by Kathy Beardsley

The title of this article is for analogy purposes only. It is not meant to mock, demean, or laugh at anyone.This is an article written out of nothing more than a burden on my heart for the truth to be told. I take matters of a biblical nature seriously. I do my best to reflect that in my writing. My only motive is to speak the truth according to scripture, but in doing so, toes might be stepped on. I promise you that offense is never intended. I pray you read this with a prayerful heart that the real truth, God’s truth, be revealed to you on this subject.

hy·po·chon·dria noun \ˌhī-pə-ˈkän-drē-ə\ : unusual or excessive concern about your health : a tendency to fear or imagine that you have illnesses that you do not actually have

Put this in the perspective of the rapture and you may better understand my dismay and deepening concern not only for my friends and loved ones, but for all who have fallen prey to this deception.

Many of those who believe in the rapture are excessively concerned with seeing the signs of it. They insist these signs are prophecy being fulfilled right before their eyes, and refuse to see that these “signs” are not signs at all. This is Scofield’s prophecy! The “signs” are what C.I. Scofield declares to be a dual prophecy in Matthew chapter 24. Nowhere in scripture is there any hint of dual prophecies. Sin will always abound, and because of that, history will be repeating itself, as will weather rotations that haven’t been seen in a hundred years, and earthquakes in places rarely experienced. These things will continue until our Lord returns at his Second Coming. Scofield has taken it upon himself to explain what HE believes is correct. He uses the word(s) “type” and “antitype” frequently in his notes when referring to future prophecy—namely, eschatology. He, NOT scripture equates these “types” to dual prophecies. Unfortunately, he couldn’t be more wrong and countless people have been deceived because of it. Moreover, a great number of these people have shown themselves to be susceptible in being drawn toward other false teachings—thinking them to be just one more revelation to the whole plan of God.

Scofield may be considered a great and mighty hammer in the tool box, but Satan is the force behind the lie and he’s doing everything he can to continue to drive this false teaching into the hearts of believers. What better way to encourage people to believe something than to make it seem “as if” signs are being fulfilled. Not to mention the fact that focusing on signs is contrary to what Christians are to be doing. Jesus called the Pharisees and Sadducees hypocrites because they insisted on seeing a sign.

Matthew 12:39, 40 “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus was of course referring to his death, burial, and resurrection. Jonah’s example was given as just that and not for a literal sign to watch for.

Matthew 16:2-4 “He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.”

Scofield most likely believed everything he said and taught, but he was deceived. He no doubt heard the truth while in the company of men such as D.L. Moody, but he ultimately chose to follow another deceived man; dispensationalist John Nelson Darby. Scofield not only plagiarized Darby’s Bible, but he took it further and built a foundation based on his own interpretation of scripture.

2 Peter 1:20 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”

This is what is being taught today. If teaching about the rapture is supposed to cause people to come to Christ then why have we not seen true revival in their hearts? For instance, sins of the flesh are worse than ever; vanity, greed, selfishness, immorality, &c. Why has there not been a sense of greater urgency among the people to get saved and encourage others to do the same?

The increase of movies, books, and television shows on the subject is nothing more than just another source of material for media entertainment. The fact that several “leaders” from various religions are consulted so the material can be “balanced” to appease most everyone speaks volumes as to why there is so much error, and it certainly doesn’t help when pastors endorse them.

Truth endures the test of time; it is always consistent (unchanging; void of variances added along the way), it is always a matter of fact. It is the root from which God’s Word stems. He is “…the way, the truth, and the life…” John 14:6.

The rapture theory has far too many variations to be consistent; it has only existed since the early 1800’s, not as some claim since the time of Paul; and most importantly, it is a privately interpreted man-made theory; therefore, there is no truth in it!