SOME ASPECTS OF THE CHURCH FROM ITS BEGINNING - THE CHURCH’S ELEVATION, ELATION AND RAPTURE - PART 5
[1]. THE CHURCH’S ELATION/RAPTURE - INTRODUCTION
Like baptism, sadly the general church teaching has missed the boat on this issue as well. Earlier in these studies I raised the matter of the Reformation church not adhering fully to scripture and it also continued the teaching of the Roman Catholic church on eschatology, of which the Rapture is part. The RC church does not accept the Rapture and that just naturally flowed on into Reformation churches as a number of practices did. Those who reject the Rapture just have one coming to wrap up the age – the Second Coming – and many are confused on prophetic matters and can not explain the Old Testament prophets properly.
There are some who recognise that the Lord will catch up His saints to meet Him in the air, but because they are committed to “no separate Rapture” then they teach that it happens this way: The Lord catches up His saints and straight away continues with them to the earth in the Second Coming. What sense does that make? It is stupid to me. When will the marriage supper of the Lamb happen, because in Revelation 19, it happens in heaven BEFORE the Second Coming? That proves the Church is already in heaven. And when will happen the judgement seat of Christ for rewards? These must be in place so the Bride is righteously adorned for her Groom in the Revelation marriage of Chapter 19. Therefore the Bride/Church is already in heaven. It had to be raptured before the Second Coming and prepared in heaven.
The Lord has been calling righteous members to Himself since Eden, but the time comes for Him to call to Himself the Church, bringing the whole body of believers together, these who have passed into His presence, and those still living on earth when He comes for them. The entire Old Testament and New Testament believers will be together with Him. It is a monstrous thing to spiritualise prophetic passages away. If you begin doing that, you can spiritualise anything away including Calvary. Those who are most negative about the Rapture are often confused and insufficient about the Old Testament Prophetic books.
Anyway, let’s look at what the bible called “the glorious hope” (AV) for the Church. The NASB calls it this – {{Titus 2:13 “looking for THE BLESSED HOPE and THE APPEARING OF THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOUR, CHRIST JESUS.”}}
In that verse Paul has included both future comings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The glorious/blessed hope is for Christians and that is what we earnestly long for, not for the wrath that comes after the Rapture when the Tribulation comes on earth. Jesus underwent the wrath of God for sin FOR US at Calvary and there is NO WAY that God will put us through wrath for sin THAT Christ BORE FOR US. It is utterly unthinkable.
In the title I used the word “ELATION” for it is not possible for us now to imagine what it will be like when we are all suddenly in the Lord’s presence when He comes to claim His own reward that is the Church. He died for her; He nourishes her; He keeps her; and He will come back for her. Elation is great delight and joy.
In the past I have posted on the Rapture and the articles are in the Eschatology Prophecy Series, so now I want to touch on the relevant passages so that we might read the word of God and be blessed in the fulfilling hope to come. The Rapture closes the Church age and it is really very close. The signs of 2Timothy 3 are with us.
[2]. TAKING A LOOK AT 4 RAPTURE PASSAGES
[[1]]. {{John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you for I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF that where I am, there you may be also”}}
The expression there about coming again has a double application as a lot of scripture does. The Lord did come again to the disciples after His resurrection, but in a greater fulfilment, He is coming again for His Church. Did you know there is a special crown awaiting all those who are looking forward and love His appearing – {{2Timothy 4:8 “In the future there is laid up for me THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING.”}} For those who despise the Rapture, there will be no crown. For those who are careless and off-handed about their faith and love this present world so much, there will be no crown.
[[2]]. {{1Corinthians 15:51-55 “Behold, I TELL 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 TRUMPET, FOR THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND, AND THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED IMPERISHABLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. This perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality, but when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”}}
This passage I quoted earlier in some article, but the most amazing thing here is the word “mystery” which we have discussed in PART 2 of this series. This Rapture concept was not known in the bible until this point in time. Just a couple of things. The first is this that the Rapture is for the whole Body; every single member will be caught up or resurrected.
The second point is the power of God in all this. Billions will receive new bodies and those still living and caught up will have changed bodies, imperishable ones. What is amazing is that all this takes place in the twinkling of an eye. The Greek word is “inatoma” – a particle of time that can be no longer divided.
Might I say here that the number who are caught up, and those who have died, and are resurrected, will include babies and children not yet at the years of accountability. Considering the aborted babies in the world, (and up to the day of birth in my evil Australian State), the world numbers each year are 73 million registered, but there are so many that are not recorded officially so the number could be getting near 100 million deaths through satanic butchers.
[[3]]. 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep 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, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep, FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD, AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL 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.”}}
This is the king of the Rapture passages, but dwell on the last verse and comfort one another for our redemption draws near. I was abused by a certain person because I believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture, and he was quite nasty telling me we who wait in hope for the Rapture are too scared to go through the Tribulation. That one had no idea of scripture. You will find a lot more on this verse in my Eschatology Series. The Lord is coming and now everything is in place.
