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.