HOW CAN WE BEST STUDY WITH THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE?

There are so many different beliefs concerning the Rapture such as “dragon”, “beast”, “false prophet” and “tribulation” to name a few. When engaging in a study with those who believe the Rapture I have found the best way is to restrict the area of study. Those who promote the Rapture will depend heavily on prophecies. They will make the claim they have studied long and hard and here is what the prophecy means. The average person sitting in the pew does not take the time to evaluate what the meaning is these false teachers are giving. This much we can know. God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). Paul said when the Ephesians read what he had written to them, they would have the same knowledge in the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:3,4).

Rather than try to explain all the different false ideas narrow the search down to what it means. First of all there is no prophecy of the scripture which can be privately interpreted (2 Peter 1:21). If Micah said Jesus would be born in Bethlehem then there is no other city in which He could have been born (Micah 5:2). The prophecies then must be used in the context of the eternal purpose of God to save man (Eph. 3:11). Why then would we need some prophecy about Russia, China or some other nation? Jesus gave warning of what would happen in the days of the fourth world power from Babylon. He warned those who would be His disciples to flee out of Jerusalem in accord with the signs He cited in Matthew 24 (Matt. 24:16). The brethren in the first century world understood what Jesus was teaching.

Something else that can be helpful is to establish the nature of God. We know it is impossible for Him to lie (Heb. 6:18). If God says He will do something, then He will do it (Num. 23:19). Rather than studying long and hard about the tribulation try to help people to see the implication of the tribulation. No matter what part of the Rapture you deal with the message is always the same, God failed! Help the person you are studying with to face the truth about God. He does not lie nor does He fail. Above all, acting in love develop patience for those who have been mislead most of their adult life by false understanding of prophecies.