The Rapture: Facts or Fallacies

By John Musser

One day while I was attending Brookside Baptist Church in Myrtle Springs, Texas, the pastor announced that starting the following Wednesday night service, he would begin an in-depth study on the rapture. The study would be titled 16 Reasons for a Pretribulation Rapture. That statement really piqued my curiosity. Having had studied the subject for an extended period of time over the years, I was amazed that someone could come up with that many reasons, so I joined the study the following Wednesday. After having received the handouts that evening, I began to take a critical look. I began to point out the errors in much of the reasoning behind the conclusions of that pastor. When the pages became numerous, I decided it was sufficient to be turned into a book. I felt this study should be examined by every believer.

Many talk about salvation issues in Christianity. Many say the rapture is not one of them. That attitude alarms me. While ones belief on the rapture will not affect his salvation in itself, it will, without a doubt, become a stumbling block to being prepared to not receive the mark of the beast. Of that mark, the Bible says the one who receives that mark will have his fate sealed with the judgment of eternal damnation. If one is confident in a pretribulation rapture, he will be susceptible to dismissing the actual mark of the beast since he is convinced he will be taken out before that implementation. And for this cause, this book must be read!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973624486

John Musser

John Musser is like many who will read this book: just a common man. John Musser graduated from Fairfield Highschool in 1984. He attended one semester in Demonology at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas in 1987. John Musser became a Christian in 1986. He has spent most of his new life studying the Bible. While he has no advanced studies such as seminary, he has been gifted by The LORD to be able to read and comprehend the Bible so as to help edify all Believers in keeping the Word of God clear.

Book preview

Point 1: With His Church or For His Church?

As you can see, the one who anticipates the rapture occurring before the Great Tribulation claims that at the Rapture Jesus is alone, that He appears in the sky and by sounding the trumpet of GOD, He calls to Himself those who belong to Him. One makes this claim due to the fact many Scriptures actually cite an accompaniment of hosts coming with Him at His Second Coming but such an accompaniment isn’t found in Scriptures that describe a pre-tribulation rapture.

Because I will want to spend a good portion of time on the passage of 1Thessalonians I will wait until I have discussed the four Scriptures cited for the Second Coming. So, then, let us begin the examining of this proof of distinction with John 14. Afterwards, we shall take a critical look at the four verses chosen to represent the Second Coming then we shall return to 1Thessalonians 4:14-17.

NAS John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Notice that in this passage there aren’t any time setting statements. You may want to read the passages before and after John 14:1-3. In doing so, you shall also see that there aren’t any clues as to what point of last days events this is to occur. So then, all one can rightfully conclude from this passage is that one day Jesus will come again to gather us unto Himself. In reference to Jesus coming with His Church, the four Scriptures chosen provide no proof that those who are appearing with the Christ are the Church previously raptured (refer to Reason 8). Nor have they established at what point of the last days timeline this is to occur.

Colossians 3:4:

NAS Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

In the first three verses of Colossians 3 Paul is discussing what our attitudes should be like.

NAS Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

It is only in the context of v.3 does Paul declare the truth of v. 4. What Paul is trying to get the Colossians to understand from this passage is:

1. Through Christ, we have been raised up with Christ, therefore we should be living in a manner that glorifies our elevated status. Our desires and thoughts should reflect those of Him who dwells in the Heavens.

2. We no longer are to live as one who lives in the oldness of the life bound by sin but to live a life empowered through the Holy Spirit apart from sin.

3. If we have been raised with Christ through our baptism into His death then likewise when He returns we shall receive our life (livelihood). Please note that what Paul states as appearing with Christ is not our bodies but our newness of (eternal) life.

NAS Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you (or your life which is hidden in Christ) also will be revealed with Him in glory.

It is no more us literally, physically who are returning with Christ at His revealing than it is us literally, physically seated with Christ in the Heavens while yet alive here on Earth. Notice that Paul was speaking to those Colossians who were present with him alive here on Earth yet speaking as they were also raised with Christ at that immediate time. Therefore, to use this passage as showing us literally, physically returning with Christ at His Second Coming is very troubling.

Zechariah 14:5, Jude 14, and Revelation 19:14-

NAS Zechariah 14:5 And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!

NAS Jude 1:14 And about these also Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones

NAS Revelation 19:14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.

With our examination to come of Reason 8, we shall see that the term holy ones does not necessarily indicate the mortal saints of GOD. Jesus will indeed be accompanied by a multitude of beings at His Second Coming. That is true. However, these Scriptures do not identify whom it is that is returning with the Messiah. Therefore, any assertions as to their identity are merely speculation. In fact, after researching the possible identities of those who are seen accompanying Jesus, it could rightfully be asserted that it is indeed the angels. Again, we will look more in depth at this later with the cross-examination of Reason