Scriptural verses about the rapture

None of the OT was teaching to the church either, but thats not to say the prophesies are only for the jews. This same book is what most people use to show the rapture theories too, so I guess I'm confused, do the jews get raptured and we stay till later? Also, didn't He come to be the king and messiah to all of us, just first to the jews?

There is yet another harvest spoken of, servantofthelord,. After Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, He taught His disciples that the fields were ready for harvest.

"do not say that it is yet four months, and the harvest comes; behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the fields, that they are white to harvest already. And he who is reaping receives a reward, and gathers fruit to continuous life, that both he who is sowing and he who is reaping may rejoice together; for in this the saying is the true one, that one is the sower and another the reaper. I sent you to reap on that which you have not labored; others labored, and you have entered into their labor.”" John 4:35-38

And He called His discples the reapers. Why? Here is how I see it. Whoever the sower was, ultimately God the Father, someone made a person turn, or become curious. The disciples, as they fulfilled their commission, reaped the harvest in that once someone believed in, trusted in, turned to, Jesus Christ, he or she was saved. Always forever. The grain had been brought in to God's barn, so to speak. In the same manner, we all here are reapers where we did not sow. If by someone reading one of my posts turned to Jesus and is saved, then they have been brought into the barn, sheep into the fold, whatever metaphor you want to use. Someone else pointed that person to this website. Gary, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, put this website together. All praise to God the Father for His mercy and guidance.

That said, I am of the opinion that the rapture is a wholly separate event that we do not know when will happen until it's time.

Natalie , stormyknight , I suppose I'm just weird. I don't make distinction between "Christians", Jewish or otherwise. I've always believed the gospels and anything that happened from the beginning of Jesus ministry, was for all of us. Never viewed Him or his message as singling out individual groups, other than to rebuke or exalt. My personal understanding is the gentiles were going to be included ever since the prophesies of the Old Testament. The Jews may not have seen it, but Jesus did and some of the prophets did. Jews have a special place, but not a special message or gospel. Mathew was one of the 12, sent to the world, not to the jews. He just primarily taught to them, but it wasn't their gospel, it was the worlds. He just used more Jewish teachings to do it, since that was the audience. Otherwise Paul is the only one specifically, that we gentiles should listen to. Which is the way some feel. Just not me. Each went to a differing audience, but preached the same gospel, so all gospels apply to all of us. OT could be said to have mostly applied to Jews, but not the NT. As to reapers, yes there are many types in many ways, but the reapers Jesus talks about in the verse I used, were specifically said to be from the end days, and were reaping His harvest. As well as burning the tares. don't think any of us on earth fit that kinda reaping. Plus in the end days, I don't see a "whole earth" reaping being done by men. Nor do I see anything to do with us in doling wrath in god's wine press. I'm sure there are ways to not see the nearly literal reference to the rapture, if that is what one wishes, but I just read it as it says and it shadows the verses I put up freakishly good to be just coincidence. But all have their own opinions, but people seem happy to form entire theories with less than I provided in this little posting. Not sure why it would be seen as anything other than what it seems.

PS- I think I mentioned this before, but I don't have any theories on rapture, just know it will happen, so when I read verses that follow what Jesus says to look for or He describes, I don't ignore the correlation or look for what else it could be. He didn't give a date and time stamp for us, but John did a bang up job of using His parables in the same manner as described. Even if it was a sure thing, it doesn't tell us when. So I'm not making a prophecy up, just seing a fulfillment of one already made within another.

Just so I'm clear on some points, cause I find this quite confusing. When it comes to the rapture, there is a few points ALL seem to agree upon.
1. we will be caught up/jerked up/taken
2. It will be into the clouds to/with Jesus
3. It will happen before God's wrath

Now, I just provided you with a quote of scripture, from Revelation, that pertains to the last days, which clearly shows a messenger/angel who fits the/one of the descriptions used for Christ or His angels, who is on/in the clouds, who reaps the earth, who does so right before the stated wrath in the next verses. And your automatic reaction is is must pertain to something else? The ONLY thing it doesn't contain, is the personal timing beliefs of who ever believes it happens some other time. It even matches Jesus own description of the end days reaping. No offense guys, I really don't mind whether you believe it or not. But if your only reason not to is that you don't want to see it, or your not capable of matching the words to the other verses, without assuming something that is not stated there, you may want to check and be sure your reading what scripture actually says and not what you are reading into it. I did before I ever posted this. And I don't even have a bias to any of the held theories. Does it have to have a sign that states"here is the rapture" for it to be read correctly? Sorry for the sarcasm, I'm just way confused at this.

