INTRODUCTION

I Thessalonians 4:13-18
God’s Word teaches that the Rapture (commonly referred to as the first phase or stage of the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST) is the catching away from the earth of all living saints and all who died in the Lord. The Rapture will take place before the Great Tribulation, and it can happen any time from now. “In a twinkling of an eye” — without a moment’s warning, “the trumpet shall sound… and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then 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.” (John 14:1-3; Luke 21:34-36; I Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:4-9; II Thessalonians 2:5-7; Philippians 3:11,20,21; I John 3:1-3)
The Rapture is the greatest event of all ages that the Church is waiting for. It is the catching away of all true believers in Christ to meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:16). Christ, at the end of His first advent, was in like manner taken up in the air to go and prepare a place for His own. The parting promise from God was that Jesus would return in like manner to receive His “Bride” to be with Him forever (Acts 1:9-11; John 14:1-3).

SUB TOPICS:

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPTURE

   The Rapture is not the same as the Second Coming of Christ. It is the first phase of the Second Advent. At the Rapture, Christ will appear in the air, invisible to the inhabitants of the earth. He will come to resurrect all dead saints, who along with the living believers will put on immortality and shall be caught up to be with the Lord. It will happen “in the twinkling of an eye,” before the great and terrible day of the Lord, when the wrath of God will be poured down from His cup of indignation without mixture at the Great Tribulation (I Corinthians 15:52). The Second Advent will not take place until after the Great Tribulation. The time of the Rapture is unknown, even by the angels (Matthew 24:36; II Thessalonians 2:1-5). It will be heralded by the voice of the archangel and the blowing of trumpets signaling the end of the Church age (I Thessalonians 4:13-15).

   The Rapture was a mystery, unknown to the Old Testament Saints and prophets. God had underlined this great event in two ways to assure us of its certainty:

   • It was illustrated in Enoch and Elijah, the two living saints who did not taste death but were translated in a moment of time (Genesis 5:24; II Kings 2:11-12).
   • It was illustrated in Christ in the New Testament. He died, was buried, and resurrected. While He talked with His disciples on Mount Olivet, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9-11).

   The Rapture marks the end of the Church Age, also referred to as the Time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24). This truth was veiled to the Saints of old. However, “known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” In His mercy, He interrupted His program for Israel with the Church Age. Christ the Messiah came for His people, but they rejected Him (John 1:11), and God turned to the Gentiles to take a people for Himself. The Rapture will mark the end of this special period of grace. God will resume His program with Israel immediately after the Rapture, thus ushering in the beginning of the seventieth week in Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27).

2. EVENTS SURROUNDING THE RAPTURE

   It is very certain that Christ is coming back again, for “He that shall come will come and will not tarry.” He assured the Church of the certainty of His coming (John 14:1-3). Angels proclaimed it; apostles and saints throughout the ages preached it. The signs of His coming are daily being fulfilled. Christ, answering a pertinent question asked by His disciples on “…what shall be the sign of thy coming…?” (Matthew 24:5-12,30-39), gave in detail what would be happening on earth shortly before His coming (Matthew 24:1-12,30-39).

   Many false prophets and false Christs shall arise, deceiving many unsuspecting believers. There will be wars and rumors of war, international conflicts, famines (global economic recession), pestilences, and earthquakes in diverse places. There will be persecution of Christ’s followers and, in some cases, martyrdom. Backsliding from the faith will increase. More people will be given to pleasure and merry-making than those who seek the Lord.

   Scripture also predicts conditions characterized by a system of denials that will be prevalent within the visible Church shortly before Christ’s return. There will be:

   • A denial of God (II Timothy 3:1-5)
   • A denial of Christ (I John 2:18; 4:3)
   • A denial of His return (II Peter 3:3-4)
   • A denial of the faith, true Christian living, and authority (Jude 18)

   These signs are being fulfilled before our very eyes.

3. READINESS FOR THE RAPTURE

   To qualify to partake in the Rapture, one must be born again, living a holy life, walking daily in the light, working the works of God, watching daily, praying always, and maintaining these experiences at the time of the Rapture or at death as the case may be (John 3:3; Hebrews 12:14; John 4:35-38; 9:1-4; I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

   Practically all the signs preceding the Second Advent of Christ are fulfilled, telling us that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is very close, and the time of the Rapture is much closer. Sinning Church members will not be able to go at the Rapture, even if previously saved and baptized in water. Careless and compromising preachers will miss the Rapture too; it does not matter what Christian work they did in the past. All such people, together with backsliders and sinners outside the Church, will be left behind to face the Great Tribulation.

   Knowing that these things shall be, and that the Rapture will occur unannounced and very imminent, what manner of persons ought believers to be? Sinners are to make haste to repent and embrace Christ as their Saviour. The saints of God are to watch and pray lest that day should come upon them unprepared (Matthew 24:42-44).