The Bible teaches us about the Rapture, very clearly.
The Rapture…
1. Will be sudden and unexpected.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 “For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord is coming just as a thief [comes unexpectedly and suddenly] in the night.”
2. Will raise the dead in Christ (vs 14-16)
3. Will raise us up – “we who are still alive and remain until the coming of the Lord” (vs 15,17)
4. Will be a grand event for all believers in Christ – where we will “be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!” (vs 17)
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [as in fact He did], even so God [in this same way—by raising them from the dead] will bring with Him those [believers] who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are still alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede [into His presence] those [believers] who have fallen asleep [in death].
16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the [a]archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!
18 Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words [concerning our reunion with believers who have died].
5. Will be in the future. (It has not already happened, as Preterists erroneously teach.)
6. Will be denied by false teachers – those who (“tout”) hold the Preterist interpretation, as Bethel and other NAR churches do). See: Note to Preterists – Jesus did not return in 70AD. He is coming soon!
2 Thessalonians 2: verses 1-3 (Note: this passage easily denounces Preterist error)
Now in regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our [a I.e. the rapture of believers.] gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, [b]brothers and sisters, 2 not to be quickly unsettled or alarmed either by a [so-called prophetic revelation of a] spirit or a message or a letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy [c Paul is referring to a specific, future event.] comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians],
and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed]. *See: First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture
7. Will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call.” (vs 52)
8. Will not catch up or transform (or “rapture”) any un-saved, those who are merely “flesh and blood“.
9. Will “jump-start” our immortal life. The Rapture brings us immediately into the presence of Jesus; takes us off the planet!
“and so shall we ever be with the Lord“!
– 1 Thessalonians 4:17 King James Version
10. Will happen to rescue us from the wrath of God that is to be poured out during the ending of the Great Tribulation. We, those “in Christ”, will not have to experience the wrath of God in that Great Tribulation period. (Daniel 12:1; Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9)
The reason we know this is that God has promised that His wrath is only to be poured out upon the unredeemed, not upon His own, the “born again”, the truly redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. He takes us out of the way! Then all types of horrible evils will leap-out ferociously around the planet, and God’s wrath will destroy those who have rejected His message of salvation in Jesus.
Daniel 12:1 [ The Time of the End ] “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. See: Are you in the book of the living?
See Bible references here:
The Book of Life
Romans 5:9 Amplified Bible
9 Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the [a]wrath of God through Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 Amplified Bible
9 For God has not destined us to [incur His] wrath [that is, He did not select us to condemn us], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ
a time of distress
such as never occurred
since there was a nation
until that time
11. Will be the time where “we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]”
“we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye“, in an amazingly fast act of God at the moment of “The Rapture”.
50 Now I say this, believers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit nor be part of the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (mortal) inherit the imperishable (immortal).
51 Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death],
but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call.
For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed].
53 For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us that is capable of dying] must put on immortality [which is freedom from death]. 54 And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says,
12. Will demonstrate the victory of Jesus over death. “O grave where is your … death where is your sting?”
“Death is swallowed up in victory
(vanquished forever).
– Verse 54 of 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
13. Will be the time where Christ will “bring salvation” to us.
28 so Christ, having been offered once and once for all to bear [as a burden] [a]the sins of many, will appear a second time [when he returns to earth], not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly and confidently waiting for Him. – Hebrews 9:28 Amplified Bible
14. Will rescue us to escape His wrath “…to escape all these things that are going to take place…“
Luke 21:36. “…to escape all these things that are going to take place…”
“36 But keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].” – Luke 21:36.
10 Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith]. – Revelation 3:10-11 Amplified Bible
See:
I will protect you from the time of testing
Will you be “accounted worthy” to escape all these things that shall come to pass?
9 And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight. 10 While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them, 11 who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
– Revelation 22:20 KJV
LIST OF REFERENCES TO THE RAPTURE:
36 “But of that [exact] day
and hour
no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven,
nor the Son [in His humanity],
but the Father alone.
– Matthew 24:36
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Luke 21:36; Revelation 3:10-11
Revelation 3:10 “Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth.”
Luke 21:36…”be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place“
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18…”17 Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!
2 Thessalonians 2: verses 1-3…verse 2: “…the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet Him”
This is coming soon: Matthew 24:29-31
Acts 1:9-11…”two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them, 11 who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Both Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2) were walking along one day and – suddenly snatched by God!
2 Timothy 3 “Difficult Times Will Come”
Matthew 24:42; Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:35; Luke 21:36
Isaiah 11:11-16 “the Lord Will again acquire with His hand a second time- The remnant of His people”
keep alert at all times: Matthew 24:42; Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:35; Luke 21:36
FOR MORE:
Be cautious and active in faith
Flesh and blood absolutely cannot inherit the Kingdom of God
I will protect you from the time of testing
Jesus Returns to Earth – Twice in the End Times
Note to Preterists – Jesus did not return in 70AD. He is coming soon!
Print this: Your Guide for after the Rapture takes place
We are now in “Birth Pangs” times, and then – the End
First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture
Hell in the Bible …read the list of references to Hell in the Bible
A swift barrage of shattering events will unfold after the Rapture – coming soon
Will you be “accounted worthy” to escape all these things that shall come to pass?
Are you ready to meet your Maker?
Right on Time … an introduction to “time”
What Is the Rapture and Is it Biblical? – From Crosswalk
For more on Pre-Trib and Post-Trib views: Thief in the Night by Terry James Prophecy Line
Gaslighting – from psychologytoday.com
11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting… Gaslighting is a manipulation tactic used to gain power. And it works too well. – from psychologytoday.com
Note by the OMGjesus Editor: I am more of a “During the Trib” guy, myself. I think Jesus said that the Rapture, that super ride to Heaven, would happen after “the revealing” of the Antichrist.
“The Revealing” presumably will be that moment when the Antichrist is introduced to the world. I believe we will see that “revealing”. We will know who he is. After that Revealing event, which has to be sometime before God’s wrath is poured out, then we are “raptured”.
The Rapture is (1) the removal of His followers whom He indwells; and (2) the removal of His Spirit from this earth. The Spirit exits along with the Raptured ones. With our removal from the earth — God’s wrath can then be “poured out”. After the Rapture — the Antichrist is no longer restrained (by “the Restrainer”) and he plunges the world into horrible events, which is called The Great Tribulation.
So, whether the Rapture happens immediately after “the revealing”, or it is delayed for some reason till “Mid-Tribulation”, that is not told to us. Apparently it will be during the Great Tribulation, not before the Tribulation, and most certainly not after it. See: First, Apostasy, then Antichrist, then the Rapture
The “imminent” return of Christ is tied to our understanding of “time”. We must see time as God sees time, like in Matthew 24:42. (See: It’s Time… which has links to articles on “time”.)
“So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming.” – Matthew 24:42. See: Be cautious and active in faith
We are to “abide” in Him constantly, with the expectation that Christ could return at any time. We want to be ready with a life being lived for Him, not being lived in the flesh. We must live our pact with God… ready for Him to appear at any moment.
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