Left Behind

Our description of the Rapture is given to us by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Turn with me in your Bibles and let’s read this description of what is to come.

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

I have often herd people say that the word “rapture” does not occur in the Bible. Well, after some in-depth study, I can say with some confidence that yes, it is there, depending on the language you read the scriptures.

The phrase in verse 17, “Shall be caught up” is the Greek word – ‘harpautzo.’ In Latin, it is the word - rapio, from which we get the English word – rapture.

So if anyone ever tells you that “rapture” isn’t in the Bible, simply ask them if they have read the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible.

For those of us who will meet Jesus in the air, our work on earth will then be done, but what about those left behind?

I have heard people say that they will put off becoming a Christian until the Rapture occurs. They want to live a life of physical gratification, selfishness, and sin until the final call occurs.

Somehow, they think that once they see for themselves the Rapture of the Church, they will simply then give their lives to Jesus and everything will be okay. Nothing could be further from the truth.

After the Rapture, the Holy Spirit and His influence will be removed from the earth. Think of the earth with no mercy, no love from God, no sense of what is right or wrong, and no care for you, your rights, or your family.

No matter how bad persecution has been for believers in the past 2000 years, it will pale in comparison to what is coming during the Tribulation.

Those misguided individuals who think they will simply accept Jesus after the Tribulation begins are in for a rude awakening.

There will be the stress of losing your life for your faith (for those who refuse the mark of the Beast), there will be hunger and poverty (because you will not be able to buy, sell, or even have a job without the mark).

What awaits the believer who accepts Jesus during the Tribulation is nothing short of disaster, pestilence, and intense suffering. We know this because John told us of these events in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

The conditions of the Tribulation are spelled out in great detail; there will be war, disease, hunger, ecological disaster after disaster, beings from the pit will be released to inflict suffering, the saints will be given over to the Beast to be martyred in the most gruesome ways.