Just in case you’ve always wanted to paint a big-ole canvas of the rapture–you know, so you’ll have something to go above the fireplace or in your home office or den–you might want to heed the advice of those who have painted the rapture before. Why? Because they know everything about everything. I kid. But rapture-believers sure know how to depict biblical imagery…
Here are a few basic rapture-art tips.
1) MUST include gravestones!
If you can’t paint a good gravestone, then you are probably not qualified to paint the rapture. Most rapture paintings–not all of them–include at least one grave site with a raptured soul being sucked out of the earth and on its way to glory. This painting right here is quite creative–it uses a cloud front as an escalator to quietly and efficiently move the souls up toward the light.
And who knew? June Cleaver is an angel.
2) Faces are optional!
Let’s face it: faces are hard to paint! So if you can’t paint human faces, no problem! Just don’t do it. Talk about freedom in Christ, huh? Check out this creative gem of souls being zoomed up to heaven in lightening speed.
Please note: Gravestones.
3) Context and creativity are optional!
You don’t have to be a good painter or artist to create rapture art, just will power to do it! This rapture painting depicts a small piece of special paper–Office Depot probably carries it–sucking the salvationed souls out of the earth.
This one should give all of you amateur rapture painters a great deal of hope.
4) Make the souls do tricks!
The artist of this painting depicted some of the raptured souls doing acrobatic routines as they float up into the second atmosphere. Remember, when painting the rapture, “realism” is optional. And for the most part, somewhat frowned upon.
Talk about the greatest show on earth… well, it won’t be at the circus on that day!
5) Paint selfishly!
Selfishness is fine when painting the rapture! If you think you’re the only one going up, then by golly, paint it that way. But show support to all the breast cancer survivors left behind by painting the sunset pink. Now that’s creative!
6) You really need to know how to paint gravestones!
Oh, having the souls hug prior to leaving is a fantastic touch.
7) Make the meaning obvious!
Just in case somebody who is looking at your painting is one of those silly atheists or heretic Christians who don’t believe in the rapture, rub their ignorance in their doomed faces by making your painting’s message ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. Yes, this is called MISSIONARY PAINTING. A newspaper headline is a FANTASTIC way to get your point across if you’re living in 1988.
And notice the soul tails. Like jets jetting toward the pearly gates.
8) Animals are cute attention-getters!
Clever, huh? The lion lying next to an over-sized lamb, both of them apparently smelling to high-heavens. But that doesn’t stop Jesus from standing there in between them and making them play nice. (Note: This picture is called “rapture,” so good news for you: You can draw anything biblical and link it back to the rapture!)
9) Trumpets are awesome!
Big trumpets! When I look at this painting, I hear in my head that old DC TALK tune, “Heavenbound.” Heaven bound. Heaven bound. Don’t you know I’m heaven bound? Heaven bound. Heaven bound. I’m reachin’ for that higher ground… ha ha ha heaven, ha ha ha heaven… Yeah, you know the tune. That’s making me want to paint something pretty…
10) Make God look like Hagrid from Harry Potter!
And too, while painting, think layers… I’m not sure what’s happening here, but they look like they’re having a good time, so who cares? Right? Amen?
11) Paint Jesus as pissed off!
Of course, heeding this advice will depend on your theology! So if you think Jesus will return to earth all pissed at everybody who doesn’t believe like you do, then by golly, PAINT him that way. Preferably in red, so he’s extra scary.
12) Souls leaving earth are allowed to look like sperm swimming
Swim little fellows! Swim!
So creative.
THAT’S ALL OF MY POINTERS! But here are a few more WONDERFUL examples of the rapture coming to life through art. And perhaps someday, you’ll have your very own End-Of-The-World art to display.
Because you know, the world can’t have too many paintings of Jesus rescuing millions of people from calamity and leaving billions more behind to experience it.
Enjoy.
Souls flying everywhere. And other hopeless souls wondering what’s happening. This one is a beauty.
Not sure what’s happening in this picture… but it looks like the rapture to me!
The bottom of this painting looks like the last 60 seconds of an episode of 24!
Car accidents are classic rapture imagery. So definitely paint a car crash.
And notice the gravestones.
