Understanding the Rapture Concept

The rapture is commonly understood as an event where genuine Christians are taken up to meet Jesus in the air before the tribulation period. This belief emerged in the mid-19th century and was popularized by figures like Hal Lindsey, author of 'The Late Great Planet Earth.' The host questions the biblical basis for the rapture concept, noting that early church teachings did not emphasize such a doctrine, and wonders why it wasn't recognized before the 19th century. He shares that many church fathers and theologians anticipated a different eschatological narrative, namely expecting the Antichrist rather than a mysterious disappearance of believers.