Secret Rapture, with Love from Vatican

It is important that we examine the basis of the doctrine of Secret Rapture for this Secret Rapture doctrine was unknown before the 19th century and did not become a pillar doctrine within evangelicals until the first half of the 20th century.

At the outset, let me clarify that the doctrine of Rapture / Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 & 2 Thessalonians 4:16-17) is Biblical. However, I address the false doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation Secret Rapture which is not scriptural.

In 1590, Francisco Ribera, a Roman Catholic Jesuit, taught Futurism, the idea that most of Revelation was about the future rather than about the Catholic Church. He taught that the antichrist is one single individual who comes in the distant future.

Most reformers like Martin Luther, John Huss, John Wycliffe, and John Calvin firmly believed that the Papacy was the antichrist.

The Jesuit order was created as part of Counter-Reformation which the Catholic Church undertook in the Council of Trent in 1545. Jesuit Francisco Ribera was tasked with countering the current popular belief that Papacy is the Antichrist.

The Jesuit Francisco Ribera created Futurism and threw the antichrist in the distant future to safeguard the image of the Papacy.

Manuel Lacunza, a Jesuit Priest invented the Rapture. Manuel Lacunza (1731–1801), a Jesuit priest (under the Jewish pseudonym Juan Josafat Ben Ezra), wrote an apocalyptic work entitled "La venida del Mesías en gloria y majestad" (The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty).

The book appeared first in 1811 and in 1827, it was translated into English by the Scottish minister Edward Irving. In 1825, Irving accepted the One-Man Antichrist idea of Catholic Jesuit priests Robert Bellarmine and Francisco Ribera.

During the 1970s, belief in the rapture became popular in wider circles, because of 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.

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 was made into several movies and four real-time strategy video games.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Rapture happens at the Last Trumpet which coincides with the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus.

Revelation 11:15 - Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!

1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

The Trump of God sounded by the Archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16) is the Last Trumpet and it coincides with the Second Coming of Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

There Is a Shout, a Voice, a Trumpet. Have you ever heard of a Silent Trumpet?.

The Truth Is, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is one of the Noisiest verses in the Bible.

Look carefully: Jesus Christ comes down from Heaven with a shout and blowing of a trumpet. The dead rise. Then true believers are CAUGHT UP. Honestly, do you see anything here about vanishing Christians prior to the tribulation?

Ezekiel 33:3 - when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people,

Ezekiel 33:4 - then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.

Ezekiel 33:5 - He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life.

Ezekiel 33:6 - But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

Two Thousand years ago, at the End of His earthly life, Jesus Christ was Taken Up (Acts 1:9). This doesn't mean He disappeared from earth. Instead, in Full View of His wondering disciples, while they watched, He was Taken Up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9).

Acts 1:9 - Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

This event was highly visible. Luke said Jesus Christ was Taken up, and then Clouds are mentioned, just like Paul wrote about believers being Caught up...in the Clouds.

The Angels told the disciples that just as Jesus was literally and Visibly Taken up into the Clouds, even so would he come in like manner as they had seen him go into heaven.

Acts 1:11 - ...Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.

The Rapture (Second Coming) will be visible, just like the ascension of Jesus Christ.

Four times in verses John 6:39-54, Jesus clearly says the dead believers will be raised up on the Last Day.

However, the Pre-Tribulation Secret Rapture proponents teach that the dead believers will be raised up 7 years prior to the Last Day which is not scriptural according to the following verses.

John 6:39 - This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the Last Day.

John 6:40 - And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.

John 6:44 - No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.

John 6:54 - Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day.

John 11:24 - Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the Last Day.

The coming of Jesus will be as a thief in the night - Luke 12:39-40, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 3:3, Revelation 16:15.

Luke 12:39-40 - But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

No one knows the day or the hour of the return of our Lord Jesus - Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32.

Matthew 24:36 - But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

If the saints are raptured 7 years before the Second Coming, then the left behind christians can easily calculate the exact day of the Second coming. Everyone would know the day of the Second coming in this case.

Since, no one knows the day of the Second coming, Rapture can't happen 7 years before the Second Coming.

Pre-Tribulation Rapture teachers contend that the Church won't be here for Armageddon. Is this true? Let's look at what the Scripture says.

Revelation 16:15-16 - Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

Did you catch that? Who is Jesus talking to? To the Church! At the time of verse 15, while the seven plagues are falling and right before the battle of Armageddon, Jesus Christ has not yet come as a thief!

Therefore He must come like a thief after Armageddon, after the tribulation, and this must be the time when He comes to gather His Church.

Matthew 24:29 - Immediately After the Tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Matthew 24:30 - Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:31 - And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Jesus said that He would come After the Tribulation to Gather the Elect.

Matthew 24:27 - For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

The coming of jesus will be as the lightning that shines from east to west. This text makes it clear that Jesus' coming is anything but secret!

