WILL THERE BE A Secret Rapture?
Plain Truth Magazine
February 1963
Volume: Vol XXVIII, No.2
Issue:
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WILL THERE BE A Secret Rapture?

Thousands are placing their hope in a coming secret rapture. Will it occur? The truth is shocking! You need to know the answer. Your life may depend upon it!

   IT IS THE firm belief of thousands today that a fantastic, breath-taking event may take place at any moment! Suddenly, without warning, multitudes upon multitudes of people all over the world — your friends, your neighbors, members of your own family, businessmen and political leaders will DISAPPEAR! In vain their friends and associates will try to locate them; the world will be in consternation — appalled by the mysterious event that has occurred.
   Then, the world situation will begin to change. Conditions will grow worse and worse. Terrible plagues, famine and war will break out and rage through the nations. A vicious and evil despot will rise to rule the world and cruelly force the people and nations to obey him and submit to his ungodly and satanic practices.
   Slowly, a sickening, awful realization will strike terror into the hearts and awareness of the frantic, terrified populace. JESUS CHRIST had come — secretly, WITHOUT WARNING — and had RAPTURED His saints away to heaven. The great ANTICHRIST had begun his twisted rule upon earth and ALL people left on earth were DOOMED to damnation — FOREVER.
   Will such an event occur?
   Is this doctrine of the rapture of the saints true?
   Millions of Christians of the Protestant faith are being taught to anticipate such an event. But what will actually occur?
   We need to know what is coming in the future. We can know! The TRUTH is plain.

When Did It All Begin?

   Most Protestants ASSUME this RAPTURE "THEORY" has always been a doctrine of the Christian faith. Those who teach the Rapture Theory state, "The Church of Jesus Christ has ALWAYS BELIEVED and taught that Jesus Christ will secretly rapture the Church away to heaven."
   The real truth, however, is an eye-opening revelation.
   The idea of a secret rapture of the saints was unknown to any Christian body before the SIXTEENTH CENTURY! Joseph Ribera, Cardinal Bellarmine and Alcasar, Jesuit Priests of the sixteenth century, were the first Christian authorities to promulgate this idea. Even in their day the idea was unclear, but the basic roots of the doctrine began at this time. (Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature by McClintock and Strong, article "Anti-Christ")
   Later, around 1825, Samuel R. Maitland, librarian to the Archbishop of Canterbury, embraced the belief, although its basic tenets were still unclear in his day.
   It wasn't until 1830 that this belief began to take on its modern definition. "The Catholic Apostolic Church had its beginning in 1830. It was founded in Britain... by men who claimed divine inspiration. They said the Holy Spirit revealed to them that the last days had come, that the Lord was about to return, that first He would 'rapture' the believers who were ready, at a secret coming, that other believers would be left to pass through the great tribulation, after which Christ would come in manifested power." (Heralds of the Dawn, by John A. Anderson, M.D.)
   Thus we see the Rapture Theory is a product of recent times. It was NOT a doctrine of the original Church. It was never taught nor believed by Jesus Christ or His disciples.
   Rapture theorists advance several so-called Biblical proofs for the Rapture Theory. Let's examine them and see what the Bible really does say about it.

Christ's Coming Assumed to Be in Two Phases

   The assumption of the Rapture Theory is that Jesus will first come secretly FOR His saints, at which time He will descend from heaven to the atmosphere of this earth. He will at this time — so the theory goes — resurrect the righteous dead and "translate" the faithful living, rapturing them to heaven where they will remain with Him until He again returns — several years later. During this time a Great Tribulation will rage on earth and a satanic antichrist will reign.
   The raptured saints will be SPARED from this Tribulation, having been raptured away BEFORE it begins.
   At the "second phase" Jesus, accompanied by all His saints, will RETURN VISIBLY and DESTROY all the wicked which are upon the earth. He will then set up His Millennial reign.
   Do the Scriptures bear out this "two-phased" return?
   What did Jesus and His disciples teach concerning the return of Christ?

