INTRODUCTION:
Shalom v’ brachas,
The topic is the doctrine of the “rapture.” There has never been a consensus of opinion within the religious community regarding this subject. The Christian community as well as the Messianic Jewish Community has various views. Some I suspect fed by bias in order to push a specific agenda. My own investigation of the matter, revealed, at least on a superficial level that opponents were in some cases informed by semantically influenced approaches.
Words are powerful weapons. Messianic Jews in most cases are impacted by words employed in English translations such as “church.” This word “church” translated from Ekklesia (called out ones) contains within it an actuality and potential of bias toward Jewish religious organizations, ideas and doctrine. For instance, it carries within its use and understanding the doctrine that the “Church” is the new Israel disenfranchising present day Jews. The “rapture” doctrine is seen as intricately related to Church Replacement Theology. But think, if you employed a more literal translation of ekklesia the “called out ones” will meet Yahshua in the air,” the semantical bias is eliminated and we might view this doctrine from a different perspective. The same applies somewhat to dispensationalist.
First, we want to inform ourselves of the doctrine. “Rapture” is a Latin word rapio used to translate the Greek term of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, harpagesometha. Living believers are said to be ”caught up” to meet the L-rd at His coming. Biblically that there will be a “rapture” is indisputable in my opinion, and those who persist in reading this paper will find out why I believe this to be true. Those holding to varying views about end time events hold firmly to this view, however the problem arises primarily from the premillennial view and it is there that this doctrine finds major emphasis.
This view identified as Pre-tribulationists” see the “Saints” as being removed from the earth immediately prior to the Second Coming of Yahshua (Jesus) and occurring prior to the tribulation. Rather currently, there is also a pre-wrath view that we will not address in this paper. This Christian doctrine teaches that the “church” is in heaven during the tribulation on the earth. Unfortunately, the sensibilities of Messianic believers are offended by the employment of the word “church” as being exclusive. It would have a different connotation if the correct translation was employed, “called out ones” which is inclusive in terminology. It would also lessen the negative impact conveyed and expose fallacies inherent in the doctrine of “Church Replacement Theology,” again in my view.
Then we have Mid-tribulationists who place the “rapture” at the mid-point of a seven-year tribulation period. In this doctrine the “church” remains on earth for the first half of the tribulation, but are “caught-up” in mid point to escape the time of the “Great Tribulation. This view sees the Second Coming of Yahshua in two phrases and this has been a “thorn” in the side of certain proponents and detractors. Also because of the term “Last Trump” of Revelation being the signal for the “Rapture” has led many to place the “Rapture’ in the last category below because of the trumps referenced in Revelation. However, many see an apparent problem reguarding “The Last Trump,” but in actuality, none, if you know the Jewish foundation and roots of Christianity. More on that later.
Then there is the Postribulationists who hold that the “church” will remain on earth during the tribulation period. I find that many Messianic organizations and particularly many in the Messianic Israel Alliance who I have personally interacted with hold to this view, at least, in part, in that their leaders teach there will be no pre-tribulation nor Mid-tribulation “rapture.” At this writing, I’m not sure if the official doctrine is “no rapture” at all or post only. This forum is not designed to challenge any specific view held by organizations, but offered as a platform of ideas from which we may all learn. This view also teaches that the “church” will be held on the earth, but will be protected from divine wrath. This view avoids the return of Yahshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) in two phases.
Another view not so well known is the Pre-Wrath view. Generally this view states that the “saints” will experience some years of “wrath” leading up to the Tribulation, but they will be removed prior to the commencement of the Tribulation. I have to confess, I’m not totally conversant with this doctrine, but it intrigued me. I examined this idea and found a model in modern Judaism’s Rosh Hashanah. Starting with the Feast of Trumpets and ending with Yom Kippur, covering 10 days of Awe and culminating in Yom Kippur. This model like the Seven Festivals of G-d may be prophetic in that the Pre-Wrath doctrine fits very comfortably. Three years of wrath and seven years of tribulation. I will outline this study for you more thoroughly at a later date under a different title.
This general overview and some personal thoughts should stimulate us to examine this question and share our own views on the matter. As we proceed we should try to employ biblical citations to qualify our views.
The following is from a class held at Beth Elohim Synagogue:
1. Who here has not heard of the rapture?
2. Who here believes that the doctrine of the rapture is true?
3. It has long been my belief that whatever is sound doctrine in the New Testament or what is taught from the New Testament has to be grounded in the Old. Personally, I believed that if the teaching of the rapture is true then evidence of it had to be found in the OT.
