False Rapture Teaching

Q

I very much believe that we are in the last days and believe that the rapture of the Church could happen at any time. When I read blogs like the one I’m sending you, I find myself feeling a bit confused. I feel excited that they seem to indicate the rapture is imminent, but I have a difficult time supporting their “prophecies” through the Bible. It is difficult to see how this could be a deception when the primary focus seems to be to encourage people to witness and tell others about Jesus because the time is short. The discussion about a “cataclysmic event” and then 3 days of darkness prior to the rapture, however, does not seem to line up with the Bible. What do you think?

A

The blog you referred me to is not a prophecy blog, in the sense that it’s devoted to the study of Bible prophecy. Instead it’s a diary containing the writings of a person who claims to have the gift of prophecy. I believe things like this should be subjected to careful scrutiny, applying Paul’s admonition to search the Scriptures to see if they’re true (Acts 17:11). If you see things that conflict with what the Lord has already revealed through His word, you know what the person is writing has not come from Him. This person’s claim that there will be a “cataclysmic event” and then 3 days of darkness prior to the rapture to give people one more chance to accept the Lord is an example of something that conflicts with what the Bible has revealed, and therefore should not be received as a word from the Lord.

Here’s the “deception” you’re not seeing. This person has inserted a couple of prior events before the rapture giving people the false idea that they’ll have a clear sign telling them to accept the Lord just before He takes the church. People who follow this false teaching will believe they can wait until they see the signs before making their decision. But Paul said the rapture will happen in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye (1 cor. 15:51-52) not at the end of a chain of prior signs. While these people are waiting for the signs, the rapture will happen and they’ll be left behind.