The (Pre-tribulation) Rapture
Wow...what a busy forum!
I am not used to forums with as many people participating as you have here. I was surprised to see so many comments.
Having said that...
I believe the issue of whether or not bible prophecy is important to the individual believer, hinges upon whether or not they believe they will be present.
The idea of a pre-tribulation rapture, (as I have come to understand) as you have noted Madeleine, is perhaps the main issue.
I do not subscribe to that doctrine, mainly because of Christ's prophecy of the end days, as described in Matthew 24.
Beginning in verse 29 he states "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:
(verse 30) and THEN shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(verse 31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
It seems as though the events in verse 31 come after the events in the earlier verses.
I believe that the notion of the pre-tribulation rapture, has been fostered to confuse those of God's people "upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Corinthians 10:11), so that, that day might come upon us, "unawares" (Luke 21:34).
That this doctrine is taught by the mainstream Christian church gives me no comfort in this matter, because of Christ's words (again in the 24th chapter of Matthew):
(Verse 3) "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"
(Verse 4) "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you."
(Verse 5) "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. "
I was taught in the mainstream "Church", that Christ was telling us that those who will come in his name in the end days, will be claiming to be Christ.
I now understand that he was teaching that MANY would come (in the name of Jesus Christ) saying he is indeed Christ, but will deceive many.
I believe that Christ's sheep, who have been so honored (an honor some would no doubt feel is dubious) as to be placed on earth in this critical period of history, would do well to expect to go through the great tribulation, and be prepared to be killed for the sake of their faith, and to to expect that they would be spared at a time, when the world will need their witness is not realistic.
When I compare the mindset of present day believers, given our affluence and relative comfort in our present lives, I do not see that we are worthy to escape the trials and troubles which our brethren in the past, have suffered for the sake of the faith. Why do present day believers feel worthy of such an escape?
Some may quote Luke (21:36), suggesting that this verse speaks of escaping the tribulation, but I believe that verse refers to being counted worthy to escape the things described in verses 34 and 35:
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
"For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth."
I am not here to "start a fight" (my experience shows me that many become angry when the pre-trib position is challenged), but if we are to believe that God gave us end times prophecy, it stands to reason that he did it so that we might profit from that knowledge, and not merely for our entertainment or amusement.
I do not believe that Bible prophecy is academic, but has been give for practical reasons.
I apologize for the lenghty response. I did not mean to write "War and Peace"