The Secret Rapture Fails the Circular and Linear Test

For this last generation it matters how we understand Christ’s return. That there will be a secret rapture and that the church will miss the great tribulation is preached loudly and frequently in churches. If we believe in a secret rapture without tribulation, this generation will not spiritually prepare for the great tribulation because they expect to be snatched away.  If we believe that the saints living on earth during the end of time will face the great tribulation, then we will take measures to prepare ourselves and our children to meet this severe time of hardship through the power of Christ.

After Christ’s birth on earth, His death, resurrection and ascension, the Bible explains that Jesus will return to earth two more times. At His second coming, He will gather the saints in heaven to spend one thousand years with Him (Rev 20:4) and on His third return, He comes with the saints and the new Jerusalem to put a final end to this current earth. 

Those who accept the first coming of Christ, wait with great hope for the second coming. During this second coming, some believe that Christians will escape the great tribulation and be caught away in a secret rapture. Some Christians are expecting to face the tribulation and then be caught away in a universal, loud, and visible return where everyone can see Christ coming.

For some, it doesn’t matter how Jesus will return, as long as He returns.

We have been using the circular and the linear test to understand some of the common false doctrine swirling around the atmosphere.

From Genesis to Revelation, a secret rapture does not follow the line of truth that Christ’s second coming is audible, visible, and universal. It also shows gaps in the circular doctrine related to His return.

Let’s test this secret rapture doctrine.

Why would Jesus, who “sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; [who] stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and [who] spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in (Isaiah 40: 22) want to enter His world secretly and snatch Christians away?

Throughout the Bible, we do not see the character of a God who would snatch Christians away secretly. Every translation, deliverance or resurrection in the Bible was audible, visible and universal to that specific location. People in that area heard something, saw something and they knew something.

Translation: There are two (2) human translations in the Bible; Enoch’s (Gen 5:24) and Elijah’s (2 Kings 2:11). The Bible describes Elijah’s translation as one with fiery chariots witnessed by others, and more than likely Enoch’s was the same.

Deliverance: Every deliverance, from the Exodus, to Jericho, from victory in wars, to the fiery furnace was audible, visible and universal to those around the area. The people of Jericho, for example, were afraid because of what they heard, Balak was afraid because of what he saw. God has not failed to audibly and visibly demonstrate His power to mankind, as a means to draw us to Himself.

Resurrection: There are ten (10) resurrection accounts in the Bible. None was done in secret; there was always someone to witness the power of the living God. At the death of Jesus Christ there was an earthquake “and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose” Matt 27:51-52). Then at the resurrection of our Lord, there was an earthquake (Matt 28:2).  Every resurrection was audible, visible and those in the area heard, saw and knew about the events.

Therefore, though the Bible is not specifically detailed about Enoch’s translation, we can follow the line of truth so far and conclude that more than likely His translation was similar to that of Elijah.

The Bible also tells us what the coming of the Lord will be like.  Many prophets such as Daniel and Zechariah declare the second coming of the Lord as audible and visible. Daniel saw Him in the clouds (Dan 7:13-14). The angels said to the disciples, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so some in like manner as ye have seem him go into heaven, (Acts 1:11). In other words, we will see Him come down.

Paul further declares “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,” (1 Thess 4:16).

John describes the scene, “and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places,” (Rev 6:14).

Jesus 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.” (Matt 24:27, Luke 17:24). Jesus also confirms the universality of his return by stating that people will “see the son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels and shall gather together his elect…, (Mark 13:26-27).

Thus far, the line of truth proves that when God delivers, resurrects or translates, He makes sure there are eyewitnesses. His power is always seen and heard, that the world may know, the LORD has done this.

From Enoch’s translation in Genesis to Jesus resurrection in the New Testament, we evidence the audible, visible and universal nature of God’s power.

Now let us examine the circularity of this secret rapture doctrine.

Can we use this line of truth that the second coming will be audible, visible and universal in the Matthew 24 account, and can we connect it to Old Testament translation or deliverance? Does this break the circle?

One common verse that seem to support a secret rapture is in Matthew 24, “Then two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be griding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come, (Vs 40-42).

This verse seems to indicate a secret rapture, because one will be “taken” and the other left. Then it says we do not know the hour.  Whether the second coming is a secret rapture or loud bang, no one knows when the Lord will appear (Matt 24:36). It is not a secret because we do not know the specific hour. However, one” taken” and the other “left” tends to make the coming of Christ seems secretive.

