“I’m not going to worry about the tribulation because I won’t be here.” This is a common saying among Christians when they hear anyone speak about judgment or the tribulation. In this blog, we will address the ‘Rapture Doctrine’ to see if this belief is supported by Scripture or is this really a last day deception.
Christians are unfazed by everything going on right now because they are taught that they will escape the tribulation that’s coming and go to the sweet by-and-by. But that does not line up with the Scripture from Matthew 13:24-30. In this passage, we see that the tares are removed first then bounded in bundles to be burned. So then, who’s left if the tares are removed first. What’s the point of the rapture?
In Scripture, we find great examples of people being raptured: Enoch and Elijah. They were actually taken up, but they left earth. Noah, Lot and Rahab remained here. The Most High destroyed the wicked and left the righteous. He placed them in a protected place while he dealt with the wicked. This is why it’s so important for us to understand the days of judgment. It’s time to get in this Book for yourself to know what it actually says and stop relying on people to spoon feed you. Be like the Bereans – they went to study the Scriptures to see if what was being told to them was true. Proverbs 2:22 says, “but the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.” So, keep this Scripture in mind as we examine the ‘Rapture Doctrine’.
In reading Revelation 9:1-4, I think we can agree that this is a last day prophecy, yet we see creatures being given power to torment men. These are the men who do not have the seal of the Most High on their foreheads. I need you to get this, there are two groups of people in the earth during this time: one group belongs to the kingdom of darkness and the other are children of light. Notice that the Most High has placed the shield of protection over the children of light. How can this be if believers are raptured before the tribulation?
The rapture ideology is a sacred cow for a lot of people. Folks will argue that it’s true without taking the time to examine the Scriptures for themselves because they heard a preacher say it. But I believe this is a deception that will cause many to be extremely vulnerable in these last days. They will not be prepared for the darkness that’s coming. Instead of being like the five wise virgins having the foresight to bring extra oil for their lamp, they will be like the five foolish never expecting a delay. They’ll come up short.
We have to understand the days of judgment and we need to know that a lot of things Christians ascribe to themselves [as in the Christian church] is actually talking about the nation of Israel. One problem is that the Bible is taught in a way to make it seem like there’s very little relevance for the promises the Most High made in the Old Testament concerning Israel. But here’s the thing, Christians often proclaim that they are standing on the promises of God when it comes to the church but they brush off the promises that were made to the nation of Israel. The chosen people were given promises that are everlasting. Shouldn’t we also be standing on the promises made to us?
We cannot look at this Book as Old Testament vs. New Testament. Man made that distinction, not the Most High. Scripture is a continuance of His story. It flows from the creation in Genesis to the time of the renewed creation in Revelation. If you learn to look at Scripture that way, you will understand that the history of the chosen people did not abruptly end with the Advent of Christianity. Yet, many of the end time signs that pertain to them are completely ignored. Until you can understand Israel’s story, you really won’t understand the plan of salvation. Messiah did not say salvation is of the church. ‘Redemption’, ‘renewed covenant’ are words specific to the nation of Israel, so how could they not be relevant. When you look at the prophecies in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Matthew 25. you have to read it with the understanding that the focus is not the church. Now that will make some folks flip out, but you will not understand these end time prophecies until you understand this.
Again, I encourage you to be like the Bereans for a few minutes and examine these verses then go and study it to see if these things are true. Now when you put all of this in context with the prophecies from Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Joel 3, you will see that what the church calls ‘the day of the Lord’ is about Him contending with the nations that mistreated the children of Israel. This is where the church has inserted itself into this prophecy in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. This particular judgment is not a rapture for the Christian church, it’s the restoration of the people who were kicked out of the promised land and scattered around the world. This is also highlighted in these corroborating verses: Jeremiah 23:1-3 | Joel 3:1-2 | Zechariah 14:1-3
This has been YAH’s consistent pattern throughout Scripture. You will see Him fighting against the nations that took His people into captivity. In reading Zechariah 14:16-19, we see what’s going to happen after He judges or brings these nations under judgment – because of what they did, those who are left. In reviewing Matthew 25:41-46, Israel is at the center of the judgment. This is the basis on which judgment is handed out to these gentile nations, because of the mistreatment of his brethren. Previously, He called them ‘brethren’, here He calls them ‘the least of these’. Christians believe that the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 is intended to spare believers from a seven-year tribulation. But based on the scriptures (provided in the scriptures previously referenced) we do not see where He takes them to Heaven before a seven-year tribulation. This doctrine that Christians are using to say there’s going to be a rapture of the church, before the tribulation, contradicts the passage that tells us that the tares will be removed first.
Christians quote the verses from Matthew 7:21-23 all the time. But I keep asking the question, how well did you [Christians] love us during slavery? Just think about this, would you want someone to walk away without any accountability if they wiped out your entire family and they show no remorse? No, you would want justice! Our people were wounded in ways that were unimaginable. It has created instability – mentally, physically emotionally, spiritually, and financially. The family structure was almost destroyed. They purposely forced our men into a position where they could not protect and provide for their families. It will take the balm of Gilead to heal our souls. So, are they justified when they say, “you all need to forget it and move on”. But when a wrong is done to them, they say, “we will never forget” – think about 9/11. Our Father in heaven didn’t forget. He saw everything that was done to us, so why should we forget it and move on.
The ‘day’ referenced here [in Matthew 7:22] comes from Joel 3 (the day of the Lord). It’s the day when He will gather gentile nations together and judge them for what they did to His people. It’s serving as a witness against the descendants of those who committed the inhumane crimes against our people. Some will come to a place of true repentance but the others are carrying on with the legacy that was left to them. The blood of their father is running through their veins. Their desire to cover the sin is why they will be dealt with so harshly (read Psalms 94:3-14). Their work to block the truth about what happened in this land is revealing who they are. These are children and grandchildren of those who went to church on Sunday and sang, “Oh How I Love Jesus” and left to have a hanging or burning picnic. They took delight in inflicting as much pain as possible and yes, some of them even sampled the remains (reference the book entitled “The Delectable Negro”).
You need to trust that we will have rest from our enemies. That’s a promise right there; He will not forsake His inheritance. We will see the gentile nations that afflicted us reap all that they have sown and more. They think that they can continue to misuse and abuse with no accountability whatsoever because they think they’re going to be raptured before anything bad happens to them. But the rapture that they’re talking about is actually the gathering of our people. It fulfills the prophecies about us to be regathered and returned to our land. So, just know that we will rest and we will see the wicked pay for their crimes.
Learn more when you view the accompanying video, Understanding the Days of Judgement 4 | What About the Rapture.
