Before Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind, He spoke to His disciples and told them He would be leaving (John 13:31-35). The disciples reacted with worry but Jesus calmed their fears saying, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). Jesus informs His disciples that He is departing to prepare a place in heaven for them, which they would inhabit when He returned for them. The event Jesus was referring to is known as the rapture, an unknown time when Jesus will appear in the clouds and receive all those who have believed in Him into heaven. The church is awaiting the rapture as the next event on God’s timeline of prophetic history and it will set it motion the end times.
Paul described the details surrounding the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. As one of the earliest writings of the New Testament (AD 51-52), Paul provides instructions to the early Christians regarding the rapture of the church. The church at Thessalonica had some misunderstandings concerning those who had died prior to Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:13). They apparently thought that dead Christians would miss this event because they were no longer alive, but Paul wrote to correct their thinking and fully explain the “mystery” of the rapture. Paul makes it clear that anyone, dead or alive, who believes in Jesus’ death for sin and resurrection will experience the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:14). If any person believes in their heart and confesses with their mouth that Jesus’ death paid for sin and that His resurrection guaranteed that they will live again, the rapture will become a reality for them (John 3:16, 36; Romans 10:9-13). Paul then reveals what will occur during the rapture.
- First, Jesus Christ will appear in the clouds and a trumpet will sound, which will be the call for believers to ascend to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16a).
- Second, the bodies of dead Christians (whose spirits are already in the presence of God) will come out of their graves and begin their ascension to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16b).
- Third, the bodies of living Christians will then be “caught up” with the bodies of the dead in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17a). The word rapture never appears in Scripture, but it is a Latin word which is related to the words “caught up.”
- Although Paul does not mention it here, the fourth happening during the rapture is that the bodies of both the living and dead believers will be changed instantaneously (1 Corinthians 15:50-55). New bodies are necessary so that Christians will be able to survive in a heavenly environment.
- Last, the rapture of believers will begin their unending dwelling in the presence of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17b).
Although this will be a great time of joy for those who have believed in Jesus’ death for sin, it will also be a time of great sorrow for those left on the earth because they will soon experience the seven-year tribulation period. The tribulation will be a time when God will pour out His wrath on those who have rejected the forgiveness provided through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Many people ask, “If Jesus is going to return, what is taking Him so long?” The answer is found in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” God delays His return in order to give people time to repent of their sin. The only punishment for sin is death and Jesus took that penalty upon Himself when He gave His life in place of the sinner (2 Corinthians 5:21). Any person can be forgiven when he puts his faith in the death of Jesus Christ for sin.
Have put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin?
This series, End of the World, includes the following posts:
End of the World
End of the World – Rapture
End of the World – Tribulation
End of the World – Millennial Reign of Christ
End of the World – Eternity
In case you missed it yesterday, here is the timeline we are using for this series of posts:
