Everything You Need To Know About The Rapture
This summary provides an in-depth analysis of the biblical doctrine of the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord, emphasizing the distinction between these two events and encouraging believers to embrace the “blessed hope” to foster purity and zeal for good works. The core argument is that Jesus will return for His Church before the Great Tribulation.
The importance of this teaching is profound: nearly one out of every 22 verses of the New Testament addresses the second coming of the Lord. Teaching this blessed hope does not lead to laziness, but rather encourages people to be pure and abound in the work of the Lord.
I. Defining the Blessed Hope: The Pre-Tribulation Rapture
The central assertion is that the Lord, our Bridegroom, is coming back for His Bride (the Church) before the worst happens on earth.
The Rapture Defined
The word “Rapture” itself is Latin for the word “caught away,” which translates to the Greek word “harpatzo,” meaning the catching away of the Church, a concept found in the Bible.
- Suddenness and Speed: Jesus emphasized that His coming will be “quickly” (Greek: tacusia), meaning suddenly or swiftly, rather than referring to time. It will happen “in the twinkling of an eye,” instantly.
- No Earthly Touch: In the Rapture, Jesus’ feet do not touch down on earth; He meets the Church in the air.
- Universal Scope: The speaker does not believe in a partial rapture. If a person is born again, they are “going up”. The teaching that only those who are “specially faithful” will be raptured often stems from pride.
- The Transformation: The Rapture is the final inheritance for believers, resulting in a brand new, glorified body. This new body will be incorruptible and immortal, eliminating disease, aging, and death. Our transformed bodies will be conformed to Jesus’ glorious body.
The Blessed Hope Purifies
The hope of Christ’s imminent return is a catalyst for holiness. Everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as Christ is pure. Conversely, when the blessed hope is neglected, people tend to hold on to the things of the world with a tight fist.
A parable illustrates the danger of wrong belief: a servant who thinks, “My Lord delays his coming,” ends up beating the other servants, demonstrating a failure to adhere to the commandment to love one another.
Deliverance from Wrath
The seven years known as the Great Tribulation (also called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble or the Day of God’s Wrath) will be the worst time on earth that the world has ever seen. The Bible explicitly states that God did not appoint us (Christians) to wrath, but to obtain salvation. Jesus, raised from the dead, “delivers us from the wrath to come”.
II. The Two Phases of Christ’s Second Coming
It is essential not to confound the Rapture with the Second Coming of the Lord, as these are two distinct events.
| Event | Recipients | Timing | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Rapture | The Church (Bride) | Before the seven years of Great Tribulation | To receive the Church and give them glorified bodies |
| The Second Coming | Israel | After the seven years of Great Tribulation | To return with the raptured Church for Israel |
Jesus’ appearance to the Church is as the Bright and Morning Star, which appears first in the day (around 4 or 5 a.m.). His coming for Israel is as the Sun of Righteousness, which arises later. The Morning Star appears before the sun, signifying that Christ is coming for the Church first.
III. Scriptural Context: Matthew 24 vs. Upper Room Discourse
Confusion about the timing of the Rapture often arises from misinterpreting Matthew 24.
Matthew 24: Spoken to Jewish Believers
The Gospel of Matthew is primarily written to the Jews, and the long discourse in Chapter 24 is not for the Church. It is spoken to Jewish believers who will live in the last days after the Rapture.
This is evidenced by details specific to Israel and the Tribulation period:
- The Abomination of Desolation has not yet been set up in the holy place.
- Jesus tells them to “flee to the mountains” when they see this sign.
- He instructs them to “Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath,” a day enforced in Israel.
Some argue that the entire chapter was fulfilled in AD 70 (Preterism), but this cannot be, as the Abomination of Desolation has not yet occurred.
John 14: The Rapture Unveiled
The doctrine of the Rapture is explicitly unveiled in John 14 during Jesus’ Upper Room discourse, which contains Church truths.
Jesus told His disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled… In my Father’s house are many mansions… 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“. This promise is the key to having an untroubled heart.