The Rapture Isn't In The Bible

by Michael G. Mickey
(7-12-08)

No matter how many times I explain the Rapture of the Church, it seems I find myself back at square #1 which is answering the question of why the word rapture isn't in the Bible if there's going to be one!

Using the logic those who ask this question lean upon, one could argue that the Bible itself couldn't exist. The word Bible isn't in the Bible either in case you didn't know.

One of my favorite Bible passages concerning the rapture is 1st Thessalonians 4:16-18:

16. 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:

17. 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.

18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Nowhere in this passage descriptive of the Rapture of the Church do we find the word rapture, but is it there? Arguably, yes.

The phrase "caught up" is harpazo (här-pä'-zō) in the original Greek text. When the Greek text was translated into Latin, the word harpazo was translated into raptus, rapiemur and rapturo from which we, at some point, adopted an English version of the Latin words and came up with the word rapture as a term descriptive of the Lord's catching up of the saints.

Conclusion: Simply because the word rapture isn't found in English translations of the Bible doesn't mean the event isn't described in same. It's right there as demonstrated and I can't wait for the day to come when those of us have placed our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are caught up - RAPTURED - to meet the Lord in the air!

Come quickly, Lord Jesus!