By Nab B.
July 27, 2022
(updated Oct 8, 2025)
Evangelicals love to tell a fictional story that will happen at the very end of time, where all Christians—the good ones—are secretly but suddenly "Raptured" to heaven, while the rest of humanity is "left behind" for a dreadful seven-year tribulation the world has ever seen!
A lot actually believe the narrative is Biblical, not fictional. So, we need to talk about it—the Rapture that is. We also need to talk about the "tribulation" that comes before it. But a spoiler: a "Scoop-up Rapture" is nowhere in the scriptures!
I will share some scriptural reasons to debunk this fictional "Rapture," which I hope will give you food for thought. But first, quick background.
The Rapture was made popular by John Nelson Darby, a dispensationalist British priest in the 1830s. Obsessed with the doctrine, other evangelical pastors joined in, preached it, taught it, and wrote numerous books about it. To cement the idea further among Christians, movies and documentaries began to be produced.
The doctrine relies on two passages, included below for reference.
"We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. 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: 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...comfort one another with these words."
(1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."
(1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
Would you be surprised if I said "the above passages have nothing to do with a church style Rapture?" So, what are these passages about? In a nutshell, they are about the "Resurrection Day" when all true believers receive a "bodily resurrection."
The word "Rapture" was never a catchphrase or a "buzzword" among early Christians as it is today. It simply means "to gather or to catch up". Although most translations use "caught up" instead of "Rapture," the doctrine is still known as the "Rapture" after the Latin Vulgate word "rapiõ," which also means "to gather or catch up".
Being "Caught up to meet the Lord" simply describes the bodily resurrection of all true believers, living and dead, who will be gathered to Jesus Christ for the start of a "new creation." (1 Thess 4:15-18)
Now, let's compare Paul's words with his Master's words for similarity.
Jesus originally promised this,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live...Marvel not at this...all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life." (John 5:25-29)
Now, listen to Paul, who received this by revelation from Jesus:
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel...and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thess 4:16-18)
Paul was saying exactly what Jesus said he would do, namely:
(a) Jesus will issue a command from heaven.
(b) All the dead will hear His voice.
(c) The righteous will be "caught up" (resurrected) to live with the Lord. (Compare Phil 3:21)
Why is a pre-trib Rapture so appealing? Because it promises comfort for fearful Christians that nothing is going to disturb their carnal quarters. In their heart of hearts, they couldn't be bothered. Now, contrast this with the ethos of all true believers who “loved not their lives even unto death”! (Rev 12:11)
The scriptures NEVER mention Christians being raptured before any tribulation! In fact, all must go through a spiritual great tribulation—not the kind the churches teach! Please note that there is only ONE KIND of "tribulation," the kind in Revelation 7:14: "These are they (great multitude) which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev 7:14)
Revelation's great tribulation is not the same as the 7-year-long tribulation falsely taught by the churches. Revelations' "great tribulation" is a MUST for all believers to "go through and come out" of it. "And just why must all go through it?" you ask. Ready for the answer?" It's to "Wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb." Who can afford not to be "washed and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb"? No one—except perhaps the fearful and lovers of creature comforts.
So, every true believer, not just the very last generation, either has gone, is going, or will be going through the "great tribulation," since the Day of Pentecost to this day. Even before Revelation was written, we've been told, “In the world, ye shall have tribulation.” (John 16:33), and that "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
For further study on the real meaning of the "great tribulation" in Revelation 7:14, please refer to my article, The Meaning of the Great Tribulation.
No secretive sudden rapture or a fake tribulation! None is taught in scripture. The true "Rapture" or being "caught up" is our greatest expectation of bodily resurrection on the Day of Resurrection. Rather than a rapture escape, all must confront their spiritual great tribulation for Christ.
It is not easy to find truths amid deception! But truth seekers are ready to abandon deception, however deep-rooted, when they see truth. What matters to them is "whose voice": "My sheep hear my voice." (John 10:27)
I hope this brought you some clarity. Meanwhile, let's get "caught up" with God and Christ "in the Spirit," till such time when the Resurrection begins!