Jesus' Answer

   When Jesus' disciples put the same question to Him, He gave the plain and direct answer. Let's notice it.
   "And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying; tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3) They had no notion of a "two-phased" coming. They simply asked concerning His coming — His ONLY coming. When Jesus replied to their question, He did not imply there would be two phases. He simply acknowledged their question and began to tell them of the occurrences to precede His return.
   Jesus warned of false Christs, of wars, of famine, pestilences and earthquakes — all to precede His coming. Then He warned of personal persecution, tribulation and even death of some in God's Church BEFORE His return; notice it — "Then shall they deliver YOU up to be afflicted, and shall kill You: and YE shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake" (Matt. 24:9).
   Then Jesus spoke of great tribulation and the need for the Church to FLEE, all before His return (verses 15-21).
   If Jesus were going to come in a secret rapture to take all His saints to Heaven before the Tribulation, why didn't He say so? It is because there will NOT BE A RAPTURE!! Jesus' direct answer warned there WOULD BE TRIBULATION — before His return.

Warning Against Rapture Theory

   No, in fact, instead of comforting them with the "Rapture Theory," He warned them not to be tempted into believing His coming would be any different than He was outlining to them. Notice His specific warning to them:
   "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; BELIEVE IT NOT. For there shall arise false Christs, and FALSE PROPHETS, and shall skew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall DECEIVE the very elect" (Matt. 24:23-24).
   Jesus warned there would be men who would advance great significant theories of supposedly wonderful things in order to deceive. Then Jesus became very emphatic. He said there would be some who would teach that Jesus had returned to some far away desert place OR that He had returned to some SECRET PLACE. He said: "BELIEVE IT NOT!" (verse 26)
   Now notice CAREFULLY verses 27-31. Jesus answers so as to leave no question what His ONE AND ONLY SECOND COMING WOULD BE LIKE. He said: "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (verse 27). Does this sound like a secret return? A secret rapture?
   To leave absolutely NO DOUBT Jesus then said: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall SEE the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (verse 30). How can all the tribes of the earth see Him at His coming if it is a secret rapture?
   These passages cannot be applied to a so-called first phase because it is at THIS PRECISE COMING that the saints are resurrected and gathered from the four corners of the earth (verse 31 — see also Mark 13:27). According to rapture theorists this gathering is to occur secretly at the time of the rapture.

Meet The Lord In The Air

   Paul's inspired words, relating the truth of the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the transformation of the living, is another scripture often used by rapture theorists in an attempt to prove the secret rapture. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:16-17). The terminology "caught up" is supposed to designate the rapture.
   I Corinthians 15 also talks of this same time. Paul states: "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST TRUMP: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Cor. 15:51-52).
   Those who teach the rapture tell us that this is the time when Jesus Christ will return secretly to rapture His saints to heaven. Yet, we find this time identified as a singular time in all the history of the world. It is at the resurrection of the saints. It is also during the time of the last trumpet — the one and ONLY last trumpet.
   This can only apply to one particular time in all the history of mankind.
   There is only to be ONE last trumpet. At the sounding of THAT trumpet Jesus Christ is to return to this earth VISIBLY and ACTUALLY. Notice Revelation 1, verse 7: "Behold he cometh with clouds (exactly the same description we had in I Thess. 4:17); and every eye shall see him, they also which pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."
   The time of His return and the sounding of the last trumpet is also mentioned beginning in Revelation 8. "And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets" (verse 2). At the sounding of these trumpets, there are great plagues and cataclysmic events which occur on the earth. (Rev. 8:7-13 and Rev. 9:1-21)
   Now notice Revelation 10:7; "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall BEGIN TO SOUND, the mystery of God should be FINISHED, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." Here is the mystery that Paul was describing in I Corinthians the fifteenth chapter! It is the time of the resurrection of the saints! Here is the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet! THIS IS THE ONE AND ONLY TIME SPOKEN OF. It is the return of JESUS CHRIST to this earth VISIBLY, when every eye shall see Him.
   Now notice Revelation 11 beginning in Verse 15. "And the seventh angel sounded (sounding the last trumpet), and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever... and the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead" (Rev. 11:15, 17-18).
   There can be NO DOUBT by these plain scriptures that NO SECRET RAPTURE is to occur.

