If you’re not familiar with the term, the Rapture is an event predicted in the Bible and it refers to when Christ comes back and takes His own Home to Heaven to be with Him. It is an instantaneous event, and it will be unseen by non-believers. Suddenly, many millions of true believers will be taken out and the door will be open for the anti-christ to come.
The problem with predicting the Rapture is two-fold: first, Jesus said that the timing of it cannot be known exactly. This is evident from Matthew 25:13: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” The second problem comes from a similar statement from the lips of the Lord Jesus in Luke 12:40: “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” This means that if you try to predict it – that it cannot happen at that time.
As far as looking for “signs” goes, it may be a little helpful, but not very accurate. Most believers today do feel that we are probably very close to the Rapture. If you read the Bible carefully, though, you will notice that all signs in the Bible point to the Second Coming, not the Rapture, which occurs seven years earlier.
The fact that there will clearly be signs before the Second Coming, may give reason to believe that they will be apparent and possibly increasing in the years prior to it. This means that it may be supposed that when “signs” such as earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, pestilences, etc., are seen to increase, that it means we are closer. While it is probable, it does not make it certain that we are close, simply because they point to the Second Coming, not the Rapture. In reality, there are no signs that must yet take place before the Rapture could come.
The Bible does tell believers that we should be looking for His coming at the Rapture. This is referred to as the “immanency” of the Rapture. It means that Christ could come at any moment. It appears that the idea that Christ was trying to convey by this is that we will serve Him better if we believe and live as though we might meet Him today. I believe this is true.
On the other hand, if you believe that His coming is seven years away, then carelessness and worldliness could easily slip in. We are to be ready, as Christ said in Matthew 24:42: “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”
By taking the Word of God at its face value, you can understand many things that Christ wants you to know. Prayer and meditation, as well as relying on the Spirit, will help you to understand much of the Word of God. Beware of following men who teach things that the Bible doesn’t.
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Source: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/574169/20141127/doomsday-end-world-rapture-times.htm
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Photo Credit: Unchanged; by Ryk Neethling at http://www.flickr.com/photos/rykneethling/5811680700/sizes/s/
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Keywords: Rapture, Beshore, predicting, Second Coming, signs