With a Subtitle: A Biblical and historical defense of the Rapture against modern criticism

A brief Excerpt: Is the Rapture of the church a recent theological invention, or is it rooted in Scripture? This article examines the Biblical, historical, and theological case for the Rapture and answers common objections.

The Author is: Debra Hodges

Editor’s Note:

The article that follows is a rebuttal to an article by Tanner on Truth & Myths: The Rapture, where he attempts to discredit the dispensational view of Jesus returning for His people.

A Biblical Christian View of the Rapture of the Church

The Biblical Christian view of the Rapture is that Jesus Christ will take His church to Himself before God’s full wrath is poured out in the end times. In most English Bibles, the word “rapture” doesn’t appear. However, the idea comes from verses like 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, where Paul says that “the dead in Christ will rise first” and that “the living believers will be caught up … to meet the Lord in the air.”

The Rapture is a real event that will happen in the future from a traditional dispensational Christian point of view. It is based on Christ’s promise to return for His people. It’s about hope, salvation, and God’s faithfulness to His church. Jesus said to His followers, “I will come again and take you to myself” (John 14:3). This is part of the blessed hope that Titus refers to for believers.

Titus 2:13 - Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Different Christian Views on the Timing of the Rapture

Christians disagree on when the Rapture will occur. Some people believe in a pre-tribulation view, which says that the church will be taken before the seven-year tribulation. Others believe in mid-tribulation or post-tribulation views. Finally, there are those (amillennialists) who believe Christ will come back for His children but do not believe in a separate rapture. All true Christians believe that Christ will come back, the dead will rise, and believers will be with the Lord forever.

The Rapture Should Produce Readiness, Not Date-Setting

As to the timetable for these end-time events, we are told clearly that we are to be looking for signs (Acts 1:7) and to be ready (2 Peter 3:11-12) but those who desire to predict specific dates for the rapture are wasting their time (Matthew 24:44).

The Bible tells believers to be alert, prepared, and loyal. The hope of seeing Christ should make us want to be pure and holy as He is holy (even though our sin nature makes that a goal but not ultimately possible).

1 John 3:2-3 - Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

The Rapture and End-Times in general serve as a reminder to the church that this world is not our ultimate residence. Biblical Christians should never put our faith in governments, culture, or safety on Earth. Our faith is in Jesus Christ, who will come back in power and glory for those who belong to Him.

Rebuttal Post from Debra Hodges

Introduction

In his article, Tanner misrepresents history and what the Bible actually says on the subject of faithful believers being taken bodily into Heaven by Jesus (i.e., the Rapture). In this article, we will examine the Biblical text, historical sources, and theological development of the doctrine of the Rapture more carefully to get a clearer picture of the Biblical teaching, neither sensationalizing it nor dismissing it entirely.

Background

Although the word “rapture” is not present in the English translation of the New Testament, the concept of a physical “rapture” absolutely exists in the Bible. The Bible plainly describes events in which believers are suddenly taken to Heaven. Enoch was raptured as recorded in Genesis 5:24.

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Elijah was raptured; see 2 Kings 2:11–12.

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Jesus was raptured, see Acts 1:9–11.

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Tanner argues that the Greek word apantēsis in 1 Thessalonians 4 refers to people welcoming an important person coming into a city. He also includes a quote by N.T. Wright, who claims that the word “rapture” doesn’t show up in any Greek New Testament manuscript.

However, in Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Strong’s G726 is the Greek verb harpazō (ἁρπάζω), which appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 as “caught up”. It means to seize, catch up, or snatch away. [1] The word is also used in 2 Corinthians 12:2, where the Apostle Paul describes being “caught up” to the third heaven. The term “rapture” comes from the Latin word rapturo, which is a translation of the Greek word harpazō, meaning “to seize” or “catch up”.

It’s irrelevant that the English word “rapture” doesn’t appear directly in Scripture, because many essential Christian doctrines are not referred to directly by their later theological terms. For example, the word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in the Bible; however, the triune nature of God is clearly seen and taught in both the Old and New Testaments (see Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

Grasping at straws

Tanner and other critics of the Rapture denigrate it by focusing on dramatic imagery of cars crashing, planes falling out of the sky, and babies suddenly disappearing from strollers and car seats. These ideas are nothing more than cultural sensationalism coming from novels like the Left Behind series. The Bible simply defines the Rapture as a sudden appearance of Christ in the air, coming for His Bride, the Church, announced by trumpet blasts and a loud command.

