Why is the doctrine of a secret rapture so popular?

Matthew 24:27   “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (NIV).

Why is the doctrine of a secret rapture so popular?

The answer: The root of the problem is a misinterpretation of Daniel 9:24-27.

   The angel Gabriel gave a prophecy to Daniel which involved 70 “weeks,” a “week” being a metaphor for 7 years.  The 69th week ended at the time of Christ’s ministry.  The misinterpretation, carried out by a number of theologians, is the conviction that the 70th “week” has not taken place yet.  They say the 70th week will not take place until an undetermined time in the future.  Detaching the 70th “week” by nearly 2,000 years and counting is a drastic error.

   (With no intention of degrading those theologians, in a supplemental piece which will be posted in November, I will get into specifics on one Biblical interpretation which became a major influence in the 20th century regarding the rapture.)

   So when Jesus starts talking about the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27, boom, they deduct that Jesus is talking about the “end times” tribulation.

   They ignore the context of the first question by the disciples recorded in Matthew 24:3.  So their error leads them to think that what Jesus is revealing here in Matthew 24:27 and in upcoming verses has to do with the second stage of the Second Coming of Christ, when Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives.  (They see the Mount of Olives arrival as the first time He is visible to all people since His ascension.)

   However, what Jesus is going to reveal in the upcoming verses does not fit the Mount of Olives return.  Jesus does reveal a rapture in Matthew 24:31.

   Confusing this Second Coming revelation in Matthew 24 with the Mount of Olives return, prophesied by Zechariah, their major details about the rapture go awry.  They designate a rapture which would be unseen and unheard by everyone but believers.  In their rapture, it would seem to people left behind that Christians suddenly disappeared.  There is no solid Biblical support for such.

   It all got on the wrong path with misinterpreting Daniel 9:24-27.

   Does this matter?  Yes.  Misinterpreting Scripture is always a problem.  Theologians are human, and not one of us has a perfect Biblical interpretation.  Yet we all need to keep learning.

   This secret rapture interpretation creates a false mystery about our relational Messiah, rather than putting an emphasis on the continued unveiling of Jesus Christ which will take place.

   And this secret rapture interpretation makes the rapture a bit creepy, as opposed to the fact that the rapture will be a glorious celebration for those who love Jesus.

   I close with one interesting fact, since it supports the general reality of a coming rapture.  However, even though it has been used to infer a “secret rapture,” it is not solid evidence of such.  In the book of Revelation, the focus of chapter two and chapter three is seven churches.  But then, from chapter four to near the end of the book, the word church is not used again.  Interesting.

   God makes the statement at the beginning of chapter four: “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this” (Revelation 4:1).

   So most theologians think the vision of John throughout the remainder of the book of Revelation takes place after the “rapture.”  I think this is reasonable.

   Yet the lack of any mention of the subject of the rapture in the book of Revelation does not establish a “silent rapture.”

   Thus from where we stand in learning from the discourse of Jesus here in Matthew 24, the rapture has yet to be foretold.  Yet brace yourself.  As Jesus continues to unveil His Second Coming, there will be a rapture essence to it.

   And that first stage of the Second Coming is going to be a loud, joyous celebration for all those who follow Jesus, our Savior and Lord!

Hunter Irvine

The Second Coming of Christ – Matthew 24

Matthew 24: 26-27 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (NIV).

   Now Jesus starts answering question number two for the disciples.

   Their question was: “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

   When Jesus returns, everyone will know it.

   Jesus came to earth over 2,000 years ago, born as a baby in a barn.

   When Jesus returns, He will come in glory more visible than lightning.

   After centuries of pain and suffering in this world, Jesus promises that He is coming back!!!

   The apostles were reminded of this promise when an angel spoke to them as they stood in amazement when Jesus ascended into heaven.

   “Men of Galilee," they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

   At Colorado Christian University, my adjunct professor for my New Testament survey class was a gifted teacher, and he made the class fun.  He clicked with us students.  He boldly stated the rapture will not be a disappearance of all Christians which is unseen and silent to all others, even though that was the popular teaching at the time.  He stated the rapture will be seen and heard by Christians and everyone else.

   That professor highlighted Matthew 24:27 and Matthew 24:30-31 to instruct that the rapture will take place with Jesus returning to the world in a visible majestic manner.

   I agree.

   But that professor never got into any details beyond his statement.  I will continue to get into details.  My next piece will examine why an unseen and silent rapture is such a popular doctrine at this time, even though it is off.

   Yet at this moment, we can start to celebrate in our hearts as we have received glorious revelations from Jesus in simply one single sentence.  Jesus is going to return!!!  And everyone will know it!!!

Hunter Irvine

False Messiahs – Matthew 24

Matthew 24: 23-25    “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.  See, I have told you ahead of time” (NIV).

   During that horrible seven year tribulation period from 66/67 A.D. to 73/74 A.D., it is likely some people suffered extreme despair and hopelessness.  And in the wake of the fall of Jerusalem, much despair surely sunk in for many Israelites.

   Tragically, certain people took advantage of such vulnerability.

