295. What if Jesus Raptured His Church in 1995? | Left Behind

“In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the globe disappear.” Jesus returned thirty years ago. Or rather, He sort of pre-returned, the warm-up act, if you will. Many faithful Christians believe in this kind of “rapture.” And in December 1995, two authors teamed up and used this idea to create the most successful biblical end-times thriller we’ve yet seen. In summer 2024 we overviewed the series. Yet now we’ll ask how that first Left Behind novel has aged, thirty years after its release. Episode sponsors Of Dawn and Embers by Gillian Bronte AdamsThe Case of the Heart Stone by Tulli ColeAbove the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Mission update Review: Sons of Day and Night by Mariposa AristeoBehold Our Top Most Anticipated New Books and Movies for 2026New article releases this Thursday: Discern the Top Three Negative Evangelical Myths about Popular CultureNext week, Lord willing: we announce the Lorehaven AuthorshipSubscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild Quotes and notes Fantastical Truth podcast series: Left Behind Legacy 216. Why Do Christians Fight Over End-Times Prophecies? | E. Stephen Burnett vs Zackary Russell217. How Did Publishers Steward the Blockbuster Left Behind Series? | with Dan Balow218. How Did The Kids Get Left Behind? | with Chris Fabry219. How Did GAP Digital Turn Left Behind Into Cinematic Audio Drama? | with Todd Busteed220. How Did the ‘Left Behind’ Kids Audio Drama Speed-Run the Tribulation? | with Darby Kern221. How Did The Left Behind Series Enrapture Millions of Fans? | with Jerry B. Jenkins Other Lorehaven resources on the Left Behind series Lorehaven.com search keyphrase: LEFT BEHINDLeft Behind (1995) in the Lorehaven LibraryFrom the archives, Stephen’s article series: Twelve Reasons the ‘Left Behind’ Series is Actually AwesomeHow to Make a ‘Left Behind’ Streaming Series That’s Actually Awesome, Daniel Whyte IV Secular endorsements of the Left Behind series “This is the most successful Christian fiction series ever.” ―Publishers Weekly “Combines Tom Clancy–like suspense with touches of romance, high-tech flash, and biblical references.” ―New York Times “Call it what you like, the Left Behind series . . . now has a label its creators could have never predicted: blockbuster success.” ―Entertainment Back cover of Left Behind, book 1, published in late 1995: A novel of the Earth’s last days. In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the globe disappear. Vehicles, suddenly unmanned, careen out of control. People are terror stricken as loved ones vanish before their eyes. In the midst of global chaos, airline captain Rayford Steele must search for his family, for answers, for truth. As devastating as the disappearances have been, the darkest days may lie ahead. 1. Left Behind proclaims gospel truth* Let’s start with the true. This book really wants to get you saved.It’s a product of deep Biblical Christian desires to redeem souls.Two authors (largely) make this work: the nonfiction author Tim LaHaye (The Act of Marriage) plus fiction author Jerry B. Jenkins.Both men, however, are evangelicals who want the gospel spread.So the novel shares a goal with others thriller based on possible futures: to tell a plot-driven story yet also provoke reader action.At times the threat of sin does feel lesser than that of Antichrist.All biblical Christians agree to repent and receive Jesus as Savior.Yet not all biblical Christians agree with “pray the sinner’s prayer.”And certainly only some Christians accept this end-times scenario.The late LaHaye, and Jenkins as well, would surely agree with this.Let readers, then, always discern what in the book is gospel truth and what are opinions (however deeply studied) about prophecy. 2. The story has unbelieving ‘good’ heroes Left Behind is underrated for this—its protagonists are good guys.Buck Williams has high ethics in his newsmagazine journalism.Rayford Steele has been (until now) a loving husband and father.Chloe Steele is a young college student free of remarkable sin.And finally, Bruce Barnes is a decent pastor at his local church.And yet … all these men lack Jesus, and they’re drifting into sin.The novel’s opening spells out the lurking evil in one man’s heart:“Rayford Steele’s mind was on a woman he’d never touched.”It seems that Rayford’s family-man decency only lasts so long.For the authors, then, the Rapture is as much a warning trumpet blast to his heart as it is a measure of mercy for existing Christians.Many fans reacted strongly to this theme. How could such good people, even a pastor at a church, be left out of any pre–Second Coming event? Weren’t they by all accounts decent people?Conversely, lest any Christians suppose unbelievers are all wanton sinners, Jenkins answers that no, we can root for these people.Even without the label, Left Behind shows common grace in action.Common grace can make you decent, but only Jesus...