4. Think how excited I was when I found a passage in Micah that supported this
belief while attending Trinity College. I reveled my discovery to the Dean of OT studies and asked for his comment. The Dean who had never made the connection became excited also and encouraged me to pursue my investigation for we were sure I was on to something new. Then I discovered a passage in Isaiah that I think alludes to the Rapture. Later on, I found many more. I’m sure there are more than I’ve discovered. We just have to look for them.
5. The truth is that there are few people who understand this teaching or that it has a scriptural basis in the OT. So let us try to throw some light on it.
Let us start with the NT SCRIPTURES that are cited to allude to the Rapture:
I THESS. 4:1—5:3 Read with me from this passage.
16 For the YHVH Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an
Archangel, and with the trumpet of G-D And the dead in Christ will rise first
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the YHVH in the air. And thus we shall always be with the YHVH.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words
5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I
should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the YHVH so comes as a thief in the night
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety! “then sudden destruction comes upon
them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, And they shall not escape
1 COR 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed;
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
RAPTURE: The catching up of believers by Yahshua at the time of His return. The word came into use by way of the Latin rapio used to translate the Greek term of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, harpagesometha. Living believers are said to be “caught up” to meet the YHVH at His coming. Those of varying millennial views about end time events all hold firmly to the biblical truth of such a rapture. However, it is within the premillennial view that the teaching of the rapture finds major emphasis.
This view sees a tribulation period immediately before the Second Coming of Yahshua. Pre-tribulationists see the rapture occurring prior to the tribulation. This approach places the Ekklesia, (called out ones) in heaven during the time of tribulation on earth.
Mid-tribulationists place the rapture at the mid-point of a seven-year tribulation period. The Ekklesia remains on earth for the first half of the tribulation, but escapes the last half, which is seen to be the time of intense or great tribulation. This view, along with the previous one, sees the Second Coming of Yahshua in two phases. The first phase will be a secret coming in clouds to rapture the Ekklesia. The second will be His return with the Ekklesia to reign on earth.
Post-tribulationists hold the Ekklesia will remain on earth during the tribulation period. While that time will be one of wrath upon the world system, the Ekklesia will be protected from divine wrath although experiencing tribulation. This view avoids dividing the return of Yahshua into two phases.
NOW TURN WITH ME TO ISA. 57:1
Read along with me:
ISA. 57:1 The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
Does this sound as if the believer’s will be left?
Now turn to: the prophet MICAH and learn a little about this book before we come to the pertinent passage.
Micah considered one of the Minor Prophets and let me say the “so called” Minor Prophets have too long been ignored. There is more end time prophecy found in these writings than in the so-called Major Prophets. Prophecies are twofold and this has long been accepted as a fact by theologians. They are given for the immediate future, but also for the long term future and many of the prophecies given then are just now being understood.
Micah means, “Who is Like YHVH.” He lived some 750 years before Yahshua. He was a contemporary with Isaiah. There are three verses in Micah that compares almost verse for verse with Isaiah. It’s not known who quoted whom but the passage does provide a theme for his book as well as the goal of Isaiah’s prophecy.
Here is the passage from Micah 4:1-3 for your comparison with Isaiah.
Micah 4:1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the House of the YHVH shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it.
2 Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of YHVH, To the house of the G-d of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the YHVH from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war any more.
Turn to Isa. 2:2
ISA; 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of YHVH’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the YHVH, To the house of the G-dof Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of YHVH from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
The prophecy of the temple from where Yahshua HaMashiach will rule the future world seems to be a major theme. It may refer to the New Jerusalem that will come down from YHVH out of heaven or it may also refer to the temple that will be built before the Tribulation. Which brings us to 1948 when Israel was reestablished and begins the time for the third temple period, which will see another erection of YHVH Elohim’s Temple.
IN MICAH 4:6-7 WE READ:
In that day, (this day) saith YHVH, will I assemble her (Speaking of Israel-the dispersed nation) that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted.
And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that were cast off a strong nation: and YHVH shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even forever.
In verse 4:11 Micah moves to the end time. He writes:
“Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion, And in Micah 5:2 the birthplace of The Messiah is foretold.
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou he little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to he ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Then in verse three Micah indicates a period of time that the King would reject the throne and kingdom and His people but would return one day.
Let’s read: (5:3)
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth; the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
Now Micah describes the end-time: The Day of YHVH. He tells of Yahshua’s anger and fury upon the heathen.
Remember what Yahshua quoted from Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth describing his future coming at Armageddon as a day of vengeance:
“The Spirit of the Adonai Elohim is upon me; because YHVH hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the YHVH, and the day of vengeance of our G-d...”
Yahshua left out the last phrase of the verse, which foretold His Second Coming. He said that he had come to “proclaim the acceptable year of YHVH” and then closed the scroll without reading.” and the day of vengeance of our G-d” Indicating that his first coming declared the “acceptable year of YHVH,” and that his second coming one day in the future would declare the day of vengeance of our G-d.”