   Justin Martyr was an early Christian writer who lived from 110 to 165 A.D.  Having keen ability and rare courage, Justin wrote an explanation of Christianity which was addressed to the Roman Emperor, the sons of the Emperor, the Roman Senate, and all Roman people.  In his written work entitled First Apology of Justin, in Chapter 26, he told of a man named Menander, who practiced magical arts.  Justin stated: “He persuaded those who adhered to him that they should never die, and even now there are some living who hold this opinion of his.” (1)

   Irenaeus, who became a church leader for both Lyons and Vienne, lived from 120 to 202 A.D.  Preserving some history of that period in his writing entitled Against Heresies, in Book 1, Chapter 23, he likewise told of the man Menander.

   Menander claimed to be the savior.

   Irenaeus stated: “…for his disciples obtain the resurrection by being baptized into him, and can die no more, but remain in the possession of immortal youth.” (2)

   Menander was one of a number.

   Jesus gave a warning.  Jesus was correct.  There has been the need to heed the warning of Jesus regarding both false Messiahs and false prophets at various junctures in history ever since His ascension.

   Yet let us continue to listen to this epic teaching of Jesus, as we are on the doorstep of a glorious revelation from Jesus of the truly glorious news regarding the fact that He will return!!!

Hunter Irvine

(1) Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds.,

The Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325

(1867; digital repr., Albany, Oregon: SAGE Software, 1996), 1:320.

(2) Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds.,

The Ante-Nicene Fathers: The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325

(1867; digital repr., Albany, Oregon: SAGE Software, 1996), 1:718.

Jerusalem tragedy – Matthew 24

Matthew 24: 17-22

   Overloaded as a part-time student at Colorado Christian University along with my work as the Biblical Studies tutor in the fall of 2010, I wanted to learn about the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., in order to support a point I intended to make in a research paper for my “History of Christianity” class.  Having an open hour one morning, I went into a “study room” at the CCU Library and read about the disaster detailed by the ancient historian Josephus from one of his writings entitled The Jewish War.

   The disaster there in 70 A.D. was horrible.  The rampage by the Roman military involved the murder of a least 1,100,000 Jewish people.  And the temple was demolished.  I could only read so much about the savage attack.

   In the 24th chapter of Matthew, Jesus foretold that Jerusalem would be ransacked.  Jesus was right.

   Regarding the disaster, Jesus made a huge claim.  Jesus said, “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equaled again” (Matthew 24:21).

   How can this be?  So much tragedy has happened in human history since the Fall of humankind due to the disobedience to God by Adam and Eve.

   Such a claim by Jesus may be one reason why certain people think such a disaster has not even happened yet, which is their rationale for dislodging this passage from its’ context and then applying it to the end times tribulation.

   I make a strong suggestion: Jesus was referring to the fall of Jerusalem, and all the horror that fall entailed, as well as the result of the displacement of the Israelites from their homeland for 1,878 years.  In losing their homeland, Israelites were susceptible to future tragedies.  The Holocaust was an ultimate tragedy for the displaced Jewish people, and an ultimate tragedy in the entire history of humankind.  I think the pain and suffering caused by the fall of Jerusalem was being tied in with the pain and suffering of other events, especially the Holocaust, in the wake of the Israelites being ripped out of their homeland.

   The Scripture support for this is found where Luke records this same discourse by Jesus.  Now Luke added some statements by Jesus, while also leaving out some statements which Matthew recorded.

   Luke recorded: “…Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).  What is this period?  Did it end in 1948 when the Jewish people finally had part of their homeland re-established?  Or will it not take place until the rescue of the Israelites by the Messiah, which will complete the “end times” tribulation?  I do not know.

   Yet I do not think that period ended with the fall of the Roman Empire, because Jerusalem continued to be under Gentile control.

The Hebrew people have been through uncalculated tragedy in their history.

*   The fall of the ten northern tribes of Israel in 722-721 B.C was horrible.

*   The fall of Jerusalem to Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. was horrible.

*   The fall of Jerusalem between 66/67 A.D. and 73/74 A.D., still stands as a central tragedy in Israelite history, because of the death and because of the displacement.

*   The Holocaust was a central tragedy in all humankind.

*   Today there is still tragedy in the realm of what was ancient Israel.

*   Finally, there is going to be a final battle in Israel during the end times tribulation, as was detailed by the prophet Zechariah.

Yet Jesus, God the Son, offers healing and hope!!!

*   Regarding the Babylonian exile, God did a miracle so the Hebrew people could return home.  In 536 B.C., Hebrews had the decree from King Cyrus of Persia to go home.  And many did.

*   Regarding the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Jesus, God the Son, offered a warning for Jewish people to flee the rampage by the Roman military.  And there were Jewish people who survived the fury of the Roman military.

*   Regarding 1948, God did a miracle so the Jewish people could regain some of their homeland after being absent for 1,878 years.

*   And regarding the end times tribulation, Jesus will descend from heaven to rescue the Jewish people from an attack which will be carried out by a joint military endeavor involving every nation.

   Thanks to Jesus, suffering is one day going to end for every single person who turns to Him!!  Thanks to Jesus, He is going to bring about an everlasting change in heaven and on earth.

Hunter Irvine