Question about End of Days, Rapture, Tribulation

[Mike_60]

Some people believe that interpretation, but others don't. And as for the timing of the second coming that is very simple. Because it isn't hidden, coded, or some mystical secret. It is plainly obvious in the text.

 

[Barnney Fife]

There was a show on the History Channel a couple of weeks back about the End of Days.

My understanding is that the timeline is as follows:

The Rapture occurs. The living Christians and dead are taken to Heaven. (Which puzzles me, because aren't the dead Christians already in Heaven?)

The seven year Tribulation begins. The first three and one half years sees the rise of the Anti-Christ, his sidekick, The False Prophet, and a one world government.

The second three and one half years is marked by disease, famine, etc. People are required to take the Mark of the Beast.

Christ returns and vanquishes the Anti-Christ and his forces in the Battle of Armageddon. Satan, the Anti-Christ, False Prophet, demons, and all their human followers are cast into the Lake of Fire.

Is this correct? The Internet is all over the place.

Those of you responding in this thread, please be respectful of others' beliefs.

this is correct

 

[ronny]

If we "understood", there would be no need for faith. I personally have some question about the "Rapture". I suspect the way we picture it today is incorrect. But then again, I have no way of knowing.

 

[Okie4570]

Interesting topic among Christians, a topic to discuss, but not a topic to create division...............understanding the sequence of events of the end times isn't required for salvation. (Thank goodness!)

 

[Cohiba]

JB......coming from an agnostic, here's my 2cents.

I have several friends with Theology degrees...I know one has a Masters and one has a PhD...Doctor of Theology.


Well, when we get into "Philosophical/Philosophy/Theological" discussions I have asked them a few questions.


I know this is a long answer to part of one of your questions.

Hell is a waiting or holding place until the rapture. The finality is The Lake of Fire.

Paradise is a waiting or holding place until the rapture. The finality is Heaven.


Concerning Paradise.........I raised a few questions. It was explained to me that(again) this was the waiting place until the rapture/judgement for the "good" souls.
The thief on the cross. As my friends and I discussed this in more depth, they explained to me that this was one of many questions to ponder?

Jesus mentioned Paradise not Heaven. So, Paradise is the waiting place, heaven is the finality.



By all means ask the leaders of different religions........Priest, Minister, Rabbi, etc. Then use that empowerment to help clarify your concerns.










***Trust me*** This is the first and last of my Theology. I hold myself to a standard, no politics, no religion, no discussion of money with coworkers or casual acquaintances. Somehow, someway, tempers flair and feelings get ruffled.

Yeah,yeah, I know. It's a shock to hear Cohiba make an intelligent statement....I sporadically use the knowledge that those papers framed and hanging on my walls provide.

Heck, once in a while, even a blind pig finds an acorn.


Good luck on your endeavor to seek truth and the way.

 

[SoonerATC]

From a Catholic perspective, we dont believe in the Rapture as the evangelical Christians do. We do believe there will be an anti-Christ, but not that everyone who is "saved" will suddenly disappear. At the end of the reign of anti-Christ, Christ will come again for the general judgement, when all who are living will die, and all the dead throughout history will be rejoined with their physical bodies to either enter Heaven with Christ or be sent to Hell, both body and soul. This is one reason Catholics refrain from being cremated after death.

This is a good, short explanation of the Catholic view. My wife and i believe we are living in the great apostacy right now. The events listed on the site are not necessarily in chronological order.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08552a.htm

 

[Lurker66]

One of my favorite topics.

First off, separate the Bible into 2 parts. OT and NT. Understand that Jesus was a practicing Jewish at the time of his death.

What was written after his death needs to be put in perspective. The followers of Jesus (those who actually knew him or of him) all fervently believed that OT prophecy was actually being fulfilled and expected a 2nd comming and end during their lifetimes.

It didn't happen.

Once them first followers died off and Paul took over, that's when stuff got skewed into the things we believe today. Councils of Nicea and Trent were really a sham by today's scholars......Lotsa political BS, especially the whole 3 into 1, father/son/spirit thing.

Today's scholars probably wouldn't include much of what's in the NT today, especially Revelations, a chunk of Matthew and some of Luke. Lotsa Paul's letters are very often taken out of context.

Overall I'm of the opinion that what's been taught since the advent of the printing press has skewed Christianity beyond hope. It's now a crapshoot.

Be good, love and forgive.

 

[SMS]

My limited understanding is that the concept of the rapture is a complete fabrication..

 

[Lurker66]

I also want to add that the whole Jesus event would be like a todays high school student writing the authoritative official historical perspective of the JFK assassination. And then people take it for gospel truth.

Blows my mind but it's all we got to work with.

 

[posty]

From a Catholic perspective, we dont believe in the Rapture as the evangelical Christians do. We do believe there will be an anti-Christ, but not that everyone who is "saved" will suddenly disappear. At the end of the reign of anti-Christ, Christ will come again for the general judgement, when all who are living will die, and all the dead throughout history will be rejoined with their physical bodies to either enter Heaven with Christ or be sent to Hell, both body and soul. This is one reason Catholics refrain from being cremated after death.

This is a good, short explanation of the Catholic view. My wife and i believe we are living in the great apostacy right now. The events listed on the site are not necessarily in chronological order.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08552a.htm

I grew up Baptist, believing the timeline that the OP posted. I recently started attending a Presbyterian Church (PCA). Their eschatology is closer to this. No rapture, just the second coming of Christ, which is the final judgment. As best as I can understand it, the reformed (Presby) view also spiritualizes a lot of things that my Southern Baptist friends take literally. For instance, the millennial reign of Christ began at the ascension and is still going on (and not a literal 1,000 years). I think the tribulation also began with the persecution of the early church under the Romans and isn't a literal 7 years. Interesting stuff. A lot of different takes on it.