Is the word rapture in the Bible? That’s the question that has Christians up in arms, and the answer varies from person to person. The term is a relatively recent concept, and there are a number of problems with its use. For starters, it’s a plot device that has become deeply ingrained in fundamentalist circles. This is bad theology, and Jesus would be baffled at its use.
While we don’t know for sure, there are several references to the word rapture in the Bible. In the book of Revelation, Jesus was supposedly gathered to heaven before he ascended. In Revelation 12:5, the word “rapture” is used in two different contexts. In the first instance, it refers to a resurrection and the second is used to describe the rapture of the Church. However, in the other case, the term refers to the Church itself.
Many believers believe that Jesus is going to come back, and the word rapture is an integral part of that. Although Jesus doesn’t mention how He’s going to do it, other Bible texts make it clear what’s going to happen. Some passages, such as Matthew 25:6, Mark 12, Luke 17:25-35, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, describe how believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
Whether or not the term rapture is in the Bible depends on what interpretation of scripture you read. The word comes from the Greek word rapturo, which means “caught up” or “taken away.” In this context, the rapture is used to describe the physical removal of Christians from earth to heaven. It’s unclear if the word rapture is a literal event, or an idea.
If you want to learn more about the rapture, read the Bible and other Christian books. Alan Hultberg, an associate professor of Bible exposition at Talbot School of Theology, co-author of Three Views on The Rapture, has several excellent books to recommend. A good place to start is with his book, Three Views on the Rapture. There are a few different interpretations of this term, but both hold the same truth: Jesus and the rapture are biblical and have a place in it.
It first became popular in the United States in the 19th century. John Nelson Darby, an Irish evangelist, taught the ideas of premillennialism and dispensationalism. A few years later, William Eugene Blackstone preached the theory of the rapture, which went on to sell more than a million copies. This book even spawned a popular series of movies, including The Left Behind franchise.
Some Bible passages reference the word rapture in the context of religious apostasy. In Acts 12, the angel that delivered Peter from the apostasy departed and Paul prayed for his thorn in the flesh to fall off. The word rapture is only used twice in the New Testament, and both times in connection with the apostasy of Christians.