WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THE RAPTURE?

Part 10: The Secret Rapture: Greek Words: The Time Gap

Greetings Brethren,

Peace be unto you. The dreadful Day for some and the home going for others quickly approaches. Sadly many still do not respect the Word. Man in his foolish folly has come to re-write and hide the Book. However the Word will never be taken from the people again. Meanwhile some look to God and others lean on man.

Peace and Paradise,

Carl Patton a willing servant of Jehovah God writing for the FreedomJournal 26 November 2005 in the year of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

In the name of God, Master of the Universe, Ruler of the earth.

The false teaching of the Secret Rapture is further seen in their flawed assertion that there is a time gap before the Lord returns. We will now refer to I Thess. 4: 16-17 once more. This scripture is clear as to what happens at the last day or Day of the Lord. The trumpet of God sounds, the dead in Christ are raised and the living saints are translated (not raptured).

There certainly does not seem to be room left here for a time gap of any length. In spite of this clear sequence of events, in their determination to prove otherwise, the Rapturists will still defend their mistaken concept of a coming in two stages, by appealing to the distinction between the two Greek words used, in connection with the coming. These words are Parousia, which they contend is coming first to rapture the believers and Apokalupsis which they say is open, visible coming back with the saints after a lapse of time. In reality there are actually six Greek words used in connection with the return of the Lord. For the sake of simplicity we shall list these words, with their English rendering and go on to show that the inspired writers of the New Testament used them interchangeably to describe not two distinct and separate comings but one event.

1. Parousia - This word emphasizes the physical or actual personal presence of the one who comes e.g. 'Be patient unto the COMING (in person) of the Lord.' James 5:7.

2. Apokalupsis - This word stresses the 'revealing' or unveiling of the one who comes e.g. 'The Lord shall be REVEALED from Heaven.' II Thess. 1:7.

3. Epiphaneia - This word is used in the sense of the Glory or Majesty that will be manifested as Christ returns e.g. 'The APPEARING of our Lord Jesus.' I Tim. 6:14.

4. Heko - This word is used to emphasizes the idea of arrival at a certain point or place e.g. 'Hold fast till I COME (to you).' Rev. 2:25.

5. Erchomai - This word is used to imply the actual act or event of coming e.g. 'Occupy till I COME (make the journey).' Luke 19: 13.

6. Phaneroo - This word means to render apparent e.g. 'When He shall APPEAR we shall be like Him' I John 32.

Out of these six words, the one most used is Parousia, but never in the sense of anything that is secret. Paul frequently used this word to refer to the physical presence of himself and others at various locations e.g. he spoke of the 'coming' (PAROUSIA) of Titus to him from Corinth, II Cor. 7:6, and again in the same Epistle the 'coming' (PAROUSIA) of Stephanas etc. I Cor. 16:17. Again when writing to the saints at Philippi, Paul said that he would be 'coming' (PAROUSIA) to visit them. Furthermore Paul spoke of the 'Coming (PAROUSIA) of the Lord and our gathering together to Him.' II Thess. 2 as an event seen by all after the appearance of antichrist, not in secret before the appearance of antichrist.

Not only Paul but Peter also used these words PAROUSIA and APOKALUPSIS, and actually used them to refer to the same event, the open manifest, coming again of the Lord Jesus. To see this compare I Peter 1:13 to II Peter 3. To confirm that the two words are interchangeable, we find that Matthew in his Gospel referring to the last days says:

'As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming (PAROUSIA) of the Son of Man be.' Matt. 24:37.

Yet Luke referring to the same event in his Gospel writes:

'As it was in the days of Noah ... even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed (APOKALUPSIS).' Luke 17:26-30.

Surely this is proof if it is still required that the idea of two comings is at best nonsense and at worst a deliberate deception. Before leaving this issue we should also say that the other Greek words listed previously can also be used interchangeably, although implying various shades or degrees of meaning.

EPIPHANEIA is used to refer to the Lord returning to destroy antichrist:

'with the brightness of His COMING.' II Thess. 2:8.

Certainly nothing secret about that event. PHANEROO can be found in I Peter 5:4.

'When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'

Without doubt the crowning glory of the saints at the Lord's return will be open and for all to see.

ERCHOMAI and HEKO are actually used in the same sentence to describe the same event:

'For yet a little while and He that shall come (ERCHOMAI) will come (HEKO) and will not tarry.' Hebrews 10:37.

In the light of these and many other similar verses it is apparent that the original Greek text confounds and refutes the Secret Rapture teaching rather than confirming and sustaining it. (See “The Secret Rapture Is It Scriptural by Alan Campbell).

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carl@freedomjournalpress.comcastbiz.net