Rapture: The Purpose And Qualifications Of Being Rapturable
Over the years, a lot has been said about rapture by many commentators and world religion scholars. Some of these comments are quite positive while some are distinctly negative.
In fact, many have tried all they could to disprove the fact that rapture is a real concept but honestly speaking, what they end up doing in the end, is explaining and proving it even more.
Anyways, this post is not about if these scholars and commentators are right or wrong neither is it about justifying the existence of the concept of rapture.
Instead, it's about understanding what this concept (Rapture) really means (in real sense), its purpose and the requirements one needs to meet to be worth rapturable.
Understanding What Rapture Really Is
The word "Rapture" is one of the most discussed subject among Christians and even non Christians.
It's a very interesting popular topic with lots of controversies and misconceptions on how, when and if it will happen.
So it's undoubtedly true, something great, unprecedented and unavoidable is going to happen in the history of humanity – Rapture. And yes, it's going to be an unexpected worldwide (I mean universal) event.
In fact, some believed that what the Bible explains or what we interpret as rapture is not actually RAPTURE but the glorification of Christians and the rest of the world in some way not yet known.
However, some also believed it is the taking away of saints while leaving the sinners behind. Still, others believe that rapture is just a mere fantasy.
Oh yea, there are whole lots of controversies. But in spite of all these controversies, one thing remains clear and of course certain about rapture.
You want what it is? Well, the certain thing about what we call (or assume as) rapture is that; it's a real big event that is bound to happen and will definitely happen. It has been prophesied and written in the Holy Books; and you know, none of God's Word will go in vain.
Hence, it's very important for you and I to understand what RAPTURE really is: to know what it is, how it's going to happen and how special and indispensable it is not miss.
Meanwhile, we shall also be looking at what God expect from you and I and everyone else who desires to be rapturable.
However, for the sake of generality and clarity, I'll like to explain the concept from two perspectives. What for I mean?
Well, we shall be looking at the concept based on the records of the two Holy Books. I mean the Bible and the Quran.
What Is Rapture?
To start with: am sure you've heard the quote "Everything has an expiry date" times without number or maybe a few times, it doesn't matter anyway.
What matters here is that this same quote also applies here. Yea, everything, including this world has an expiry date. After all, this world has a beginning, hence, must have an end (Genesis 1:1ff, Al-A'raaf 7:54).
The end of the world is predestined to be signaled and marked with series of events, one of which is what we call Rapture.
Truth be told, the term "Rapture" itself is not written in any of the Scriptures. It's just a word that has been used over the years to describe what the Holy Scriptures mean by being snatched up, carried off, overpowered, and taken away due to divine force.
So in real sense, what is rapture all about? Or how do we define Rapture?
Well, Rapture is a nonnegotiable way of Jesus Christ coming back to this world in the air, to separate the sheep (the good men) from the goat (the bad men), so as to take the sheep into eternal bliss.
Illustration:
According to Jesus' parable in Matthew 13:24-30, the whole world is like a farm land being own and cultivated by a farmer who grows only wheat.
So one day, this farmer having sowed his crop's seeds and rest for the day, a man of an opposing interest entered his farm and sow the seeds of a damaging weed – Tares.
Eventually, the farmer came to know that tares had been sowed on his field but instead, decided not to get rid of them immediately.
He did this, so as to avoid removing the wheat in the process of weeding out the tares. Thence, he allowed them to grow together until harvest.
And when the harvest finally came, he instructed his servants to firstly get rid of the tares, bind them in bundles and burn them, but instructed them to gather the wheat (the good plants) into his barn.
Explanation:
The farm land in this illustration symbolizes the whole universe which is owned and managed by God (the Creator of all).
The wheat therein are the people of God and those who choose to do the things of God (the farm owner).
On the other hand, the weeds as used in the parable, symbolizes the wrongdoers – the seeds of the evil one. They are those who are holding a stand with Satan (the opposer, the devil). They often set themselves against God by trying to subdue His efforts yet, they never and can never succeed.
The harvest as mentioned in the illustration also symbolizes the rapture. It describes the separation of the bad people from the good ones.
But before the harvest (rapture), both the good people and the bad people will have to live together and enjoy the available benefits until harvest (Matthew 5:45).
Now, at harvest, the wheat will be gathered into the barn while the weeds (tares) will be gathered together and bunt with fire (Matthews 13:30).
Now You May Ask; " When Is This Rapture Going To Take Place?"
According to the Holy Books, no one knows the exact time or when the rapture will take place but one thing the Scriptures tell us is that, it will be quick, like in a twinkle of an eye.
Meaning that, whosoever misses it would have him or herself to blame for ever. Thence, the implication of this is that, we should be prepared at all times so that we do not miss this great event climaxing the age.
However, despite the fact that the two Holy Books doesn't clarify the exact time when Rapture will take place, both still gave us the insight that it'll happen during the end time (just like a Harvest).
So How Do We Know The "Harvest Time" Is Come?
Well, the harvest time (also known as the end time) is filled with signs to watch out for, such as: the proclamation about the end time, violence, wars and rumors of war, increase of knowledge, increased sexual immoralities, increase in the numbers of sin and abominations, plagues, famine, earthquakes and other natural disasters, splitting of the moon, darkening of the moon, tribulations (fitana), appearance of Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog), trading marks (666), false gospels, the emergence of the beasts and the antichrists.
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
Biblical References: Daniel 7, Ezekiel 37, Zechariah 12:10-14, Matthew 24:15-16, 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, 2Thessalonians 2:1-12, 1Peter 4:7-11, 2Peter 2, Jude and the book of Revelation.