Most of Tanner’s criticism of the Rapture centers on John Nelson Darby, who he said “invented” it in the 1800s. This is a historically misleading understanding. Darby did not invent the “catching up” of believers. That concept existed in Scripture since the book of Genesis (see above). He also didn’t invent Christ’s return, nor deliverance from God’s wrath. Deliverance from God’s wrath is seen in the Exodus, in the account of Lot and his daughters escaping from Sodom, and the account of Noah and his family escaping the worldwide flood.

Tanner also claimed that nobody believed in the rapture of the church for 1,800 years; instead, they believed that 1 Thessalonians 4:17 referred to a welcoming committee for an honored dignitary. However, this statement is too absolute. Several early church fathers expected the imminent return of Christ. The following are examples of early writings that support the notion of sudden deliverance before judgment.

In the 4th century, Ephraem the Syrian wrote the following in his Sermon on the Last Times:
For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world.

In the 2nd century, the Shepherd of Hermas spoke of a coming tribulation but promised that the righteous would be delivered from it, suggesting that some believers would escape it.

In the 2nd century, Irenaeus wrote Against Heresies (5.29.1), where he referred to the Church being suddenly caught up before the tribulation of the Antichrist.

In the 3rd century, Cyprian of Carthage spoke of the Church being taken away from the coming calamity.

The writings of other early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Justin Martyr, focused on resurrection, judgment, and Christ’s return. They weren’t trying to build prophetic timelines. Their silence on the timing of the Rapture isn’t evidence against it. These writings don’t prove the pre-tribulation view of the Rapture, but they do disprove the claim of the total absence of the concept.

Influence does not equal invention

The Scofield Reference Bible, edited by Cyrus Scofield, did help popularize the theological framework of dispensationalism. However, it didn’t create the doctrine, and it clearly separated notes from Scripture, functioning like any modern study Bible. The doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture was popularized by authors such as Hal Lindsey (The Late Great Planet Earth), Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (Left Behind series), and Thomas Ice (Prophecy Watch), but the popularity of these books is irrelevant to the truth of the concepts they dramatically portray.

Several recurring fallacies appear in Tanner’s arguments against the Rapture. These include the following: the argument from silence (since early Christians didn’t fully articulate it, therefore it didn’t exist), chronological snobbery (a doctrine was developed later; therefore it must be false), ad hominem (Darby and Scofield were discredited, therefore their writings must be false), and finally, the straw man argument attacking fictional portrayals of the Rapture instead of the actual doctrine.

The New Testament clearly teaches there will be a sudden gathering of believers (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17), a complete transformation from corruption to incorruption (see 1 Corinthians 15:52), and a promise of deliverance from divine wrath (see 1 Thessalonians 5:9). All of these elements are included in any view of the Rapture be it pre, mid, or post-tribulation.

An historically and Biblically grounded conclusion would be that the rapture of the Church (catching up of believers) is Biblical, the timing of that event is debated, John Nelson Darby systematized, not invented, a pre-tribulation view of the event, early Christianity shows diversity, not uniform rejection of the doctrine, and the doctrine developed over time, starting from the early Church Fathers.

Conclusion

Tanner’s complete disregard for and dismissal of the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church shows he hasn’t fully and completely engaged the Biblical and historical evidence. Serious theology requires more than clever rhetoric; it demands careful reading, historical awareness, and intellectual honesty. When those are applied to an honest study of the Rapture, the claim that it’s nothing more than a “modern invention” becomes far less certain than its critics suggest.

I’ve also read some of the comments on his article. Some people think that raptured believers in Heaven will be watching with glee the plight and suffering of those left behind, enduring the tribulation. That idea is absolutely ludicrous. God has an incredible love for mankind and hates to see anyone perish (see John 3:16, 1 Timothy 2:3–4, 2 Peter 3:9, and Ezekiel 18:23). He went to great lengths to include in Scripture the means by which people can escape the wrath they deserve for their disobedience and rebellion. He wants everyone to accept the free gift of salvation offered through His Son, Jesus Christ.

References

1. G726 — harpazō — Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g726/kjv/tr/0-1/