ILL. While on a South Pole expedition, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return for them. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, “It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!” They replied, “We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, ‘The boss may come today.’”
This illustration is an excellent picture of our topic this morning. I want to talk to you about the rapture of the church, the first study in a series that we are going to do on Bible prophecy and the end times. Some of you are very familiar with these topics, but some of you may not be. Personally, I love the study of prophecy and the times of Christ’s Second Coming, but many people either don’t understand what the Bible says about them, or are afraid of the things that they have heard. I’m hoping that over the next weeks I will be able to answer some of the questions you may have about what the Bible teaches about what is to come.
I. What Is the Rapture?
The first question that we are going to tackle this morning is: “What is the rapture?” The “rapture” of the church is probably one of the most compelling prophetic events in the Bible. And yet, some people claim that it is not taught in the Bible because you never actually find the word “rapture” in scripture.
This is a very poor argument, however. There are actually several words not found in the Bible that describe Christian doctrines which no one would argue are not taught in the Bible. For example, the word “Trinity” is never actual found in the text of the Holy Word, but very few people will tell you that the concept of the trinity or the 3-fold Godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit is not taught in the Bible.
The word homosexual is not found in the Bible, but the Bible clearly teaches that a man is forbidden to lie with another man as he lies with a woman. The meaning behind that teaching is pretty clear. In fact the Bible is often made simple enough that even fools can understand it. Just because the words trinity or homosexual don’t appear in the text, doesn’t mean the Bible is silent about these topics.
Likewise, the word rapture is not found in the actual text of the Bible. But that doesn’t mean that Scripture is silent about this subject. It actually describes the future event quite clearly.
It is taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, where the apostle Paul provides us with most of the available details. Let’s read this passage:
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 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. 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. 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. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
To put it in simple terms, the rapture of the church is when believers will be taken out of the world to meet their Lord and Savior in the air. It is when Jesus comes to take His faithful home. Jennifer Rast of Contender Ministries describes it this way: “The rapture refers to the sudden removal of all of God’s people on the earth. In the twinkling of an eye, born again Christian will suddenly be transformed out of our human bodies and will rise up into the air to join Jesus Christ.”
II. What Will the Rapture Look Like?
Our text says that when Christ calls His children out of this world He will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Some have translated this passage to mean that the archangel Gabriel will blow his horn and everyone on earth will look to the heavens to see Jesus and watch as He takes the true believers home.
I don’t know if it will happen this way or not. The Bible passage, to my way of thinking, isn’t that specific. But it does give us enough information that we can get a bit of a picture of what is to come.
A. A Trumpet and a Shout
First, it says that there is a trumpet that is blown, and the Lord descends with a shout. So I think we can safely assume that we will hear both the trumpet and our Savior’s voice calling to us. But, will every human being on earth hear the call or just believers? I don’t know.
Personally, (and this is just my opinion so you can take it or leave it) I think only believers will hear and know what is going on at this moment in time. I base this opinion on the fact that the Bible teaches in John 10:3 that the sheep [the church] hear the voice of their shepherd [Jesus] “…he calls his own by name and leads them out.” So, I’ve drawn my own conclusion from this scripture that only believers will hear the call of Christ and the sound of the trumpet calling us home.
B. The Dead First
Next, the passage tells us that the dead in Christ will rise first. This means everyone who was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, but has already died before the rapture takes place will be the first to join Christ in the air. Why? I don’t know. I only know that this is what the Bible teaches. Someone once jokingly said that it was because they had six feet farther to travel.
In any case these words assure us that we will be reunited with our loved ones who have passed on before us.
C. Those Who Are Alive
Next, our passage says that those who are alive and remain will be caught up with them. Any person who has accepted Christ as their Savior, but has not experienced physical death at the time of the rapture will also be taken out of this world. That means that some of us present here today may never have to experience physical death. Isn’t that an incredible thought?
It says that we will be caught up with the dead in the air. That means we will be visibly united with Christ and with our loved ones.
D. In the Air
Notice also that Paul says we will meet them where? - In the air. When Christ returns to earth to rule and reign, He is going to physically put His feet on this earth and rule the kingdom that God has prepared for Him since before the world began. That event is what we call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But it should not be confused with the rapture of the church, which we are talking about this morning.
At the rapture, or the snatching away of believers, Christ meets us in the air. He never sets foot on the earth. That’s how we know the rapture is not the same event as Christ’s Second Coming. We believers will see Him at the rapture of the church, but I’m not so sure the rest of the world will. Whereas at His Second Coming we are told, every knee shall bow before Him and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord.
E. A Great Mystery
In 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 Paul unveils a little bit more about this future event in what he calls a “mystery.”
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
This “mystery” concerning the rapture of the Church and the transformation of believers was revealed primarily by the apostle Paul; it is not mentioned either in the Old Testament or by Jesus.
However, the man Enoch, in the Old Testament, provides an illustration of this transforming experience. The Bible says in Genesis 5:24 that “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Hebrews 11:5 explains this event even more clearly, “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away…” Enoch did not die. He was simply taken out of this world alive. One minute he was here. The next minute he was in paradise. He never experienced physical death.
A day is coming when all believers of Jesus Christ will be taken out of this world just like the godly Enoch. One second we will be here on earth in our physical bodies. The next second we will receive a new incorruptible body that will be made to fit our new home. In Paul’s terms, this happens when “this corruptible [body] has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:54 NIV.
The Rapture, then, is not only for those Christians who “are alive” at the coming of Christ, but it also includes all believers from all times. This is a confusing teaching to some. Because in 2 Corinthians 5:8 we are taught that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Doesn’t that mean that all believers who have died are already in heaven with God? How, then, can they rise first? Are they still in the grave awaiting the rapture?
