Objections To The Rapture (Part 2)

Objection: The rapture, or the Greek word of harpazo, is the resurrection from the dead when his feet touch down on the olive mount.   The rapture is the resurrection itself. 

Answer: No, it isn’t.  The rapture is defined as the removal & retention of one or more people from the Earth either before the Great Tribulation some time during or at/after its end with the Summation of All things. 

The Bible uses words like ēgerthēsan, egēgertai when referring to resurrection— not harpazo.  Harpazo means to seize or snatch or take away by force.   

The Bible draws a distinction between the Resurrection of the Just & Unjust & the Seizing or Ascending from the dead via the way it is prefigured in each covenant cycle.  

In the first two administrations of the Covenant of Grace Enoch is depicted as having been removed & retained during the transitional stage between the Adamic & Noahic Administrations.   

Abraham is asleep in Genesis 15 & is removed pneumatically from the Earth in order to renew covenant with God.  

In Exodus 24, Moses, Aaron, & the 70 elders of Israel are taken to heaven via hiking up a mountain.  They saw a pavement made from lapis lazuli.  They were obviously removed, retained, & returned. 

Moses hiked up a mountain in Deuteronomy & the text implies that he died either there or on an analogous location in heaven.  

During the David Covenant, Elijah was removed & retained.   The text of Zechariah indicates he was removed & retained like John in Revelation. 

In the Johannine Covenant, in addition to John’s removal & retention,  Christ ascended into heaven (Acts 1) — which is the mediatoriao act in which all other pneumatic  & corporeal removals & retentions are represented.  

As you can see, the Bible doesn’t define the concept of the rapture as resurrection, nor does it require the person or persons seized, raised, removed & retained, etc to be resurrected nor undergo resurrection before or even after their personal resurrection.