Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Raeptius and Harpazo

There would have been literally dozens and dozens of books written on the Rapture of the Church. In fact, there would have been so many it is therefore not surprising that there has been so many who have been thus far fooled by something that is not even mentioned in the word of God to begin with.

Most of those reading this would have a
basic understanding of the original meaning of the word Rapture. Nevertheless, there are those who say that when used in Biblical terms the word Rapture is supposedly an English word used in place of the Latin word raeptius, which is taken from the Vulgate version of the BIble, which in turn is a translation of the Koine Greek word harpazo, found in the early Greek New Testament manuscripts of 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

As one may have gathered from the above there those who claim that even though the word Rapture is never mentioned in the word of God some claim that due to an incredible metamorphous the word Rapture has been handed down to us in this modern day and age.

HOWEVER IF THOSE ORIGINAL WORDS HAD THE MEANING IT IS CLAIMED THEY DO THEN WHY WERE THEY NOT TRANSLATED INTO THE MODERN VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE SO THAT THE WORD RAPTURE IS PRESENT IN THE MODERN VERSIONS. THERE IS A VERY SIMPLE REASON WHY THE WORD RAPTURE IS NOT PRESENT IN THE MODERN TRANSLATIONS. THE ORIGINAL MEANINGS OF THOSE WORDS RAEPTIUS AND HARPAZO ARE NOT WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT MEAN A RAPTURE AT ALL.

I for one would have no idea at all when it comes to reading the original Greek or Latin versions of the Bible. Therefore, how can I take that as being the correct information that is really nothing much more than second hand information at the best of times.

Nonetheless, there are those who say that "The "Rapture" event itself is the name given to a Biblically revealed event in which Jesus Christ descends from Heaven, accompanied by the spirits of all the saints who have passed on prior to this event, and then the bodily remains of these saints are transported from the earth to meet the Lord and be rejoined with their corresponding spirits in the air.

Adding to that it is claimed in many modern English translations of the Bible, harpazo is translated; "caught up", or "taken away". The meaning of "harpazo"[ har-pad'-zo Koine Greek;] is= "forcibly snatched away", "taken for oneself". Christians, alive and dead, are therefore "forcibly snatched away" by Jesus at some time known only to God the Father, and taken to Heaven to be with Jesus forever. The Bible then says, "Comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:18 KJV).


The word of God does not say that the Christians will be taken up into Heaven to be with the Lord forever. Quite clearly, the word of God says that the dead in Christ will be raised first and then we who are still alive will be gathered together to meet the Lord in the air, with there being a distinct difference between the air and Heaven.

There is a great deal of scriptural verse that so many quite commonly use to verify their rapture doctrine. However there is still nothing at all that describes anything other than the Day of the Lord which really has very little to do with a Rapture. Nevertheless, the Day of the Lord and the Rapture of the Church are one in the same event as there are not two separate events.

If there is anyone, out there in cyber land who would like to show me a verse that they claim refers to a Rapture of the Church then I would be quite happy to retract that statement. However, I won't have to because no such verse exists.

WHY I AM NOT A DISPENSATIONALIST; John Nelson Darby is recognized as the father of dispensationalism later made popular in the United States by Cyrus Scofield's Scofield Reference Bible. Charles Henry Mackintosh, 1820–1896, with his popular style spread Darby's teachings to humbler elements in society and may be regarded as the journalist of the Brethren Movement. CHM popularised Darby more than any other Brethren author. As there was no Christian teaching of a “rapture” before Darby began preaching about it in the 1830s, he is sometimes credited with originating the "secret rapture" theory wherein Christ will suddenly remove His bride, the Church, from this world before the judgments of the tribulation. Dispensationalist beliefs about the fate of the Jews and the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Israel put dispensationalists at the forefront of Christian Zionism, because "God is able to graft them in again," and they believe that in His grace he will do so according to their understanding of Old Testament prophecy. They believe that, while the methodologies of God may change, His purposes to bless Israel will never be forgotten, just as He has shown unmerited favour to the Church, He will do so to a remnant of Israel to fulfill all the promises made to the genetic seed of Abraham. I am not a dispensationalist; it is unbiblical.