying "nanana - you have to endure Armageddon and I don't."
Rapture theology may not be "secret" per se, but it certainly has not been clear and honest in its creation and implementation.
Other Secrecy Posts:
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