We all have days when we wish and pray for an escape from the difficulties of day-to-day life. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons for developing an escapist eschatology that includes the poorly thought out idea of rapture. (“Eschatology” is our fifty-cent theological term for the day. It means “last things,” that is, theological ideas about the future, what is to come.)
Apart from the fact that the word “rapture” doesn’t appear anywhere in the Bible, it is a misguided concept for several other reasons. It’s good news for a few, but terrible news for those who miss the boat, or ejection seat or whatever it is. What about those who are left behind? (Left behind. Isn’t there a wildly successful fiction series with that name?) Rapture is decidedly bad news for those folks . . . and those animals and trees and hills and streams.
Of course there is another alternative in the rapture-believers’ eschatology: All God’s beloved, diverse creation becomes homogenized into a single, bland, fear-filled sameness where everyone agrees on everything.
Eternal damnation for the majority or eternal sameness in thought and deed—these are just two different forms of hell. They are ideas that don’t square with a God who knows all of us before we are born and made all creation out of love.
We read Genesis 1 in church yesterday. It took a while, but it was well worth it. It’s an amazing, entertaining story of a loving Creator’s desire to make a sustainable world and be in eternal relationship to it. God’s love and desire for diversity in creation is clear from the beginning. All along the way, God says, “It is good.” And on the day God’s work is finished, we read, “It is very good.”
(A prayer:) “Great job, God! Way to go! Thanks for making us and loving us. And thank you for giving us the prayer of Christ, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.’”
God’s plan is for the kingdom of heaven to come to earth, not the other way around. Yikes! I better stop throwing all those plastic bags in landfills.
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Comments » 8
recruit writes:
Dear Sir
I can't see suitable topic and ask you here...
The question: what do you think about the war in Iraq?
Guys from SC are in Iraq.
For example this guy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slagheap...
eaglewingstf writes:
I was raised to believe in the "rapture". I realize the word itself is not in the bible, but the concept is. When the story is told of the "dead in Christ" being caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds...one being left and one being taken...etc. Whatever term you would like to call it; this is the story of the rapture. However, I am with you on the idealogy of Jesus coming back to the earth to set up His kingdom. We are charged with the task of taking care of the earth as a show of respect for our Creator. God created this "very good" place with the idea of coming back here at some point to reign as its King. Nothing about our world today makes it "fit for a King". We have failed to honor and respect this great place in the way it was meant from its creation.
There are many aspects of the rapture that are not clear. I choose to believe it is a means of introducing us to the place Jesus left here to go prepare for us. I believe it IS His intention to return to this earth to establish his Kingdom for a thousand year reign AFTER he has shown us our Heavenly residence. :P If I am misinterpreting the meaning behind the story...I'm ok with that as well. Some things are questioned entirely too much. I suppose we are all a little selfish in our desires, but I have an idea that God will restore the earth to its original glory before setting up His kingdom here. I don't care if it happens before or after a rapture. I don't care if there is a rapture. My goal is to be able to fellowship with the Lord...whether it be by being called up to meet Him in the air or Him coming down to be with us here. I long to be in His presence. PERIOD.
frankm#245371 writes:
Pastor Young,
I don't get to read the blogs very often, so I just recently came across this one. Are you still checking comments to this article? I would like to discuss it with you further.
Thanks,
Frank Morgan
Spider writes:
What evidence is there that 'the rapture' has not already come .. and gone?
cloudy01 writes:
I listen to many preachers and teachers, but one things for sure, I read the word for myself. And the Lord reveals to me that HIS children will be taken up first before this earth is distroyed along with the unbelievers.
Revelation 21
1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Starrmom writes:
You may be right--or wrong but I didn't like the flippancy of this article.
firstace writes:
Having faith in the Bible without an understanding of its formation is truly blind faith subject to manipulation.
In keeping with the Old Testament (OT), initially the authors of the first historical manuscripts that many years later formed, in part, the basis of the New Testament (NT) wrote of the return of Jesus as though it was to be within their own lifetime.
First century Christian expectations were for a savior to come and deliver them from their current suffering under Roman rule. They anticipated a Messiah, prophesized in the OT, as one who would lead them physically out of bondage, as in the story of Moses. These letters or manuscripts of early authors of the Christian faith wrote with that same belief in mind that Jesus was the one who would return within their immediate lifetime. The Jewish people would then enjoy salvation and freedom from their current suffering by establishment of his throne on earth.
However, as time passed into centuries without Jesus' return, textual changes began to be made to various manuscripts, in order to re-position the faith toward a rejoining with Christ in a heavenly hereafter - not on earth, rapture or otherwise.
For a scholarly, historical study of the formation of what we refer to as the NT, people of faith might be interested in reading two books: Jesus, Interupted, and Misquoting Jesus both by B. Ehrman. I will caution that the author after several years in his seminary education to practice in ministry became agnostic in that he does not believe that one can provide any evidence to prove there is a God. That said, many will find the books intriguing and based on the historical record which, he indicates, is taught in leading seminaries.
CR0MAGN0N writes:
The word "Bible" isn't in the Bible either.
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