I simply gave you another way of seeing it.

I did exactly as you did and used Scripture to support my perspective.

You don't have to see it the same way I do. Or as stormyknight does. It is not a salvation issue.

Be careful this doesn't go into the "I'm right, you are wrong". I use Scripture to form my views and attempt to read without bias.

I'm good with another way, but if the other way involves ignoring the parts of the verse that don't apply to the other way, then applying it to a specific group over another, I just can't see it. If you show me any view that incorporates all he parts and still come out with a different perspective, i'm absolutely good with that. Just not a cherry picking approach. since I provided a few scriptures and referred to the others directly held by basically all, I'd expect another view if it is honest, to at least fit the entire verse, not just a word. Wouldn't you? As to the views stated, when it comes to jew/church etc. that is a whole different view which I addressed separately. But also made clear that it seemed in contradiction to Jesus teachings, not my view of them. I'm good with being wrong, or even just in the minority. I'm even good with keeping my opinion to myself, which I do more often than not. But like people like to point out, when you make a statement that is not inline or is read as not being in line with scripture, you will be challenged on this. I have been. But if the replies I gave are in error according to scripture, or somehow rude in pointing it out, I'll apologize for the offense taken. I did point out the only sarcasm I thought I stated. So it would simply be seen as such, though not necessarily incorrect. Generally, when I or anyone swims against the common stream, there is offense taken, whether intended or not. But if this is causing contention, I'm good with leaving it lie and allowing all to voice their own opinions without needing to include mine. It's all good. I'm easy, and don't get offended easilly, and can't stay so for any longer than it takes me to realize I was so. LOL  

Addressing what a bias is- to be honest, we all have biases. It's just fact. When you like one position or thing as opposed to any other, that is a bias. A year ago, i'd have claimed I didn't have any scriptural bias, I'd have been wrong. I had to literally make a decision to assume everything I knew about scripture, except that there was just one God, and Jesus was His son, was wrong. I then started from Genesis and read the entire bile a couple times, to decide what I understood, by using what I read in the scriptures, without reading into them. This was along and difficult process. But what I learned, was I had a lot wrong, and some of what I was taught, was in fact not even scriptural, but was accepted by me, because I trusted the people who taught me. I'm not saying the same applies to anyone else. What I am saying, is when you put any stock into a interpretation of scripture, where it is not literally stated, you create a bias or leaning to that perception. If anyone then finds a supporting scripture that could be interpreted to help that perception, and you adopt it, you just doubled your bias. Depending on how many interpretations there are in your opinion or theory, your already quite biased without even knowing it. Once you've adopted a view, you can't just read scripture and not perceive things they way you see them. You can try, but if you actually believe the position you support, it is not possible to be un-biased. At best, you can try to be open minded. You can even try to be willing to change your opinions, but you can't be not biased. It's only a matter of how biased, not if. This is part of the human condition, not a right or wrong thing. I've just learned the hard way to admit my bias if I have one. When it comes to scripture, my bias is that I believe what ever scripture says, I go to great lengths not to incorporate into that any personal opinions. I do have some at times, but they are held very tentatively, unless scripture clearly says something, without having to look a certain way at it. I do this because I realize that my opinions change with the more often I read and absorb scriptures. having any strong opinion, may keep me from seeing what should be obvious to me. I know this. It's why I started over. It's also why I don't ascribe to a view of the rapture. In my Revelation study, I was pointed out a few times where there may have been something I overlooked. This is why in it I suggested to look at things rather than say I found an answer. When these things were pointed out, I did look, and they were correct at times, thus I altered my order and view. When it didn't seem to fit, I left it. I don't wish to form any opinion that is not obviously stated. Thats how I do scripture, thats my bias. At this point, I have studied and rad the book of Revelation more times than I know, usually about once every other day for the past few months. I still don't feel qualified as an expert or even know more than anyone else. But I do know that had I been reading it before without bias, I'd have seen what I did this time. We all have them, and they do work against us. But you can't do anything about them if you can't acknowledge or see them. I was ashamed and embarrassed to even find out I'd had mine and for how long I had held onto them. But growth comes with a price. I paid up and have moved on. For anyone that really doesn't think they have any, I wont say you do, but I'd advise a deep reflection and look at exactly what literally supports your opinions and what has to be viewed from a perspective point. hopefully this didn't upset any of you unduly.
Be blessed!