The rapture is an intriguing subject and at the forefront of much thought. What is it? This is the teaching that the church will be "caught up" or raptured in the clouds with Jesus and the resurrected believers and be with the Lord forever. That much is taught very plainly in
1 Thessalonians 4:17-NKJV
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.
The word “rapture” isn’t specifically found in the text, so how did this event come to be so called? The English word rapture currently means “to be swept away with joyous emotion,” but it comes from a Latin word, rapere, that simply means “to be seized or snatched up.” And this very word is used for that meaning in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in the Latin Bible. So, both the original and the current meaning of “rapture” accurately describe the scene of the church being blissfully “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air.
There is cause for reservation about the popular conception of the rapture, especially in regard to the time element and manner in which it is commonly believed it will take place.
The idea of an invisible rapture has been popularized by several major Christian book publishers, including the big-selling series of fiction novels (Left Behind).
Let us proceed to take an honest, open-minded and careful look at the texts from which the popular concept of the rapture has been drawn.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is the critical text in forming a view of the rapture.
The apostle Paul is clearly writing about the second “coming of the Lord” (v. 15). Notice the way Paul describes this coming of Jesus. It will be one of glory and majesty and tremendous noise! It will be accompanied by a “shout,” the “voice of the archangel” and the “trumpet of God” (v. 16). The objective reader has to be puzzled how this is to be understood as a secret coming, unheard and unseen by the world at large. Nothing at all in the passage indicates anything like that.
What Paul describes is a battle cry. This is what ancient armies did when they charged towards their enemy in order to strike fear into their hearts. What reason is there in the text to suppose that this battle cry will only be heard by Christ’s saints? Do you want to believe false teaching so bad?
The last phrase of verse 16 is also sometimes confusing and part of the debate. Who’s preceding whom? When Paul says, “the dead in Christ will rise first,” does he mean in relation to the unsaved dead, as many believe? Will there be a resurrection of the saved and then, years or even a millennium later, a resurrection of the unsaved?
A little more careful look indicates that Paul means that the dead in Christ will be the first to rise—not from their graves, in relation to the unsaved dead—but the first to rise into the air to meet Jesus, in relation to believers who are still alive. Notice the preceding verse:
1 Thessalonians 4:15-NKJV
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.
His point is that we who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will have no advantage over those who have died. He then proceeds to explain why. Notice the word “For…” at the beginning of verse 16: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17-NKJV
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.
So, there is no need, nor justification, for getting two widely separated resurrections out of this passage. Why then do so many Bible teachers and students believe this passage describes a secret rapture?
There are two reasons. For one thing, the passage says nothing about the unsaved. They conclude from this fact that this is an event that exclusively involves the saved, and that the unsaved are oblivious to it. The second reason is that the passage clearly states that Jesus will return in the air, that we’ll meet him in the air, and that we’ll then be with the Lord forever. It says nothing of him setting up shop on earth. Some conclude that the Second Coming will happen in two parts: an invisible rapture of the saved in the air and, later, a visible coming to earth. It is only because of pre-formed false beliefs about the nature of the kingdom that they are forced to interpret this passage as they do. (This is adding to God’s Word)
He comes; he receives us; he takes us to his heavenly kingdom, just as he promised in
John 14:1-4 (NIV)
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
As for reason number one, it is true that the passage says nothing of the unsaved. But does that mean that Paul intended us to conclude that they are uninvolved in this event?
The question is, then: Is there any indication in the text that Paul has focused his present concern only on believers? Consider the two verses that begin and end this passage: "But 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…. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (v. 13, 18).
Paul is dealing with why Christians should have special hope and comfort when a saved loved one has died. These dearly departed are not going to miss out on the Second Coming as many of them had feared. The earliest Christians expected the Second Coming within their lifetime. When some of their number began dying off, they became concerned, wondering if these had missed the opportunity to experience the glory of the Lord’s coming. Paul reassures them that this is not the case. God will raise them from the dead just as he did Jesus (v. 14). They will participate “with him” in his physical resurrection. As they step forth from their graves in new, immortal bodies, they will witness the glory of the coming of the Lord too. In fact, they will be first to rise into the air to join the Lord (v. 16). Believers who are still living and have had faithful loved one's die will be reunited with them (v. 17). 1 Thessalonians 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”
This is Paul’s clear purpose in this context—to comfort grieving Christians. His concern is only with them. (no need to add to scripture) He completes the picture by describing their fate in
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (NKJV)
7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
So, for interpreting this passage to depict a secret rapture of believers is not a very good one after all.
The common understanding that a lot of people have of the rapture, is not taught here.
Instead, this passage meshes perfectly with other texts on the Second Coming, which together appear to present the second coming as a one-time event. There will be no sequel. Everyone on earth will see it. Immediately thereafter, eternity will be ushered in.
Another text which is sometimes is wrongly thought to lend support to the idea of a rapture that is unseen and unheard by unbelievers is this one from the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 24:37-41-NKJV
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
The twice repeated phrase “one will be taken and the other left” (v. 40-41) is often thought by Bible readers to refer to the mysterious “vanishings” of the saved which they believe will take place at the rapture. Is Jesus talking about a secret rapture, involving only the saved, prior to his final coming? Not at all!!
It seems unmistakable that Jesus is describing his final coming, for he concentrates on how he will deal with the unsaved. In the previous verses (37-39) he compares the Second Coming to the great flood of Noah’s day, in that both come unexpectedly and spell doom for the unprepared. In verse 39, he describes how the flood swept away and destroyed those who were not prepared, and he then tacks on the significant phrase: “so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” So, Jesus is emphasizing not the rapture of the saved, but the instant destruction to be experienced by the unsaved at his coming.
That is exactly what he elaborates on in the next two key verses (40-41), when he speaks of the two men and two women. He did not jump tracks to talk about a preliminary, invisible coming that only involves the saved, while the unsaved keep living on for seven more years! His whole point is the instant, irreversible destruction for the unprepared. There will be no warning, no second chances.
Would not the mysterious disappearance of all the Christians on earth be a warning to unbelievers, and would they not then have time (even years!) to repent and still be saved? I might add here that every day you live you have the chance to grow closer to God.
How then are we to understand the wording of verses 40-41? “Taken” and “left” are the key words. Do they mean one will be taken to be with the Lord in the air while the other will be left here on earth as time continues on? The context indicates otherwise. In the flow of what Jesus is warning about, these statements simply but powerfully describe the separating of the saved from the condemned at his Second coming. The saved will be accepted by the Lord; the lost will be rejected and destroyed for an eternity in Hell.
Matthew 16:27-NKJV
27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
Reflecting back on Matthew 24, there is a strong emotional appeal in the situations described. The scenarios of the two men and the two women are intended to emphasize the fact that the most intimate bonds between people will not prevent them from being separated at the Lord’s coming. No one will be saved by virtue of their spouses or neighbor’s preparation. No one will be condemned because of someone else’s failure to prepare. People who have spent years together, who seem to have so much in common—work the same job, share the same bed—who both seem to be pretty good people will be torn from each other, never to see the other again. Why? Because one was spiritually prepared in a devoted relationship with Jesus, and the other was not. So the really crucial question is which are you?
2 Peter 3:10 (NKJV)
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Revelation 20:12-13 (NKJV)
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
There will be no Rapture because the Bible clearly describes the second coming. It is final, no more chances, and we are warned that now is the time to prepare! Any teaching of the Rapture, or how the rapture will be followed by a seven-year period of tribulation is false teaching!!
Are you ready for the judgement day?
