Those who espouse the rapture theory
dispense with this challenge to their theory by simply creating two columns
of texts describing the return of Jesus–one column which they label "second"
coming or secret rapture texts, the other labeled "third" coming or "glorious"
return texts. Then they assign all the texts listed above into the
"third" coming column. Slick move. One problem, however–the
Bible contains no such division. Dividing the second-coming scriptures
into columns supposedly differentiating between a "second" and "third"
coming of Jesus is both arbitrary and unwarranted.
But for sake of argument, let's momentarily concede that those who teach
the rapture have correctly assigned to a "third" coming of Jesus all the
aforementioned Bible texts that describe Him returning spectacularly.
That being granted for the moment, let's look at a couple of the texts
which they themselves assign to the column they've created that supposedly
contain the secret rapture texts. Note how these texts also attribute
some of the same spectacular manifestations to Jesus' return as do those
we've noted above:
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
(the trumpet blast, the resurrection of the dead)
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
(the trumpet blast, the shout that wakes the dead, the clouds)
It's just not possible to find Bible texts anywhere that employ
language that could be construed to describe Jesus' return as being secret
or unnoticed. Such texts simply don't exist. There's no "secret
rapture" coming of Jesus followed later by a "glorious coming." The
return of Jesus is described everywhere in the Bible as a single, spectacular,
glorious event that can't possibly be missed by anybody.
So what? Why does this discussion even matter? Who cares
if there's a second coming, a third coming,... a fiftieth coming?
Fair question. Here's why it matters.
