Rapture: Could it be happening soon?

[Marie Lexis]

I'm sure that more then half of America has read the books and is looking for to the sequel. The Left Behind series. I pretty much have to follow that instead of reading Revelation out of the Bible. It's easier for me to understand in this series. So I really don't know the signs exactly. But they are working on the treaty right now. So is this the ultimate sign that it could be happening soon? And with all the diseases...

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

People have been associating current events with those prophesied in Revelations pretty much since John put ink to parchment. So while we could be close to the Rapture, we really have no way of knowing whether we're just making the same assumptions people during the time of the 14th century plague did unless it actually does happen. (At which point, not having read Left Behind, I have trouble seeing how the prophecies are going to play out as they've been written - I mean, we've been forwarned; we're going to be looking for the Antichrist everywhere. Though that may be a subject for a separate thread.)

If you can get past the skepticism, Paul Boyer's When Time Shall Be No More is an interesting examination of End Times prophecy and its various interpretations over the years, especially as it's related to 20th century America.

[ultimate sacrifice]

I haven't read the Left Behind books, however I have seen the two movies and found them to be very interesting and thought provoking. Of course there are those who believe that Christians will be taken before the Antichrist takes over and then there are those who believe that Christians will suffer a great persecution under the reign of the Antichrist and will not be taken until Christ comes to fight the Antichrist and then the 1000 years reign of Christ on earth. This is all so confusing and I can't talk about it off the top of my head. Need to investigate my sources more.

It is my recollection, (not speaking as an authority on the book of Revelation) that one of the final signs of the second coming of Christ is the rebuilding of the Temple on the original site. That is not happening at this point because there is a Mosque at original site of the Jewish Temple.

The book of Daniel should be considered with the book of Revelation when attempting to interpret the prohecies about the end times.

It's completely mind boggling for me and for most Christians. We discussed this topic in Sunday School yesterday and the concensus was to live as if Chirst were coming today and that it will happen when it happens.

[Wab]

The end of the world has been nigh since time immemorial and people see signs and portents where they want them.

I'll believe it when it happens. Should be interesting.

[Sherlock Holmes]

I tend to agree with Rowena: it's easy to make current events fit with the prophecies, but that doesn't mean we are right.

Anyway, even as a Christian, I can't see that when the return of Christ happens makes much difference to me. If we are living our lives rightly, then it doesn't matter if Christ returns tomorrow or a thousand years from now, right? So when the Rapture will happen (or if it will happen) isn't a question that directly concerns me. Jesus said no one can know the end except God the Father, so I don't spend too much time worrying about it.

[SilverStar]

It makes a difference for those of us who are in between religions; I want to see what some non-Christians would say on this issue....

If they're making a treaty now, that most likely means that they just want to have it done; better safe than sorry.

It's kind of like self-fulfilled prophecies; you go looking for things and tend to get paranoid.

[PhoenixUK]

The sun hasn't become black yet, the moon hasn't become blood red, and the stars in the sky haven't fallen to earth (Revelations 6 12-13). When that happens, I suspect I'll be with the heathenous majority that gets bloody scared :-/. Ah, well... might as well live in sin and enjoy life until that time.

[SilverStar]

The sun hasn't become black yet, the moon hasn't become blood red, and the stars in the sky haven't fallen to earth (Revelations 6 12-13). When that happens, I suspect I'll be with the heathenous majority that gets bloody scared :-/. Ah, well... might as well live in sin and enjoy life until that time.

Exactly! Go you!

I haven't read Revelations; It tends to frighten me a trifle. I did see the first movie, and it scared me too.

[Sherlock Holmes]

It makes a difference for those of us who are in between religions; I want to see what some non-Christians would say on this issue....

If they're making a treaty now, that most likely means that they just want to have it done; better safe than sorry.

It's kind of like self-fulfilled prophecies; you go looking for things and tend to get paranoid.
Hmm, I must have missed something. Which treaty are you speaking of?

[SilverStar]

Marie Lexis mentioned one (in the first post) and I went on that information.

[Wab]

A treaty. Plenty of them going around.

[ultimate sacrifice]

I don't know what treaty you are speaking of Marie Lexis, but when Religion and Politics are in the same conversation, it usually leads to heated discusssions, be prepared.

What treaty are you speaking of?