Let’s test the word “taken.”  

We verified that every translation, deliverance and resurrection was audible, visible and universal, therefore this word “taken” in this context must be applicable to something else and not a secret translation. There is “taken” as in a translation with Enoch and Elijah, and there is “taken” as in death.

Going back to Matthew, in earlier verses, the Bible says, Christ second coming will be as in the days of Noah (vs 37) when they didn’t realize until the floods came and “took” them all away (vs 39). Does that “took” sound like the flood translated them?  Jesus is saying that those “taken” in verse 40 and 41 are those taken in death by the flood and those who are left, are like Noah’s family who are left in the ark.  Jesus couldn’t indicate a secret rapture, because this secret “taken” would contradict the audible, visible and universal nature of God’s translation, deliverance and resurrection from Genesis down to Revelation.

Luke also compares the second coming as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, when the wicked were taken in death by fire and Lot was left (Luke 17:28 –36).

The “taken” here is not taken as in a secret translation to heaven, it is taken in death. When Jesus returns the wicked who are alive will be “taken” in death, they will perish by the brightness of his coming (1Thess 1: 7- 9, 2 Thess 2:8), and the righteous who are left will rise to meet our Lord in the air. Then, “the dead in Christ will rise first (first resurrection), then we [the saints] which are alive and remain (in other words, those who are left (Matt 24:40, 41)  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” ( 1 Thess 4:16-17).

Why must this be true? If the wicked who are still living on the earth must face the second death (Rev 20:14), which is the final ultimate death, they must die the first death. There will be two sets of people living on the earth when Christ returns, the wicked and the righteous. The wicked are taken in death by the brightness of Christ’s “surprise” return, just like the wicked in Noah’s time were taken in death by “surprise” flood, and the wicked in Sodom were taken in death by the “surprise” fire. The righteous will be left, just like Noah was left and Lot was left, there is repetition for emphasis.

The first resurrection is for the righteous who are dead and they will be raised at Christs second return (1 Thess 4: 16); The second resurrection (resurrection of the wicked, Rev 20:5) will occur when Jesus returns a third time with the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:1, 2) to put a complete end to this old earth.  Therefore, any Christian who is not caught up to meet the Lord in the second coming, should not expect to be caught up in His third coming. No one will be caught up on His third return, the Bible says the saints will be coming down who will inhabit the new earth and the new Jerusalem.

The linear truth of the Bible must match all its components and if Matthew’s and Luke’s “taken” means taken in death, it supports all the other scriptures.  If this “taken” means a secret rapture, then it nullifies all the other verses that support a loud second coming where the whole world will hear, see and know that Jesus has come. Since these old and New Testament demonstrate an audible, visible and universal second coming of Christ, the secret rapture doctrine fails the circular and linear test.

This secret rapture doctrine is a distraction to the truth of the tribulation that is to come upon the earth. If we flood our minds with this false Santa Claus idea, then pastors are not preparing their congregations, parents are not preparing their children to pray for strength to face the horrors of the end times.

The third point under which a secret rapture fails the linear and circularity test is that from Genesis to Revelation, God has not disallowed anyone from facing hardships, which is part of the sanctification process. He has delivered millions from hardships, but He does not prevent hardships. The Israelites were enslaved for over 400 years, Joseph went to prison for 13 years, Jacob worked for 14 years, the Jews were exiled for 70 years, David was running for his life for over 10 years, Daniel was fed to the lion, the Hebrew boys were tossed in the fiery furnace, Paul was chained between soldiers, Jesus, His own son was crucified, the disciples were persecuted, John was beheaded, and  since then, many Christians died for the faith, as indicated in the Book of the Martyrs.

What makes us, the last generation, so special that we will be excluded from the great tribulation? God is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). His line of truth remains the same.

Jesus took time to educate us with the truth of the last days events and to prepare the church for what is ahead. Our duty in prayer is to seek endurance to be faithful, not to escape. The secret rapture doctrine that the church will escape the great tribulation is the counterfeit to the line of truth.

Look around! Listen to the sound waves in the air!  Great tribulation is coming!

We will not escape the great tribulation, but those who endure to end shall be saved (Matt 24:13).

John further declares that he saw “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” ( Rev 7:9), and then one  of the elders told him,” These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev 7:14).

My prayer is that I will be caught up in the air during Christ second coming, and that you will be there too.