Which brings us to MICAH 7:1-2 We read:
V. 1 Woe is Me! For I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit”
Jews feel the brunt of the world’s condemnation.
Micah is describing a harvest. Can this harvest be the Ekkelsia and Judah is bemoaning, exclaiming Woe is ME? Because an event happens that startles her awake. Is her jealousy finally heightened until they look upon YHVH /Yahshua and desire Him? Now we come to the reference to the Rapture. In verse two we read:
2 The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net.
In this verse we see ‘good” translated from the Hebrew word “Chasid” translated elsewhere as saint.” Today, it generally refers to pious individuals. The verse says the saint is “perished out of the earth.” The word perished is a translation of the Hebrew word “ovad” which means “to cause to disappear."
There are 15 Hebrew words translated “perish” in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Most are bloody however the word “Ovad” simply means to disappear. In other words, the saint is disappeared out of the earth. Is there a better picture of the rapture?
Now turn to Zephaniah 2:3
Seek ye YHVH, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the YHVH’s anger.
We again have a picture of the Rapture here, as YHVH will hide his saints from His vengeance in the day of the YHVH’s anger.
Then in the Psalms David writes in Psalm 12.1
Help YHVH, for the G-dly are no more;
The faithful have vanished from among men. (NIV)
Below are five OT passages relating to the Rapture for you to read.
And one from the NT that is not generally cited.
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Now we should examine the Pre-Tnbulation Rapture and the objection to Pre-Trib rapture based upon the seven trumps in Revelation.
Those who do not hold with the pre-tribulation rapture base their belief on scripture in Revelation referring to the last trump as evidence that the rapture cannot occur until after the tribulation. Were they more learned about the Jewish Roots of Christianity they would know that a perfect picture exists of the rapture and the last trump in the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony.
THE LAST TRUMP
(Jewish BetrothaI/Wedding~Rapture)
Groom goes to Bride's father with:
1. Financial gift (best he has)
2. Wine
3. Ketubah (wedding contract)
· If father accepts
· Pours glass wine (if bride drinks accepts
· Ketubah signed
SHOFAR BLOWN ANNOUNCING BETROTHAL #1
Groom goes home and prepares a wedding chamber. If asked when is the consummation of the marriage to take place groom replies, "Only my father knows."
Father tells groom/son to go and get bride.
When he arrives, He sounds the LAST TRUMP and retrieves bride.
Picture of rapture, then seven-day (year) wedding feast.
Think of this if there is no rapture than who is at the wedding feast in Heaven during the Great Tribulation?
Then in the Psalms David writes in Psalm 12.1
Help YHVH, for the Godly are no more;
from among men.
Does it not seem that the rapture is a sound doctrine supported by the Bible.
One last reference from the Talmud that obliquely refers to the rapture. And should give some comfort to those who are disturbed by dispensationalist.
(World to last 6,000 years)
Rabbi Elijah lived approx. 200 years before the birth of Yahshua. This doctrine was taught in the school of Rabbi Elijah: The world will endure 6000 years -- 2,000 years in chaos (without the Torah), 2,000 years with Torah, and 2,000 years will be the days of the Messiah' (Sanhedrin.97a). This quotation from the Talmud shows that Rabbi Elijah knew of the 6,000 year plan of G-d based on the six working days of the week, each day representing a 1,000 years in G-d's Plan, followed by a 1,000 year Sabbath rest (compare II Peter 3:8-10; Psalm 90:4; Rev. 20:1- 4). So we learn that this doctrine was taught and recognized in Judaism long before the event of Christianity and dispensationalist. Messianic Jews should not throw out the baby with the bath water because they believe it is foreign and detrimental to Judaism due to unfortunate choices of semantics and some views.
We should not also he phrase, 2,000 years will be the days of the Messiah as remarkable, showing Rabbi Elijah -- knew Yahshua would come after 4,000 years. Adam and Eve were created in around 4004 B.C.E., and Yahshua HaMashiach was born around 4 B.C.E. about 4,000 years later. The implication is that He would be testified of for the next 2,000 years, till His second coming, which will be 2,000 years after His first coming. The implication is that His Second coming would be to retrieve His saints from the coming Tribulation.
Since Adam and Eve sinned after living for seven years in the Garden of Eden, according to the book of Jubilees, the 6,000 years of man's “work week” began around3997 B.C. This means that very likely the 6,000 years of 'man's work' (6 thousand-year “days”) would terminate sometime after 2004 C.E. at Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah or Yom Teruah). That this truth, about the 6,000-year plan of G-d, was actually taught by Rabbi Elijah and that we are living in the days of the very “countdown” to His Second Coming should excite all of us!
Rabbi Davis (R. Milchamah b. David)