EXPOSITION ON THE CATHOLIC TEACHING ON RAPTURE & END TIMES-- A SUMMARY

The word "Rapture" is connected to the Latin word rapiemur, which appears in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians in the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible. The Koine Greek of 1 Thess 4:17 uses the verb form ρπαγησόμεθα (harpagisometha), which means "we shall be caught up" or "taken away", with the connotation that this is a sudden event. 

The dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thess. 4:16–17)
Catholics do not generally use the term Rapture, nor do they believe in a Rapture that will take place some time before the Second Coming, as do many Evangelicals.

The "end times" which applies to the era of Christ's first coming (Heb 1:2, 1 Cor 10:11, Heb 9:26) and to the events immediately before his return and the end of the ages (Mt 24:13, 2 Tim 2:1, 2 Peter 3:3). The Catholic teaching on the end time is contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church under the discussion of the article of the Creed, "He will come again to judge the living and the dead." [CCC 668-682]
As the Creed infallibly teaches, the Second Coming is associated with the end of the world and the Last Judgment. Therefore, it is NOT associated with any earlier time - such as to establish a "Millennium" and the so called visions and relevations we hear day-in-day-out. Do you remember that some claimed the world will end in the year 2000 and many started trooping churches? Why didn't the world end?

The Catholic Church specifically condemns "millenarianism," according to which Jesus will establish a throne in this world and reign here for a thousand years [ CCC 676]. She teaches instead that Jesus already reigns in eternity (1 Cor. 15:24-27, Rev. 4 & 5) and that in this world His reign, established as a seed, is found already in the Church [CCC 668-669].

Rapture, as explained by Paul in 1 Thes 4:15-17 is that at the return of Christ (v.15) and the General Resurrection of the Dead (v.16), those who survive the persecution of the Antichrist will have no advantage in being resurrected over those who died before His Coming [ CCC 1001].  All will go to meet Him and be with Him forever (v.17; cf. Rev 20:17-21:27).

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI states that (in the context of the message of Fátima), we are not at the end of the world. In fact, the Second Coming (understood as the physical return of Christ) cannot occur until the full number of the Gentiles are converted, followed by "all Israel."

Again, Paul used the expression “falling asleep” to describe death. Sheol, the underworld abode of the dead, was believed to be a place without physical or mental activity, an extreme form of suspended animation where even deceased kings were consigned motionless to their thrones (Isa. 14). In this state Christians who died were understood to await Christ’s return in victory and their own resurrection in glory.

In conclusion, the real hour of the second coming of Christ is unknown and it would be a waste of time trying to figure it out. What is necessary is living the gospel message so that when Christ comes we may be numbered among saints.


* CCC - Catechism of the Catholic Church

EXPOSITION ON THE MARK OF THE BEAST (666) ~ REVELATION 13:1-18

The book of revelation is not a normal writing that one will easily understand. It is a coded-languaged book. In other words, any attempt to take the words literary will land you in a misinterpretation. This was what the Church was guiding against for fear that the sacred scritures will be misinterpreted. When you pay a close look at how the scripture was read...It was kept under lock. After reading by the presider it is handed over to the keeper of the scrolls... The great manifesto of Jesus (Ref Luke 4:16-20)

Now, back to the subject under discussion...
This number (666) marks the second of two beasts which are agents of Satan and enemies of the Church.
As to the 666, many modern scholars associate this with Nero, and by extension, the Roman Empire. Nero had been the most terrible persecutor of the Church,putting countless to death in the most horrible fashion in the 60’s until his own suicide. The association is urged by the fact that the name of Nero, spelled in Hebrew, totals 666 .There are other allusions to Nero in this work and section, which incline many to such an association.

Another opinion is put forth, which associates 666 with Jerusalem, in part because the only other appearance of 666 in the Bible is associated with an important figure of Israel, King Solomon. While it may shock a Christian to think of Solomon in terms of a beast, there was a later, dark side to Solomon when he gave himself over to foreign wives and worship and the accumulation of wealth. As such, he may serve as an anti-type of Christ even as he serves positively in other ways as a type of Christ.
Dr.Scott Hahn argues for the allusion to Solomon.

At any rate, 6 is a biblical number often symbolizing imperfection or evil, since it falls short of seven, a number of perfection. Its three- fold repetition would appear to emphasize such evil. It is interesting to note that there are a number of other biblical associations with six which are evil including with the giant Goliath.
There will be a final anti-Christ, beyond all others we have known, and in some manner, this will be his mark and number.

HAS THE PASSOVER SEDER ANY THEOLOGICAL RELATEDNESS WITH THE LAST SUPPER (EUCHARIST)?

 

The Passover is a Jewish celebration marked to recall their exodus from slavery into freedom. This celebration is marked by the eating of unleavened bread, unblemished lamb, bitter leaves and the meal itself eaten in haste. The Eucharist is the real presence of Christ in the two species of bread and wine. The Eucharist was presided over by Jesus Christ, who himself became the spotless victim, the sacrificial lamb.

The Passover and the Eucharist are theologically interrelated because of the following reasons:

•   UNLEAVENED BREAD

In the festival of the unleavened bread (Exodus 13:1-10 & 12:14-20) by the Israelites, the kind of bread used was unleavened. That is to say that there was no yeast in the bread; which implied that there was no time for the preparation of bread. Likewise in the Last Supper’s institution (Matthew 26:20-30 & Luke 22:7-23), Jesus used bread which was unleavened.

• THE PRESIDER WAS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY

Family heads preside over the Passover and Jesus Christ was the president of the Last Supper. In Exodus 12:46, it was stipulated that every household of Israel shall celebrate this event. In the Jewish custom, it is the duty of the family head to preside over the family gatherings. Likewise, Jesus is the head of the body of Christ, the Church and hence presided over the celebration.

•   UNBLEMISHED LAMB

Every household was entitled to one unblemished lamb for the celebration of Passover. If a household cannot, they are to join another household for the celebration. In the last supper, the lamb was Jesus Christ, who himself became for us real food.

•   COMMUNAL MEAL

The Passover was celebrated by the whole congregation of the Israelites in exception of the slaves and foreigners (Exodus 12: 43-45). The communal meal in the context of the Last Supper was celebrated by Jesus and his apostles.

•   MEMORIAL MEAL

The festival of unleavened bread was to be marked by the Israelites to remember their exodus from Egypt. Jesus told his apostles to “do this in remembrance of me”.

•   DECREED BY GOD

…As an annual meal of the Passover and a daily meal of the Last Supper. The Israelites were decreed by God to commemorate this event. Jesus commissioned his apostles to always carry out this event.

•   THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

The blood of the lamb was to prevent the angel of death from striking down the non-Israelites (Exodus 12:13). The blood of Christ was to set us free from sin. That was why he died on the Cross for the remission of sins- salvation history.

From these similarities highlighted from the sacred scriptures, we can concretely deduce that the Passover and the Eucharist are theologically interrelated.