Would anyone notice if the rapture happened?

There is some book series and a movie about being left behind after the rapture. I was talking to the lead preacher today, the brat and I had a thought and called him about it. We had been talking about the state of the church (body of believers). The bible says that many will come to Jesus calling his name and he will tell him that he never knew them. That is not a condemnation of Atheists, that is his response to many people who think they are christians and are not because they give no fruit and have no love in their hearts.

Lets try this. Lets say there was a deadly pandemic that came through killing believers and non-believers; but, it only killed believers who actually bore the right fruit. There would still be followers of Benny Hinn around, there would still be many people who call themselves christians and do not love others as they love themselves. I have a Question for Christians and Non-Believers.

For Christians, how would you know that the rapture happened? Would the fact that many were still here and still calling themselves christians make you believe the rapture had not happened? How would you know that all the true faithful had all left? Your church would have plenty of members left according to the bible and what Jesus said.

For Non-Christians, how would you know if the Rapture happened? Can you tell who is a Christian and who calls themselves christians and are not, do you lump us all together? Do you care who really is a follower of Jesus's principles and who is not, can you separate the hypocrites from the spiritual vermin? If you cannot then you would miss it too.

We have seen an increase in earthquakes, we have seen an increase in volcanic activity, we have seen an increase in wars, we have seen a bee die off (that means we will see more famines), we have seen a great falling away from the church, we have seen an increase in communication and travel, all things that were predicted in the New Testament. Now here is the real question, what prediction in the bible would you have to see to know that we are truly in the end times? Not, morons like Camping predicting the end of the world, is there anything that the bible predicted that if it happened you would believe we are in the end times? If everyone was required to accept an invisible tattoo in order to buy or sell, would that impress you? Is there anything that could convince you that we were in the end times? We have been so polluted by false prophets and false prophesies, how would you even know if Revelations was true anymore? Have a great weekend.

The word “rapture” does not appear in the Bible. The concept comes from 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4, verse 17:

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

The Greek word for “caught up” is harpazo, and it literally means “snatch.” (I can see why Christians invented the word “rapture.” If we went around saying we were “waiting for the Snatch,” we would be mocked endlessly.)

Another important word in that passage is “meet.” The Greek word is “apantesis.” It means to go out and meet and come back with.

Every time this is used in the Bible, it talks about a group of people who travel out a short distance to greet someone and then all of them immediately go back to the place where the group came from.

Here’s another important passage:

1 Corinthians 15: 50-52:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

The Greek word for “last” is eschatos. Last in time sequence, and last in a series.

Those who claim that the Church will be raptured before the Tribulation say it will occur at the last trumpet, which they say is before the Anti-Christ’s 7-year reign, but then, they go on to say that there will be seven more trumpets after that. (Seven of the 21 judgments in Revelations are accompanied by the angelic blowing of a trumpet.) Those seven trumpets are in a series. So the last one is when the Snatch happens. Problem is, the seven trumpet judgments happen in the middle of the Book of Revelation. Revelation is always treated as a completely sequential series of events, and here is the Rapture happening in the middle or perhaps the end of the Tribulation.

Another important word in that last passage is “mystery.” The Greek word is “mysterion,” meaning hidden or secret thing. Guess where else it is used? In Revelations 10:7, when the 7th trumpet is blown. The last trumpet.

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets”.

The mystery of God is finished. And the rapture is called a mystery. So the rapture finishes at the time of the 7th trumpet. Not years before.

Now here is the real question, what prediction in the bible would you have to see to know that we are truly in the end times?

reply to post by AQuestion

I'm pretty sure the rapture was thought up by the plymouth brethren I could be wrong and feel free to correct me.
I've read revelations and find it fascinating but until I see something along the lines of "And the eighth angel appeared and and proclaimed Cody and friends your time is up" It's still just a good read. You could read The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy and draw parallels with the world situation, doesn't make it fact.

Off to work in a minute so won't be able to reply for a while

Peace

Now that 2012 is out of the way, the only doomsday scenario we have left is Revelations.

One day people will wonder why everyone became nervous as days came and went without so much as a whisper.

Unless you go out of your way to hurt people in your day to day life, I don't see what the problem would be if the rapture happened. Kind of defeats the purpose to be scared of an event like that if you lived a decent life doing the best you could.

reply to post by cconn487


Good reply
And why do so many people seek the end of days when life is for living, not dreading ?

reply to post by Snsoc


Dear Snsoc,

You did not answer my question and I did not say I believed in the rapture. I asked if it was real and happened, how would you know?

reply to post by cody599


Dearcody599,

Again, funny how nobody wanted to answer what I asked. How would you know if it was true, that is the question.

reply to post by cconn487


Dear cconn487,

My question was simple for both believers and non, how would you know if the rapture happened?

Originally posted by cody599
reply to post by cconn487

 

Good reply

And why do so many people seek the end of days when life is for living, not dreading ?

Dear cconn487,

No, he gave an unresponsive answer. I did not say it was end times, I did not say that I sought end times, I did not say I believed in the rapture, I asked something much simpler. I asked how would you know if the bible was correct. Maybe one person will actually respond to what I did ask; but, I doubt it and you did not.

reply to post by AQuestion

As it is fiction the question is mute. Maybe that's why no one answered it ?
Man i hate replying on my phone

reply to post by cody599


Dear cody599,

LOL, really, ATS doesn't believe in asking hypothetical questions? I thought this was a place to ask questions and deny ignorance, fortunately for us all knowledge begins and ends with you, no need for questions, we just need to listen to you.

Originally posted by AQuestion

Originally posted by cody599
reply to post by cconn487

 

Good reply

And why do so many people seek the end of days when life is for living, not dreading ?

Dear cconn487,

No, he gave an unresponsive answer. I did not say it was end times, I did not say that I sought end times, I did not say I believed in the rapture, I asked something much simpler. I asked how would you know if the bible was correct. Maybe one person will actually respond to what I did ask; but, I doubt it and you did not.

That would depend on your veiw point My parents are devout christians and would argue yes. I would also argue yes as a non religious person. Otherwise we are living in hell and hell isn't supposed yo be this much fun

Well there are over 7 billion people on the planet. Even if only a quarter or even say half were one day to vanish, you still wouldn't have an answer to the question.

It could be the rapture, or 2.5 billion people spontaneously ceased to exist somehow without a higher force guiding the action.

It would be the first thing to come to my mind if something like that were to happen though.

reply to post by cody599


Dear cody599,

That would depend on your veiw point My parents are devout christians and would argue yes. I would also argue yes as a non religious person. Otherwise we are living in hell and hell isn't supposed yo be this much fun

Again, try answering what I asked, I did not ask if you would know, I asked how you would know. Very simple and very clear. I could care less how "devout" your parents are, that does not mean they love others as they love themselves. Devout just means they go through the motions, it does not mean they bear fruit.

reply to post by AQuestion


No I believe I already addressed that in my previous reply if the rapture had happened we are in hell and hell isn' supposed to be this much fun. Forgive me but now I have to go to my bench and create a rather lovely pair of doors

Originally posted by cconn487
Well there are over 7 billion people on the planet. Even if only a quarter or even say half were one day to vanish, you still wouldn't have an answer to the question.

It could be the rapture, or 2.5 billion people spontaneously ceased to exist somehow without a higher force guiding the action.

It would be the first thing to come to my mind if something like that were to happen though.

edit on 16-2-2013 by cconn487 because: (no reason given)

Dear cconn487,

Thank you for a responsive answer. That is the point, if there is a rapture, those left behind would never know. Which brings me to the second part, is there anything the bible predicted that if you saw it happen would convince you it was correct? If I saw a natural half human and half ape evolve into humans, I would seriously reconsider my beliefs. If it were done with gene splicing, I would care less. It would be proof of nothing to me. If it happened in nature, I would real serious questions about my own beliefs. The thread has been up for about an hour and no believers responded, I asked both believers and non-believers.

Originally posted by cody599
reply to post by AQuestion

 

No I believe I already addressed that in my previous reply if the rapture had happened we are in hell and hell isn' supposed to be this much fun. Forgive me but now I have to go to my bench and create a rather lovely pair of doors

Dear cody599,

Enjoy making your doors. I have worked with wood. As for your your doctrine that there is no earth and only heaven and hell, I strongly disagree. There is life and free will where we get to decide which we choose.

ok idk if i should even comment on this but here i go it says in the bible and i quote in caps THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN DOSE NOT COME WITH OBSERVATION jesus says he will come like a thief now as for the rest of the work do your homework and quit thinking literal the rapture is a change in perception and being shown a christ like view now if you can observe that within your self well then you have come a long way and need to go even further lol GL and may god bless follow jesus and not your pasture i leave that one up to you theres my two pennies have fun with em i could go on but im tired op if you want to talk personally u2u me and ill give you what i know

Originally posted by GRS1234
ok idk if i should even comment on this but here i go it says in the bible and i quote in caps THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN DOSE NOT COME WITH OBSERVATION jesus says he will come like a thief now as for the rest of the work do your homework and quit thinking literal the rapture is a change in perception and being shown a christ like view now if you can observe that within your self well then you have come a long way and need to go even further lol GL and may god bless follow jesus and not your pasture i leave that one up to you theres my two pennies have fun with em i could go on but im tired op if you want to talk personally u2u me and ill give you what i know

Dear GRS1234,

I am seeking responsive answers, how would you know if the rapture occurred and is there anything that was predicted in the bible that would convince you if it happened. Answer those and we can discuss any questions you have as I started this thread.

reply to post by AQuestion


i see im sorry for being a little ass haty about it ty for being nice about it but i believe the rapture is a new "pure" outlook on life a rebirth so to speak and i havent seen much scripture on it since its a AD after death term and if you beleive literally that god is going to save you from the world blowing up and satan coming to rule or w/e then im sorry to say theres not much to discuss between us because it is a polar oposite of my view one lol well everything i really havent read your thread only the title but im going to go back and read it now so i can contribute in some way please before you reply to this let me read over your thread and post again thanks