The Rapture of the Church
1 Thessalonians 4:13-4:18
13But 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. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For 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. 16For 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: 17Then 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. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The Rapture of the Church will be the most startling event to happen in all of human history. Millions will disappear in "the twinkling of an eye." Great confusion and bewilderment will occupy the minds of those left behind.
Many explanations for the disappearance of those missing will be presented.
While unimaginable chaos is under way here on earth, you and I will experience
Such shouting & and rejoicing like never before seen as we realize that we have glorified bodies and we’re free of all aches & pains, no more glasses, no more hearing aids, no more false teeth, no more pace makers, no more blindness, no more cripple people, no more strife, no more living in fear of the terrorist, no more having to look behind us in case some crook might knock us in the head or shoot us in the back, there be no crooks there to worry about.
And then we’ll appear before the Lord at the "judgment seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:10 10For 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). This will be a judgment of rewards based on the believer’s works. It will be a time of great joy for many as they hear the Savior’s "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:41).
For some it will be a time of shame and regret (1 John 2:2828And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
It will be no ones fault but our own if we don’t receive a full reward.
2nd john 8- 8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Let me say that Rev, 2-3 tells us of the church age and how things will be during the duration the church is on the earth up to it’s catching away.
And then in chapter 4:the very 1st words we read are “after this” implying after the church age has run it’s coarse and then in rev. 5: we have a seen in heaven as we’re in the LORDS presents as all the angelic host and saints are worshipping & praising Him.
Chapters 6-19 discloses the seven year tribulation.
And we’ll not find the church mentioned in these chapters because the church is not on earth during the tribulation period.
The Church is not mentioned again until we come to Revelation 19:7, where we see the Church preparing for the "marriage of the Lamb" and her return to earth.
The rapture will be a glorious time of reunion with our loved ones, who have gone before us,
Paul described the Lord’s coming as the "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;).
At the Rapture the Lord will descend bodily in the air for his saints, both for the dead and for the living (1 Thess. 4:16-17 16For 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: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:).
Think of this way; -we might be standing at the grave site of our loved one, when all of a sudden the trumpet sounds and we hear the cry, “come up hither” in the twinkling of an eye before we have time to realize what’s taking place, our loved ones body that’s there in the grave is suddenly head high to us and then we’ll both be changed at the same time, we’ll both be in our glorified bodies as we find ourselves in the presents of the LORD who made it all possible.
~But Brother Brown, that will scare me to death, not so, we’ll be in our glorified body& we’ll never have to face death again.~
Even Adam & Eve will have glorified bodies, but they are not members of the church and neither will any Old Testament saint be. Even John the Baptist is of the Old Testament saints. Its true they will have glorified bodies.
In matt. 8: 11 Jesus said; And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
You have heard me say many times that, what we do for the Lord on this side of the rapture will have a great bearing on what He allows us to do for Him in the Kingdom and even in the earth.
In the parable in matt. 25: 21. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
How ever the church will not rule over the 12 tribes of Israel; the 12 apostles will do that.
Matt.19: 27Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Let me say right here; I am 100% pro Israel, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and we realize that there will never be peace in Jerusalem until the King of the Jews has returned.
In the old testament the church is never seen, even the apostles didn’t know there would be this 2000 year gap of the church being built, it was a mystery until the Holy Spirit revealed it to Paul in Ephesians 3: we find this 1For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us this to do with another mystery in:
1st cor.15: 51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In 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.
53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So 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. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul also says this in philp. 2: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,
John tells us this in 1st. jn. 3: 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
The rapture will be seven years prior to the Revelation or the second stage of His coming.
In the first stage, at the Rapture, the Lord comes for His Church; whereas, at the end of the 7 year tribulation period He comes back with His Church.
And at this event "every eye shall see him" Rev.1: 7Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. But the church is not here at that time, the earth dwellers shall wail because of Him.
Also our resurrection bodies will be different in quality, we will be recognizable. Christ arose in the body in which He had suffered, leaving an empty tomb. His new body had ’flesh and bones, no blood He shed His blood.,’ and yet, though He was absolutely recognizable, its qualities were gloriously changed.
The believer’s new body is not to be ’flesh, bone and blood,’ for this is the nature of his mortal body. 1st cor.15: 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
There is much said about our heavenly home, the pearly white city, the home of the Bride, but really we’ve never touch the hem of the garment so to speak of the beauty and splendor of that wonderful place,
Paul tells us this in;1st cor. 2: 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
As we see the things going on in the world, all the wickedness, threats to destroy Israel, the sodomites openly mocking what God has already declared what’s going to become of that crowd, it surely can’t be long until He snatches His church away from this wicked & dangerous world.
God made an example out of Sodom & Gomorrah and He has not or neither will HE change His mind.
Jude vs. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
As we think of all the perversions of the word of God, we believe the time of the rapture is near, all these perversion that take away from the deity of Jesus is of the devil, it surely has to be, for God didn’t direct men to tear Him down leaving out verses and bypassing His Lordship.
I think of one in particular, listen; in the old King James Bible in Romans 1: 16 the word of God says; 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
Now listen to this verse in the NIV. Which really stands for, “new in accurate version”I am not ashamed of the gospel
Well I wonder what gospel their talking about?***
Paul said there would be a falling away from the things of God before the antichrist is revealed and this is certainly part of it.
2nd thess. 2: 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; the falling away from the truths of God word is certainly on today, look up Brothers & sisters Jesus could come today.
