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Lori Talbert | PentecostalTheology.com
THE GATHERING vs THE RAPTURE
Many people claim the “gathering” at Christ’s second coming is the “rapture”. Let’s do word studies to see if that’s true.
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Here’s the verses used for the end time “gathering”:
2Thess 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our GATHERING TOGETHER to Him, we ask you,
G1997
ἐπισυναγωγή
episunagōgē
ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay’
From G1996; a complete collection; specifically a Christian meeting (for worship): – ASSEMBLING (gathering) together.
Matt 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
G1996
ἐπισυνάγω
episunagō
ep-ee-soon-ag’-o
From G1909 and G4863; to COLLECT UPON THE SAME PLACE: – gather (together).
The “gathering” at the Lord’s second coming is an assembling together in the same place… based on context, that would be Jerusalem.
Scripture translates other words as “gather” in instances such as the wheat/tares harvest, so let’s look at one verse that uses two other options:
Matt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First GATHER TOGETHER the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but GATHER the wheat into my barn.”
In speaking of the tares its:
G4816
συλλέγω
sullegō
sool-leg’-o
From G4862 and G3004 in its original sense; to COLLECT – gather (together, up).
In speaking of the wheat its:
G4863
συνάγω
sunagō
soon-ag’-o
From G4862 and G71; to lead together, that is, COLLECT or convene; specifically to entertain (hospitably): – + accompany, ASSEMBLE (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather (selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in.
***EVERY use of the word “gather” in verses pertaining to His second coming and the wheat/tares harvest means to collect or assemble in one place… with context implying that place is Jerusalem where He comes back and will be! There is NO indication that He assembles them together in Jerusalem then takes them away somewhere, then comes back down with them again… which is the YO-YO theory, and would have Him coming back TWICE.
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NOW, let’s look at the uses of the word rapture… harpazo:
Acts 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord CAUGHT Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
2Cor 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago –whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows such a one was CAUGHT UP to the third heaven.
2Cor 12:4 how he was CAUGHT UP into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
1Thess 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Rev 12:5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was CAUGHT UP to God and His throne.
G726
ἁρπάζω
harpazō
har-pad’-zo
From a derivative of G138; TO SEIZE (in various applications): – catch (away, up), pluck, pull, TAKE (BY FORCE).
***EVERY verse pertaining to a rapture shows it means a taking away by force… and 4 of the 5 verses tells us they were taken where? … to the third heaven, into paradise, in the clouds to meet Jesus, to God and His throne.
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***The conclusion is that the “gathering” at His second coming can NOT be the same as a “rapture”. Please stop using scripture incorrectly to claim the rapture happens at the wheat/tares harvest or at His second coming!
Derrick Holt
EXCELLENT
Gary Smith
#Solid: Mans play on words Caught up/Gathered together: [Gathered: to bring together – collect – pick – harvest – to scoop up/caught up – to take from a resting place – (1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.)] – [2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.] First and second Thessalonians is all about the rapture/caught up – gathering together no matter how you us your play on words. Caught up/gathered together are one and the same emphasis; but to use scriptures that have nothing to do with the rapture/gathering together/ or being caught up to meet Christ Jesus in the air both dead and alive saints is beyond deception. The gathering together of the body of Christ is the first resurrection is it not? [Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.] After the thousand year tribulation comes the second resurrection and I guarantee none of you wish to be a part of: [Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.] – [2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.]
Lori Talbert
The word study proves rapture and gathering are NOT the same meaning. One is collecting or assembling TOGETHER and One is being snatched AWAY by force! Another word used for “gathering” in scripture is found in Luke 13:34, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to GATHER (collect) your children together, as a hen GATHERS (to herself) her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” There the word “gathers” is used to denote a collecting to oneself and is in the appropriate context. That word is used 340 times in scripture. If the intent was for “gathering” to mean Jesus was collecting His bride to meet Him in the air, this would have been the correct word to use in the context of Him collecting His bride. Proper hermeneutics requires knowing the proper meaning of words and their usage. Its not a play on words or deception unless you are denying the proper word meaning and usage… and playing with it to mean something it does NOT.