https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Hw5RK4vWc
One of
the most debated topics among Christians is the Rapture, the belief
that some believers will be caught up to meet Christ in the air
before the final tribulation. The main source of this doctrine is the
apostle Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, where he writes: "For
the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with
the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who
are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." (1
Thessalonians 4:16-17)
However, some scholars argue that this passage does not refer to a
separate event from the second coming of Christ, but rather to a part
of it. They point out that the term "rapture" is not found
in the Bible, and that the Greek word translated as "caught up"
(harpazo) simply means "to seize" or "to snatch".
They also note that other biblical passages describe the return of
Christ as a visible and glorious event, not a secret or sudden one.
For example, Jesus himself said: "For as the lightning comes
from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of
the Son of Man." (Matthew 24:27)
Another source of confusion is the interpretation of some Old
Testament stories as foreshadowing of the Rapture. For instance, some
proponents of the Rapture theory cite the examples of Enoch and
Elijah, who were taken up into heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24; 2
Kings 2:11). However, these cases are not presented as normative or
predictive, but rather as exceptional and miraculous. Moreover, they
do not imply that these men escaped judgement or tribulation, but
rather that they were specially chosen by God for a specific purpose.
The book of Genesis says that "Enoch walked with God; then he
was no more because God took him away" (Genesis 5:24). The
second one is Elijah, who was a prophet of God and performed many
miracles. The book of Second Kings says that "as they were
walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and
horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah
went up to heaven in a whirlwind" (2 Kings 2:11). Some scholars
also suggest that Moses and John the Apostle may have been taken
without dying, but there is no clear evidence for this in the Bible.
Therefore, it is important to examine the biblical evidence
carefully and critically, and not to rely on human traditions or
speculations. The Rapture theory may be appealing to some Christians
who wish to avoid suffering or persecution, but it may also lead to
complacency or indifference towards the world. The Bible teaches that
we should be ready for the Lord's return at any time, but also that
we should be faithful and fruitful until he comes.
Ezekiel 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel, which
records the prophet's inaugural vision of God and his heavenly
throne. The chapter begins with Ezekiel's introduction, stating that
he was among the exiles by the River Chebar in Babylon when he
received his first divine revelation in the thirtieth year of his
life, in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity. He describes
seeing a great storm cloud coming from the north, with flashes of
lightning and a radiant fire in its center. From the fire emerged
four living creatures, each with four faces, four wings, and human
hands. Their faces were those of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle.
They moved in unison, without turning, following the direction of the
spirit. Between the creatures were wheels that sparkled like topaz,
intersecting each other at right angles. The wheels were full of eyes
and moved along with the creatures. Above the creatures was a vault
that shone like crystal, and under it they stretched out their wings.
The sound of their wings was like the roar of many waters or the
voice of God. Ezekiel then saw above the vault a throne of sapphire,
and on it a figure like that of a man, glowing like metal and fire.
He also saw a rainbow around the throne and heard a voice speaking to
him. He fell on his face in awe and reverence and received his
commission as a prophet to Israel.
The book of Ezekiel contains some of the most fascinating and
enigmatic visions in the Bible, such as the vision of the chariot of
God in chapter 1. Some have interpreted this vision as a description
of an extraterrestrial encounter, claiming that Ezekiel saw a
spaceship or a flying saucer. However, this interpretation is not
supported by any clear evidence from the text or from the historical
and cultural context of Ezekiel's time. Rather, the vision is a
symbolic representation of God's glory and presence, using imagery
that was familiar to Ezekiel and his audience. The vision also does
not imply that Ezekiel was physically transported to heaven, as some
have suggested. The text states that he was "in the land of the
Chaldeans by the river Chebar" (Ezekiel 1:3) when he saw the
vision and that he remained there throughout his prophetic ministry.
Therefore, the vision was a spiritual experience, not a literal one.
The land of the Chaldeans is a historical region in southern
Mesopotamia, corresponding to present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait,
Syria, Turkey, and Iran. The Chaldeans were an ancient people who
spoke a Semitic language and established several kingdoms in the
area, most notably the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II.
The land of the Chaldeans was known for its rich culture, scientific
achievements, and religious diversity. It was also the site of some
of the earliest civilizations and the birthplace of writing.
The Bible does not explicitly mention aliens or extraterrestrial
beings, but it does speak of other intelligent creatures that are not
human, such as angels and demons. Some people interpret some passages
in the Bible, such as Ezekiel 1, as describing encounters with alien
spacecraft or beings, but this is not a widely accepted view among
biblical scholars. The Bible also affirms that God is the creator and
sustainer of the entire universe and that Jesus Christ is the
redeemer of all things, whether on earth or in heaven. Therefore, if
aliens do exist, they are also part of God's creation and plan, and
they may or may not need salvation depending on their relationship
with God. However, the Bible does not give us any clear information
about the existence or nature of aliens, so we should be careful not
to speculate beyond what God has revealed to us in his word.
One possible interpretation of Ezekiel 1 is that the prophet saw a
vision of extraterrestrial beings or vehicles, distinct from angels,
demons or humans. The word creature in this chapter could imply a
non-terrestrial origin or nature of these entities. This would
suggest that aliens and their craft are not a modern phenomenon, but
have existed for millennia, perhaps even influencing the writing of
the scriptures themselves.
The Rapture is a term used by some Christians that describes Jesus
Christ's return to Earth, where he will take his faithful followers
with him to heaven. However, it should not be confused with the Day
of the Lord, which refers to a time of judgement and restoration for
both the righteous and the wicked. Some people have speculated that
the Rapture will involve aliens abducting or feasting on believers,
but this is a false and dangerous idea that contradicts biblical
teachings. It's important to note that the Rapture is not a real
event, and it will not be a glorious and joyful occasion for those
who love and trust God. It's not a horror movie scenario because,
like horror movies, it's fictional.
Blessings