Is The Rapture Real?

 One of the most world renowned Bible Scholars of our time and someone I hold in high regard, had once described "The Rapture" as: "The Most Preposterous Belief of Biblical Christianity".  However, he goes on to explain (and I agree) that the more you study your Bible, as a whole, you come to the understanding that "The Rapture" is an essential part of God's plan.

When I first heard about "The Rapture", many years ago, my initial response was "Where does the Bible mention a rapture?" "That word isn't in MY Bible!".  Isn't it funny (or not), how defensive we can be about "what OUR Bible" says or doesn't say, especially when we haven't studied it...or for some, even opened it up to read it?

Something important to keep in mind is that whatever language the Bible we're reading is written in, it's a translated version of the original text, which was Hebrew and then Greek.  That being said, a lot can be "lost in translation".  Anyone that can speak or read more than one language knows this.  So, if we are to be diligent in our study of scripture, it's important to have the tools available that allow us to "dig down deeper" into the true meaning or root of certain words.  You'd be amazed at the difference in meaning or context when you compare say, an English translation of the Bible, with the original Hebrew or Greek.  

One tool that I like to use  is Strong's Concordance (The Blue Letter Bible): http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html

So, when we look at the passages in the Bible that reference the Rapture, this is what you'd see using the Blue Letter Bible (Strong's):

1 Thess 4:16 For G3754 the Lord G2962 himself G846 shall descend G2597from G575 heaven G3772 with G1722 a shout, G2752 with G1722 the voice G5456 of the archangel, G743 and G2532 with G1722 the trump G4536 of God: G2316 and G2532 the dead G3498 in G1722Christ G5547 shall rise G450 first: G4412
1 Thess 4:17 Then G1899 we G2249 which G3588 are alive G2198 andremain G4035 shall be caught up G726 together G260 with G4862them G846 in G1722 the clouds, G3507 to G1519 meet G529 the Lord G2962 in G1519 the air: G109 and G2532 so G3779 shall we G2071 G0 ever G3842 be G2071 with G4862 the Lord. G2962

After each "English" word (in this case) you see a letter G followed by numbers.  If we look at 1 TH 4:17, we can read in the English that "we which are alive, and remain, shall be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air".  Drilling down deeper, if you click the "number" after the phrase "caught up", you will be brought to this page: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G726&t=KJV  On this page you can see that the phrase "caught up" comes from, or originates from the Greek word "Harpazo".  You can also see the definition of this original Greek word Harpazo as: 1) to seize, carry off by force (without the consent of the owner),  2) to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly,  3) to snatch out or away. The word "Rapture" is derived from the Latin language.  In the Latin Vulgate translation of scripture, the word "Rapiemur" is used in place of Harpazo.  The translation of Rapiemur is "suddenly caught up".

Another clear reference to the Rapture can be seen here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A51-53&version=KJV

These passages that speak about the Rapture are clearly a separate "event", if you will, from the Second Coming (described in Revelation) where Christ returns to this earth and will literally stand on the Mount of Olives (as opposed to "the church" meeting Him "in the air") at the Rapture.

For a comprehensive explanation of the Rapture see the following video:

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