The Lord himself will come down from heaven. We will hear a loud command. We will hear the voice of the leader of the angels. We will hear a blast from God’s trumpet. ... We will be taken up in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, NIrV) Many are waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. But what if it’s already happened? Rapture is the biblical prophecy of Christ’s promise to physically return to the earth and gather his followers to meet him in the sky and be granted eternal life in heaven. In A Beginner’s Guide to the Rapture: The History of Christ’s Return, Greg Legge presents a thorough study of historical evidence to argue that Christ fulfilled this promise nearly two thousand years ago. Legge makes a compelling argument that the rapture has come and gone by pairing history with relevant biblical scripture. From analyzing the works of 19th century Adventists to detailing the lives of the 1st century leaders of the Roman Empire, Legge proves that what society has come to assume about the Second Coming may be completely wrong.

Is there another book of the Bible that has generated more curiosity, controversy, and speculation than the book of Revelation? As world events careen toward what appears to be a terrifying precipice and as many people see multiplied signs that the long prophesied end times are rushing upon us, more and more people are turning to the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation for answers. In Th e Beginner's Guide to Revelation author Ray Sullins has written a comprehensive guide to aid both new believers and long-time students of God's Word in their search for answers in this most mysterious of books. Ray skillfully guides the reader through the maze of imagery and helps to discern the figurative from the literal, and always with the aim of pointing the reader to the central character of Revelation, the Lord Jesus Chris

The Absolute Beginner's Guide to the Bible introduces you to the bestselling and most influential book ever published. The Bible is the core document of Western civilization, the pinnacle of world literature, and the backbone of three major world religions. To know the Bible is to know the world--and, many say, to know much more than the world. Yet those interested in learning more about this important work discover a surprising paradox: It is both widely discussed and widely ignored. The Bible is a formidable book, and many people love it from a comfortable distance but don't want to get too close. The Absolute Beginner's Guide to the Bible will help you close that distance and experience the Bible as it should be experienced, as a vibrant, living, and vital collection of texts that are just as inspiring and full of life today as they were thousands of years ago. Get ready to feel like an expert right away. Inside The Absolute Beginner's Guide to the Bible, you'll learn how to: Find a translation or study Bible that's perfect for you. Interpret difficult Bible passages, taking into account their literary features and historical context. Appreciate the Bible's breadth. As a literary work, it includes poetry, philosophy, folk tales, history, theology, religious law, and even erotica. Understand the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) as the deeply Jewish document that it is--and learn the approaches that rabbis have traditionally used to interpret scripture. Recognize the courageous missionary spirit behind the New Testament, a collection of documents, secret and illegal at the time, that would later shape the faith of billions.

Dealing with prophecy and end times in their witty, down-to-earth way, Bruce and Stan offer the Bibles answers to readers big questions. Is the end really near? Who is the antichrist? What is the rapture?.

Thigpen lays out the biblical foundations of Catholic teaching on the close of age-- the "end times." Is Jesus coming to "rapture" Christians in the earth's last days? The short answer: No. Along with Scripture, Thigpen draws from Church history, tradition, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and contemporary experience to reveal the shortcoming of the rapture doctrine. -- adapted from back cover