Rejecting RAPTUREMANIA: An Orthodox Look at a Dubious Doctrine

by John Peck

The word does not exist in the English Bible. It comes from the Latin Vulgate version of 1 Thessalonians 4;17.

In this verse, St. Paul uses the verb ἁρπαγησόμεθα (harpagisometha), which means "caught up" or "taken away", with the connotation that this is a sudden event. The dictionary form of this Greek verb is harpazō (ἁρπάζω). The Latin Vulgate Bible translates the word ἁρπαγησόμεθα as rapiemur, from the Latin verb rapio meaning "to catch up" or "take away". It is from this that the word Rapture comes in it's theological context.

many different beliefs about it

The beginnings of modern Rapture theology are rooted in premillenialism, a step-child of the Protestant reformation. Premillenialism is simply the heresy of chiliasm – the belief that Jesus' reign at his return will last 1,000 years. This has been solved for the Church and you can see the results in the Nicene Creed (“His Kingdom will have no end”). You can find plenty on the origin of the Rapture online in many places, but suffice it to say that no one, anywhere in history, ever believed in the Rapture until nearly the 19th century.

– if the Rapture is so blatantly a part of the Bible, then why did no one figure it out for over 1,800 years?

It all began in the 19th century, with Edward Irving, a Scottish clergyman, and John Nelson Darby, a member of the Plymouth Brethren.

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield embraced Darby's views about the Rapture, and placed them prominently in the footnotes of his Scofield Reference Bible, published in 1909, and which was widely used in England and America. Once the Rapture appeared in the Scofield Reference Bible, it spread like fire among fundamentalist protestants and throughout the budding Protestant denominations which appeared in the 19th century.

In the 1970's Hal Lindsey's book “The Late, Great Planet Earth” spurred interest in prophecy studies again, and the Rapture played a prominent part of Prophecy studies at large, and sales skyrocketed.

Sensationalism, pure and simple, has had a lot to do with the expanding belief in the Rapture.

"Date setters",

a countdown clock to the extinction of their own ministries. (William Miller, Charles Taize Russell, Harold Camping, etc.)

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”- Matthew 24:36

"Date teasers", share the same rhetoric of urgency that the "end is very soon", but refuse to set a specific date. This includes folks like Hal Lindsay, Tim LaHaye, Grant Jefferies, Jack Van Impe, Pentecostals, Baptists, Christadelphians, and more. There's more money in this, as the date never passes, but is always getting closer!

At the Second Coming of our Lord, there will be no possible doubt. We will know it – it will be impossible not to know it. He will come "In the clouds of heaven," -Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7 "As the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west." - Matthew 24:27 "Every eye shall see Him!" -Revelation 1:7 "The dead will rise from their graves!" -I Thessalonians 4:16 "Time will stop! The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat!" -2 Peter 3:10

The Lord and the Church gives us these teachings to do what all the faith is suppose to do: Strengthen and motivate us toward Endurance, Faithfulness, Hope, Confidence, and Love.

NONE of this was ever taught prior to 1812, and that all forms of Pre-Tribulation Rapture teaching were developed since that date?

The Roman Catholic Church does not teach it (though many Catholics believe it, based on their following of Protestant Rapture teachers).

with the advent of the Charismatic renewal, and its characteristic propensity for excitement, and no discernment of spirits, Rapturemania found fertile ground.

The purpose of the “Rapture” is to protect the elect from the tribulations of the end times. Yet Jesus said nothing about sparing anyone from tribulation. In fact, He said, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”- John 17:15 “In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33