“The rapture is an eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurrected believers, will rise “in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” The origin of the term extends from Paul the Apostle’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians in the Bible, in which he uses the Greek word harpazo, meaning “to snatch away” or “to seize,” and explains that believers in Jesus Christ would be snatched away from earth into the air. The idea of a rapture as it is currently defined is not found in historic Christianity, and is a relatively recent doctrine. The term is used frequently among fundamentalist theologians in the United States. Rapture has also been used for a mystical union with God or for eternal life in Heaven. This view of eschatology is referred to as premillennial dispensationalism, which is a form of futurism” – Wikipedia
For the Wikipedia that is pretty good.
Another simple search:
noun
- The state of being transported by a lofty emotion; ecstasy.
- An expression of ecstatic feeling.
- The transporting of a person from one place to another, especially to heaven, by supernatural means.
Point one again is pretty good too because it describes modern mega church movements main focus. Pure emotion and experience. Encounters with the supernatural. Sounds much like Ignatius of Loyola who shut himself in a cave to pray and do penance during his sojourn in the city from March 1522 to February 1523, where he wrote the Spiritual Exercises that many Christian retreats and experiential conferences are based upon or have their roots in.
Ed Jarrett agrees and says “Rapture is not a word that is found in Scripture. But it is used to describe a very biblical doctrine; the return of Christ and the gathering up of his elect. This doctrine is central to the hope that we have as believers” He uses the NIV which aligns with Rome too like Ignatius.
DR. DAVID JEREMIAH who by this own site tells me he is one of Americans most trusted Bible teachers and who can be seen on TV and heard on radio also seems to agree: “In summary, the Rapture is an event where all who have put their trust in Christ, living and deceased, will suddenly be caught up from earth, be joined with Christ in the air, and taken to heaven. Paul describes the Rapture in 1Thessalonians 4:13-18.”
He has a brochure too with a Revelation prophecy chart so I so I do not even need to read it! (the bible) That is exceptionally generous of him you have to admit. He preaches about a natural disaster in his home state where he was going to preach about the rapture. He compares the massive evacuation that occurred there with his sermons title that he changed to the same name. He says that church was full that day. It seems people wanted to hear that message. He goes on to talking about Jumbo jets crashing because their pilot was “evacuated” mid-flight and similar situation with buses and cars. Doctors disappear as do patients in the middle of procedures. The stadium was full as he creates a fictional account from his imagination as I have never heard Jesus speak of this. David continues his sermon one of which I have personally heard numerous times and I admit he had me. He seems like a very good man indeed. I liked him.
Something else I have head lately when searching is my favourite. “Rapture Ready” I am thankful for the site raptureready.com for this excellent information.
“Rapture critics like to claim that the word “rapture” is not located in the Bible. It may not be in the King James, but the word “rapture” is found in the Bible, if you have the Latin Vulgate produced by Jerome in the early 400s. The Vulgate was the main Bible of the medieval Western Church until the Reformation. It continues to this day as the primary Latin translation of the Roman Catholic Church. It was Protestants who introduced the word “rapture” into the English language from the Latin raeptius. It was Jerome’s Vulgate that translated the original Greek verb harpazo used by Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in 1 Thes. 4:17, which is usually translated into English with the phrase “caught up.” The leading Greek Lexicon says that harpazo means “snatch, seize, i.e., take suddenly and vehemently.” This is the same meaning of the Latin word rapio “to seize, snatch, tear away.” It should not be surprising to anyone, that an English word was developed from the Latin which we use today known as “rapture.” (4)”
He gives us two excellent points. The source of the Latin word and that protestants introduced it! Unfortunately, he does not mention that the church did not teach this (Not Roman I mean) until the 1800’s but that really is a small detail, isn’t it? I must admit the website title is catchy as is the phrase, rapture ready. I then thought of marketing a T-Shirt but as you can see someone already beat me to it. Like I already said The Jerry Stadium was full and I am certain a very generous offering was forthcoming to further his important ministry. The Pope I am sure is smiling.
