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Debunking Popular Lies About The Pre-Tribulation Rapture:

One of the most unpopular beliefs among Christians today is that of the pre-Tribulation Rapture. Many not only scoff at our expectation of meeting Jesus in the air, but also ridicule those of us who believe it could happen at any moment.

Below are five popular lies about the Rapture.

1. Belief In The Rapture Began With John Darby

Despite clear and overwhelming evidence to the contrary, most Christians remain convinced that belief in the pre-Tribulation Rapture began with John Darby. They claim that since no one in the church held this viewpoint prior to the nineteenth century, we shouldn’t ascribe to something no one believed before the time of Darby.

This assertion is blatantly false. 

In AD 180, Irenaeus wrote Against Heresies to refute the errors of Gnosticism. In Book 5, Chapter 29, of Against Heresies he wrote these words:

And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, “There shall be Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be.”

In the above quote, this early prominent early church theologian used the same Greek word for “caught up,” harpazo, that Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, a favorite Rapture verse of many. He clearly had this passage in mind.

While his words don’t specify a pre-Tribulation Rapture, they do reveal Irenaeus’ belief that the event portrayed in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, the harpazo, would come before a time of extended Tribulation on the earth as presented in Matthew 24:21ff during which time the church would be absent from the earth.

His words also confirm an early belief in Jesus’ appearance for His church that’s separate from the Second Coming. He didn’t combine the two events as most do today.

In my book, The Triumph of the Redeemed, I document beliefs similar to that of Irenaeus in the following documents or writers:

• The Shepherd of Hermas (about AD 140)
• Cyprian (AD 200–258)
• The Apocalypse of Elijah (Third Century AD)
• Ephraim the Syrian (AD 306–373)
• Morgan Edwards (1722–1795)

2. There’s No Mention Of It In Scripture

Many scoffers of our hope like to point out that the Bible doesn’t contain the word “Rapture.” Such an assertion deceptively implies that there’s no such event described in Scripture, which again is totally false.

It’s true that John Darby helped popularize the application of the word “Rapture” to the event that Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, I Corinthians 15:50-55, Philippians 3:20-21, and Titus 2:11-14. However, giving it a name is far different than creating it.

The event we refer to as the “Rapture” occurs in the Bible; it’s just not labelled as such in our English translations of Scripture.

3. Belief In The Rapture Is Escapism

Another falsehood used to discredit the Rapture is that its proponents just want to escape tumultuous times on the earth. In other words, we are just seeking to avoid the tribulation that Jesus said would be the experience of His followers.

Our hope for missing the Tribulation period rests on the words or Scripture rather than our desire to escape trouble. And as Walvoord points out, how is our desire to escape God’s wrath on earth any different than that of wanting to avoid it in the lake of fire?

4. Those Who Believe In The Rapture Don’t Care About The Current World

This falsehood is more of an attack on us who believe in the Rapture than against the teaching itself. Again, the idea that we don’t care about this world or its inhabitants is simply not true of the majority of those who daily watch for Jesus’ appearing.

Of course, there will be exceptions, but from what I see, there’s no lack of compassion for the hurting and lost among those that wait expectancy for Jesus’ appearing. Belief in the Rapture, if anything, accelerates the desire of most to give generously to help the poor and support the spread of Gospel.

5. Jesus Doesn’t Intervene In Our World Until The End Of The Age

Those that believe the preceding falsehoods pertaining to the Rapture say the next event on God’s prophetic calendar is an end-of-the-age return of Jesus to initiate the eternal state.

Many pastors convey such a scenario by preaching that all believers today will someday die.  Such teaching directly contradicts the New Testament; Paul tells us there will be saints alive at the time of Jesus’ appearing (1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

A careful study of the words in the texts describing Jesus’ appearing and the Second Coming reveal that they cannot be the same event. A careful study reveals an abundance of ...  differences between the two events that make it impossible for one to say they happen at the same time. 

Why do so many Christians cling to falsehoods about the Rapture? It’s because they start with beliefs regarding the end times that make such an occurrence impossible.

The most popular views regarding Bible prophecy claim that most of the book of Revelation is symbolism, code exclusively for first-century AD saints, or past history (fulfilled prophecy). These widely accepted viewpoints presuppose that there cannot be a Rapture, which explains its unpopularity in most churches.

https://harbingersdaily.com/debunking-popular-lies-about-the-pre-tribulation-rapture/

In the Simpson's episode, "Thank God, it's doomsday", Homer predicts the rapture to be May 18th at 3:15pm, but he doesn't give a year.  I don't watch the show, but apparently future events have come true from many of the episodes, including Trump becoming president.  Also, people are talking about May 18 for other reasons, including it is 40 days after the recent solar eclipse.  Take a look online there are videos talking about the Simpsons and May 18th rapture prediction.

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.

Here we see, deception is one thing a Christian should look out for in the last days. I watched the news the other day, about the college students being deceived by hearing Oct 7 in Israel, never happened. We know it did but the students believe what other people are saying, they are becoming so hateful. We see as Christians, God never lies and still His plans are happening fast, we are looking for Jesus return as the world is looking for lies from people who will never know who Jesus is. Be ready, be careful, be watchful, Satan is roaming to see whom he can deceive. Our lamps are full and we know what God's word says, God is the truth and the way, follow Him till our hands meet Jesus hand in the air. Come Jesus Come!