James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.
INTRODUCTION
Every one of us is concerned about the future. The Bible gives us pictures of the future. The Rapture and Resurrection of Christians are two such pictures of the future. You can know what is going to happen tomorrow by reading the Bible today. We know the end by simply reading and comprehending God’s Holy Word.
After Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross He died, was buried, and then was resurrected on the third day. He lived on earth 50 more days before leaving to go to back to Heaven to be with His Father. Jesus said that He would come back again. On one occasion He said, “Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And, if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3
This truth was continually in the minds of the believers in the Early Church. They had witnessed the magnificence of the life of Christ, the effectiveness of His ministry, the agony of His death, the power of His resurrection and the majesty of His ascension back to heaven. The Early Christians believed that Jesus would come again. This became the subject of every conversation, every prayer. And we pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
The Second Coming of Christ is mentioned 318 times in the New Testament. For every time the first coming of Jesus to earth is mentioned, the Second Coming is mentioned 8 times. Think about that. Nothing could be clearer than the teaching of the return of Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul gave a detailed description and chronology of the Second Coming of Jesus. The first fact in the Second Coming is the return of the Savior.
FIRST, THE RETURN OF THE SAVIOR
This truth is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The Bible says that “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven.” The emphasis is upon Him. The term “Himself” proves it is going to be Jesus who will returns, and not a substitute.
Acts 1:11 reads as follows: “This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.” The Son of God had been born, grew up, ministered, traveled, taught, been killed, buried, conquered death, hell and the grave, and had gone home to heaven.
While the disciples were watching Jesus leave the earth, two angels appeared and said that He would return. Angels had announced His birth, watched His temptation, strengthened Him in Gethsemane as He prayed, heralded His resurrection, and now escorted Him back to heaven. “This same Jesus shall come again.” It’s going to be Jesus Christ Himself who will come back for us. Not only will there be a return of the Savior, but there will be a resurrection of the saints.
SECOND, THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS
The Bible says, “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” We need to comprehend that the dead in Christ shall rise again. Those who have died as believers will one day come out of the grave. This will happen when Jesus Christ returns again. I want to share with you some unique characteristics about these saints who have died in Christ.
A) They are asleep in Jesus -- Paul used the word “asleep” three times in the first three verses of our text. In verse 13 he said, “I would not have you to be ignorant concerning those which are asleep. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For 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 precede them which are asleep.” Paul continues to say that the people who have died in Christ are asleep. Again and again the Bible depicts believers who have died as being asleep in Jesus.
In Acts 7, while Stephen was being stoned for his commitment to Christ, the Bible says he fell asleep. No where does the Bible picture a lost person as falling asleep when he dies. Why is death pictured as sleep for the Christian? Because death is not feared by the Christian. You don’t fear sleep; you welcome it. When you’re tired and weary you welcome sleep.
The Bible uses the word “sleep” to denote something that does not have to be feared by the Christian. Besides, sleep gives the sense of being peaceful and restful. Sleep is something that is temporary. It is not a permanent condition for we will awaken from it. Sleep is a state of being alive and existing. The Christian does not have to fret or fear, or worry and wonder about death because he is asleep in Jesus. Not only are the Christians asleep in Jesus, but they are abiding with Jesus.
B) They are abiding with Jesus -- The Bible says in verse 14, “Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” Those words sound complicated and contradictory. How can a Christian be asleep in the grave and come back again with Jesus when He returns? That seems like an impossibility.
The body is in the grave asleep, but the spirit is not in the grave. The spirit is with the Lord. The Bible says when the body dies that it returns to the dust of the ground, but the spirit returns to its creator (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The Apostle Paul said on another occasion, “I desire to depart and be with the Lord.” (Philippians 1) Again, in 2 Corinthians 5:8, he says, “Also, to be absent from the body is to be with the Lord.” When Jesus died on the cross He said, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.” In the Book of Acts, when Stephen died, we read that he said, “Lord, receive my spirit.”
So when the Christian dies, his spirit immediate goes to be with Jesus. The spirit is alive and conscious with Jesus. The purpose of Christ’s return is to resurrect bodies, not to revive spirits. The saints are not only asleep in Jesus, and are abiding with Jesus, but they will one day arise through Jesus.
C) They will arise through Jesus -- Jesus will bring with Him all the spirits of the sainted dead. When He shouts, the bodies of the buried believers will come up out of their graves and be reunited with their spirits.
However, their bodies will be different. Their bodies will be like Jesus’ body, designed to live eternally. They will be touchable and recognizable. The saints that died lame will leap out of their graves and walk down the golden streets of heaven. Those saints who died as deaf persons will be resurrected and able to hear the angelic choir sing, “Worthy, worthy is the Lamb”. Those who died blind will be able to see Jesus. Those who died to disease will be in perfect health for all eternity. Jesus will also resurrect the saints.
THIRD, THE RAPTURE OF THE SURVIVORS
Paul wants us to know there is going to be a resurrection when Jesus Christ returns. Verse 17 reads, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Those Christians who are alive on the earth at Jesus’ return will also be taken up after the resurrection of the saints. The survivors are those who are alive on the earth still serving Jesus.