An Important Prophecy

   At the time Jesus Christ was taken up into heaven, just after His resurrection, a very important prophecy was made that Bible students often miss. Let us notice it in Acts 1. "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel (angels); which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come IN LIKE MANNER as you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:10-11).
   Many do not grasp the significance of this prophecy of God — given by angels. But, the clear statement was that Jesus' ultimate return to this earth would be in exactly the same manner in which He left. Jesus Christ went straight up into the atmosphere of this earth and disappeared into the clouds as He made His ascent into heaven. Jesus Christ is going to return in precisely the same way — straight down out of the clouds of the air to the solid ground of this earth. Jesus is not going to pause in mid-air to rapture His saints and then return to heaven. If this were so, these angels lied.
   There is simply no room for a secret rapture in any of these scriptures.

Returns to the Mount of Olives

   The prophet Zechariah also prophesied of this same day. He writes, "Behold the day of the Lord cometh (the exact same day and time spoken of in I Thessalonians and in the book of Revelation)... and his feet shall stand IN THAT DAY upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east (Zech. 14:1, 4).
   Yes, Jesus Christ will return to this earth exactly as He left it! He will return visibly — in the midst of the time of great trouble and tribulation upon the earth such as has never been since the beginning of time nor shall ever be again (Matt. 24:21). He will resurrect the dead in Christ and at the same time transform the living who have obeyed Jesus Christ, and they together shall be "caught up" (not raptured) to meet the returning Christ in the air as He descends upon the Mount of Olives. IN THAT VERY DAY and at that exact time Jesus Christ will set His feet upon the Mount of Olives and the Kingdom of God will begin upon this earth.
   Notice Revelation 5, verses 9 and 10, "... Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us (men) to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign ON THE EARTH."
   Those who teach the Rapture Theory are deceiving many into believing in an event that will NEVER COME! It is time we look into our Bibles and prove the truth of Jesus Christ's second coming to this earth.

Events Soon To Come

   The time order of events from now until the return of Jesus Christ to this earth are crystal clear in your Bible. Let us examine them carefully — for in them we will find the real comfort and hope of protection that Jesus Christ promised us. We must not place our hope in a FALSE RAPTURE — but in the truth of Almighty God.
   As we have previously seen, Jesus, upon being asked about His second coming, showed there would be a time of false ministers coming in the name of Christ deceiving many; wars and rumors of wars; famine and pestilence (Matt. 24:3-7). He then showed there would be persecution upon the very Church of God — while at the same time the Gospel of the Kingdom of God would be preached in all the world for a witness (Verses 8-14).
   Following this a period of time would occur called the "Great Tribulation," a time in which Jesus promised God would intervene or else all mankind would be wiped off the face of the earth (verses 21-22).

Those Days — Now!