Now, paint away…
UPDATE: CHECK OUT what Best Jeff Ever created! His rapture painting
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The Lion and Lamb picture was painted by a worship fundamentalist. A few of us do exist. Remember that incense is required in worship in scripture.
I wonder if Jesus only does simple swings of the censer, or if he does Round the World and other ninja thurifer moves?
(And rapture does not necessarily mean what Evangelicals think it means. Think of “My heart with rapture fills/like that above” from America the Beautiful. Or, Psalm 51.8.)
You’re not sure if it’s from America the Beautiful or Psalm 51.8?
Yeah, I get confused over those two a lot, too.
I have a an original 1958 painting from H Rivera of the Rapture of the Saints and the coming of the Lord it is a beautiful piece I would like to know how can I estimate its value
I could not help but read all your tips in a “Bob Ross” voice, adding “Happy happy” in front of every use of the word “gravestone.” I feel it lended more authenticity to the tips. Just a tip for fellow readers.
I’m assuming the Brawny-towel guy with a beard and his shirt open showing off the abs is supposed to be Jesus (near the bottom), but why is he on earth in the middle of some climactic X-Men fight? Unless he’s hoping to attract a few more ladies with his torso to get them saved at the last second…
“Warning: In case of rapture, this car will be unmanned, making it a missile; in other words, my religion could kill you.” — Rob Bell
You sure 2 and 7 aren’t alien abductions? I could have sworn I saw those on the X-Files.
Hi Matthew – Thanks to your tips I have created this awesome piece! You’re the best!
http://blog.bestjeffever.com/2009/11/rapture-art.html
swimming sperm? now thats funny.
Alright… I have to bring this up.
You can make fun of these terrible painting (and/or Photoshop files) as over the top and ridiculous… yet they portray exactly what most Evangelicals believe.
So… at what point is the concept ridiculed instead of the execution?
That next to the last one looks even more like the beginning of Flash Forward.
My personal favorites are those rapture paintings in which Christians leave behind all their clothes when they disappear, as if heaven is going to be a big naked human party where only Jesus and angels get robes.
Don’t forget that giving rapture art to non-Christians is a great way to scare them! And the more you scare a non-Christian, the more likely they are to know you’re right!
Christians who value art only as a means to propagate their message make me sick. Boo for them.
On the one with the Brawny Jesus, is that the Twin Towers? Tacky or anything?
Oh, and the one above it looks like the Rapture took place in the 50s. And the house and church have holes in them. Weird.
And make sure NOT to paint any minorities! Only white people get raptured. Silly! Everyone know that. Blue eyed, Blonde Jesus wants it that way.
I wouldn’t try to defend poor art, but I am scratching my head wondering why any Christian would want to make fun of a belief that is in fact basic to all of historic Christianity. All true Christians profess belief in the rapture/ resurrection of the righteous (even if they don’t believe in the pretrib theory–which I don’t either, by the way, that someday the dead in Christ will rise from their graves, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured) to meet them in the air. (1 Thess 4).
How is it Christian to ridicule this basic Christian belief?
@JohnEarp,
Thanks for the comment, John. I only have a couple minutes to respond, so this will be shorter than necessary.
But actually, “the rapture” as many evangelicals believe has only been a avid part of the Christian faith since the late 1800s (might be 1700s)… it was made popular by a Church of the Brethren Pastor and then helped along by a 1909 book called Jesus Is Coming… While lots of Christians believe in a Left Behind-esque version of the rapture; many believe its pure fiction.
I don’t have time to explain the theology behind the scripture you mentioned, but I’ve asked a pastor friend to comment on it… not sure if he’s able to or not. We’ll see. If necessary, I’ll respond with more later!
Again, thanks for the comment…
mpt
The second of the last four confuses me. Apparently Paul Bunyan or Bob Vila (not sure) was the perpetrator of 9-11 and God and some F-14s are coming after him?
Matthew,
Sorry, but you have simply confused the pretrib rapture theory with the rapture/resurrection of the righteous concept itself.
I know that the pretrib theory of the rapture derives from the 1830s, but that does not mean that the doctrine of the rapture/resurrection (that Christians who have died and those who remain alive being resurrected at the return of Jesus Christ) is the same thing. All the historic Christian creeds affirm the belief in this point of doctrine, that at Christ’s return (whenever that happens) all the dead in Christ shall rise and the Christians who are alive and remain shall be caught up (raptured) to meet them in the air.
