In II Thessalonians 2:11, we find that when Satan appears in the holy temple, pretending to be the messiah, we read "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie".
The word "rapture" is not written anywhere in the Bible. The word rapture was coined sometime after the year 1830 in western Scotland when a young girl named Margaret MacDonald claimed to have had visions and visitations from God. Margaret MacDonald later gained the attention of two men named Edward Irving and John Darby and told them of her visions.
Ezekiel - Chapter 13Many Christians believe this "Rapture" which declares that Jesus Christ will return before "the period of tribulation" mentioned in the book of Revelation. In other words, God's children are spared from the tribulation but the Bible does not say this.
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!" (Ezekiel 13:3)
"They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word." (Ezekiel 13:7)
"Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly." (Ezekiel 13:20)
You can learn more about this particular subject in a book titled, "The Incredible Cover-up" by Dave MacPherson. You may be able to find a copy of this book at a public library or you can order a copy of this book from the Shepherd's Chapel.
Let's examine this a little more closely. The words "caught up together with them in the clouds" in I Thessalonians is where this idea of "The Rapture" actually comes from.
I Thessalonians 4:17Paul used the word "cloud" to mean a mass gathering of people (congregation) in the above verse just as he did in Hebrews 12:1 The word air means breath of life that God breathed through the nostrils of man that gave us a living soul.
"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."
Revelation 9:3How then could these "locusts" hurt the believers in Jesus Christ during this "great tribulation" period unless the believers in Christ Jesus were going to be on Earth during this time. Further, the word locusts is not referring to insects. The reference here is to a great number of beings, who appear in great numbers, whose intention it is destroy the souls of mankind who do not have the "seal of God" in their foreheads (not a visible mark because you cannot see what is inside a person's forhead). Also, the season of the locust is a five month period which lasts from April through September (in the northern hemisphere). So, we are also given a clue here as to what time of the year this will occur. So, don't be deceived to "believe a lie". Don't believe what Margaret MacDonald or any other person or false prophet has said or dreamed up. You need to know exactly what is said in the Bible. Believers and unbelievers alike will all be here on the earth during the "great tribulation". Only, those who do have the seal of God in their foreheads will be under the protection of God during that time.
"(3) And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. (4) And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads ."
A fellow friend in Christ wrote to me with the following observation:
"I am writing you because I have a problem with one of your studies. In your study on the rapture, you used the following words to say that the "locusts" of Revelation are not insects. However, if you look back at the original Greek word used, "akris", it means "locust (in some cultures distinguished from a grasshopper and used as food source)." This cannot be speaking of a large number of people."
The writer is absolutely right. This is not speaking of a large number of people. He is also right about the Greek word “akris” and its literal translation (insects). However, this verse refers to "a great number of beings" whose description is clearly not human [reference: Joel 2]. Humans don't have "tails like unto scorpions" and locusts don't have "faces of men" or the "teeth of lions". I think what John is describing is clearly a demonic creature with a very nasty personality. I believe these creatures that John is describing in the book of Revelation, which rise from the smoke of the bottomless pit, are neither human or insect but rise from the bottomless pit in great numbers like a great swarm of locusts. John is describing something here to the best of his ability and knowledge at the time when he wrote it. In Rev. 9:11, these creatures have "a king over them" whose name in Hebrew is A-bad'-don and A-pol'-ly-on in the Greek language (# 623 in Strong's Concordance - meaning Satan). These same creatures are given power by Satan to "hurt men" on Earth for a period of five months… but John does not say that these creatures would necessarily be physically visible to those of us on Earth. Remember that John was in a spiritual state when these visions were revealed to him. Also, remember what is written in Mark 5 about unclean spirits.
“1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.” (Mark 5:1-13)
My Other Pages On Angelfire:
ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
SIGNS OF THE END TIMES
MARK OF THE BEAST
THE FALLEN ANGELS
SEVEN TRUMPETS
IN THE NEWS
LINKS
PRAYER REQUESTS
WHEN CHRIST RETURNS
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Disclaimer:
I, Tom McDavid, am a student of the Holy Bible. I do not claim to know all that there is to know about His Holiness, our Heavenly Father. Nor do I claim to be an expert in His Holy Word. I only know what I have learned and through this medium and I wish to share this with any who will understand.
Respectfully,
Tom McDavid
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