Matthew 24:30 - Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:31 - And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

All tribes of the earth would SEE Jesus (Matt 24:30) and while they are seeing, Jesus would send his angels to gather together (Rapture) His Elect (Matt 24:31). Rapture (Gathering the Elect) is a Visible event.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 - Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,

2 Thessalonians 2:2 - not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 - Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.

In verse 1, Paul mentions that the Second Coming of Jesus and Gathering Together (Rapture) refers to the same event - That Day.

Coming of Jesus = Gathering Together (Rapture)

In verse 2, That Day is called The Day of Christ.

Coming of Jesus = Gathering Together (Rapture) = Day of Christ

In verse 3, it is clear that the Antichrist will appear before the Rapture (Day of Christ / Gathering Together / Coming of Jesus)

Hence, Antichrist has to appear first, & persecute the saints before the Rapture (Second Coming).

2 Thessalonians 2:8 - And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

In verses 1-3 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, we found that the Rapture and Coming of Jesus is the same DAY. In verses 4-7, the identity and characteristics of the antichrist is described. In verse 8, Paul says that Jesus will destroy the antichrist during his return.

On the Same Day, Rapture happens & the antichrist is destroyed

Revelation 19:19 - And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him (Jesus) that sat on the horse, and against his army.

Revelation 19:20 - And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

It is clear that Rapture and Second Coming refer to the Same Day.

Matthew 24:22 - And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

If the Elect (saints) are raptured before the Tribulation, what is the need for the tribulation days to be shortened?

This verse states that The Elect is on the earth during Tribulation.

Daniel 7:21 - I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them

Revelation 13:7 - It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Antichrist makes war with the saints and prevails against them as per the above verses.

If the saints are raptured, how could the antichrist make war with the saints?

Revelation 14:15 - And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for The Harvest of the earth is ripe.

Revelation 14:16 - So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Revelation 14:19 - So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Matthew 13:30 - Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.

In these verses, it is clear that it is a Single Harvest where the reaping of the wheat (All Saints) happens at the Same Harvest (Same Time).

If Rapture of some saints happens 7 years prior to the Second Coming, there would be two categories of saints: Rapture Saints and Tribulation Saints. In this case, a Single Harvest of wheat (All saints) cannot happen.

To have a Single Harvest, Rapture should happen during the Second Coming when All the Saints (wheat) are gathered together at the same time.

Many claim that the church is not found in the book of Revelation after 4th chapter. On the contrary, we find saints on earth in Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4, & 13:7.

Revelation 5:8 - Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 8:3 - Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

Revelation 8:4 - And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.

Psalms 141:2 - Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Revelation 13:7 - It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

If the saints are in the earth during Revelation chapters 5, 8 & 13, it means that the church is still in the earth.

John 16:33 - In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Revelation 2:10 - Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

1 Thessalonians 3:4 - For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

Acts 14:22 - strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.

Revelation 13:7 - It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Revelation 12:17 - And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 7:14 - And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

All the disciples of Jesus were brutally murdered. Thousands of early Christians were torn to shreds by wild dogs inside the Colosseum.

Millions of others were horribly tortured by the Roman Catholic Inquisition and burnt to ashes during the Dark Ages.

Believers in Russia, China, Iran, Iraq have suffered terribly under communism & Islam and yet Christians say, "God wouldn't allow us to go through the tribulation.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 - so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure

On the lonely isle of Patmos, John was our Companion in Tribulation - Revelation 1:9

Jesus told His church in Smyrna, I know your works and tribulation - Revelation 2:9

In light of these Scriptures, the idea of Christians escaping tribulation seems like fantasy and illusion.

The greek word Parousia is used whenever the Rapture / Second Coming of Jesus is described in the Bible. This greek word Parousia is used only for one purpose i.e. to denote the Second Coming of Jesus.

There is no hint of secret coming in Greek. This is clear evidence that the Parousia definitely applies to the highly visible Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Go through the Greek to English Interlinear Bible.

Matthew 24 in Greek

Matthew 24:3 - Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming (Parousia), and of the end of the age?

Matthew 24:27 - For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming (Parousia) of the Son of Man be.

Matthew 24:39 - and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming (Parousia) of the Son of Man be.

1 Thessalonians 4 in Greek

1 Thessalonians 4:15 - For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming (Parousia) of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

2 Thessalonians 2 in Greek

2 Thessalonians 2:1 - Now, brethren, concerning the coming (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you

2 Thessalonians 2:8 - And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming (Parousia).

Matthew 24:26 - Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the Secret Chambers; believe it not.

Matthew 24:4 - And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you.

Matthew 24:5 - For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many.

Matthew 24:11 - Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Matthew 24:24 - For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Rapture teaching is to divert attention from the Papal Antichrist & the Real Great Tribulation from 538 A.D to 1798 A.D – 1260 years

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 - The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with All Power, signs, and lying wonders, and with All unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

To accomplish this deception, Roman Catholic priests Manuel Lacunza, Francisco Ribera, & Luis de Alcasar worked to create false theology like Secret Rapture, Futurism, Future fulfilment of Daniel 70th week & Preterism.

2 Corinthians 11:14 - And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 - Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.