   We have entered these very days! Never in the history of mankind have there ever been so many sects, denominations and religious organizations on earth. False doctrine and false teachings are rife throughout the world.
   No other time in history has been fraught with as many wars and rumors of wars as we have today!
   Trial, tribulation and persecution are at this very time coming upon the true believers in Jesus Christ.
   But the greatest event of all — prophesied in Matthew 24 — is being fulfilled before your very eyes and in the ears of millions upon millions of people on the face of this earth. THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST — THE TRUE GOSPEL OF HIS RETURN TO THIS EARTH AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS KINGDOM AND RULE UPON EARTH — IS NOW BEING PREACHED TO ALL OF THE WORLD AS A WITNESS! YOU ARE READING THE VERY WORDS FULFILLING THAT PROPHECY! You HEAR THE VERY WORDS OF THAT GOSPEL WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE WORLD TOMORROW PROGRAM — THE MOST POWERFUL RADIO PROGRAM ON EARTH TODAY!
   We have truly entered the days of which Jesus Christ spoke in Matthew 24.
   These same days are mentioned in Revelation 6. The understanding of the correlation between Matthew 24 and Revelation 6 is the KEY to the book of Revelation. If you have not already read Mr. Armstrong's booklet, "The key to the Book of Revelation," you should read it immediately.
   In the sixth chapter of Revelation we read of seven great seals of God which are opened. The events depicted in these seals are the precise same events prophesied by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24. They are the events preceding His second coming.
   We notice that the first seal is a white horse — here are the false prophets prophesied by Jesus Christ. The second seal depicts a red horse which has the power to take peace from the earth. Here are the wars and rumors of wars mentioned by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24.
   The third seal shows the black horse whose rider has a pair of balances in his hand measuring out wheat and barley — showing the time of famine upon the earth that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24.
   The fourth seal portrays a pale horse with power to kill one-fourth of the inhabitants of the earth with the sword and with hunger and with death and with the beasts of the earth.
   Our newspapers and news magazines continue to portray the increase of sickness, and death from dreadful diseases which are growing more rampant — WORLD-WIDE. These seals, described in Revelation 6, are depicting the days we are NOW hurtling into.
   The next seal in Revelation 6 depicts the event Christ spoke of in Matthew 24, verse 9. It is a time of martyrdom of saints! It is a time when the true followers of Jesus Christ shall be hated of all nations for His name's sake. It is the final culminating event before Almighty God steps in and intervenes in world affairs.
   These first five seals are Satan's wrath upon this earth. These events are caused by man disobeying God and following the ways of Satan the Devil to his own hurt and destruction.

Our Real Hope

   It is at this time that Jesus Christ makes known to His true Church the comforting knowledge that there is a WAY TO ESCAPE the terrible events which will follow.
   Notice Revelation, the 12th Chapter! Here is the culmination of Satan's wrath upon the earth. "... Woe to the inhabitors of the earth and of the sea! For the Devil has come down unto you, HAVING GREAT WRATH, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon (Devil) saw that he was cast into the earth, he PERSECUTED THE WOMAN which brought forth the man-child" (Rev. 12:12-13). Here we see the Church of God portrayed as a woman (the Church is portrayed as a woman in the Bible and is the symbol for the Church, notice II Cor. 11:2).
   Now notice what happens to the woman, or the Church of God. "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent" (verse 14).
   Did you catch the significance of that verse? Do you see the promise of Jesus Christ that He will take His Church away while He pours out His wrath upon the disobedient nations of the world? Here is the true hope of Christians! Here is the real truth of the Bible of how the Church of God will be spared from a time of trouble which is to come upon this earth such as has never been since the beginning of time.
   Satan continues to try to devour the true Church of God — the woman — by casting out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood (verse 15). However, God will not allow the Church to be hurt after this time! He uses the very earth itself to swallow up the flood which Satan casts out of his mouth to destroy the Church (verse 16).

Another Warning

   Verse 17 also reveals a significant event. Satan turns from his attempts to destroy the faithful and turns back to those who were lukewarm and did not have the courage and dedication to go all the way with God! Many will realize they were just not diligent enough in prayer, Bible study and in proving where God's true Church is. They will also realize TOO LATE that God's way is true and right and because of their lack of faith to go all the way with God, they will have to go through this time of great wrath. Many of them will be killed and martyred for their testimony and because they now want to keep the law of God.

