The Hope Of The Rapture

September 27

Isaiah 49-50

Psalm 107:1-9

Proverbs 23:26-28

I Thessalonians 4

The Hope Of The Rapture

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  I Thessalonians 4:16-18 LSB 

This passage in I Thessalonians describes the rapture of the church. The rapture is a controversial topic. Some argue that the word rapture is not found in the Bible and it was a concept that was invented in the 1800’s by a man named John Nelson Darby.  They argue that before that time, there was no belief in a pre-tribulation removal of believers before a Tribulation period.  It was then further promoted and popularized by the “Left Behind” series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins in the early 2000’s.  As you can clearly read in I Thessalonians, the apostle Paul gave a very specific description of the rapture.  The early church was very familiar with the concept of the rapture.  It is not a “new idea.”  There is also debate about when the rapture will occur.  Many believe it will happen before the Tribulation period described in Revelation begins.  Some believe the rapture happens in the middle and some at the end.  I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture.  I believe this view is consistent with Scripture, but there are godly people that I respect who hold different views on this.  Below are my reasons for holding this view. 

1.     The Purpose of the Tribulation- The main purpose of the Tribulation Period is to make Israel realize that Jesus is the Messiah and turn to Him.  There is no reason for the church to be here during that time because we already believe.  The period is often referred to as the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” because it is concerning the Jews descended from Jacob.  For the last 2,000 years, from the time of the crucifixion of Jesus we have been in the Church Age.  God took His focus off His chosen people, Israel, and carried the gospel to the Gentile nations.  Romans 11:25-32 explains that Israel has been experiencing a hardening of heart during this time, but when the full number of Gentiles has come in, God will return his attention to Israel. 

2.     I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and I Corinthians 15:51-57 lay out the rapture.  The word in I Thessalonians 4:17 translated “caught up” is the Greek word “Harpazo” meaning to be snatched up or carried away.  To be pulled away from danger.  It denotes the idea of a child being snatched out of the path of an oncoming car.  The word in Latin is “raptio” or “raptura” which has the same meaning.  People who say that the rapture is not in the Bible are mistaken.  They do not understand that all of the Bible is translated from Greek or Latin and those words are not identical to ours.  Both passages lay out exactly what is going to happen.  Jesus will appear in the sky with a shout and the trumpet of God.  (The trumpet is used to call to action. Jesus is calling His people.) The dead in Christ will rise first and then those who are alive will be caught up (raptured) to meet them in the sky.   

3.     Vs. 18 tells us to comfort one another with these words.  If the rapture did not happen until the end of the tribulation or even the middle, these words would not be comforting.  The only thing that makes this comforting is the idea that we will be removed before the Tribulation occurs. 

4.      The Antichrist cannot be revealed until the Restrainer is out of the way.  Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 as a response to a rumor/story being  spread at that time that the Tribulation period had begun and they had been left behind.  He is responding to this by telling them that they do not need to be afraid.  The restrainer is the Holy Spirit who is living in believers.  Even though the mystery of lawlessness is at work (Satan is active in the world), while the restrainer is present, he is unable to fully accomplish his purpose.  When the Holy Spirit, living in all believers, is removed or raptured then the Antichrist will be revealed and he will be able to carry out his evil plans.   Therefore the rapture has to take place before the signing of the covenant by Israel with the Antichrist.  It cannot take place as long as we are here.

5.     I Thessalonians 5:9, Revelation 3:10, Romans 5:9, and I Thessalonians 1:10 all explain that those who accepted Jesus as their Savior will not experience the wrath of God.  The punishment for our sins was laid on Jesus.  He suffered for us and we are covered and protected by His blood.  The Tribulation period is the wrath of God being poured out on the earth for the evil and sin that exists in the world.  Revelation 3:10 says He will keep us from the hour of testing that is coming on the earth.  I Thessalonians 1:10 says He will rescue us from the coming wrath.  Israel will have to experience the wrath of God in order to get their attention and make them realize that Jesus was their Messiah.  We do not need to experience this because we already believe. 

