This is the matter at hand; and I ask you, What is the matter?
The matter of the rapture has become of monumental importance, with Christians setting up opposing camps amongst themselves: listen to pastors that were raised up approximately one hundred years ago, to preach and teach scripture, and you will see, or should I say hear, that they believe in the rapture, and have had no trepidation lecturing from this misguided stand point. You may be thinking, Well who do you think you are, Linda Grace Byers? Are you a theologian? Did you go to Bible college? What gives you the right to question, let alone have a mocking tone, regarding what many believe, will happen in the near future?
My answer is simple and straightforward. I have the nerve to read scripture without the lens others have attempted to place over my eyes, and I have discovered from reading God's Word, that there are some historic events that must take place, before the entire world does indeed, see Jesus, on the clouds. Here are two of them:
1. There must be a great falling away, do to great delusion: in other words, the masses will be deceived because they do not love, embrace, and abide in the truth, which is righteous, but rather, they delight in their evil thoughts and deeds.
2. The son of perdition, Wicked, must take his place in the temple as God, presenting himself as though he actually is God, in direct opposition to the God of the universe that created you and me, and every thing that we see that is in the natural order, that sustains us.
Alas, scripture is plain for the reading, and the message straightforward for our understanding, as I indicated above, for those that are disinclined to spin the messages found there; and for those that would prefer to see truth as presented via the inspired word of God, rather than accommodate their own notions and beliefs (or the beliefs of their favourite pastor). What is truer than true, is this: the entirety of The Bible must be read and considered, before we piece together an understanding of eschatology, and we must not place within the picture, ideas or doctrines from our own imaginations, or by our own design or desire. The apostle Paul is plain in his speech, and to misconstrue what he states undoubtedly and obviously, is to take unholy liberties with scripture:
Do you take such liberties with the very essence of God's teachings? the very teachings entrusted to his divinely emboldened ministers and messengers?
Only those that deem themselves greater then Jesus, greater then God himself, have the nerve to state a rapture date; a date when he will return as Judge: Jesus made it clear that this date was none of our business. Our work and business is to believe in the one God hath sent, and to spread the Good News of the gospel. We are to rely upon and trust in, God's providential care, while we walk the earth, and for our eternity too, when the time comes for him to roll this place we call earth, up like a scroll.
Hear these words spoken by Jesus the prophet, the King of kings:
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only (Matthew 24:36)
Before I get too carried away with my own thoughts, let us go to 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12, for what Paul has to say, on the matter at hand:
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, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Let us digest together, what we just read:
The return of Jesus will not come, until there is first, a falling away, 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, showing himself that he is God.
Falling away, refers to mankind turning away from God with a preference to live free from accountability to, and gratitude toward, him. I generalize in this statement, because I could spend all day enumerating the ways humans deny and disregard God, and I am confident you could write a long list of all the ways you have done this too, as we all can, and yet... the falling away is so blatant and so obvious as to be an en mass apostasy. Think back with me to Noah and the arc, and the flood that drowned reprobate humanity for their gross and flagrant rebellious sins: this is what society on a global scale has become, grossly, flagrantly, and repugnantly rebellious, in their opposition to God's commands, and in opposition to Christ as The Way, The Truth, The Life.
This said, we must once again look at the scripture above for what presents as obvious regarding the rapture, following the falling away:
