Here is a new study from Corey concerning the rapture.

Kevin


"Read With Discernment"


The Rapture is mentioned “one” time in all four Gospels
And it is by the Lord Jesus Christ
 
For years, teachers of bible prophecy have been preaching to death that the rapture scriptures are supported in the Gospels by the following:
 
Matthew 24:36
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
Luke 12:40
“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
Matthew 25:13
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
 
These scriptures has been connected to the rapture of the church so much that these verses are the only thing most believers even “think” they know about the rapture. I will clearly show by the word of God that the rapture is “absolutely”, “unquestionably” NOT tied to any of these scriptures. In fact, there is only “one time” in all of four Gospels where the rapture of the church is alluded to and it is by Jesus Christ in John 14:2-3:
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
This is the only reference to the rapture in all four Gospels!
Before I begin to break down the above verses and show how they have no connection to the rapture, I will like to quote the apostle Paul in his first revelation to the Corinthians concerning the resurrection:

1st Corinthians 15:51
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed”
In Paul’s first revelation to the Corinthians about a “change” or “resurrection”, he is inspired to describe it using the word “mystery”. This word tells us a whole lot. The mystery in the above context is “mystērion”, which means:
1)      hidden thing, secret, mystery
2)      Secret will of God
3)      Not obvious to understanding
 
So, in Paul’s teaching about the future rapture/resurrection, he tells the church at Corinth that he is about to speak reveal to them a “Hidden Mysterious secret will or thing of God”! So, before he goes into his explanation of it being a resurrection/translation, Paul tells us this…
Behold, I show you the Hidden Mysterious Secretive Will of God
…we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…”
Then Paul goes into the explanation of what the event entails. So, up to the very moment Paul taught the rapture to the Corinthians, it was “until that very moment” of divine revelation, the rapture/resurrection was a “HIDDEN SECRET” that was not obvious to UNDERSTANDING! According to the divinely inspired Greek understanding Paul’s first teaching of the rapture, it was still hidden by God, as a secret of God until Paul spoke those words in 1st Corinthians 15!!
 
So, how in the world could any of the Gospels have taught or mentioned the rapture when it was it was still a secret at that time until Paul revealed it during his ministry!?!?!
It is impossible to connect those verses I first spoke of above to the rapture. Now, the word mystery tells us that is something “not of understanding” until Paul spoke of it to the Corinthians. Now, if it was not of understanding until that time, then how or why what would be the point of teaching that it is a day and hour you do not know, or when you least expect if it’s understanding was not even revealed yet?
 
It makes absolutely no sense at all!
 
 
Matthew 24:36
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
 
If you read Matthew 24, I challenge ANYONE on this planet to show me where the rapture/resurrection is mentioned in the entire chapter! Jesus clearly says “BUT OF THAT DAY…”
Since he started off this teaching with that grammar, it must mean that Jesus just finished mentioning the day he is referring to in the prior verses! If you read Matthew 24:35 going back to verse 1 of the chapter, there is NO MENTION OF THE RAPTURE!
The only event mentioned is his RETURN TO EARTH and the day the HEAVENS AND EARTH pass away!
 
To connect that verse to the rapture is a complete and total butchering of the context of Matthew 24, period!
 
Luke 12:40
“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
If you read ALL of Luke 12, you can CLEARLY see that the event that Jesus is referring to (son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not) is AFTER A WEDDING!!!

Look at the verses PRIO to verse 40 in chapter 12 of Luke’s Gospel! When you do that, you will see the context of what Jesus is talking about when he says “when ye think not”. The beginning of this teaching clearly begins in verse 35:

“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning”
This is a reference to the “parable of the ten virgins”, because the word “lights” here literally means “lamps” and “loins being girded about” means “have your garments ready”, which is what the FOOLISH VIRGINS do not have!!

The very next verse TOTALLY DEBUNKS verse 40 being a rapture reference:”
“And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”
 
Jesus, after speaking of “keeping your lights burning” (parable of ten virgins), he says:
”And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding”
Now, Jesus says that he is going to be RETURNING FOR A WEDDING, then, then, then....
Four verses later, Jesus says “when ye think not”. Meaning, when he comes “at and hour ye think not”, he will be coming back from a wedding!!!!!!

What wedding?
The wedding of Jesus and his church in heaven during the 7 years!!!! He is referencing the bridal week here!! This means at the “time of verse 40”, the rapture/wedding of in heaven between Jesus and church has ALREADY HAPPENED! This means Luke 12 has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the rapture, just like Matthew 24!
 
Who else has a wedding before Jesus returns to earth? If verse 40 (at an hour ye think not) is talking about the rapture that means Jesus is coming back from a wedding BEFORE HE TAKES US? That is just plain stupid!
 
One more:
 
Matthew 25:13
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
 
This is spoken of by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins. They say this is talking about the rapture as well. That is impossible because the VERY FIRST WORD of the parable of the ten virgins, which is Matthew 25:1 says: THEN, as in “at that time”…
So, “at that time” the symbolic prophetic fulfillment of the parable of the ten virgins will be fulfilled. So, what happens BEFORE this parable?
 
The last teaching of Matthew “24” (RIGHT BEFORE JESUS starts teaching the ten virgins parable)…
“And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:51).
The word “gnashing” here means “torment in HELL”!!!!!
Now, I ask you, if the parable of the ten virgins in speaking of the rapture, then that means people are put in HELL BEFORE THE RAPTURE happens in Matthew 25???
 