These are very good questions. The answers aren’t that difficult when you realize that man is a three-fold being. Man is made with a body, a soul, and a spirit. Our souls and spirits are eternal, they will never cease to exist. And when our physical bodies die and are put in the grave, our souls and spirits do enter into the presence of Christ because they were changed and made acceptable for heaven at the moment of our salvation. But what is exciting is that at the rapture of the church, our physical bodies will also rise again. That is what the apostle Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians. That is the mystery.
You see when Jesus rose from the dead He didn’t come back as just a spirit, or ghost. He came back physically as well. After His resurrection, He told His disciples to touch Him as He did with Thomas. He physically ate with them to prove to them that He wasn’t just a spirit, but that He was physically alive and present with them on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias.
But His body wasn’t totally the same as it was before His death and resurrection. We find that He could walk through solid objects, like doors or walls. Remember the disciples waiting in a room after Jesus’ death – the Bible tells us that the doors were shut and yet Jesus appeared in their midst. We see that He could also be one place one second and then totally disappear from sight as He did when the 2 men from Emmaus recognized Him in Luke 24. Jesus’ resurrected body was definitely physical, but it was a body that was fit not only for earth, but also for heaven.
At the rapture of the church, we too will receive new bodies. They will be physical ones just like Jesus’ is, but that will also be designed to fit in heaven. Paul says our corruptible bodies, will become incorruptible and our mortal bodies will become immortal. That is the mystery he is revealing.
And when the Bible talks about the dead in Christ rising first, it is the physical bodies of the dead that are rising and being changed and transformed and reunited with their spirits and souls. Our original text in 1 Thessalonians 4 even says that the souls of those who have died will return with Jesus. (Read it again) Why? So that they can receive their new incorruptible bodies.
What a great day that will be. Not only will we leave this world behind, we will be in the presence of our Savior, we will be reunited with loved ones, we will go to live in heaven, and we will receive incorruptible, immortal bodies. Bodies that will finally be proper homes for our immortal souls and spirits.
III. Why the Rapture?
So, now that we know what the rapture is and what it looks like. Let’s try to understand why it is necessary. Why does the Bible teach that the Lord will rapture His church out of this world at a specific time in the future? Why doesn’t He just let the world continue on as it has for thousands of years? Why is He going to come and take His children out, and why just His children? What about everyone else?
I believe the answer to these questions can be found in several places in the Bible. Let’s read them together.
Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
1 Thessalonians 1:10, “…Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
Romans 5:9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
1 Thessalonians 5:4-9, “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who dies for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.”
The God we serve is a very loving and patient God. He does not want anyone to perish or spend eternity separated from Him. But He is also a righteous and just God who will bring judgment upon those who reject Him and His Son.
You see, there is coming a Day of Judgment. God will not let evil and sin reign forever. He has promised to make all things right. And on that day He will let His wrath loose upon all that have rejected Him. That time is what is known as the Tribulation Period or the Time of Jacob’s trouble.
But just as He has promised to judge those who have rejected Him, He has also promised to save those who have accepted Him. The rapture of the church is His fulfilling that promise to His children. We read in these passages that He will save his children from the wrath to come. He will take His faithful out of this earth before He sends his judgment upon it. That is why the rapture of the church is necessary. And that is why, we should look for it with great expectation and thanksgiving. Because we won’t have to face the wrath of God that follows.
IV. When Will the Rapture Take Place?
So, the next big question is just when will the rapture take place? Jesus answers this question in Matthew 24:36
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Did you catch that? No one knows not even the Son. Jesus Christ doesn’t even know when He is going to return to earth. Only God the Father does. Many people have tried to predict the Second Coming of Jesus only to fail in the attempt.
God will come for his Church suddenly at a time when we least expect it. For this reason, He instructs us to be ready, always prepared, and on guard for his coming. As those around us turn their backs on God, worshipping themselves, other gods, or false prophets instead, we should be looking up. We should have our spiritual lives in order, so that we might escape what is to come. Especially as we are now witnessing the beginnings of birth pains, God reminds us that we need to be in prayer constantly so that we will not be led down a false path and miss His coming.
Luke 21:34-36 “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on those who dwell on whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
God felt it was so important for us to be alert and watchful for his coming that he reminded us several times to be ready.
Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”
Matthew 24:44 “For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
It is for our benefit that God didn’t tell us the hour of His coming. It encourages us to live righteously as Christ may return any time, and it encourages believers to work diligently for the souls of friends, family, and the lost of this world. It reminds us that we have much work to do and may not have much time in which to do it. If there was ever a time to be an example, share your faith, and make sure that everyone you know has heard the name Jesus, it is now.
You know, many Christians are afraid to talk about the rapture of the church. Deep down they feel an excitement about the prospect of being snatched away in the twinkling of an eye to be with the Lord and Savior they love, worship, and have given their lives to. However, they fear being labeled or criticized for a hope that many through the ages have had; a hope that God fully intended for us to have. God warned us against ignoring the hope that end-times prophecy gives us in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 when he said, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
There is a reason Christ warned his end-times followers 13 times in the New Testament to not be deceived, and to watch and be ready. He wanted us to be excited about His glorious appearing.
After the rapture of the Church, the tribulation will fall upon the Earth. For those of us who have received Christ and are prepared for His coming, we can shout for joy. The Lord has prepared a place for us and we will be with him always.
Next week we are going to take a look at some of the signs that the Lord has given to us to mark His soon return. As we’ve said, no one knows the exact time of His coming, but the Bible does give us some clues as to what to look for. If you have time this week study the book of Matthew, chapter 24, the book of Luke chapter 21, and 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, and we will pick up again next week with our end time series and the signs of His coming.
