I've never really gotten into the Left Behind series. I always thought it was an interesting premise for a movie or series, but I never fully delved into it myself. However, I recently watched one of the films, the newer one from 2023, and I have some concerns about what Christians believe about the rapture. So, I'd like to clear up some things based on what God's Word says.
For one, the rapture isn't going to just happen with no warning (you may disagree, I'll explain why I believe this in a bit). Actually, in Matthew 24, there's a lot of events that take place before the rapture occurs. Wars, famines, and earthquakes will take place (granted, those have been happening for ages). Believers will be persecuted because of their faith (again, has happened for years and is still happening now). False prophets will appear, wickedness will increase, and the gospel will be preached everywhere. Also, the antichrist will set up the abomination of desolation in the holy place.
Wait, that doesn't happen after the rapture?
No, Jesus was pretty clear about the timeline He gave in Matthew 24. Evil will also abound more than ever before, and God will cut the days short for the sake of believers, so they can bear to live through it. There will be lots of people trying to lead astray those who still believe, but ultimately, until the day the sun and moon stop shining and the stars fall from heaven, Jesus isn't coming back for us. This is also demonstrated in Revelation 6, which I've talked about before. The seals will be opened, and at the 6th seal, the sun and moon will turn dark and stars will fall from the sky, and the earth will change form, almost like a hard reset. Everyone left at this point hides and trembles in fear of God. However, this is when Jesus is bringing us to be with Him in the sky, as Jesus explained in Matthew 24, so we won't be left in fear. That's why there's such a large multitude in Revelation 7. God will have gathered His people together to worship Him. Then, Jesus will open the 7th seal, and judgment will follow. We who follow Jesus won't be subject to this judgment or have to live through the earth being destroyed. Also, everyone who is left at this time will be so enthralled with their own evil, that even at this point, they won't return to God.
Okay, so... is that the rapture?
The rapture doesn't exist in the sense people seem to believe based on the Left Behind series. However, on that day the sun and moon turn dark, Jesus will appear in the heaven and will gather His people to Him, while the rest of humanity mourns at the sight of Him. Now, we still don't know exactly when this day will come, but we know it can't happen yet because the events leading up to His return haven't happened yet. Be ready, because you don't know when Jesus is coming, but also just as you can see leaves budding on trees and know that summer is coming, you can look at the events happening in the world around you and know He's coming soon. Jesus makes this (or at least a very similar) comparison in Matthew 24 as well.
2 Thessalonians actually makes it pretty clear too. Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica that we shouldn't listen to anyone who says we're already in the day of judgment because it's not happening until the antichrist, called the man of lawlessness here, is revealed and sets up a statue of honor to himself in the temple (also known as the abomination of desolation in Daniel), falsely saying that he is the real God. It's not until the one holding back the power of lawlessness is removed from the equation that Jesus will return for His bride. You may wonder what's holding back this power, or more accurately, who. I believe it's the Holy Spirit. Jesus isn't coming back until this evil has been revealed, but once it has, everyone who believes in Him will be joined with Him, and everyone else will be under a powerful delusion to believe this antichrist is truly God, and that's when his reign will end and judgment will come.
There won't really be this intermittent period where people are trying to figure out what to believe and come to Jesus after the "rapture". On the day Jesus comes back, the dead in Christ will rise according to 1 Thessalonians 4, and those who are living will join them, with all of us being brought into the presence of Jesus. A lot of people use 1 Thessalonians 4 as a case for the "rapture", but it was really just Paul reassuring the church that those were dead are not hopeless. They needed comfort that their brothers and sisters in Christ would be okay and weren't gone forever. It wasn't meant to be used as a case for a rapture where people would suddenly disappear with no explanation. Skye Jethani recently released a video explaining that the rapture isn't in the Bible at all, which I found interesting and it led me down this whole rabbit trail, but I don't 100% agree with his understanding of what this means for us, as evidenced by my previous statements about Matthew 24. However, he makes some solid points about 1 Thessalonians that are worth checking out.
When Jesus said He'd come like a thief in the night, He meant you wouldn't be able to predict the exact time or day of His coming, just as you can't predict when a thief will break into your house. It wasn't to say nobody would know what happened when He came! Once He's shown Himself, the whole world will clearly know what happened. I think God planned this on purpose. Once the whole world is told the antichrist is God, it will be abundantly clear when the true God comes down from the heavens, revealing that He is God and bringing those who chose to follow Him into His presence, and punishing those who rejected Him in favor of a false god. It makes less sense, at least to me, to think that He would come and just blip a bunch of people away with no explanation of what's happening, and with an in-between period where nobody knows what's going on. I expect the build-up with the temple being rebuilt, Israel being at peace, and the antichrist setting up a blasphemous statue in the holiest part of the temple will all take place before Christ's return and the "rapture", and I think the whole world will know what's happening at His return. After all, Jesus said in Matthew 24:27, "For as lightning that comes from the east is visible in even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." He says this in the context of not falling for the deceivers who say Christ has already returned or that He's here or there, but I think it's also a legitimate statement about what Christ's return will look like. Just as we can see lightning from miles away, so we'll be able to obviously see Jesus coming back, not to mention there will be trumpet sounds too.
Basically, nobody's getting raptured away in a silent, clothes-left-behind, no context kind of way. But when the time comes, Jesus will return and very clearly bring His followers, those who truly choose and accept Him over everything and everyone else, to be with Him and be free from the judgment that is coming.
I hope this helps clear up any misunderstandings about Christ's return. I know the rapture has been a confusing topic of conversation at times, and I've definitely felt some confusion about it off and on for years. Yet, I think when we look at what Scripture says across the board and not just in a verse here or there, the big picture becomes pretty clear. I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you agree, disagree, or have questions, reach out! Also, keep on pondering.
Edit: I'd like to add too that Jesus made the two groups (Jews and Gentiles) one through His sacrifice, welcoming all into the family of God, making us all citizens of His kingdom (see Ephesians 2). Why then would we expect Christians to be raptured separately from Jews? Why would we believe the two groups would join with Jesus separately when they've been made one?
In addition to that, Revelation 20 mentions two resurrections—first the resurrection of those who followed God and will reign with Christ for 1,000 years and live forever, second the resurrection of the wicked to receive judgment—so why would we think saints would rise before the antichrist's reign when it says Jews will call on the Lord after that? We can't believe that believers will be raised from the dead and raptured, then Jews will come to Jesus and be raised from the dead to reign with Christ, a nd then that everyone else will be raised per Revelation 20. That's three resurrections when the Bible clearly describes two. Assuming a rapture will occur like the Left Behind stories describes means believing the Bible is wrong about something here (according to my understanding). If you disagree, I'd love to hear your thoughts and discuss too, so feel free to reach out.
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