The Rapture
Fact or Fiction?
Recent History of the Rapture Doctrine
In 1957, John Walvoord, a theologian at Dallas
Theological Seminary, authored a book, The Rapture
Question, that gave theological support to the pretribulation rapture; this book eventually sold over
65,000 copies. In 1958, J. Dwight Pentecost authored
another book supporting the pre-tribulation rapture,
Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, which
sold 215,000 copies.
Recent History of the Rapture Doctrine
During the 1970s, belief in the rapture became popular
in wider circles, in part due to the books of Hal Lindsey,
including The Late Great Planet Earth, which has
reportedly sold between 15 million and 35 million
copies, and the movie A Thief in the Night, which based
its title on the scriptural reference in 1 Thessalonians
5:2. Lindsey proclaimed that the rapture was imminent,
based on world conditions at the time. The Cold War
figured prominently in his predictions of impending
Armageddon.
Recent History of the Rapture Doctrine
Other aspects of 1970’s global politics were seen as
having been predicted in the Bible. Lindsey suggested,
for example, that the seven-headed beast with ten
horns, cited in the book of Revelation, was the
European Economic Community, a forebearer of the
European Union, which between 1981 and 1986 had
ten member states; it now has 27 member states.
Recent History of the Rapture Doctrine
In 1995, the doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture was
further popularized by Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind series
of books, which sold tens of millions of copies and were
made into several movies.
Today, the doctrine of the rapture continues to be an
important component of American Evangelical Christian
eschatology.
The Rapture and Baptists
18. What is the SBC's stance on the end times?
There is no official stance in the SBC beyond what you
find in the Baptist Faith and Message. The views among
Southern Baptists regarding the end times are broad. If
you surveyed Southern Baptists, you would likely find
many who hold to the "Pre-Tribulational" view of the
rapture, others who hold to a "Mid-Trib" view, some to
a "Post-Trib" rapture, some who hold to historical
premillennialism, and perhaps even a few who don't
agree with any of these views.
http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/faqs.asp#18
Popular Preachers of the Rapture
John Walvoord
Hal Lindsey
Pat Robertson
Billy Graham
Tim LaHaye
Failed Rapture Predictions
1844 – William Miller predicted that Christ would return between March 21, 1843 and
March 21, 1844, then revised his prediction, claiming to have miscalculated Scripture,
to October 22, 1844.
1914, 1918, 1925, 1942 – Various dates predicted for the rapture by the Jehovah’s
Witnesses.
1981 – Chuck Smith predicted that Jesus would probably return by 1981.
1988 – Publication of 88 Reasons why the Rapture is in 1988, by Edgar C. Whisenant.
1989 – Publication of The final shout: Rapture report 1989, by Edgar C. Whisenant. This
author made further predictions of the rapture for 1992, 1995, and other years.
1992 – A Korean group, the Mission for the Coming Days, predicted that the rapture would
occur on October 28, 1992.
1993 – Multiple predictions were given for 1993, seven years before the year 2000; the
rapture would have to start to allow for seven years of the tribulation before the return
of Christ in 2000.
1994 – Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church in Los Angeles predicted that the rapture would
occur on June 9, 1994. Radio evangelist Harold Camping predicted September 6, 1994.
2011 – Harold Camping’s revised prediction had May 21, 2011 as the date of the rapture.
After this prediction proved inaccurate, he claimed that a non-visible "spiritual
judgment" had taken place, and that the physical rapture would occur on October 21,
2011. Both of Camping’s predictions failed.
Errors of the Rapture Doctrine
• First, the rapture doctrine takes 1 Thess. 4:16-17 out
of its context (4:13 – 5:11)
• The rapture doctrine teaches that the righteous will
be caught up and the wicked “left behind” on the
earth
• Paul is writing about how the righteous dead and the
righteous living will be caught up together; but, Paul
does not address the state of the wicked elsewhere
(1 Thess. 5:3,9; 2 Thess. 1:7-9)
Errors of the Rapture Doctrine
• Second, the rapture doctrine demands too many
“comings” of Jesus
• The rapture doctrine teaches that Jesus will “come”
secretly in the rapture for his saints, then he will
“come” again later with his saints at the end of the 7year tribulation (is it the 2nd or 3rd coming?)
• The truth is that Jesus will come only a “second
time” (Heb. 9:28) and that coming will be audible
and visible, not secretive (Acts 1:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:5254; 1 Thess. 4:16; 2 Pet. 3:10)
Errors of the Rapture Doctrine
• Third, the rapture doctrine allows for too many
“resurrections”
• The rapture doctrine allows for a “resurrection” at
the beginning of the rapture, at the end of the 7-year
tribulation, and at the end of the 1,000 year reign of
Christ on the earth
• The Bible teaches that there is only one resurrection
day for both the righteous and the wicked
(Jn. 5:28-29; 11:24; Acts 24:15)
Errors of the Rapture Doctrine
• Fourth, the rapture doctrine has Jesus coming for the
wrong reason – to rapture the saints away
• The rapture doctrine has Jesus coming for his saints
to protect them from “tribulation” and the “AntiChrist”; he will come with them at “Armageddon”
• The “tribulation” refers to the destruction of
Jerusalem (Mt. 24:9,21,29,35); the “anti-Christ”
refers to unbelievers in John’s day (1 Jn. 2:18,22; 4:3;
2 Jn. 7); and “Armageddon” (Har-Madedon) is
symbolic of God’s judgment upon Rome (Rev. 16:16)
Errors of the Rapture Doctrine
• Fifth, the rapture doctrine allows for the gospel to be
preached on the earth and the lost saved during the
7-year tribulation
• The rapture doctrine allows for a second-chance
opportunity to obey the gospel
• The Bible teaches that we have one opportunity now
to obey before Jesus comes again (2 Thess. 1:8-9)
The Truth About the Second Coming
( The Rapture is Fiction )
• It will be unannounced (Mt. 25:13; 1 Thess. 5:2-4)
• It will be visible, audible, and glorious (Mt. 25:31;
Jn. 5:28; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 2 Thess. 1:7)
• It will be for all people (Mt. 16:27; 25:31; Jn. 5:28-29;
2 Tim. 4:1)
• It will be final (Mt. 25:46; 1 Cor. 15:23-24; 2 Pet. 3:10)
• Are you ready for his second coming?