Walking on the Sea - A Rapture Paradigm

WALKING ON THE SEA – A Rapture Paradigm

10/14/2018

Matthew 14:24-32 NET Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. (25) As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. (26) When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, "It's a ghost!" and cried out with fear. (27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them: "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." (28) Peter said to him, "Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water." (29) So he said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. (30) But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" (31) Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (32) When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.

A version also appears in Mark 6:45-51

John 6:16-21 NET Now when evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, (17) got into a boat, and started to cross the lake to Capernaum. (It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.) (18) By now a strong wind was blowing and the sea was getting rough. (19) Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they caught sight of Jesus walking on the lake, approaching the boat, and they were frightened. (20) But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid." (21) Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to the land where they had been heading.

Miracle Signs

The 4^th and 5^th miracle signs given by John are the centerpiece of the feast of Tabernacles, and they are recorded in John 6:1-21. The last half of John 6 gives commentary on the 4^th sign (feeding the multitude), and then John 7 gives commentary on the 5^th sign (coming to the disciples in the middle of the lake).

It can be said that the 5^th sign in John (i.e. walking on water) is a prophecy related to the second coming of Christ in the midst of a prophetic “storm” (opposition, threats). Although there is no actual seven years of dispensational tribulation it can be said that various types of tribulation are presently occurring:  the Trump-Russia conundrum; the entry of illegal immigrants into the USA and many parts of Europe; the proposed coming of an economic collapse; the coming new global currency system based on gold; etc.

In Matthew 24: 6-7 Jesus prophesies of wars, rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes.  Some claim this has already been fulfilled, which may or may not be true, but on a secondary level it may be a double prophesy that pertains to the present.

Matthew 24:6-8 NET You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. (7) For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (8) All these things are the beginning of birth pains.

Matthew 24:8 reads, “these things are the beginning of birth pains” and our current storm denotes the beginning of the soon return of Jesus Christ and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom of God.

The fifth sign given by John (walking on the water) is connected to the fourth sign (i.e. the feeding of the multitudes).  In a prophetic sense the multitude feeding suggests that truth is being dispensed to the people.  There will be a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit just prior to the return of Christ which is represented by the feeding of the people with the manna from Heaven i.e. spiritual food.  John 6:51 shows that Jesus was and is the bread that came down from heaven to feed the people.

John 6:49-51 NET Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. (50) This is the bread that has come down from heaven, so that a person may eat from it and not die. (51) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

In the Old Testament, the feast of Tabernacles was the only feast where the entire book of Deuteronomy was read and studied each year.  the climax of the feast was the 5^th day.  In Hebrew parallelism, this is about Kingdom Government.  According to Dr. Jones this suggests that the 5^th day of Tabernacles is when Christ will return.

Note also John’s commentary in the 7^th chapter, where Jesus sent the disciples ahead to Jerusalem and then arrived in secret (John 7:8-10) in the midst of the feast (John 7:14). This suggests, as I believe, that Jesus will come in the midst of Tabernacles. By connecting John 7 with the 5^th sign in John, I believe that Christ will return specifically on the 5^th day of the feast of Tabernacles.

A Prophetic Rapture

For those who may not know, the word “Rapture” is a Latin translation of the Greek word “harpazo”.

Thayer Definition:  1) to seize, carry off by force  2) to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly

3) to snatch out or away

1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJV  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (i.e. harpazo) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Jesus sends the disciples ahead of Him, to Capernaum by boat.  A violent storm erupts about halfway across the lake.  The disciples are somewhat shaken in spirit but suddenly they see Jesus walking toward them on the water devoid of any regard for the storm.  As Jesus approaches near to them, Peter asks Jesus to allow him to walk toward Him, and Jesus agrees.  Peter takes a few successful steps and then fear grips him and he begins to sink into the water.  Jesus takes his arm or hand and places Peter upright and they both walk to the boat and get in and the storm came to a halt.  John 6:21 comments that when they entered the boat they were supernaturally transported to the shore of Capernaum, “Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to the land where they had been heading”.