A) Force -- The expression “caught up” carries with it the idea of force suddenly being exercised. It involves the act of conveying a person from one place to another. Therefore, it is called “Rapture”. Rapture means to take by force. The word “rapture” comes from the Latin word “rapto.” Now, I realize the word “Rapture” does not appear in the Bible, but the lesson is there. The word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, but the truth is taught in the Bible. The word “millennium” is not found in the Bible, but the event is taught. And, so the word “Rapture” is an accurate term for use because it means to take by force. When Jesus comes He will take Christians by force from this earth. Jesus is going to snatch us away.
B) Swiftly and suddenly -- Rapture also means to take swiftly and suddenly. Jesus is going to come in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Literally, it’s going to happen so fast that time cannot be divided into two parts. It is too fast to be measured or calculated. One will have no time to make his heart right with God. Those who are not ready will be left behind.
Both the saints and the survivors are going to be caught away. Christians will be able to meet Him with gladness and rejoicing in their hearts. It will be a glorious and victorious day. On that day I will behold His nail-scarred hands and feet. I will know Him, love Him and live with Him forever. This earth is not my home; my home is in heaven. I am a man here trying to help others to be ready when Jesus returns.
When I was a little boy, my brother and I were riding on a country road with my father. Our mother was following behind us in another car. My dad asked if I would like to ride with my mother. I thought that was a good idea, so my father stopped the car and let me out on the side of the road. My mother was probably two or three miles behind us at that time. So, I waved goodbye to my father and brother and began watching for my mother to arrive. Soon I saw her car in the distance and I began jumping up and down and waving my arms.
Suddenly, for some unknown reason, she passed me by. My first impulse was to begin running after her car. Soon, I found myself standing there in tears. I have never forgotten how it felt to be left behind. When Jesus Christ comes back again, many people are going to be left behind.
So far we have seen the return of the Savior, the resurrection of the saints, and the rapture of the survivors. Now, we are going to look at the reunion in the sky.
FOURTH, THE REUNION IN THE SKY
The Bible says in verse 17, “Caught up with the Lord in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” This is going to be a meeting of Christ and members of His Body, the Church. It marks the beginning of the Christian’s eternal association with Christ. And, what a meeting that is going to be! The goal of redemption is not only to rescue us from judgment but to relate us to Christ.
There are going to be no good-byes in Heaven. Forever we shall be with Christ and His family member from around the world. As I travel here, and in other parts of the world, I am becoming more aware of the largeness of the family of God. You, too, are a family member if you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior. Make no mistake about it—Jesus Christ is coming back again. There is one more fact to contemplate as the Second Coming of Jesus draws near.
FIFTH, THE REMAINING OF THE SINNERS
When Jesus returns there are going to be people left behind. Two will be working in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two will be in bed asleep; one will be taken and the other left. Babies will inherit heaven because of their innocence. Christian doctors, nurses, pilots, military men, businessmen, social workers, and other who have accepted Jesus Christ will be gone from this earth.
The only people left on earth will be sinners. Demonic spirits will roam the earth and bring persecution and plagues upon all who are left behind. For seven years there will be chaos and a literal hell on earth. Men and women will experience what is called the Great Tribulation.
As stated earlier, Jesus Himself will descend with a shout. Those who hear His voice now will hear His voice then. If you don’t know His voice you will be left behind. After Jesus shouts, there will be the voice of the archangel. His voice will summon all the angels in heaven to personally escort God’s people to heaven. No evil spirits will stop the Christians on that day.
CONCLUSION
For the next few moments, I want to give you an overview of what is going to happen on earth following the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. While the saints are in heaven celebrating, there will be horror on earth like never before known to man. The satanic ruler, anti-Christ, will rule the world. The Tribulation will be a time of bloody revolution, famine, starvation, and the death of one forth of the world’s population. There will be persecutions to the point of death for anyone who wants to serve Jesus Christ. The best time to serve Jesus is now. Later it will mean your life if you’re left behind after the rapture.
But it gets worse. During this time hail and fire will fall. One third of all fish and ships are destroyed. A toxic, poisonous meteor will hit the earth that will poison one third of all of the water. One third of the stars will be darkened followed by a terrible plague of locusts. Two hundred million soldiers will be mobilized for war who, in turn, will kills millions of people.
It continues to get worse. Diseases will plague the world. Oceans and ocean life will be diseased. All waters will be contaminated while darkness covers the earth’s face. All rivers will dry up because of a global heat wave. At this time, hail weighing 130 pounds, will fall and destroy cattle and crops.
This is why the rapture of the Christians is called the “blessed hope”. If you are left behind it will be the saddest day of your life. If you are ready to go to Heaven when Jesus returns, it will be the gladdest day of your life. The Second Coming to the saints means rejoicing. The Tribulation to the sinner means remorse and regret. The Second Coming means happiness to those who are ready, but horror for those who are left. Are you ready to meet Jesus, or will you be left behind?
To prepare yourself for the coming of the Lord is to allow Jesus Christ to become your personal Savior. Logic tells me not to go through the Great Tribulation because of its severity. Make a logical choice and invite Jesus to come into your heart now. The choice is yours. He loves you and He is waiting for your response.
Christians need to make the best of their opportunities to help others get ready for Jesus’ return. What about family members and friends who would be left behind? Are we doing the best we can to influence them to accept Christ as their personal Savior?