[Marie Lexis]

It's between the two countries that were mentioned in the Bible. I forgot what it was. But I had stayed up one night because I couldn't get to sleep. And there had been this show on talking about this exactly. And they said that there was a treaty being planned out. And they said that this was the biggest sign that they could come up with to show that it might be happening quite soon. I only heared about it from the news a couple of times and that talk show. And then my parents mentioned this a couple of times. They had been talking about it. And that's why I even made this topic.

[ultimate sacrifice]

Hmmmm, I am not aware of a treaty in the works, unless it would be the US trying to implement the roadmap to peace concept between the Israeli's and the Palestinians???

Or the Iraq situation...when the US turns over authority to the Iraq governing council on June 30, so that they can follow the road to democracy???

I hope you don't feel like you are being criticized for asking these questions and starting this thread, Marie Lexis. This topic is very polarizing and as you can tell, puzzling and overwhelming in it's scope. All prophecy is difficult. It doesn't happen much anymore in the modern church. However, in the last times, we will see a re-awakening of the gifts that the Apostles were given on the day of Pentecost.

Unfortunately, Christians will also be confused about this because there will be many false prophets and the Antichrist will have amazing supernatural abilities. That is why it is important to stay grounded and rooted in Christ and the Word of God so that we can identify and determine the source of power behind the miracles and prophecies that are to come. One way of determining the source/power behind these things will be to check who gets the glory and if the prophet/Antichrist walk matches his/her talk.

Compare the life and lifestyle of Jesus and the Apostles when deciding to follow the teachings/preachings/example/directives of a spiritual leader. Most assuredly, Humility and servitude will be primary characteristics of a truely Holy Leader. It will be very difficult to determine who is from God and who is not in the end times.

When I started my life journey with Christ many years ago, I was taught that these four things would keep me grounded in my faith. Fellowship with other believers, Prayer with other believers and on your own, Worship with other believers and on your own, Study the word of God with other believers and on your own. As you ponder the prophecies about the end times...consider your ideas and opinions against the backdrop of these things. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the truth concerning the prophecies about the 2nd coming of Christ. I have found this subject to be so overwhelming that I just try to do the best I can right now and let God take care of the rest. However, if you have questions and you need answers, there are those who are gifted in interpretting prophecy. I like the Left Behind series...it seems to mesh with what I studied in Bible College. There are many interpretations tho, you just have to sift them through and weigh them against the example and words of Jesus and the Apostles.

Keep searching! :)

[Marie Lexis]

I know. But it's just so overwhelming that you can't help but want to know more and want to ask questions. Especially after reading the Left Behind books. It just opened my door of questions to my friends and family.

[daniel4hp]

I'm sure that more then half of America has read the books and is looking for to the sequel. The Left Behind series. I pretty much have to follow that instead of reading Revelation out of the Bible. It's easier for me to understand in this series. So I really don't know the signs exactly. But they are working on the treaty right now. So is this the ultimate sign that it could be happening soon? And with all the diseases...
I admit that I have not read, and have very little interest in reading, the Left Behind books. If I do read them, it will be purely as fiction, and not as any sort of "truth." Anyway...

The Left Behind books, from what I know about them, are based on one system of Christian theology called Dispensationalism. This is based on a set of interpretations from various parts of the Bible including Revelation. However, this is a controversal belief system, and there are many who read Revelation and get no impression of Dispensationalism, which is, as a matter of fact, only 150-200 years old. In other words, the Left Behind books are hardly a carbon copy of Revelation. They represent one interpretation of the Bible, but it is only that -- an interpretation.

There have been treaties and diseases for a long time. Maybe my judgement is clouded by the fact that I don't even believe in the Rapture, but I have to agree with what Rowena and Sherlock have said -- that, most likely, people are reading modern events into prophesies (or percieved prophesies). Since the idea of the Rapture become popular 150 years ago, there have been multiple attempts to predict that the Rapture is just around the corner. Obviously we're all still here.

[dorcasderr]

I have studied the Book of Revelation, though I would never claim to be an authority on it. I have also studied the Book of Daniel, which is, indeed, a comapnion volume to Revelation. there IS a treaty mentioned in both books, a treaty made between Israel and a man, who later turns out to be...or become...the Antichrist, the man of sin. It is a peace treaty, and. presumably after it has been signed the temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem, or, perhaps, having already been rebuilt, the sacrifices begin again, the same as were performed in ancient Israel. If anyone is seriously interested in an in-depth study of either Revelation or the Book of Daniel (or almost any other subject you can think of) then I recommend the Precepts Studies put out by Precepts Ministries, which is non-denominational and examines all the points of view which are out there. It is not there to tell you what some theologian thinks, but instead has the student examine the scriptures inductively to determine the truth there for him or herself.

[ultimate sacrifice]

If anyone is seriously interested in an in-depth study of either Revelation or the Book of Daniel (or almost any other subject you can think of) then I recommend the Precepts Studies put out by Precepts Ministries, which is non-denominational and examines all the points of view which are out there. It is not there to tell you what some theologian thinks, but instead has the student examine the scriptures inductively to determine the truth there for him or herself.

dorcasderr, I am familiar with some of these pubications/studies. They are good and I agree, it is good to study the scriptures inductively, not just adopt a specific Theology or Theologians point of view. Haven't done the study on Revelation or Daniel, tho.

[/QUOTE]I know. But it's just so overwhelming that you can't help but want to know more and want to ask questions. Especially after reading the Left Behind books. It just opened my door of questions to my friends and family.[/QUOTE] Marie...Questioning is a good thing! Like someone said above, the Left Behind books/movies are one interpretation. It's good that you are searching and questioning, even if the interpretation of the writers of the Left Behind books are all wrong, they have served a purpose in causing you to search! I have been a Christian for several decades and I still question and search. That's what keeps us from becoming stagnant and arrogant and humble before God. If you are thirsty and hungry for answers about the 2nd coming of Christ...go before God, and ask him to guide and direct your path and to open your eyes to his truth. Our faith journey with Christ is a life long experience. We never arrive at perfection and full knowledge while during our earthly existence.

If it helps you to know this, I still have some of the same questions that you have.

Peace

[Tane]

I'm not very religious in fact probably not religious at all and as for the Revelations, well the sea in certain places in the world does boil every day near hot spots and volcanoes. The sun turning black, well you have red giants, white dwarfs and black dwarf stars that are near the end of there life cycle. Then there is the blood red moon, if theory is correct and the moon was created from an enormous meteorite impact that ripped part of our plant apart to create such a body that orbits around our planet then it is possible that it did one appear to be blood red or should I say glowing red from the heat generated. Disease, plagues and famine have been around since the dawn of time so in a way the Revelations are sort of correct though some events happened billions of years ago though and could be millions of years apart. The sun in our solar system might turn into a black dwarf that is a lump of cold rock floating around in space as it will not go supernova on us as the star has the incorrect chemical makeup for that such an event to occur.

Even the fire and brimstone could be volcanic or meteorite impacts all of which are natural events. So really the Book of Revelations is just naturally occurring event in the evolution of our planet. If you believe in god then these natural events are created by this higher being of existence, though for me its just evolution of our universe.

[Shortcake]

Marie Lexis:

Please please don't put your faith in a book series. I have seen many young people 'scared' into going to heaven. First off, I am a very devout christian and believe these people writing these prophecies (in the Left Behind Series) are making money off scaring people. There is actually a series for young kids now....blew me away. Imagine scaring little kids.....

We have to think of the ancient interpretations of the bible and our own 21st century interpretations. The ancient people from the bible (Aramaic and Greek translations) spoke in many metaphors as did the many writers write in many metaphors. We cannot possibly interpret the book of Revelation literal, word for word, line for line. The bible is the word of God, but the inspired word of God in a 2000 year old mind set. Their ancient understanding of the world is much different than ours. We have to be very careful to read the bible in it's proper time set. Jesus says we will not know the time or place of his coming.... so don't waste the life he has given you worrying. Just live your life according to him and in service.

I have watched those movies and read a little of the first book. I was blown away. Always remember to look at more than one point of view. May I suggest some audio tapes by Tim Staples? The are called The Rapture Files. Very interesting take on the Rapture theory.

Good luck in your faith journey.

Owl me of you'd like, always up to talk about faith from an openminded viewpoint.

[GryffondorGrl]

I was thinking of making a similar thread to this. I have always been fascinated by the Rapture. I read the left behind books too and I found them highly interesting. Even if they may not be true, they helped me think a lot more about life and things in general. And the Kid's Series does not scare little kids, more of it is about being a Christian, I have read those and the adult ones, and there are differences. I think that if there is going to be a rapture, and I think there is, that it will be soon, maybe in the next 50 years. It would be amazing to be here when it happens though, especially if it is the way it is portrayed in the Left Behind books.