The Rapture

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 

I was first introduced to this passage and the concept of “The Rapture” back in the mid-70s after becoming a Christian when someone gave me the book The Late Great Planet Earth (LGPE) (Zondervan, 1970) by Hal Lindsay.  LGPE was one of the first Christian books that was published by a secular publisher (Bantam) and became a megaseller in both the Christian market and the secular market.  LPGE established greater awareness of Biblical teaching about the end times and perhaps paved the way for the popularity of the Left Behind series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.  

  

The concept of “The Rapture” is a controversial topic in the study of prophecy about the end times.  Rapture means to "carry off", "snatch away", or "seize for oneself".  It is not a Biblical term, but a theological principle taught here and I Corinthians 15:51-58 describing an event in which believers in Christ will suddenly vanish from the face of the earth.  Philip in Acts 8:39 was "snatched away" from the Ethiopian eunuch by the Spirit of the Lord.  Many Christians believe that a similar process will occur to the church prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation described in Revelation 4-20.

The Rapture is controversial not only because of if and how it will happen, but also when.  Most evangelical Christians, and what was emphasized in the two above-mentioned books, believe that the Rapture will occur before the beginning of the Tribulation period (a belief called “pre-Tribulation, pre-millennial”, subjects of another teaching).  Thus, all Christians (the church) will not have to endure the horrible suffering and death during the Tribulation period.  One of the compelling arguments for this belief is the fact that the church is the focus of Revelation chapters 1-3, then not mentioned again until Revelation 20.  On the other hand, a compelling argument that the Rapture will not occur until during or after the Tribulation is the fact that nearly all main characters of the Bible did not escape suffering and death while on earth.  Each person must make their own decision about what they believe is the timing of the Rapture, but the Bible is clear that such an event will occur sometime before the end of times.

The greatest messages of the Rapture are to be prepared and to be encouraged.  Don't take the chance that you or your loved ones will be left behind.  Jesus said, "One will be taken, one will be left" (Matthew 24:40-41).  Do you want to awake and find your loved ones gone?  Can you imagine how you would feel if you heard Christ say to you "I never knew you"? (Matthew 7:21-22)  People who talked like Christians but did not act like Christians will be left behind.  According to Revelation 7:9-17, conversions during the Tribulation will occur, but believers will suffer a martyr's death for refusing to worship the antichrist (Revelation 13:11-17 and 20:4). 

Paul writes that we are to encourage one another with these words.  Encourage one another not only with the comfort and hope that these words bring to you as you think about your loved ones’ deaths and your own, but also encourage others to know Jesus Christ their personal Savior and Lord.  And make sure that you know exactly where you stand with your relationship with the Lord.