Dear Mr. Froese,

I believe the Rapture will be a much documented event. Consider all the cameras about: security cameras, folks shooting YouTube videos, vacation videos, live sporting events, movie shoots, live television, etc. This goes on 24/7 worldwide.

Picture a great multitude of people disappearing before the world’s eyes, with their clothes  left behind. I gather this will happen as Jesus’ grave clothes were left and His head garment neatly folded up.

I also believe the graves of the saved will be disturbed, broken open and their remains gone, be it dust or bones. After all, there is a one to one correspondence with the old body and our new bodies in the resurrection. Again, Jesus is our model.

How will the world explain this event? Also, do you think there is a gap between the Rapture and the start of the 70th week? It seems to me the Antichrist may need some time to go from the Little Horn to the world dictator after the restraining Holy Spirit leaves with the Church.

-M. Hoxmeier, CA

Answer: Jesus is not our model; He is different as death could not hold Him, and His body did not see “corruption.” We have no evidence that other people, besides the disciples, witnessed the ascension of Jesus from the Mount of Olives. Will the world witness the Rapture? I personally don’t think so because the Rapture is a supernatural intervention of God in human history to remove the light from the world. How the world will react is left to our imagination. Books have been written and films made, but all are based on imagination, fiction, and fantasy. 

Is there a gap after the Rapture for the Antichrist to prepare? Again, I don’t think so because Antichrist has been preparing humanity for 6,000 years. All lost human beings are his people, doing his will, and ultimately worshiping him. His final goal is reached when “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him.” For that reason, he challenged Jesus to worship him and until this day, he is trying to destroy the Church. We are living in a most dangerous time because the distinction between the Church and the world is being increasingly eradicated.