Quranic References: Al-Hajj 22:2, Az-Zumar 39:68, Al-Haaqqa 69:17, At-Takwir 81:14, Al-Infitaar 82:5, Al-Inshiqaaq 84:1.
How Is Rapture Going To Take Place?
It will happen in a twinkle of an eye; no one will expect it. In fact, everyone will be busy doing their normal daily activities.
Then all of a sudden Jesus will appear in the sky and people (saints) will be taken up into the sky. The dead saints will be raised first and then the living saints.
They'll both be transfigured and put on immortality (1Corinthians 15:53-64; Ephesians 5:27; Philippians 3:21). They will be rewarded in form of crowns for their good works.
However, there are lots of assumptions about how rapture is going to take place.
Some believed that it's an individual thing i.e. when an person dies, it's either he's raised and raptured into eternal bliss or he ends up in eternal damnation.
This is a wrong perception and a wrong belief because what the Scriptures say is that, the whole world will be judge once; both the dead and the living. Though the dead will be raised first.
So, it won't be like Mr A is judge today and Mr B tomorrow; everyone will be judge at a time and accordingly to every man's work here on earth (i.e. our actions and inactions here on earth).
What Is The Purpose Of Rapture?
"Purpose" here simply means 'the reason for', or 'the why of'. So, why is rapture purposed to happen and, what are the reasons why Jesus Christ our Lord is coming back?
1• To fulfill prophecies.
2• To make sure that the main purpose of creating man which is worshiping God in purity is accomplished.
3• To fix and restore the preexisting relationship between man and God i.e. the closeness between man and God before the fall of man in the garden of Eden.
4• To raise the dead saints from among the wicked of the world.
5• To eternally reward the saints
6• To change the bodies of the saints from mortality to immortality
7• To present the saints before God
8• To make the saints escape the great tribulations that is to come upon the earth
9• To allow the appearance of the anti-christ
10• To finally and forever remove the sower of lawlessness – the devil, Satan.
So what is Jesus coming to do in His second coming?
According to His word in Matthew 14:3, He said "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and received you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (KJV).
That was actually a promise during His life time. Now he has gone (died and resurrected) to prepare a place for us in heaven so that He can forever have us to Himself.
Now in Revelation 22:12 He said "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be."
Hence, He is coming back to take away His saints; the righteous ones both dead and living, to reward them and to judge everyone according to his work. In other words, He is coming back as a Judge.
Is Rapture only for the Christian?
Short answer: No. Rapture is for the whole mankind irrespective of religion or belief.
Having mentioned Jesus Christ, sheep and goat, and drawing many inferences from the Bible, many would have assumed that rapture is only for the Christians but no, it's not only for the Christians but for the whole mankind.
John 3:16 says "For God so love the world, that he gave [us] his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Meaning that, everyone is equally opportune to be part of Christ family. And by Implication, rapture is for the whole mankind in as much as we are all God's creation.
But to be on a safe side on the last day, you must believe in God, Jesus and His prophets. Believing in Jesus Christ doesn't make you a Christianity religionists, in fact, most Muslims also believe in him.
Quran chapter 3: verse 45-55 talked about Jesus and the end-time(rapture).
Allah SWT said
[Mention] when Allah said, O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ. (Aal-i-Imraan 3: Verse 55).
Do you still doubt that the concept of rapture is only in the Bible? Well, the Quran has said a lot about rapture only if you can go through it.
For instance, Quran 29:57 also talks about the death of all mankind to return to God.
So, it's obvious that whatever your religion is, we shall all experience rapture. Rapture is real and it's fulfilment will be so dramatic and spectacular that on that day, whosoever misses it would regret so indescribably.
All you have to do not to miss out, is to believe in Christ and live a goodly life. Quran 43:61 says Allah SWT said: "And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path."
Yes, He said, come unto me all ye that are heavily leaden and I'll give you rest. No wonder He said in John 10:16 "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd."
Accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ today because the next major event (rapture) in human history is inevitable, unstoppable and of course, no one know the time it will happen.
THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR BEING RAPTURABLE
So, what are the things that can qualify you or that can make you worthy of 'flying away' with Christ?
1• You need to accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah of the world and as your Lord and Savior.
2• You must be obedient to God and serve only Him (because He is the true God, la ilaha ill Allah).
3• You need to continually serve God in holiness and purity (if possible, without spot).
4• You have to be watchful at all times and make praying your habit.
5• You have to belief the messages of God's prophets
6• You need to allow the Holy Spirit to come into you for God's guidance
7• You need to genuinely and truthfully repent from your sin and forsake them.
8• You need the fear of God in your heart.
9• You need to continual rebuke sin and lust.
10• You also need to relate with people having godly mindsets and that live a goodly life.
11• You need to always study the Word God and continually abide in truth
12• You need to continually live a good exemplary life and do good at all times (whatever seems right, do it!).
13• You need to treat everyone nicely and do good to others like unto yourself (the Golden Rule– do to others what you want them to do to you).
14• You need to love God with all your heart and even more than yourself. Having said that, love your fellow human being the same way you love yourself.
All these qualifications calls for seriousness. We need to live our lives according to the holy standard of God if we are to be rapturable.
All these standards are in the Holy Books. Study them, live by them,teach them, in season and out of season. Shalom!
Do you have some other qualifications you wish to add to the list? Or do you have a question about this topic?
Please, kindly drop your valuable comments below. I promise to answer them all.
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