[[4]]. Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me said, “COME UP HERE, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”}}
Revelation is in three parts – (a) the things John had seen; (b) the playing out of church history in the 7 churches of the Church age (the things that are); (c) and the things that shall be hereafter (after the Church age). Chapter 4 begins the third section, the things that will happen after these things, and that must start with the Rapture. {{Revelation 1:19 “Write therefore the things which you HAVE SEEN, and the things which ARE, and the things which shall take place AFTER THESE THINGS.”}} None of the judgements of God can begin while the Church is still on earth, but its removal is imminent. Soon will be the shout from heaven, “COME UP HERE.” Christian, are you living in expectation?
In all the 4 Rapture passages we briefly looked at except in John, the trumpet is mentioned because the trumpet is the instrument of summons. John saw heaven’s door opened and the voice that said, Come up here!” That I believe will be the Lord’s call for His Church when He comes in the Rapture. What a day of rejoicing that will be! {{Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.}}
[3]. A POEM ON OUR CALLING TO THE HEAVENLY HOME (Mine)
HEAVEN’ S DOOR WILL OPEN TO US
Let the door of heaven open;
Let the Saviour’s voice be heard;
Let the trumpet sound its calling;
We are waiting for the word.
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“Come up here!” will be our summons.
“Come up here!” He calls the Bride.
“Come to ME My glorious one,
You for whom I wept and died!”
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Who can comprehend those gathered?
Who can contemplate such bliss?
The Lord will snatch up all His own;
Not one redeemed, will He miss.
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Hear the voice of the archangel!
Hear that trumpet call for you!
In an instant; in a moment -
There’s no waiting in a queue.
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Heaven’ glory bursts upon us;
Heaven’s centre is the Lamb.
Heaven’s beauty centres ‘round Him;
He the Lord, the Great I AM.
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Light and truth will be resplendent.
Light and Truth – that, my Lord is.
Light illumines ev’ry facet,
Shows the splendour that is His.
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Praise resounds from ev’ry quarter.
Praise will rise from the redeemed.
Angels likewise see His glory
In the Church His blood has cleaned.
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Evermore rejoice in Jesus;
Evermore to share His love.
O, melt our hearts in gratitude,
And our thoughts, transport above.
28 March 2022 R E Ferguson
[4]. TO CLOSE – ENOCH AND NOAH
Just to close this section I want to mention Enoch and Noah.
Judgement was coming on the earth because men were terribly wicked in Enoch’s time, and it just progressed to absolute evil in Noah’s time so that every single imagination and thought was evil before God continually. Enoch was caught up out of a sinful world, before the great judgement of God came in the flood. EnOCH IS A TYPE OF THE RAPTURE. This is a very sinful world and getting worse. ENOCH WAS TAKEN UP, AND OUT OF JUDGEMENT.
Noah is an interesting case. He was sheltered in the ark which is a picture of sheltering in Christ. HE WAS CAUGHT UP IN SAFETY WHILE JUDGEMENT RAGED ON BELOW. That is a great picture of the saints caught up in the Rapture sheltering in Christ while the wrath of God rages in the world in the Tribulation.
Do you remember that Noah returned to the judged world to be part of a new age? Well, that is just like the Church. Noah was raised up in the “Rapture” and goes to “heaven” in type, just before judgement was unleashed. Then he returned. Jesus will take all His saints (the Church) out of the Tribulation for He is our Ark, and then He returns with His Church – the Bride now married - returning to the earth at the end of the Tribulation to a new age, beautifully governed by the Lord of Lords and King of Kings in Jerusalem.
[5]. JUST SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH YOU
I thought I would share something with you. There are times when I try to think into situations in the bible to examine them in the light of what we know. We don’t have all the answers; nor do we have all the facts. For example, when the Lord appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, the doors being shut, that is something we can not explain in human terms and if we try to apply some scientific answer to it, we get into science fiction. The old movie makers used to make aliens appear suddenly as if they had a very advanced technology.
It becomes stupid to speculate too much on some biblical things as we don’t understand enough. However I have tried to think into one matter. Recall this verse – {{1Thessalonians 4:17 “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.”}} “Together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” If I am alive for the Rapture, which I hope I am, then I will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The Lord will be above.
A person in London or New Delhi or New Zealand will have the same experience, all in the smallest possible timeframe – absolutely instantaneously (inatoma). Where will they be caught up to? Yes, the Lord is God and therefore omnipresent. That is a certainty. We will all be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. That is a great wonder. Do we rise from all over the globe, all seeing the Lord “as above us”? I don’t know. Does the Lord catch us up after raising the dead (all in the smallest particle of time) but we all meet in just one location? I don’t know.
Actually I think it would be fitting if all of the Church, instantly together, met in the sky over Jerusalem. The world will not see. I don’t think the world will know anything. The “snatching away” is silent for the world, but not for the Christians who will hear the trumpet and the voice of the archangel and the shout of the Lord when He says, “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1).
I like that last thought – all caught up together in the sky over Jerusalem. It is only my active mind at work, but it okay, because the old Prophets tried to delve into scripture to fathom it all out – {{1Peter 1:10-11 “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you MADE CAREFUL SEARCH AND INQUIRY, SEEKING TO KNOW what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.”}} They tried so hard to delve into the writings to determine how things would happen.
May I encourage all of you to search into the scriptures for I believe the Lord just opens up to us all a bit here and a bit there, all thrilling “discoveries” in the living word of the living God. You may think you know a passage well, but look again and examine each little part there, and it is just wonderful how the Lord opens His word to us with fresh thoughts.
May God bless and encourage you all.
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