Contrary to the evangelical opinion claiming that all Christians will be raptured and taken to heaven, the truth is that the “caught up” dead and living elect are to be the judges, Melchizedek-type priests, and sub-rulers under the command of Jesus Christ.  The “caught up” "dead and alive" elect may be presented to God for edification but their positions of authority will be on the planet.

The five wise virgins presented in Matthew 25 went out to meet the bridegroom and then returned with Him to the wedding - they did not return with the bridegroom to His place of origin.  Peter went out to meet Jesus and then both returned to the boat.  Thus it can be accurately stated that no one goes to the heaven of God and remains there for any length of time.

Who Represents the Elect?

Dr. S. Jones writes that Peter most likely represents the elect and the disciples who remained in the boat represent the normal people.  My opinion is somewhat different.  I consider all the disciples to be the elect and that Peter represents the group that will be raised from the dead.  After all, a small amount of lacking-faith caused him to sink into the lake and he would have physically died if not rescued by the hand of Jesus.

Other Aspects

According to Dr. Jones this event occurred on the 5^th day of Tabernacles, thus it suggests that the 5^th day of Tabernacles is when Christ will come, “Peter” will metaphorically go out to meet Him, and when they return to the prophetic “boat,” they will be caught away together to Capernaum, “covering of the Comforter.”

In John 6, Jesus told the disciples to go out ahead of him across the lake into the storm which would represent a type of tribulation. Then He came to them after they had gone 25 or 30 furlongs (6:19), which was the middle of the lake. When Jesus got into the boat the storm and wind completely stopped, and then the entire boat was transported to Capernaum (6:21, 24). Capernaum means "the Covering of the Comforter." It speaks of the fullness of the Spirit.

John 6:21 NET Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to the land where they had been heading.

After arriving at Capernaum Jesus sends the disciples on to the city and afterwards comes to the elect disciples in the middle of the Feast, perhaps on the fifth day. On the Feast of Trumpets over two weeks earlier the dead were raised to meet the Lord; but in the midst of Tabernacles it appears that the living overcomers, represented by Peter, will go out to meet Him.

This appears to speak of two "raptures" but not in the manner of the evangelical doctrine which claims there will be two second comings of Jesus:  one at the beginning of the so-called 7 years of tribulation and another at the end of the seven years.  The raptures of the dead and the living could be separated by a few days and there is no biblical statement saying otherwise. Paul gives us the order of events, but does not give us timing details in 1 Thess. 4:16, 17,  ¹⁶ . . . the dead in Christ shall rise first. ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

So first the dead will be raised, and they will meet Him above ground in the air. The next event will be the catching away of those who are "alive and remain." This is not a statement that establishes timing.  It only establishes the order of events.  Paul's only statement about timing comes earlier in verse 15, saying that we who are alive will not precede those who have already died.

Dr. Stephen Jones:  I believe that the eight trips that Moses made up Mount Sinai represent the eight days of Tabernacles.  At the end of his final trip, he returned with his face glowing, holding the new tablets of the law (Ex. 34:29). I believe that this final return came to be celebrated as the eighth day of Tabernacles.

He sent His disciples across the lake in a boat, knowing full well that a storm was brewing. Why? No doubt because He was aware that they had to go through that experience, and He had to come to them in the midst of the storm, in order to give us a pattern of tribulation and of His coming.

He did not stop the storm from coming. He did not even stop the storm when it came time to walk on the water to the disciples. He did not stop the storm until He was in the boat with them. Matt. 14:32 says, "and when they [Peter and Jesus] were come into the ship, the wind ceased." In other words, the Church will experience tribulation until the second coming of Christ. When He comes, it ends.

But look at the manner of His coming to them, for this reveals some important patterns of Christ's second coming as well. Peter went out to meet Him, even as the overcomers will go out to meet Him. The rest of the disciples (Church) remained in the boat. They did NOT go out to meet Him, even though they were believers. Peter represents the overcomers; the rest of the disciples represent the Church in the story.

Secondly, when Peter went out to meet Him, it was to escort Jesus back to the boat. Jesus did NOT take Peter back to the shore from whence He came. Normal rapture teaching says the opposite, that Jesus will come and take ALL the disciples back to the shore and presumably to the high mountain from whence He had come.