The Day of the Lord

   Returning now to Revelation 6, we see God's wrath beginning and the Day of the Lord being poured out upon the earth. The sixth seal opens accompanied by a great earthquake and then tremendous heavenly signs which will frighten and terrify mankind upon the earth until they seek to hide themselves in the very dens and rocks of the earth. Verse 17 identifies this as the day of GOD'S wrath upon the earth.
   Rapturists would have us believe that the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord are one and the same. However, the Tribulation is the time of the first five seals — the time of Satan's wrath upon the earth. Following the Tribulation comes the dreadful and terrible Day of the Lord in which His wrath is poured out upon the earth to bring an end to the rebellion of the Babylonish systems of this world and the Satanic deception that has entered into the hearts of men.
   Notice these same events as portrayed by the prophet Joel. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the great and terrible day of the Lord come" (Joel 2:30-31).
   Did you notice that the prophet Joel said there would be blood, fire and smoke in the earth and then heavenly signs before the great and terrible Day of the Lord comes? This again rules out any possibility of a rapture before the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ returns at the end and culmination of the great and terrible Day of the Lord — not before.
   The Day of the Lord begins with the opening of the sixth seal and the heavenly signs being revealed in the heavens.
   Chapter 8 of Revelation depicts that terrible Day of the Lord. It is pictured under the seven trumpets which comprise the seventh seal. These seven trumpets portray the wrath of God being poured out upon this earth to cause all who have turned their backs on God's way and His Word to realize the error of their ways and to cause them to turn finally to acknowledge Him.
   As we have previously noticed, it is at the culmination of these seven trumpets that the mystery of God is finished — the resurrection and transformation of all who have obeyed Jesus Christ and been a part of His true Church (Rev. 10:7).
   The last trumpet — the seventh trumpet — is divided into the seven last vials of wrath — which are the vials of Almighty God poured out upon the kings of the earth which cause them to rebel and to fight against the returning Jesus Christ in the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-14).
   Finally the seventh and last trump sounds and Jesus Christ returns to this earth. That event is portrayed in Revelation 19, beginning in verse 11. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."
   Yes, all of the nations of this earth who have been buffeted and afflicted by the wrath of God, finally in one great last rebellion will attempt to fight and make war against the returning Jesus Christ.
   Jesus and the armies which were in heaven (Verse 14) make war upon the nations of this earth and destroy the rebellious army, leaving a pitiful remnant of people scattered across the face of the earth.

Are These Armies Saints?

   Rapturists would have us believe these armies are the saints returning with Jesus Christ to the earth in His second phase. However, Jesus Christ makes this very clear that it is not the saints but all His holy angels returning with Him. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and ALL THE HOLY ANGELS WITH HIM, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (Matt. 25:31).
   Some also would use Jude 14 to imply that these are saints and not angels. However, the word "saints" in Jude 14 is the Greek word hagios which can also be translated "most holy ones." Therefore, although translated "saints," this word could very well have been translated "holy ones." Therefore, the reference is again a parallel to Matthew 25:31 and Revelation 19:14 — and means the holy angels of God returning with Jesus Christ to wreak vengeance upon the disobedient nations of this earth.
   At His return, Jesus Christ will subdue all of the nations of the earth — will cast the Beast and the False Prophet (antichrist) into the lake of fire and slay the remnant of the army with the sword.
   Then will Jesus set His feet upon the Mount of Olives and establish His Kingdom of God upon the earth — first during the Millennial reign of 1000 years and then forever and ever. The heavenly Jerusalem will come to this earth as the very Headquarters of Almighty God of the universe (Rev. 20, 21, 22).

Rapturists Will Miss Out

   Those who believe in a secret rapture will NOT be looking for these events that Jesus Christ prophesied would come! They will ENTIRELY MISS the significance of the world happenings heralding the approach of the dreadful and terrible Day of the Lord! Rapturists will miss the key that after an initial persecution (Rev. 12:13), there will be a way provided for the true Church of God to escape the great wrath of Satan which is to come upon the earth (verse 14).
   Instead of being taken away in a rapture, because of their belief in such a theory, they will entirely miss the opportunity to ESCAPE Satan's great wrath upon this earth. Therefore, proponents of the Rapture Theory are being robbed of the knowledge and understanding of truly how to escape!

