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The popularity of some recent books, videos and even a
movie on what is commonly called “rapture” could leave you feeling “Left
Behind”. It can be hard not to feel left out as friends and others talk about
the popular series.
Don’t feel left out or left behind. The Orthodox,
Roman Catholic and mainstream Protestant Churches all reject this popular myth.
You might be surprised to know that the idea of rapture didn’t even exist
until about 170 years ago. No Christian believed in this term for the first
1,800 years of Christianity.
Lets start by discussing about what in the world people are
talking about. Rapture is a popular term among some Protestant sects for the
raising of the faithful from the dead. This
part we can all agree on, but there’s more to it than that.
The belief in rapture tends to be what is called
“pre-tribulation”. Believers of pre-tribulation rapture teach that this
raising up will be prior to or after a period of immense trouble or
“tribulation” (that’s why its pre, meaning before).
After the 7 years of tribulation they then believe that there will be
1000 years of piece followed by the day of final judgment.
Orthodoxy rejects these teachings as being heretical in nature. There is also potential for great harm in mass dissemination of the notion of rapture.
All Christians up until the 1830’s believed in basically
the same things about the second coming of Christ.
During the 1830’s Margaret Macdonald, a Scottish member of a sect known
as the Irvingites, made the first claim that there would be a trance (or
rapture) and the faithful would be gathered to Christ before the period of
persecution. The Protestant leader John Nelson Darby picked up this view. Cyrus
Ingerson Scofield picked up Darby’s views and placed them in the footnotes of
his Schofield Reference Bible. This Bible was widely used in England and America
and many who read it readily accepted the idea of rapture.
Since that time other views on rapture have started, but all are still based on the notion of the rapture itself.
As Orthodox Christians, we believe in the second coming of
Jesus Christ, the ensuing judgment of our sins and the resulting eternal life
(in Heaven or Hell). Everything that the Bible says about a time of tribulation
and suffering is accepted, but that the faithful will be present for all of it.
Christ himself tells us that all will suffer and that no one knows when he will return for judgment day.
Matthew 24:9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. |
First of all we have to be suspicious something that no
Church taught for 1,800 years suddenly emerges. That’s not enough of a reason to simply reject it, but it
does mean that it should be viewed carefully.
Without getting into complex interpretations of Scripture,
here are some basic Orthodox considerations:
Yes, it may well be. Many of the arguments used in favor of rapture are taken from the Book of Revelation. Chapter 22:18 & 19 warn that anyone who adds to or takes away from the words in Revelation will meet with punishment from God. The interpretation of Revelation is therefore a very sticky issue. Revelation is the only New Testament book that the Orthodox Church doesn’t read in Liturgy. Saint Peter also warns us that no prophecy is to be of private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20), yet many insist of reading into the book of Revelation and in applying creative interpretations to it.
Rather than argue over what the end will look like, we should keep in mind one unavoidable fact; we will all face judgment. Christ will examine each of us and as a result some will gain eternal life, while others will be sent to a hell of eternal torment. (John 5:29) Everything beyond preparing for Christ’s second coming (and judgment) is nothing more than a distraction. You have to ask who would benefit the most by causing us to be distracted?