For God Took Him: Perfection And The Rapture
There are many raptures
God says,
“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”
Genesis 5:24
To begin with, there have been many raptures. Beginning with Enoch, God has taken people to heaven all throughout mankind’s history. Elijah was the next,
“ And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”
2 Kings 2:11
Multiple Raptures
Then Jesus,
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:9-11
Then Paul,
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
2 Corinthians 12:2-4
Raptures to come
The church of Philadelphia,
“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.”
Revelation 3:10
Furthermore, the two witnesses of the book of Revelation,
“And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”
Revelation 11:11,12
Perfection proceeds rapture
These are just a few examples of “raptures” that have happened or will happen. The common thread through all these “translations” is perfection.
Enoch walked with God for 365 years. Elijah called fired down from heaven. God glorified Jesus. Paul saw a heavenly vision and wrote much of the New Testament. Brotherly love characterizes the church of Philadelphia. The two witnesses walk in the miracle power of God.
The fact of the matter is, and what many do not fully understand, is that the rapture is simply the way God moves people back and forth from earth to heaven. From the beginning of time, God purposed to translate people to heaven when they reached a certain perfection of their hearts towards Him. Moreover, God would have raptured Adam and Eve to His throne, had they not sinned.
The rapture is not a single event
People who believe in Pre-Trib rapture, Mid-Trib rapture, or Post-Trib raptures are all partially right. God translates people to heaven during all those times. In fact, the only Christians who are totally wrong about the rapture are those who don’t believe in it.
The fact of the matter is, there have been many raptures throughout history that we do not know about. Whenever believers have reached a certain state of perfection God has simply took them to heaven. God originally set up the world to work this way.
Know God through revelation
In conclusion, the only way we can know God is through revelation. Until the Holy Spirit shows us what He means, our natural minds remain hopelessly lost in the holy writ. I did not figure this out through my intellect, God simply showed me. If I see more than most it is because God turned on the light.
Finally, as we mature in Him, God will show us all glorious truths in His word. We will come to a unity of the faith by the revelation of the son of man. That same Spirit that illuminates Jesus now illuminates us if we will listen. Amen.