l used to believe in the rapture and now I do not after re-examining the bible and realizing that there is not enough biblical evidence.
I preferred to believe in the rapture theory because it is what is commonly preached. I liked the world ending that way. With me being raptured and not going through the tribulation. The theory suited me.
But I can no longer believe things which do not have enough evidence in the bible because they are appealing to me. Even if many pastors are preaching it and I have friends and family members and colleagues that believe in the rapture.
Through the tribulation
If you read the bible verses that are commonly used to prove the rapture theory, you will realize that they actually relate to the actual Second Coming of Jesus (especially 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
I believe that we are going to go through the tribulation like the Israelites did during the time of the plagues in ancient Egypt. If you look at the plagues of ancient Egypt (Exodus 7-11), you will realize that they are similar to the plagues in the book of Revelation 16.The Israelites went through the plagues and God preserved them.
And I believe that the same is going to happen in future. If God can shield ancient Israel from the plagues, then He has the ability to shield us from the plagues. The faithful Christians will not be affected by the plagues; it is only those who receive the mark of the beast and worship his image according to Revelation 16. Therefore faithful Christians do not need to fear the plagues. God sustained Elijah during the 3 years of no rain (1 Kings 17) and He will be able to sustain us. However, there are Christians who will be beheaded because they refused to receive the mark and refused to worship the beast, although they will not be affected by God’s plagues (Revelation 20:4).
Mark of the beast
If the rapture theory is not true, then when the beast tells us to receive his mark, then many pastors will tell Christians that this mark could not be the mark described in the book of Revelation, because the rapture must first come. They will tell Christians that since the rapture has not come then mark could not be the mark of the beast.
This will result in thousands if not millions of Christians receiving the actual mark of the beast because they would be waiting for a rapture that will not happen. This is a scary thought!
Those who believe in the rapture, especially the pre-rapture are more in danger of receiving the mark of the beast than those who do not believe that the rapture theory is true.
Part of me wishes that the rapture theory was true, because the thought of many Christians being deceived into getting the mark of the beast pains me. However, there is not enough biblical evidence support the rapture theory.
We need to study our bibles daily to avoid being deceived and we cannot believe something because the majority of pastors are preaching it. Hosea 4:6 says “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”
Plea
Therefore this is a plea that whether or not you believe in the rapture, if something looks even similar to the mark of the beast, do not listen to your pastors. You should make an individual decision that you will not accept it, nor receive it.
The devil is an arch-deceiver, he knows that most Christians are not going to readily receive the mark of the beast. So I believe that he is going to try to deceive many people and Christians to receive it (Revelation 19:20, Revelation 13:13-14, Mark 13:22). The rapture theory is the perfect instrument to use to execute his deception.
I did not write this post to add to the arguments about the rapture theory. There have been more than enough arguments and bickering about this subject. If you believe in the rapture and others could not convince you that it will not happen, then I doubt that I can.
I am writing to plead that if you suspect that something is the mark of the beast or image to the beast, ask the Holy Spirit whether it is or not and make a decision not to receive it. The bible is infallible, but pastors are.