[Dr. Doom]

is it biblical? if so, what aspects of the idea that is generally held are not? basically, gimme the dope on this subject.

[brown07]

The idea of a "rapture", in its most basic and general sense, is that believers who remain at Christ's second coming are caught up to be with Christ. At this point in time, the dead in Christ are raised and the living in Christ receive their glorified bodies.

As far as I know, all eschatological schemes endorse some kind of "rapture," although the more traditional schemes (historic premillenial, amillenial, postmillenial) tend not to refer to it as "the rapture."

The dispensational pretribulational premillenialist view of the rapture is what most people are refering to when you hear it mentioned.

A/Postmillenial: Rapture occurs at the end of all things when Christ comes in glory and the general resurrection occurs.

Historic Premillenial/Post-trib Premillenial: Rapture occurs just before the millenial reign of Christ, when Christ comes in glory to reign from Jerusalem. The dead in Christ and the living in Christ are involved, others who are dead remain in the grave until the final resurrection at the end of the millenium.

Dispensation (pretribulational) Premillenial: Rapture occurs at the beginning of the 7-year tribulation. It involves the dead in Christ and the living in Christ. All others remain in the grave. During the tribulation, these resurrected and glorified believers reign with Christ in the air. At the end of the tribulation, saints who died during the tribulation will be raised, and will reign with Christ and the pre-tribulational saints, who will then come to earth to rule for 1,000 years. At the end of the 1000 years, all other dead will be raised for judgment. (this is an exceedingly complex system, obviously).

[Mike Graham]

Some premillenialists also endorse a "mid-tribulational" rapture occurring 3 1/2 years through the 7 year tribulatory period, at the beginning of the "great tribulation."

There is one less premillenial view of a "partial rapture" As I understand this, some people (sorted by whether they were believers at the beginning of the triblation?) are raptured at one point, and some at the Second Coming and ushering in of the millenial era.

Also, btw, some premillenialists support the idea of a 3 1/2 year tribulatory period overall, rather than 7 years.

[brown07]

There's actually another premillenial rapture view (other than pre, mid, and post-trib)... I can't remember exactly where it says it occurs.

Premillenialism is more than my feeble mind can handle.

[Mike Graham]

Originally posted by brown07
There's actually another premillenial rapture view (other than pre, mid, and post-trib)

Other than the partial rapture, as well?

[joelsdad]

Other than the partial rapture, as well?

Yes the other view was espoused by a Messianic Jew named Marvin Rosenthal in a book entitles " The Pre- ath Rapture of the church." Without wasting much space it has been debunked by pretrib, pre-mil, post-mil, and even a-mil eschatology writers.

But the definitive biblical passages describing the rapture are: 1 Thess. 4:16-18 and 1 Cor. 15: 50-58. An intensely scholarly work dedscribing the rapture and discussing the various timings of the rapture is the book: " Footsteps of the Messiah" by Arnold FRuchtenbaum.

[brown07]

Originally posted by joelsdad
The Pre- ath Rapture of the church." Without wasting much space it has been debunked by pretrib, pre-mil, post-mil, and even a-mil eschatology writers.

As if one wouldn't expect amillers to be able to debunk something?

[joelsdad]

As if one wouldn't expect amillers to be able to debunk something?

No slight intended here, mea culpas if the appearance made it seem so!!