Rapturism is unbiblical and foreign to the historic Christian faith.
The Scriptures teach that Christ will return, in glory, to judge the living and the dead, and that at His coming the dead shall be raised--but those who are alive will also partake in the resurrection "we shall not all die, but we shall all be changed".
Rapturism, by contrast, teaches that Christians are going to be taken up into heaven to escape the world.
Of the many false doctrines that are popular today, Rapturism ranks high among the most dangerous and false. Not only because Rapturism gets the Parousia all wrong (Christ comes down to fix the world, not we leave the world to escape the world), but also because the source of Rapturism is Dispensationalism--a thoroughly anti-Christian theological system that fundamentally denies the very Gospel of Jesus Christ.
-CryptoLutheran
There are two resurrections.
Revelation 20:4-6 (NIV)
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.
They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (
The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)
This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the
first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but
they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The
first resurrection occurs just before Lord Jesus pours out His wrath on the earth.
Mathew 28:29-31 (NIV) 29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And
he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Revelation 14:14-20 (NIV)
Harvest (Rapture) of the Saints
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “
Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16
So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
Harvest (wrath poured out on earth) specifically those nations coming against Israel.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “
Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth,
gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
- After the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6),
- God's wrath on the nations (Revelation 14:17-20; Revelation 19:16-18),
- God throws the antichrist and the false prophet into the Lake of Fire, where they will be tormented forever (Revelation 19:19-20),
- Satan is bound for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3)
- Then thousand year reign of Christ on earth with His holy saints (Revelation 20:4-6),
- Then Satan is released one last time, and the nations are deceived into coming against Israel once again, but God destroys them all (Revelation 20:7-10).
- Then all the living and the dead are raised to be judged - the 2nd Resurrection (Revelation 20:11-15)
- Then God creates an New Heavens and a New Earth (Revelation 21:1).
- Then the New Jerusalem (God's Holy Saints within the Home God created for them) steps out of Heaven to be on earth where God himself will dwell with them forever (Revelation 21:2-21).
- On the New Earth, no sun or moon will shine again; rather, Lord Jesus is the brightness of God's glory who will illuminate and sustain all things (Hebrews 2:3; Revelation 21:22-27).
Revelation 22:12-17 (NIV)
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.