The Biblical ‘Rapture’ consisted of Jesus manifesting himself to his disciples, yet not to the world
The modern Christian doctrine of the ‘Rapture’ teaches that sometime future to the 21st Century, at the Second Coming of Christ, the believers would instantly vanish from the face of the earth, to be with the Lord forever.
What the Bible actually teaches, using figurative and symbolic language however, is that Jesus promises his disciples to manifest himself to them through the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth, giving them a personal, spiritual, revelation of Himself.
Jesus’ teaching was that he would manifest himself to his disciples, yet not to the world
Take note of a very significant question that Judas Thaddeus asked Jesus. “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” (John 14:22)
Notice, the disciples understood that the ‘Rapture’ would be Jesus’ revealing himself to them individually (manifest yourself to us), while at the same time being invisible to the world (and not to the world). They also understood this revelation was imminent within their lifetime, not thousands of years later.
How was he to manifest himself to the disciples and not to the world? This was what the ‘Rapture’ was about! A spiritual coming to the disciples, within their lifetime!
