The Framing of the Rapture or Resurrection

Erin Franklin article THE FRAMING of the Rapture/Resurrection Modified by John Ashcraft In the late 90’s, a series of books called, “Left Behind” written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins was widely popular. It was my first introduction to what Christians call the “rapture/ resurrection”. In the books, a mass disappearance of millions began a domino effect of events described within the book of Revelation. It would be almost a decade later that I read the Bible to discover what was actually written about the resurrection. As eye opening and enthralling as the series was, it is simply someone’s interpretation wrapped in a whole bunch of fiction. What is NOT fiction is that there will absolutely be an “escape”; a “plucking away of certain ones”; a departing event for the ones who have TRULY put their trust in Jesus. Unfortunately, this will not include every pew dwelling, scripture quoting, choir singing, pulpit slapping, label wearing “Christian”. This first (main event) will be for the Spirit filled, born again believers. There is a stark difference. JA Note: There is also the Wrath of Lamb Earthquke which is global with the epicenter at the northern border of Israel where the Russian Army goes into a 45 mile deep grave. Every city and capital in the globe will feel this earthquake which is off the charts. It occurs 3 hours after the resurrection of the Saints. On to[p of this, you will also experience 3 days of literal darkness which is 72 hours of total darkness. This escape comes BEFORE the beast system of Revelation 13 (the “Mark”, etc) of which we can see ready for implementation at the word “go”. In fact, the timing of this mass exodus will herald the “need” for such an intricate, complicated system of electronic tracking. People will need to be digitized in order to keep up with things like food rationing and a world census. No matter your theological belief surrounding the what/ when/ how of the resurrection, there are two things we would all have to agree on: 1. An argument for the resurrection doctrine is solid 2. What is coming to the earth for the ones left is horrifying I want to break those points down into at least two later (hopefully shorter) posts. There are two main problems when understanding this event. The controversy begins with the word itself, “rapture/caught up”. The other is that people have “rightly divided” the Word to the point of splitting hairs and then splitting those. And I’m just going to say this- at the “Second Coming”, it’s ALL DONE. Our King is setting His feet on the Mt of Olives after this world has been entirely eradicated of evil. The Second Coming doesn’t need signs or anything else. It’s DONE. The word “rapture” is not found within the text. Only its meaning and the definitions of the word’s origin. The spin off issue of speculating based off of definition is this: people are taught that it looks a certain way and that it will happen a certain way. If it were that simple, there would not be division and discord on the subject. We have “pre-Tribbers”, “mid-Tribbers”, “post Tribbers”, pre-wrath post trib and other “labels”. We have rightly divided ourselves into little boxes and cannot even see that all the boxes, labels, and sides are needed to make the entire picture. The thing is, there will be MANY events coming that speak to the Day of the Lord and all fit within a varying definition. I DID NOOOOOT SAY MANY “RAPTURES”! There is only ONE “rapture/resurrection” but we have got to fully understand what it looks like. The Jewish traditions of “harvesting” hold a great key to this understanding. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” ‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-13‬ ‭ This next part is going to set me inside of some new “label” or “category” but I cannot argue scripture and have never minded being in small company. There is an upcoming “escape” that will remove a bulk of people quickly (the promise of Rev 3:10) but is not the picture of what we are taught “rapture/resurrection” to be. “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:40-42‬ ‭ We see this plucking away within the 5th and 6th seals. Martyrdom has existed since Stephen’s stoning in Acts.. and will continue well into the last of the very last years of time- as we know time. The multitude within the 6th seal is everyone having escaped the GREAT tribulation. “These are the ones coming out of great tribulation” Rev 7:14. This is either everyone that has and will die inside of Christ or the ones that are taken upon this very soon “escape”. ...Not the few that die inside of the last 1 year of earth’s time *after the Spirit filled are removed. This sounds harsh but the picture in your mind of “rapture/resurrection” being your disappearance from your air conditioned pew one fine day with your dainty dress, 8 rings, diamond earrings, and Gucci sandals all piled up nicely under you is NOT how we’re getting out of here. Jesus hugged and loved on friends that were boiled in oil, crucified upside down, stoned, beaten, and imprisoned for His Holy Name. The teaching of getting a free ticket out of here didn’t happen for the early and FAITHFUL Church and it won’t happen for this late and SLEEPY Church either! (For the record- I AM NOT A POST-TRIBBER. 