You may have seen it online, especially on Tik Tok – a preacher from S. Africa said that he had a vision of Jesus telling him that the Rapture will be happening today and tomorrow. This changes everything! I was going to write about the New McCarthyism, but I figured that I wouldn’t have a chance to comment on this, so I changed my mind. I hope we can get Spirit on Tap in tonight; Harry Serio does such a great job in preparing and presenting – it would be a shame to not get that in. And what about my plans for the rest of the week? There is no way I can get it all in before Jesus gets here and – I hope – whisks me away into the air with all the other saints while the rest of you suckers (I say that in Christian love) end up in H-E-double hockey sticks. Some of you might make it – I hope you do – so maybe we can catch up later.
The Rapture was invented in 1830 by Margaret MacDonald. She had a series of visions that were picked up by John Darby, Edward Irving, and John Pusey. And yes, the end-times it describes has its origins in the Bible and yes, there have been times in the last 2000 years in which end-time fervor was heightened but no, fear and joy around the return of Jesus was never a big deal before the mid-1800’s. I personally believe that Jesus did not come to earth to die, but to replace the kingdoms of earth with the Kingdom of Heaven. That didn’t happen, and we have been arguing about it ever since, even though Jesus said not to. The Rapture is not something joyful – it is full of pain and suffering and destructing, with a happy ending at the conclusion of the Book of Revelation. It is among the weakest of theologies.
The problem? Preparation for the Rapture has been in process in America for at least the last 40 years, and many Evangelical Christian Dominionists – those who believe that America must be a Christian nation and that Israel must be at biblical borders for Jesus to return – have been in positions of power in our government. As we speak, they are passing laws and creating systems that will turn America into a name only fake Christian nation. They do not preach the Gospel of Jesus; they preach a demented version of Him. Will Jesus return in our lifetime? Nobody knows the future, so, really, just stop. Whether He does return or not, there are powerful forces trying to change our country into something ugly and dangerous. Don’t let them do it.
Prayer – Holy God, keep us from foolishness and help us to live each day for You. Amen.