The Manifestation of the Rapture

James R. Lawrence Sr.

If you ask anyone familiar with the Christian concept of the Rapture to describe the event, they will invariably recount a mind's eye view stated in any number of books about the End Times. That is, people will vanish as they are raptured or snatched away from this Earth to be with Jesus. This is the mystery[i] spoken of in the New Testament that occurs contemporaneously with the Tribulation. Authors such as Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye have popularized this neo-classic view of the Rapture dating back to the 80's. This document does not take issue with the concept of the Rapture, but it will present a different view of its manifestation. This alternate view will be based on scripture and not on classic assumptions associated with translational connotation. I suspect that my presentation will be upsetting to some, but the subject needs to be addressed, and here is the reason.

We are warned of a deception[ii]. Jesus stated that others would come in His name and that we should not follow them. I have always wondered how anyone could be deceived about the key players in the End Times after having witnessed what would amount to the most spectacular miracle in all of history. How is it possible to explain away the disappearance of millions of people? If the Rapture occurred in this spectacular manner, who would not recognize it as the event described in the Bible?

With all due respect, the explanation offered in Left Behind is unconvincing. The authors faced a dilemma – they know the government will have to offer a viable explanation for the event, they chose to depict the Rapture as a physical disappearance, and they needed a way to explain in their fictional account how most people would not immediately recognize the event as a supernatural act of God. Many Christian authors have labored with this dilemma. In Left Behind the authors resorted to a healthy dose of science fiction to make their version sound plausible. Again, who would follow the Antichrist after the Bible had just been confirmed in such a supernatural way? Yet we are told that many are deceived and follow the Antichrist and his false prophet. Perhaps we Christians have made some incorrect assumptions about how the Rapture will be physically manifested. I submit that there is a way the Rapture could occur in complete accordance with scripture and yet not be recognized by many as a supernatural act.

First of all, the Bible never states people will literally vanish. The term 'rapture' is not even in the Bible – only the concept. This concept that believers will be removed prior to the Great Tribulation is clear, but the mechanism or manifestation of our removal is not stated. We Christians in our hope and exhortation have built this concept into a high profile miracle, but does God intend the Rapture to be a high profile miracle or is He only addressing the Church? Based on the amount of scripture referencing the event, perhaps God's patience is running out, and He just wants to move his faithful out of the way before the miracles really get started.

The Bible states that those raptured are changed[iii] and are taken, but without making any assumptions, let us examine this further. "Then two men will be in the field. One is taken…"[iv] Taken? One cannot assume 'taken' refers to the physical body. What use is the physical body in heaven? It makes better sense to interpret 'taken' as referring to the spirit, the soul, the consciousness, and the identity of the believer. This is supported by the statement in 1st Corinthians 15:51, ".. we will all be changed". Reaching down from heaven and retrieving your personal spirit, giving you an incorruptible body, and transporting you into the presence of your God is certainly a change, and it certainly constitutes being taken. What form our new body takes in heaven is unknown to us now, but we do know that it is different and that it is physically incorruptible. So, of what use is a corruptible body to God, and is that body required by God in order for Him to make us incorruptible?[v]

Now back to the original question. If the believer's soul, his consciousness, is raptured, what will one man in the field see when his friend’s spirit is taken? I propose that he will see what appears to be a seizure followed in minutes, perhaps hours, by what appears to be death. The raptured believer will not have experienced physical death, and the Christian sleep will not have occurred. The separation of consciousness and body would have already occurred; nothing is left but the corruptible shell, and it would soon cease to function without any awareness. If the dead in Christ[vi] rise first, and they don't require their bodies, then why should those alive in Christ need theirs? The believer has shed his corruptible shell and is standing in the presence of angels in awe at the sight of our savior.

So, I submit that there won't necessarily be a physical disappearance. The Rapture is more likely to be manifested as an apparent great plague. It will appear to have a rapid, actually instantaneous, onset. The after effects of the Rapture event will perhaps last for several days. There may not be any open graves, and there may not be any vacated clothing as we read in the fictional or rationalized accounts.

If we as Christians move forward in the belief that we will be physically snatched away at the Rapture, and if it does not happen as we expect, then many may be deceived by a very popular and effective leader while they wait for an event that has already transpired. This well respected peacemaker, the Antichrist, at the peak of his popularity would not have to explain away an obvious miracle – only a plague. The Antichrist would probably even call the plague an "act of God". It is easy to look back with 20-20 hindsight at leaders like Adolph Hitler and say, "I would have recognized him for what he was", but in actuality, Hitler was very popular and well respected around the world in the early 1930's. Many Christians saw him as a 'godsend' for Europe. Even today, more and more people deny that Hitler's atrocities ever occurred. My point is that people are often deceived by charismatic leaders, and some Christians looking in the wrong direction may also be deceived. God prefers Christians to take the first path because the second path will not be easy.

I was going to go into greater detail about my theory – more detail about how the Rapture might be physically manifested. I was even going to gather opinions from medical doctors, but I have decided to leave that alone. This theory holds enough potential for disagreement without describing how the apparent plague might be manifested. Nothing I have said here should be upsetting to any believer. I have offered a viable theory that deserves respectful consideration. It is based on scripture. The references below are just a few. The reader is encouraged to research this subject with various translations; however, it is best to use a lexicon to research key words in their original language.

If I am correct then this serves to alert and warn. If I am not correct then no harm is done. I am simply saying to my fellow believers – be watchful and keep an open mind.

jrlaw@et-ministry.org