NO! That occurs after the 1000 years is complete!!!
There is NO WAY Matthew 25 has anything to do with the rapture (thus the parable of the ten virgins verse that says “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” IS A SECOND COMIGN REFERENCE spoken STRICTLY to the FOOLISH VIRGINS, the EVIL SERVANTS, and the TARES that are separated at the END OF THE TRIBULATION!!!
If you say the parable of the ten virgins is about the rapture, you must believe then that the evil servants are thrown into HELL BEFORE THE RAPTURE because Matthew 24:51 (Before the parable of the ten virgins) speaks of that very thing (GNASHING OF TEETH). We know there is NO JUDGEMENT OF HELL before the rapture thus Matthew 24 and 25 have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the rapture.
“When ye think not the son of man cometh”
“Day and hour you do not expect”
These verses being connected to the rapture is totally selfish, un-researched, unstudied interpretations to control “date setting” and to critique those who speak of exact dates. Anyone who believes this has NOT STUDIED really, or cares not to so they can have an “unbiblical” “selfish” excuse to KEEP DATE SETTERS or whatever in the gutter!

Fact is, we CAN KNOW WHEN! It’s just a matter of divine, progressive revelation of the word of God – It happens at the LAST TRUMPET, which is totally Yom Teruah! It’s clear as day!

To Kevin,

So glad you put "read with discernment." The more I read Corey's words the more it seems he is angry. Exactly at what and at who I'm not sure. Using Bible verses as proofs to justify one's position is not the intention of the Word of God; it is also prideful and dangerous to do this. I would pray that Corey use the holy Scriptures to learn true discernment rather than to prove his point of view. I would also pray humility for Corey.

As to the Lord's coming, every true believer knows that it will be soon, and when the Father gives the command; no sooner, no later. Rather than trying to figure out exactly when it "has to be," simply be ready always.

Maranatha,

TB

Aren't we forgetting John 14:1-3

1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Yeah, seems to me we are! It's not a direct reference to the Rapture, but I know of no other event it could be describing--Jesus coming back to get us, I mean, and taking us to the place that He's prepared for us so that we can be where He is. Glad you caught that, Michael! What do you think, Kevin?

Personally, I've always thought those verses made more sense in terms of the 2nd Coming and not the rapture - which to me, only shows that we are closer than we realize, since the 2nd coming is at least 7 years after the rapture. Just the way I have always believed. Though I also think that for example, Matthew 24, the first 13 to 15 verses could be describing now.
Hmmm, I just glanced at it, Matt 24 verse 8 says "these are the beginning of sorrows, then Matt 24 verse 9 has the word "then", so that makes me wonder if the tribulation period begins in verse 9. Verse 14 says "the end will come"; to me this means armageddon and certainly not the rapture - that's the beginning for us and a new era (dispensation???) for those still on earth, but not the end.
I have never been able to see Matthew 24 as talking about the rapture as much as the 2nd coming. I assume (without studying them nearly as much...) that the other references concur.
Just my 2 cents.
I found Corey's article above very refreshing myself

I just read Corey's article, (I had only skimmed it before)
At the moment, I tend to think that Matthew 25:1-13 is about the rapture,
But what I don't get is why is the bridesmaids and not the bride that is mentioned (and I thought the bride was Israel and that the church was the body? )
So I find Matthew 25 confusing and am not adamant about this being the rapture - I'm just not sure.

then verse 14 begins a new example of the Kingdom of Heaven leading into the Judgment of the Nations (which would mean this is the Tribulation period it seems )

I haven't studied the other passages nearly as closely as I have Matthew (which has not been all that much either) so I'll quit now

Dearest Brother in Christ Kevin!

Hey! This is my first time here! I have read this forum for sooooo long! Two years I think. It started right after RH in 2009 If I remember right. Wow, my first hard watch. I took it hard. I am so honored to be able to share a precious gem with you! So much so, I had to get in here to share it!

Now, I Seriously do not want this to be taken as a "corection" kind of thing.....its not. ITS A REVELATION!

I wrote a short piece on it, so its easier to just share it from that, a point to note, when I discovered this was last year, before Hanukkah, but after the other fall Feast. If were not outa here by RH or the Fall Feast of The Lord, I believe still in Hanukkah. But my hopes with everyone elses is today! Or at least the RH.

So...
John 10:22-30
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. I and [my] Father are one.

Since I do most of my studies with a Strong's Concordance by my side, and using the online Blue Letter Bible, the fact that the Greek word 726 is in the mix! Why is that important? Strong’s G726 is the very word “Harpazo” As a “watcher” (someone who is dedicated to studying the end times and watching for The Rapture and evidence of The Messiahs soon return) I am very very aware that the Greek word harpazo is the word which in Latin is read Rapturo or Raptuere where we get the English word RAPTURE from! Both times Yeshua uses the word “pluck” the word harpazo is the original text.

So now reading His words with in mind that this is on one day DURING the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), and that it may pertain directly to The Rapture, I looked at it again....

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. I and [my] Father are one.

Noticing that the whole rapture story is hidden in the text! For with a great SHOUT! We shall MEET HIM IN THE AIR! We shall be CHANGED IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE! And NO ONE CAN GET OR BRING OR DRAG US BACK! And all said on Hanukkah, on Solomon's Porch, center stage of the Temple in Jerusalem by Yeshua Himself!




So ya see Brother! There IS another mention! And it seams very clear indeed that the truth of the rapture was very much exactly what He was sharing! I find this to be one GEM of a portion!!!

Love Dusty

Hi Dusty,

Welcome to Rapture Flight to Heaven! Wow, you've been reading for 2 years and you finally took the plunge to join in! Glad to have you on board.

Blessings in Jesus,

Valerie

Glad to have you, Dusty! Welcome to our friendly forum.