A Catholic priest - Manuel de Lacunza wrote a book 'The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty' in 1812- using the pin name Ben Ezra - introducing the pre-trib Rapture idea. Edward Irving, minister of the Church of Scotland, translated and read the book, received the idea in his mind, and was the first to preach what is now termed the rapture, in the mid 1800's. Margaret McDonald, a teenager, and member of Irving's Church attended a meeting of Irving's, said she had a vision that Christ would return in 2 phases, one of which was secret - **birth of the rapture.** Then Along Comes John Darby, he attended a seminar of Irving's, he took the idea and develop it further into a full system known as dispensationalism.
Christianity did not teach that Christ would come and take the church before the rise of the Antichrist - or Christ would return in two phases, one of which would be in secret. 1st Corinthians 15:52 _ in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised Incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (****It clearly says at the last trumpet****)
Revelation 11:15_ and the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever....... When you finish reading this chapter - the wrath of God is come, there was lightning, thunder, earthquakes, hail, and judgment was upon the earth, and the time of the dead. (****when the last trumpet sounds God is here, there is no two separate events, it is one simultaneous action, God takes up his people as he is coming down, to judge****)
2nd Thessalonians 2:3 _ let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. (**** revealed to who? God already knows who he is so it's got to be us - the church will be here when he is revealed because until he is revealed the day of the coming of the Lord will not happen****) 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17_ for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ****( alive and remain from what? The Great Tribulation! The Beast and his Antichrist will slay those who stand for Christ and will not accept his mark. And those two verses refer back to 1st Corinthians 15 and Revelation 11**** ).