6.      Understanding the character of God and His love for His children, it is inconceivable to believe that He would make us, His Bride, go through the Tribulation period.  He is gentle and loving to us.  His vengeance is not meant for us. 

7.     There are 16 references to the church in Revelation 1-3.  In Revelation 4-5 the church is in heaven. Revelation 5:8-10 pictures a choir of believers singing “You have redeemed us by your blood out of every tribe, and tongue and people and nation.”  Only the church can sing those words. Angels can’t sing those words.  We must be the ones who are there.  There are 0 references to the church in Revelation 6-18 and then in Revelation 19-22 we are referred to again.  So where is the church during The 7-year Tribulation?  We are in heaven enjoying the marriage supper of the lamb. 

8.     The Bible is a great source of wisdom and strength for the believer.  We are given instructions about every area of our lives: finances, marital relationships,  parenting, temptation, work practices, health issues, dealing with difficult people, etc.  God prepares us for every situation we face in life.   And yet we are not given any instructions about how to prepare for the Tribulation.  We are not told to stock up food,  get weapons, etc.  And we are not given instructions for what to do during the Tribulation.  He does not tell us how to survive, how to react to the Antichrist or how to lead people to the Lord during the Tribulation.  If He has prepared us for everything else, wouldn’t there be a book about surviving the Tribulation if we were going to be here? 

9.     The difference between the rapture and the second coming.  During the rapture, Jesus comes in the sky but does not touch His feet on earth.  We are taken up into the sky to meet Him.  At the second coming He comes down to earth and touches down on the Mount of Olives.  Revelation 19 describes the scene of His second coming.  He comes riding a white horse and we come with him riding on white horses.  If the rapture is at the end of the 7 years we would be raptured and then turn right around and return with him on white horses to defeat the beast and his armies.  This obviously doesn’t make sense.  The only way we can return with him is for us to already be with him in heaven. 

10.   The Jewish wedding is a picture of the rapture.  While this is not outlined in scripture, it is well known in Jewish tradition.  All Jewish traditions were not inspired by God, but this one certainly seems to be.  There is a movie describing it in detail called “Before the Wrath” that I would encourage you to watch.  In summary, the bridegroom asks the bride to marry him in front of his friends and family by offering her a glass of wine.  If she accepts, she is agreeing to marry him.  He then leaves and goes to his father’s house to build a room on it for his new bride.  He works long and hard preparing the new room/rooms to get it just right for her.  In the meantime, she is at her house preparing herself.  She is getting her bride clothes ready.  Her maidens are with her helping her prepare for the wedding.  She does not know when he will return to take her for the wedding but she has to be ready whenever he comes.  She does not know the day or hour when he will come, but she knows the season and that it is getting near.  The groom’s father decides when the room is ready.  When it is time, the father tells the son to go get his bride.  The groom goes to her house, usually in the middle of the night, calls her from outside and takes her to the house he has prepared.  They have the wedding ceremony and spend 7 days in the wedding feast.  This is a beautiful picture of the rapture of the bride of Christ.  Jesus tells several parables related to wedding feasts (10 virgins in Matthew 25, Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22 and Luke 14) and relates them to the last days           indicating that there is a parallel. 

11.   The pretribulation rapture is the only view that is consistent with the doctrine of imminency.  Matthew 24:36-44, Matthew 25:1-13, and Luke 17:20-37 give clear proof that the rapture can occur at any time.  It is imminent.  The mid-tribulation and post-tribulation views cannot support the doctrine of imminency.  When the covenant is signed with the Antichrist, Daniel tells us it will be exactly 2520 days till Jesus’ second coming.  That event sets the timer so we know exactly when the midpoint will be and when the end will be.  So if the rapture is at the midpoint or the end we would know exactly when it will be.  Imminency only works if there is a pre-tribulation rapture.