🙂 In fact, I’m not sure there is a label for people that argue the definition- not the timing.) Don’t label me and quit putting yourself under labels. Read it and understand it for yourself, QUICKLY. “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” ‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭2:1-4‬ ‭ There has to be an apostasy (escape, taking away of certain ones while others fall deeper into deception) before our “gathering to Him”. This apostasy will continue until the world system- that is currently ready for its leader- is implemented. JA Note: Antichrist time line, Daniel's time line. Obama AC. 1947 plus 62 weeks equals 2009 (Psalm 109; Covenant of Many, Norwegian Peace Medallion, Haggai 2 9th month, 24th day; 10 year tribulation starts), 1260 days, 2013 trip to Israel during Passover week (Psalm 113; 7 year tribulation starts). 1290 days, 2016 Day of Trumpet new moon event, Great Trib starts (Rev 12-19). 1260 days, 2020, 30 days (1290 days), 45 days (1335 days). Rapture on Day of Trumpet New Moon 1 year before Armageddon on Day of Atonement. Then, there is a “final harvest” of BAM, “poof” for those that will enter in to the Blessed Hope. For those, it happens inside the “twinkling of an eye”- “for those still alive and remain” and that transformation within “time” is instantaneous. I will show you this using the Old Testament prophets while inside of Paul and John’s books. This “harpazo” happens later than what is popularly taught. BUT! If you missed it the first few times within this article- there is an ESCAPE! Even Revelation speaks of varying events and instead of deepening the understanding of those events, the common teaching puts “this” and “that” into places of “here” and “there”. God’s timing and the way of taking peoples (all the same “Body”) are for the same overall purpose but are different in timing because of the “who”. Believe me when I tell you- I desperately want to BELIEVE that it’s all the same event and is as simplistic as “poof” Rev 4 door- like the majority “says”. But. SCRIPTURE says that theory is off. If you’re still believing a Rev 4 theory, you’re asleep to what’s going on in the world and are holding to it because Reverend/ Pastor/ Brother so-and-so believes it, too. I’ll say it this way- you’ve never read it *(and thought it through)* with Wisdom. I believe, although at some point in our history before the world was at our fingertips, this theory would have made sense. To a mind in this century, however, you need to let it go and dig back in to get it RIGHT. Too many people have been lulled to sleep with this notion that Christians of this wicked day somehow are exempt from worldwide economic disasters that include food shortages, plagues and death. That we’ll never see persecution in America before “poof”. W A K E. U P!! We’re choosing “sides” because of certain labels but there is only One Way this all fits together. The understanding of “rapture” comes from the Latin word “rapio”. A rapio has any of about 60 definitions. Things like looting/ stealing; catch/ snatch/ seize; hasten/ speed/ hurry. The word rapture also comes from the Greek word, “harpazo”. There are only a few places in which this particular word is used specifically used within the NT. This has a more specific definition that we are more comfortable with: Strong's #726: harpazo (pronounced har-pad'-zo) “from a derivative of 138; to seize (in various applications):--catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).” Other words: Resurrection, change, raised up, Arose, Arise, ascend up, gather, delivere, set up, brought up. I’ll attempt to break all of this down further, very soon, but time is so short and life is keeping me busy. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I’m pressed to encourage those that are looking for our Blessed Hope to keep studying. Keep reading. But KEEP PREPARING YOUR HEARTS. Brace yourselves for things to unfold differently than what the pulpit has taught you. One last thing about “harpazo”: One of the places that word is literally used (in Greek) is at a point that John saw it happen. He saw a “harpazo” at Revelation 12:5. By now you guys SHOULD KNOW the Rev 12:1-2 sign appeared in literal and observable measures for the same length of time as a human gestation period (40 weeks). It was completed on September 23, 2017. It clarified for us, and put the argument to bed, that the Book of Revelation can be taken as literal within the spiritual imagery. We are awaiting the fireballs of Revelation 12:3-4 as of now. Careful not to choke on the mockery. You can look up some facts and draw your own conclusions. Our planet is in a debris field- have something like 48 known asteroids being monitored by NASA (plus the ones we hear about the next day because they didn’t see that one coming), have the impeccable timing of the release of CIA documents telling us of UFO/ ET activity (y’all don’t fall for that when the time comes), and the “upcoming” exercise for a worldwide impact event (that I believe we are currently in- Cv being the “exercise”). You can’t call facts conspiracy. Someone knows the time is here for some things to happen. Please wake up, guys. This is the generation. It’s coming. Time is short. Pray your hour of departure is here. The days afterward are the worst earth will ever endure. The other places “harpazo” is mentioned is the heart of understanding the full meaning of “rapture”. In hopes of keeping these “Revealing Revelation” posts short, I will circle back to timing and actual events of “a plucking away/ escape” and “harpazo” soon. Feast of trumpets (Lev. 23:23-25) – Rapture of the saints (Deut 24:5; Isa 34:8, 61:1-2, 63:4; Psalm 18 (1918), 118 (2018), 120 (2020), 121 (2021- Millennium); Amos 8:5 New Moon; 1 Thess. ‪2:19‬; ‪3:13‬; ‪4:13-17‬; ‪5:23‬; 1 Cor. ‪15:23‬, 51-58; Eph. 5:27; Col. 3:4; 2 Thess. 2:1,7-8; Jas. 5:7-8; 1 Jn. ‪2:28‬; Jn. 14:1-3; Lk. 21:36; Rev. 2:8-11, 25; 3:10; 4:1; 6:12 axial pole shift; 8:5 global earthquake, and 3 days of darkness). Sept 17-23. Hour: Midnight (Matt 25:6)/NOON (Amos 8:9). Sept 17-23, 2020.