THE GATHERING vs THE RAPTURE Many people claim the “gathering”…

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!