There are several different views as to the precise timing of the rapture with regard to the Second Coming of Christ, but all are agreed, based on Scripture, that at Christ’s return to earth the dead in Christ shall be raised to immortal bodily existence to live and reign with Christ forever, and that those living Christians who are alive at His return will be raptured/caught up to meet Christ in the air with the (formerly) dead in Christ who have immediately prior to that been raised from the dead. 1 Thess. 4 states that plainly, as well as several other passages of the New Testament.
By the way, I don’t mean to offend, but are you a Christian? If not, I guess I could understand why you would want to mock the beliefs of basically all Christians as you have. If however do profess to be a Christian, one really has to wonder why you would mock something so plainly biblical as the fact that some day Jesus will return and resurrect those true believers who have died in the faith.
@JohnEarp,
You are quite astute to point out that the concept of some sort of a “rapture” is not exclusive to a pre-tribulation millennial eschatology. However, your statement that a belief in some kind of a “rapture” is “is in fact basic to all of historic Christianity” is more than a little debatable. I’m also a bit confused by your statement that”All true Christians profess belief in the rapture/ resurrection of the righteous”. You seem to be equating the concept of “Rapture” with the concepts of resurrection and/or afterlife. There are extremely few Biblical Scholars or Theologians who would equate those concepts (in fact, I can’t think of any at the moment). Also, by your use of the word “true”, are you meaning to imply that anyone who doesn’t ascribe to a belief in some sort of a “rapture” is somehow not really a Christian? It’s rather astounding how many people throughout history who thought they were Christians this actually excludes (early church fathers, etc.) Also, many theologians and Biblical scholars believe that the 1 Thes. passage you referenced is meant to resonate with the common practice of the citizens of a colony going out to meet a visiting emperor or dignitary on the outskirts of town and then escorting him back in (read in context of New Heavens and New Earth). I’ve found the writings of N.T. Wright to be profoundly helpful on this (see “Surprised by Hope”, or if you’re really wanting to dig into it, check out his “Christian Origins” series).
Blessings,
AE
P.S. Matthew is “spot on” in his history of the concept of the rapture.
quote: “Trumpets are awesome”
Hi Adam,
I’m sure there are many liberal theologians who don’t believe much that the Bible has to say. But again, the simple fact is, the Bible plainly teaches that when Christ returns, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living Christians who remain will be raptured “caught up to meet them in the air,” “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This is just basic New Testament doctrine, and is held by all the various eschatological (end-times) views within Christianity.
The early church taught what the apostles themselves taught. Even the historic Orthodox and Catholic churches to this day affirm the scriptural doctrine of the resurrection of the righteous.
I came across this site from a friend who posted it on Facebook. If somehow I have happened upon an anti-Christian site, then I can understand the ridicule you hold for basic Christian doctrine such as the resurrection/rapture.
I’m definitely not looking for a fight, just wondering why any Christian would wish to ridicule a basic Christian belief such as the resurrection/rapture.
@JohnEarp,
Matthew is not mocking the concepts of resurrection or afterlife, nor the beliefs of “basically all Christians”. You are insisting on a definition of “rapture” that is simply not consistent with the terms usage in contemporary or historical Biblical Studies or Theology. This may be how you personally define the term or how those in your particular christian tradition define the term, but it is not how the term is dominantly understood or used. Thus, to insist on your own definition as a basis for your accusations against Matthew (who clearly does not agree with your definition) is unfair, if not ludicrous.
AE
P.S. If we are actually interested in truth, then we are never afraid of questions…and we never insist on the “right” not to feel silly.
@JohnEarp,
I’m quite familiar with liberal theology, and conservative theology, and post-liberal theology, and post-conservative theology (and other varieties as well). Virtually no one would refer to N.T. Wright as liberal (or Scot McKnight, or many others I could name on this topic). I can assure you that Matthew is a Christian (even a “true” Christian, if you insist on adding a modifier to the term). His conduct here in responding to you demonstrates this fact.
Unless by “true Christian” you mean “fundamentalist”. He isn’t one of those…neither was Jesus.
Again…no one here is arguing against resurrection or afterlife. I feel like that is perfectly clear to everyone but you. Why can’t you let this go? If you are trying to defend the concept of the resurrection or the afterlife…ummm…we are actually with you on that one. Why are you still arguing and accusing people of not being Christian?
Adam Ellis, M.T.S
So let me get this straight. It’s okay for anyone who professes to be a Christian (whether me or you or whoever) to mock and ridicule the Christian belief (derived directly from the Bible) of a bodily resurrection of the dead and rapture of the living saints, but it’s somehow not okay for someone who believes in that doctrine to call into question the mocking as being unChristian in character?
By the way, I am a pastor with 20 years experience in pastoring, am an avid student of history and historical Christianity, am well acquainted with conservative and liberal scholarship (as if that changes the historical facts) and am confident in the fact (reflected in the writings, creeds and doctrinal statements of the overwhelming majority of Christian churches throughout history) that affirmation of faith in the bodily resurrection of the righteous is a basic Christian belief.
I don’t mock your beliefs, I only question the propriety of your mocking of the beliefs of the vast majority of Christians throughout history. I also question the confusing of the pretrib view (which I personally do not hold to) with the rapture doctrine in general. Historic premillienialism has held to a post-tribulational rapture, but a rapture nevertheless. Historian postmillenialism and amillenialism likewise affirm the bodily resurrection of Christians at Christ’s return.
I just don’t think anything is helped by mockery. If you feel other Christians in error, that’s one thing, and hopefully the issues can be rationally discussed in a true Christian manner. But what this blog post has done is simply resort to ridicule and mockery.
With a heavy heart,
John
Silly me; I thought MPT was mocking what he perceives to be bad art. :^)
All I can say is that whenever I hear the word “rapture” I immediately think of an electric razor buzzing in a sink…
and that just triggers a whole bunch of memories created by fundamentalist fear tactics that scared the s— out of my young self. (I had nightmares for years after seeing “Thief in the Night.”)
rrchapman’s comment gives me hope, though. Maybe I can rewrite the definition of “rapture” in my brain’s dictionary, but I still won’t go near electric razors! ;^)
Regarding artistic valuing (perceiving art as “good” or “bad”), the art shown above is distinct in both its quality and its usefulness.
Quality is determined by the skill of an artist to portray his/her view of reality. Usefulness is determined by the assigned purpose for the art.
That being said, the way some of the artists are portraying their view of the reality of the rapture is absolutely HILARIOUS and worth mocking.
In other words, the humor of the situation has nothing to do with the original message being portrayed; the portrayal of the message (its actualization) is what is funny.
😉
@John Earp
I don’t think he is making fun of the rapture, just funny pictures OF the rapture.
Like the one where Jesus looks like Chuck Norris.
@JohnEarp
You said, “So let me get this straight. It’s okay for anyone who professes to be a Christian (whether me or you or whoever) to mock and ridicule the Christian belief (derived directly from the Bible) of a bodily resurrection of the dead and rapture of the living saints, but it’s somehow not okay for someone who believes in that doctrine to call into question the mocking as being unChristian in character?”
This confuses me, because I said, “…no one here is arguing against resurrection or afterlife. I feel like that is perfectly clear to everyone but you. Why can’t you let this go? If you are trying to defend the concept of the resurrection or the afterlife…ummm…we are actually with you on that one.”
Additionally, I can find no where in the blog post or in any of the comments where anyone mocks the concepts of the afterlife or bodily resurrection. What are you reacting to? Who are you arguing with?
Full disclosure: Matthew is a friend of mine. I love and respect him like a brother. What he does on this blog and in his writing strikes me as resonant with Jesus’ tone toward the Pharisees and religious leaders in the New Testament (and the OT prophets, etc.) Is it comfortable? no. Does it sting a little sometimes? yes. Is it silly and irreverent sometimes? absolutely. Does it have precedent in Scripture? Without question.
AE
I’m not going to get into this too much but I make a comment to stand up for my friend Adam and MPT (again, full disclosure).
First off, I will quote ttm, “Silly me; I thought MPT was mocking what he perceives to be bad art.” This is a very true statement because man this is some bad artwork (rapture or not).
There is a defense of something that doesn’t need defended on this post. There is no mocking of the afterlife or bodily resurrection in this. So I don’t know where this reaction is coming from.
Also, this weekend I spoke at a prison and after I was done one of the prisoners came up to me and said, “I appreciate when you speak because you present the Scriptures but you also make us laugh and we don’t get to do that very much”. I really took that to heart.
MPT is a friend of mine and a guy I really respect and thank God for his friendship. His writings are humorous but also very thought provoking and make me think seriously about my journey in life. Like Adam said, it may not be comfortable his writings and this blog resonant with that of Scripture.
Adam is a great friend as well who is willing to study Scripture and openly question thinking in ALL of its forms. But above all him and his family are in pursuit of making the kingdom of God a reality here in this place at this time.
so…i was just going to get on here and mention that my grandparents had that last rapture painting with the car crashes (modified to look like downtown Dallas, Mobil Pegasus and all) hanging in their room, and quite honestly i wouldn’t go in their room and it scared me.
then i started reading the comments and i have to say, MPT is consitently “critiquing” art. just because it is Christian in nature, doesn’t make it good. in fact a lot of “Christian” art be it visual, movies, music is of poor quality. people have not worked on their craft to present their best, and frankly to quote Amena Brown, “that’s wack”. i read the post and never once heard MPT attack the doctrine of rapture (even though the word isn’t actually in the bible). but again, if i don’t completely agree with and tow the party line of the “real” Christians, then i’m a heretic. God forbid i ask questions like Job or David, or ponder the Mystery that is God. i mean he wrapped it up all nice and neat in a box with a bow and gave it to us on December 25th, right? get over yourself.
This discussion is awesome!
I think there is confusion, though between parties making their points. John Earp is talking about more than simple resurrection and afterlife. The rapture, regardless of the word used (it’s all Greek anyway), is described upon Jesus’ return. Souls rising from graves (with or without tombstones) meeting Jesus in the sky upon his return.
So John is simply saying why make fun of all the silliness, trumpets blaring and souls rising to the sky, when LITERALLY those words and images are Biblical.
However, John, I do think you can step back and realize that art simply labeled Christian does not make it quality. And there’s a lot of sub-par art and music that skates by on Christian value that is fair game to ridicule.
But this forum does show how we do like to overlook or ignore some passages altogether. The rapture is a silly image… as if souls are trapped in the ground until Jesus unleashes them into the sky. It is very evocative of a primitive society trying to understand glimpses into subjects they can’t comprehend.
Yet we will fight tooth and nail over some passages that fit with our current thinking and simply wash over those that don’t.
I think every Christian does it, but it’s only healthy if we understand why we do.
🙂
[For dessert here’s what I ran into recently on the web – Jake]
PRETRIB RAPTURE RUSTLERS
To see the long hidden side of the 179-year-old, British-invented-and-American-merchandised, apocalyptic “rapture” mania, Google “Pretrib Rapture Diehards,” “Thomas Ice (Bloopers)” (the sloppy copyist “genius” that Lindsey, LaHaye and other “rapture” tycoons lean on!), “LaHaye’s Temperament,” “America’s Pretrib Rapture Traffickers,” “Edward Irving is Unnerving,” “Thieves’ Marketing,” “Appendix F: Thou Shalt Not Steal,” “Pretrib Hypocrisy,” “The Newest Pretrib Calendar,” “The Rapture Index (Mad Theology),” “Roots of (Warlike) Christian Zionism” and “Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty,” for starters. The author of these items plus the bestselling nonfiction book “The Rapture Plot” (available online) is journalist/historian Dave MacPherson who has uniquely focused for 40 years on the bizarre history of this endtime craze which is anti-Jewish, anti-Catholic and anti- just about everyone else! MacPherson is the one who has researched throughout Britain and aired so much rapturesque “dirty linen” he’s found behind the scenes (clever revisionism of early 19th century documents, rampant plagiarism, phony doctorates, Swaggart-type scandals etc.) that he is now No. 1 on the hate lists of the leading “rapture” money-changers! As everyone’s black, dust-covered book says, “There is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed….”
This is brilliant!!!