IS THE RAPTURE BIBLICAL?

Welcome to another Episode of Ring Them Bells
My early life as a believer was filled with preaching on the end times and living in fear of the tribulation and missing out on the rapture. So much energy and fear put towards a subject that seem to lead me away from the peace Jesus seemed to be offering.
But then God...
God has led me to a multitude of awesome teachers like Tim Mackie of the @bibleproject And Dr. Michael Heiser Author of the Unseen Realm @DRMSH . Both of which led me to this incredible author and scholar Matthew Halsted and his book "The End of the world as You Know It - What the Bible Really Says About the End Times and Why it is Good News."

Christians are constantly fascinated with the subject of the end times. Even as we just had a solar eclipse pass over the U.S.A. many thought the end was near and that was Rapture was finally here....again.
Over and over again Christians make our faith look foolish with the misuse of the book of Revelation.
Let's examine the claims western evangelicals make about the Rapture and see how they line up with the complete narrative of scripture.
You Won't Regret it!
Stay Tuned!
The Beginning is Near!

Links to SOURCE MATERIAL AND REFERENCED VIDEOS

#rapture #endtimes #heiser #ntwright #raptureofbride #biblestudy @NTWrightOnline @HolyPost @JonCollins @ReubenEvans

[cphye]

Your program content is truly awesome. Thank you for bringing the good Bible teachers to your program, especially Dr. Michael Heiser. I miss him so much!

[ilovedbroccolionce]

I don’t think they appropriately listened to the whole of Dr. Michael Heiser from that opening clip I think they missed a whole lot. I think they are inaccurately portraying his teaching, and it’s crazy! I believe his point is something akin to, no one has a handle on it so since the text can prove every variation… have your stance, if you want one, but be open or at least able to hear someone else’s, without a dismissal from the faith. And unfortunately, after the first two minutes, that’s exactly what every single speaker, including the channels host does, sad.

[Timothy.]

Good video. I grew up "pre-trib" but left that idea far behind after I began to study what Scripture truly teaches when we don't already assume and force a "pre-trib" reading into it. It's very cult-like in how it interprets the texts.

[ayobithedark]

This was perfect, excellent choice of teachers, I subbed

[truthseekerable]

This is the first time I've heard Mike's voice that I didn't feel to sad to continue listening. He is definitely missed.

[johnny.musician]

A very thoughtful episode; erudite and enjoyable. I’m not a Rapturist, btw…as others have said, just be ready! It will all happen in God’s perfect timing.

[TomLongusa]

I still love how the late Chuck Missler put it…
If we’re going to the Wedding Supper, as the Bride of Christ…the Church, how could
Jesus put His bride through the tribulation? One doesn’t beat the bride before the
wedding supper. (poorly paraphrased but you get his point)

[travis]

None of the scholars of Jesus’s time recognized Him and none of our scholars will recognize Him returning until He’s here. Point being, watch and pray that you may be ready as Jesus warned many times.

[The-Arrowed-Artisan]

I’m not Pre Trib, Mid Trib, or Post Trib, I’m Pan Trib, IT WILL ALL PAN OUT IN THE END!!!! Praise God!!!

[donovankelly]

Even when I was in high school the idea of a rapture never made sense. As I’ve studied the Bible through college and two seminaries, I am convinced that “The Left Behind” version of eschatology is wrong

[BleachedWheat]

Imagine the heavenly body. Immortal and super powered. No more pain hunger thirst or tears. God with us at all times. Oh how great that will be!!!

[lukasmakarios]

It's not brand new as in previously unimagined. Paul taught it, as did Jesus Himself, but both did so obliquely because it was never the main point. The point was always much simpler: Be ready! Either the end of the world will come (when you least expect it), or you will reach the end of your own life (perhaps unexpectedly). It was always said, like, If you see this happen, BE ready because He is here. The doctrine of the "RAPTURE" is not so important that we should trouble ourselves about "theological correctness." If we are totally committed to Jesus, we have nothing to worry about even if we are "left behind." We can die for Him, or we can live for Him. Either way, He knows and loves his own, and He will claim us at the End.

[SuperServant]

This is brilliant, thank you Dr. Heiser.

[yaweh]

Keep speaking truth Ring them Bells!!!😊

[DebraCarey-ht]

John 14:1-3 Let 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. 3 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.

[DouglasLowry]

I ❤ Jesus TODAY because He First ❤️ Loved Me ❤, "BEFORE the foundation of the world"!

[Saddlemomma]

When I first accepted Christ in my 30s, I bought all those faulty beliefs. However, throughout my Christian walk, as I got older and discovered Dr. Mike Heiser, I realized how naïve and mislead via ignorance I was. When our family moved, and we were trying to find a new church by visiting several, I was always approached with two questions:
1) Do you believe in an old Earth or young Earth?
2) Do you believe in a pre-trib rapture or which version of the rapture do you believe?

Now it always amazes me that this is how I've been greeted, almost as if I have to justify my Christianity by answering these two questions to be considered a "real" Christian. After living here so many years, we STILL get these questions when meeting new people to the area. It never fails to boggle their minds when I say that:
1) I don't know, nor do I care, how old the Earth is, specifically because the Bible doesn't ever address that issue. Genesis 1 and 2 are about establishing God's Temple on Earth as a way to connect his supernatural and human families, and creating humanity as His representatives on Earth. It was also a polemical statement rebutting Babylon's stance that their god Marduk created their great city. The biblical scribes were emphatically stating that God was the creator of the entire world, not just a city, and that He created it all in just six days and rested on the seventh, demonstrating the superiority of YHWH as the God of gods.
2) I don't believe in any version of the Rapture because I don't believe Scripture supports any version of that view. Jesus only comes twice: a) at this incarnation and 2) at His second coming at the end of the age.

After that, they look at me like a heretic....it's really sad.

[Staystrong]

Not until the son of perdition is revealed! No pretribe! Those who endure to the end shall be saved! Matt 24...29, 30, 31!

[NathanG]

Early 2000s preachers and books:
You better do this or you’re gonna miss the rapture.
You better do that…. Or you’re gonna miss the rapture.
No wonder I question my salvation 🤦‍♂️

[Strongtower]

There is no pretrib rapture. The "rapture" is the resurrection at the second coming of Christ. We are not raptured/gathered until the dead in Christ are raised first (1 thess 4:15). Jesus says they will be raised on the last day (Jn 6:39, 40, 44, 54, 11:24). Jesus says the last day is when He comes to Judge (Jn 12:48). There is one second coming and it's at the end of time when the saints are given relief and the ungodly are judged (2 thess 1:6-10). We are gathered to Jesus at His public second coming (Mt 24:29-31, Mk 13:24-27, 1 Cor 15:23, 1 thess 4:14-17, 2 Thess 2:1-3), not years before His public second coming.