A Stern Warning

   Jesus Christ sternly warned, "Watch ye therefore and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to ESCAPE all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36). If we are watching for a false event that shall never happen, our eyes will be taken off of the true; significant events which will warn us of the time to flee to a place of safety.
   You can't afford to take a chance! You cannot allow yourself to blindly follow a doctrine without proving it!
   Satan knows that the true Church of God will be given a place of safety on this earth during the great wrath to come. He doesn't want You to know this truth! He wants to rob you of the knowledge that is in the Bible. That is why he has inspired this doctrine of the rapture to be widespread among Protestantism — in order to blind you to the truth of the return of Jesus Christ.
   God reveals that the Church is NOT going to be raptured away to heaven — but RATHER to be spared the time of Satan's wrath on this earth by being shown and taken to a place of safety in a remote and desert region RIGHT HERE ON THIS EARTH.
   Are you really seeking the truth? Are you really seeking the true Church of God — trying to be obedient to Him and to serve Him as He has outlined in His Word? If you are being faithful — AND HONEST — you will see the truth and ' know where the true Church of God is. Then, the words of Jesus Christ will apply to you, where He said, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, TO TRY THEM that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3:10).
   You can know where the true Church of God is! You can identify it if you are willing to prove it in all honesty from the Word of God. Read our free booklet "A TRUE History of the TRUE CHURCH." Prepare yourself for the shock of your life! Learn where God's true Church is — learn its mission and commission on this earth. Then, you may learn that YOU can be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are coming on this earth.

A Final Warning

   Paul warns of the rising up of that man of sin — the antichrist — who will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God. Let's notice the significance of this final warning.
   Paul begins by beseeching the Thessalonians, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand" (II Thess. 2:1-2).
   Paul is talking about the one and only return of Jesus Christ. Rapturists would have us believe that Paul mentioned both the rapture of Jesus Christ and His second phase return all in the same verse. Such a conjecture is ridiculous in light of Paul's further word in the second verse when he shows that it is all one time — the day of Christ.
   Now notice the significance of Paul's warning. "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of the return of Jesus Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away [a rebellion against God's government] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember you not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" (verses 3, 4, 5).
   The coming of the antichrist — the man of sin — must occur before the return of Jesus Christ. Rapturists would have us believe that this is to come after the return of Jesus Christ when He raptures His saints away to heaven.
   However, Paul said that in his very day this mystery of iniquity was already at work (v. 7). If it was already at work in Paul's day, how could the rapture occur first? Paul continues to show in verse 7 that he who letteth (restrains) will continue to restrain (let) until he (the man of sin) be taken out of the way. Paul is showing that the very power of God — through His Holy Spirit — is restraining the final rising up in power of the man of sin. The power of God will continue to restrain the rising up of the man of sin for a very SHORT TIME yet in the future, "and then shall that Wicked One [that's the correct translation] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming" (v. 8).
   Now for the deep significance of this warning! Those who believe in a rapture will be waiting and waiting for this rapture to take them away! No rapture will occur! Soon a time of great trial and trouble and persecution will begin on the earth! There will be great signs and wonders appearing in the heavens — yet all the inhabitants of the earth will seek to hide themselves from this sign — thinking it is an evil power!
   The actual sign in heaven will be the warning signs of the return of Jesus Christ to the earth! THE WORLD WILL BE DECEIVED INTO THINKING THIS POWER IS THE VERY POWER OF THE ANTICHRIST! That is why all of the nations of the earth will gather together to fight against Him at His return!
   Therefore, those who adhere to a Rapture Theory have fallen into the deception of Satan the Devil who has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:9). They will actually be guilty of accusing the returning Jesus of Nazareth of being the antichrist and will fight against Him and be destroyed!
   Will you be deceived into believing this satanic doctrine of a Rapture Theory? Will you go on blindly believing the traditions of men and the theories they have advanced without proof? Read your Bible! Check carefully! Prove all things (I Thess. 5:21). Your very life is at stake.

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Plain Truth MagazineFebruary 1963Vol XXVIII, No.2