What Does Rapture Mean? Nibiru Conspiracy Predicts ‘End Of World’ Saturday, September 23

The “end of the world” is sometimes referred to as “rapture.” With David Meade supposedly predicting Saturday, Sept. 23 as being an important sign leading up to doomsday, some people might be interested to know the meaning of the word.

When used as a noun, rapture means “a feeling of intense pleasure or joy.” Synonyms are bliss, ecstasy, pleasure, happiness, delight, joy, euphoria, elation, exaltation, and enchantment.

Of course, when speaking about the end of the world, rapture is not meant to mean a synonym for joy. Instead, it refers to believers being transported to heaven at the Second Coming of Christ.

While the Bible talks about the Second Coming of Christ, the word “rapture” is never used, though it is often associated with Him coming again.

“The meaning or definition of rapture is the idea that the coming of Jesus will take place in two separate stages. The first will be a secret rapture — or carrying away of the saved to heaven — at the beginning of a seven-year period of tribulation, during which the antichrist will appear,” Bible Info explains. “The second phase occurs at the close of this time of tribulation when Jesus will return to Earth in triumph and glory.”

His return is talked about in the Bible. “While they [the disciples] watched, He [Jesus] was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men [angels] stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven,’” reads Acts 1:9-11, NKJV.

If Jesus did return, it would not be a secret. “Behold, He [Jesus] is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him,” says Revelation 1:7, NKJV.

What comes after is the 7-year Tribulation period. “The 7-year Tribulation period is very well-known among students of Bible prophecy,” Meade told International Business Times in an email Thursday. “It’s been written about for hundreds of years. I write about it. Most everyone knows of it. At the very end of that period according to the Book of Revelation Jesus returns to Jerusalem, and he appears on a yearly basis at the new Temple that they have by that time set up. That frame of time is called the 1,000 year Millennium. Both Catholics and Protestants believe this.”

Meade argued the devastating earthquakes and hurricanes could prove rapture is near. He cited the solar eclipse last month as the beginning. “Ever since the Great American Solar Eclipse of Aug. 21st we have been hit by a continued series of judgments,” Meade said. “Jewish thought is that solar eclipses are a sign or harbinger of judgment against gentile nations.”

Meade denied Saturday, Sept. 23 will be the end of the world, saying his words were misconstrued by the media. “People tend to read sensationalistic headlines, and not go to the source. My book is the source. They don’t even read it. My book’s updates are on my Planet X News.com site – they don’t read those, either. As Donald Trump would say, this is ‘fake news’ they write about me. Nothing you can do about it really. Just stay a cool customer,” he said.

The common conspiracy theory is that the ficticious planet Nibiru is slated to collide with Earth and decimate civilization. NASA denied the rumor in 2012.

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella