The Catching Up of Believers
Rapture is the catching up of all true believers in Christ to meet the Lord in the air. It is the time when Christ comes for the saints.
‘But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words’ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
The Moment of Transformation
It will occur at the sound of the trumpet and all that died in faith, in Christ will be raised incorruptible, changed in a moment. Death will be paralyzed and rendered impotent before everyone who died righteous and buried in the grave. At the sound of the trumpet, living believers who are in faith, at that point in time shall be caught up together to be with the Lord Jesus. It is going to be a happy re-union, an everlasting come together with the saints and Christ. At the rapture, Christ does not appear visibly to those on the earth but only comes in the air to resurrect the true saints who have died, change the living saints and catch them up to meet with Him in the air. This will all happen in the twinkling of an eye.
‘For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead’ (1Corinthians 15:21).
‘Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord’ (1Corinthians 15:51-58).
‘For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself’ (Philippians 3:20).
‘But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord’ (1Thessalonians 4:13-17).
Preparation and Purpose of the Rapture
We shall be changed and caught up; transformed and translated.
‘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. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Every believer must take heed, be watchful all the time so that it will not take him unaware. Even right things must be done with care and moderation to avoid careless and unnecessary regret. Nothing should be done with excess to avoid being snared. The word and direct counsel from Christ to all believers is watch, pray always to escape the coming dangers. Believers, born again Christians on earth are Christ’s ambassadors and ambassadors are called home before war is declared on any nation’ (Luke 21:34-36).
‘Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God’ (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Before wrath is poured out upon this world during great tribulation, God will snatch away His Enochs, Noahs and Lots.
‘And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him’ (Genesis 5:24).
‘By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God’ (Hebrew 11:5).
‘And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces’ (2 Kings 2:11).
‘And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he 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 stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven’ (Acts 1:9-11).
God’s purpose for the rapture:
- To resurrect all the just and righteous people who have died (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16, 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-58, Revelation 20:4-6).
- To change the bodies of living saints, all who are saved by faith in Christ from mortality to immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-58, Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8).
- To take the saints out of this world before the tribulation so they can escape the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Luke 21:34-36, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 7-8, Genesis 19:12-17).
- To take the saints to Himself (John 14:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Ephesians 5:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:1).
- To gather the saints together to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb and to receive their rewards for all their labor.
‘And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war’ (Revelation 19:1-11).
‘We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad’ (2 Corinthians 5:8-10).