#8                                     THE “RAPTURE” OF THE CHURCH

   Among the many Old and New Testament prophecies, there is little doubt that the prophecy of the “Rapture” of the Church is one of the most misunderstood and most talked about prophecy in Scripture. It was this particular future event that Jesus was referring too when He tried to comfort His Disciples in (John 14:1-3) when He told them that “I will come again, and receive you unto myself”…

   The meaning of the word “rapture” is derived from the Latin word ‘rapere’ which means “to transport from one place to another”. To most scholars and Bible commentators there is little controversy over what the next great prophetic event will be in the lives of every living and “sleeping” Christian. There is coming a day when a small segment of the earths population will hear the “sound of a trumpet” and we will immediately be “caught up together in the air” with Christ in the Rapture of the Church.  

                                 I. THE PARTICIPENTS OF THE RAPTURE

(I Thessalonians 4:15-17) For whom is Jesus coming for? It is the view of most Bible theologians that Christ is coming for His Church, which is composed of all saved people from Pentecost until the rapture itself.

A. The Lord Himself- “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout”.

B. The archangel- Probably Michael (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7).

C. The bodies of dead believers- “for this corruptible must put on incorruption”.

D. The bodies of the living believers- “and this mortal must put on immortality”.

                                      II. FALSE VIEWS OF THE RAPTURE

    Like many false interpretations of the “Kingdom Age”; there are also many false interpretations about “The Rapture” of the Church.

A. The Rapture and The Second Coming of Christ are the same- This view is very much false. At the Rapture, Jesus comes for His Church (I Thessalonians 4:15-17) while at the Second coming Jesus comes with His Church (Jude 14, 15; Revelation 19:11-16). 

B. The partial rapture theory- this theorizes that only the “spiritual” Christians will be raptured and the “carnal” Christians will be left behind to endure the tribulation period. In

(I Corinthians 15:51) Paul answers this false theory with an emphatic “we shall all be changed”. It is worth noting here that this particular church was the most carnal church of it’s time period. 

C. The mid-tribulation theory- this false theory tells us that the rapture will not take place until the middle of the seven year tribulation period. If this theory was true, then God’s Word is lying to us when He tells us in (I Thessalonians 5:9) “For God hath not appointed us to wrath…”

D. The post-tribulation theory- this false theory says that the Church will have to go through the entire tribulation period. This false doctrine is refuted by Paul in (I Thessalonians 5:9) and also, John talks about God’s wrath in (Revelation 6:16-17; 11:18; 12:12; 14:8) that it is directed to the unsaved people on the earth during the tribulation period.

   In (Revelation 4:1) we see a perfect picture of the Rapture of the Church taking place. In (II Corinthians 5:20) we are told that we as Christians are God’s ambassadors on this earth and we know that He will someday declare war on this entire earth. The first thing a King or President does once war is declared is to call his ambassadors home!! Praise God one day as John shows us in (Revelation 4:1) we will be called home to be with our King.

                                      III. THE PURPOSE OF THE RAPTURE

    What is the reason for God to “catch His bride away”?

A. To Judge and Reward the church of God- There is coming a time when we as Christians must be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 2:16; 14:12; II Corinthians 5:10).

B. To prepare “the Bride” for the heavenly wedding- In (John 14:1-3) Jesus told us that He was preparing a place for us. We know that we are all part of Jesus bride (John 3:29) and we see ourselves as the bride in (Revelation 21:2). The place that Jesus is “preparing for us” is found in (Revelation 21:9-10). We will be “prepared” and made “ready” (Revelation 19:7) in that beautiful city until the “marriage” between Jesus and the Church (Revelation 19:7-9).

C. To remove The Spirit of God in order for the tribulation to begin- (II Thessalonians 2:7) - Most theologians believe the “he” in this verse refers to The Holy Spirit. Thus we believe that The Holy Spirit has been acting like a ‘dam’ that is holding back the intensity of sin in this present world. Once the Holy Spirit is removed, the devil and His demons will create havoc and chaos and then God’s wrath will be poured out upon an unbelieving, and unrepentant world.

                                   IV. THE MYSTERY OF THE RAPTURE

    (I Corinthians 15:51-54) Millions of Christians will one day reach heaven without dying.

   The great mystery that Paul was talking about is this: If we were to begin reading the Bible from the first chapter of Genesis all the way through the Old Testament and into the New Testament and kept on reading until we got to (I Corinthians 15:50), we would have to conclude that every believer (except Elijah and Enoch), would have to die in order to get to heaven.  In these few Scriptures Paul announces a mystery that has been hidden from the world until the very moment he tells us in (I Corinthians 15:51-54). God has something very special and exciting for His children that will happen one day to all believers on earth when He decides to come for His bride. Paul later declares this same mystery to the Thessalonians church in (I Thessalonians 4:13-18) because of their concern for those that had died in their local assembly.

God bless