Revelation 20
The Thousand Years
1I saw an angel come down from heaven, carrying the key to the deep pit and a big chain. 2He chained the dragon for a thousand years. It is that old snake, who is also known as the devil and Satan. 3Then the angel threw the dragon into the pit. He locked and sealed it, so that a thousand years would go by before the dragon could fool the nations again. But after that, it would have to be set free for a little while.
4I saw thrones, and sitting on those thrones were the ones who had been given the right to judge. I also saw the souls of the people who had their heads cut off because they had told about Jesus and preached God's message. They were the same ones who had not worshiped the beast or the idol, and they had refused to let its mark be put on their hands or foreheads. They will come to life and rule with Christ for a thousand years. 5-6These people are the first to be raised to life, and they are especially blessed and holy. The second death [a] has no power over them. They will be priests for God and Christ and will rule with them for a thousand years. No other dead people were raised to life until a thousand years later.
Which naturally brings me to this:
Matthew 24:23-51 (Contemporary English Version)
23Someone may say, "Here is the Messiah!" or "There he is!" But don't believe it. 24False messiahs and false prophets will come and work great miracles and signs. They will even try to fool God's chosen ones. 25But I have warned you ahead of time. 26If you are told that the Messiah is out in the desert, don't go there! And if you are told that he is in some secret place, don't believe it! 27The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning that can be seen from east to west. 28Where there is a corpse, there will always be buzzards. [a] When the Son of Man Appears
(Mark 13.24-27; Luke 21.25-28)
29Right after those days of suffering,
"The sun will become dark,
and the moon
will no longer shine.
The stars will fall,
and the powers in the sky [b] will be shaken."
30Then a sign will appear in the sky. And there will be the Son of Man. [c] All nations on earth will weep when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31At the sound of a loud trumpet, he will send his angels to bring his chosen ones together from all over the earth. No One Knows the Day or Time
(Mark 13.32-37; Luke 17.26-30,34-36)
36No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. [e] Only the Father knows. 37When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. 38People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day that the flood came and Noah went into the big boat. 39They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man appears. 40Two men will be in the same field, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 41Two women will be together grinding grain, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 42So be on your guard! You don't know when your Lord will come. 43Homeowners never know when a thief is coming, and they are always on guard to keep one from breaking in. 44Always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come.
In conclusion, the rapture " implies" -and I say that toung in cheek- that people will just vanish while others are left without knowing a thing. I'm not looking for a negatively heated debate here. I myself question the very idea. After reading the above quoted passages, directly cut and pasted from the bible, I encourage your thoughtful responses May God be a blessing to you all!
The Thousand Years
1I saw an angel come down from heaven, carrying the key to the deep pit and a big chain. 2He chained the dragon for a thousand years. It is that old snake, who is also known as the devil and Satan. 3Then the angel threw the dragon into the pit. He locked and sealed it, so that a thousand years would go by before the dragon could fool the nations again. But after that, it would have to be set free for a little while.
4I saw thrones, and sitting on those thrones were the ones who had been given the right to judge. I also saw the souls of the people who had their heads cut off because they had told about Jesus and preached God's message. They were the same ones who had not worshiped the beast or the idol, and they had refused to let its mark be put on their hands or foreheads. They will come to life and rule with Christ for a thousand years. 5-6These people are the first to be raised to life, and they are especially blessed and holy. The second death [a] has no power over them. They will be priests for God and Christ and will rule with them for a thousand years. No other dead people were raised to life until a thousand years later.
Which naturally brings me to this:
Matthew 24:23-51 (Contemporary English Version)
23Someone may say, "Here is the Messiah!" or "There he is!" But don't believe it. 24False messiahs and false prophets will come and work great miracles and signs. They will even try to fool God's chosen ones. 25But I have warned you ahead of time. 26If you are told that the Messiah is out in the desert, don't go there! And if you are told that he is in some secret place, don't believe it! 27The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning that can be seen from east to west. 28Where there is a corpse, there will always be buzzards. [a] When the Son of Man Appears
(Mark 13.24-27; Luke 21.25-28)
29Right after those days of suffering,
"The sun will become dark,
and the moon
will no longer shine.
The stars will fall,
and the powers in the sky [b] will be shaken."
30Then a sign will appear in the sky. And there will be the Son of Man. [c] All nations on earth will weep when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31At the sound of a loud trumpet, he will send his angels to bring his chosen ones together from all over the earth. No One Knows the Day or Time
(Mark 13.32-37; Luke 17.26-30,34-36)
36No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. [e] Only the Father knows. 37When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. 38People were eating, drinking, and getting married right up to the day that the flood came and Noah went into the big boat. 39They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man appears. 40Two men will be in the same field, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 41Two women will be together grinding grain, but only one will be taken. The other will be left. 42So be on your guard! You don't know when your Lord will come. 43Homeowners never know when a thief is coming, and they are always on guard to keep one from breaking in. 44Always be ready! You don't know when the Son of Man will come.
In conclusion, the rapture " implies" -and I say that toung in cheek- that people will just vanish while others are left without knowing a thing. I'm not looking for a negatively heated debate here. I myself question the very idea. After reading the above quoted passages, directly cut and pasted from the bible, I encourage your thoughtful responses May God be a blessing to you all!