Sep 30, 2002
I have read Cutting Edge's article 1688 and I was disappointed when I read that the author believes, that one billion people might be raptured!! This is absolutely ridiculous statement! In Revelation 4:7-13 we can see that only Church of Philadelphia is valid to Lord Jesus, and in verse 8 we can see that it is a small church. There might be one billion so-called Christians in the world, but for majority of those people, Jesus does not mean anything. I dont mean only Roman Catholics but also Liberal Protestants, extreme Charismatics, those who teach prosperity-Gospel, etc. Mac Dominick teaches in his "Opening The Door to Antichrist" -section that Billy Graham and Benny Hinn, for example, are false teachers. I agree with him. But, if they all -- and one billion other -- were raptured soon after Antichrist's arrival, they would not be false teachers, and "Opening The Door to Antichrist" should be renamed to "Opening The Door to Heaven"! Anyway, I believe that Bible should be taken literally, and if Revalation 4:8 says that the Church of Philadelphia is a small church, then it is, and perhaps only 10 million people -- worldwide -- will be raptured; certainly not one billion.
What happens to rest of us? It is possible that you or me do not belong to that church -- even thought we wouldn't follow Benny Hinn or Billy Graham. In previous articles I have defended strongly my theory that there is only one rapture and, that it takes place at midpoint Tribulation; But, now I have partly changed my mind. I have studied Bible with open mind and I have realized that there are at least two raptures; the first one is invisible and it takes place soon after Antichrist's arrival. Jesus speaks about this rapture in Matthew 24:37-51, and possible in Matthew 25:1-13. This is a small rapture and only Church of Philadelphia -- 10 million people -- will take part in it. Those who miss that rapture will have to wait until another rapture takes place at midpoint-Tribulation. In Matthew 24:27-35 Jesus speaks about this second rapture; it is much bigger and visible. This second rapture is not a surprise -- like first one -- because people know to expect it; when "sun darkenes and moon turns blood" -- possible as a result of America's destruction -- they know that the rapture is close. It is possible that verse 36 refers to that second rapture -- we don't know the exact day -- but it may also refer to the time in distant future when 1000 year realm finally disapprers (verse 35). In 1st Thessalonians Chapter 5 we can read that Day of Lord (first rapture) comes when people say: We have peace and safety. I believe that this passage refers to the short peace after Antichrist's arrival. 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-3 supports this theory. It is possible that there comes a third rapture just before Jesus' arrival on the Mount of Olives at the end of the 7-year Tribulation.
There are lot of people who say they are Christians and who preach material prosperity, specially in America. Maybe this is the reason why many Americans do not want to think about the possibility that they may face persecution before the rapture. Cutting Edge has said they don't support this kind of theory, but their own interpretation does not differ much. In The United States people have lived in prosperity sevaral decades. Maybe this is the reason why so many Americans love prosperity-Gopspel. But, they will be disappointed -- first time -- when they realize that World War III has begun without rapture, and -- another time -- when they see that only few people disappears when the first rapture happens. One reader wrote to me: "My spirit says to me that Heaven costs." It does costs, indeed, and just everyone does not go there.
Pasi Toivonen
Mänttä
Finland