Without Excuse: Apologetics Blog

  Where does the concept of the rapture come from? The word “rapture” is not in the Bible but is based upon the catching away ( harpazō ) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up ( harpazō ) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” The Greek word “ harpazō ” is translated as “ rapturo ” in the Latin Bible. This is where we get the word “rapture” in English. What is the pre-trib rapture and its origins? The pre-trib rapture is the belief that in the latter days believers on earth will be taken up to heaven prior to the tribulation and God’s wrath is poured-out. It’s said the pre-trib rapture is new. However, in reality, all rapture doctrines are fairly modern. Elements of every rapture position can be found in early Christian writings, however, they didn’t have a codified rapture doctrine and eschatology wasn’t their primary focus. However, the concept of imminency, a crucial...

The Typology of how a Priest was consecrated in the Old Testament:    A type is a biblical person, thing, action, event, ceremony, structure, furniture, number,  etc. that foreshadows an "antitype" of the same in the New Testament. The consecration of the priest in the Old Testament mirrors the walk of the believer in the New Testament.  The Tabernacle that God commanded Moses to build can be seen as a "type" of the church. The tent that covered the Tabernacle was called the "tent of meeting" because it was here God promised to meet with Moses and the people. The Courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle represents the world in that the courtyard is filled with sinners and also God's people. Because the court is "typical" of the world, the priest must first "leave the world" before he enters Tabernacle. The Priesthood served as a "type" of the coming of Jesus Christ and of the believer. The priesthood mirrors the Ch...

Ruth and Boaz The story of Ruth and Boaz is a picture of the rapture. The story begins with a Jewish woman named Naomi who losses everything when her husband dies and she decides to return to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth, whose husband also died. In Bethlehem a relative of Naomi named Boaz falls in love with Ruth and eventually they marry. In the process Noami's land and position is redeemed under Jewish law. Naomi, a Jew, is a picture of Israel left alone and destitute. Ruth, a gentile, is a picture of the gentile church. Boaz, a Jew, is a picture of the Messiah. Boaz was a kinsmen redeemer for Ruth, whom he took as his bride. Likewise Christ is our kinsmen redeemer who will take us, the church, as His Bride. During Wheat harvest a threshing board was used to separate cereals from their straw. Incidentally the Latin word for this farm instrument was called a tribulum, which is where we get the English word tribulation. Before the wheat harvest we find Ruth...

Issac and his marriage to Rebekah Issaac as a type of Jesus: As Isaac is a type of Jesus we also see parallels between Isaac's life and Jesus' life: Both were children of promise (Gen 15:4, Isa 7:14) Both births were pronounced (Gen 18:10; Luk 1:30-31) Both were named before their birth (Gen 17:19, Mat 1:31) Both were a miraculous birth. Sarah was old and barren, Mary was a virgin. Both were called the "only Son" (Gen 22:2; Heb 11:17 and John 3:16) Both were mocked and persecuted by there own kindred. (Gen 21:9-10; Gal 4:28-29; Mat 27:29) Neither had broken any laws deserving of death (Gen 22:2; Matt 27:24) . Isaac carried his the wood on which he was to die (Gen 22:6), Jesus carried his own Crucifixion stake. (John 19:17) Issac went willingly to the alter (Gen 22:9;), Jesus went willingly to His Crucifixion. (John 10:17) Issac was taken to Golgotha on Mt. Moriah (Gen 22:1-2), Jesus was taken to Golgotha on Mt. Moriah Both were given up by their fath...

The typology of Joseph as a picture of the Messiah Joesph can be see as type of Messiah in that there lives had many parallels. For example: Joseph\Jesus Joseph was a Shepherd (Gen 37:2) Jesus was a Shepherd (Jh 10-11) Loved by the Father (Gen 37:3) This is my beloved Son (Mt 3:17) Brethren did not believe him (Gen 37:5) Neither did the brethren believe in Him (Jn 7:5) Brethren hated him (Gen 37:4) They hated both Me and my Father (Jn 15:24) Brethren rejected his reign (Gen 37:8) We will not have this man reign (Lk 19:14) Conspired against him (Gen 37:23) Took counsel against Him (Mt 27:1) They stripped him (Gen 37:23) They stripped Him (Mt 27:28) Sat down and watched him (Gen 37:25) Sitting down they watched Him (Mt 27:36) Sold for silver (Gen 37:28) Sold for silver (Mt 26:15) Everything prospered in his hands (Gen 39:3) and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hands (Isa 53:10) All things were put into his hands (Gen 39:4-8) Hath given al...

Noah and the flood\Shadrach Meshach and Abednego: We get the English word rapture from the Latin word  rapiēmur, which is a translation of the Greek word harpazo which means to catch up, take by force, catch away, pluck, catch, pull. The premise of the pre-trib rapture is built on the foundation that the righteous are always spared God's Judgement\tribulation. The story of Noah illustrates this point. Note there is a distinction between tribulation that comes from the world, and tribulation that comes from God. The Lord called Noah a righteous man (Gen 7:1) and found "grace" in His eyes. He was also a gentile, keep this in mind for later. Noah is a "type" of a believer. Before God brought judgement upon the world He had Noah build an Ark to escape the flood waters. The Ark can be seen as a type of rapture. The righteous were sparred God's judgement and kept "high above the earth" and not on it. Seven's are also repeated often in...