WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? (3 of 3)
Unchanging Faith ❧ Part 22
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ❧ Pastor, Dr. John Denney
This morning we’re going to wrap up our three-part series on the doctrine of the rapture. I mentioned last week of a growing excitement among believers that God is about to do something big. There’s a grassroots idea being proposed by some, and it seems to be gaining popularity, that according to the Jewish calendar the rapture may take place this September at the end of the two-day celebration called the Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the birth of the universe when God created Adam and Eve. Throughout the feast multiple blasts of the trumpet or shofar or rams’ horn can be heard, but at the very end of the feast one long loud blast of the trumpet is given – known as the last shofar blowing. It is thought that this trumpet is the one Paul referred to in 1 Corinthians 15:52. At that moment Paul says, the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. The idea is the six 24-hour days in which God created the world, and one 24-hour day of rest serves as a template for all human history. Each day of twenty-four hours represents 1,000 years. According to Genesis, during the first four days of creation God was making the Earth inhabitable for life. But it wasn’t until the fifth and six day He created life, then on the seventh God rested. So, putting this together with history, Jesus came to Earth after 4,000 years had passed bringing life. For the past 2,000 years He has continued to bring life through the Gospel. And now we’re fast approaching the 6,000th year, meaning the next thousand years lines up with God’s resting or the 1,000 year reign of Christ. In other words, according to this view, the Rapture is right around the corner of August! (Bill Perkins, Compass International Article: Chances for the Rapture This September).
I’m not saying this template is necessarily true, but it is interesting and worth thinking about. It is yet another reminder that time is growing short and the any-moment return of Jesus is becoming more and more relevant. It is a reminder that we are to be Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus (Titus 2:13). This morning we’re going to look at the final two phases of Paul’s teaching of the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
- Phase #4: All believers will meet the Lord in the air. We will see Jesus’ face to face for the very first time. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). At the time of Jesus sudden return in the air for believers, those who are still alive will be instantly changed and caught up to be with Christ forever. Does this mean ALL believers? Some believe only goldy Christians will be raptured while worldly ones will be left behind. Remember this is the Partial Rapture Theory. Will all believers be raptured? Remember Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 15 we will all be changed – in a flash, in a twinkling of an eye… Who is the “all”? Paul is referring specifically to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ – that He paid the price for our sins on the cross and we are now forgiven and accepted before God. That’s the “all” Paul has in mind. Jesus is not coming just for good people, or people who go to church at least three times a month. He’s not coming for people who are “religious.” He’s coming for those who have trusted Him as their Savior from their sin and have a personal relationship with Him. The rapture will be the acid test for real believers. What does the Bible say a real believer is? if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation(Romans 10:9-10). All believers will meet the Lord in the air.
I have to admit the idea that millions, possibly billions of people suddenly disappearing from planet Earth sounds pretty bizarre. But, if we’re honest, the Bible is full of numerous bizarre seeming miracles and/or prophecies that have already taken place. In some ways, we are standing in the same sandals Noah stood some 4,500 years ago. In Noah’s day it says: the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually(Gen. 6:5). When God saw the depth of the world’s depravity, He decided to blot out man whom He’d made for the face the earth (V.7). But there was one man whom God found favor with – Noah. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). The word favor means grace. This is the first time it is used in the Bible. In His grace God tells Noah to build an ark large enough secure his family and two of every living creature. Why? Because a world-wide flood was coming. No one had ever witnessed a global flood before. No one believed Noah. His prophetic claim was too big of a reach for people to believe. I’m sure Noah had people come up to him and say things like: “Noah, you’ve lost your mind. There’s never been a flood like that.” Theres an old joke that asks: Who was the greatest financier in the Bible? Noah—he was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation. Noah, unlike the rest of the world, did not think the flood was impossible.
Sure enough, God did exactly what He said He would – He flooded the entire world so that even the highest mountains were covered (almost 300’) (Gen. 7:19). We know Noah’s flood was real because of the abundance of geological as well as historical evidence. The world did not believe it could happen, but it did.
The same could be said for many other epic prophecies and miracles. Israel’s crossing the Red Sea and the drowning of the Egyptian army. The sun and moon standing still for Joshua’s army (Joshua 10:13) or going back for King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:10). The mysterious destruction of 185,000 Assyrians soldiers encamped around Jerusalem in a single night (2 Kings 19:35). The greatest miracle however was Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. No one believed it could happen, not even His disciples. But it did. What makes the Bible’s miracles and prophecies seem so bizarre is they’re not natural, they’re supernatural. They’re not a normal occurrence of our everyday lives.
What makes the Bible’s prophecy about the rapture any different? What many do not know is that the clear teaching of believers being caught up to be with the Lord without having first died is not limited to 1 Thessalonians 4; it’s seen throughout the whole Bible. There are more than seven raptures recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament it says Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Gen. 5:24). Enoch did not die; God took him to Heaven. The author of Hebrews affirms this saying: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not because God took him up (Hebrews 11:5). Shortly after God took Enoch He flooded the Earth. Just as God spared Enoch so believers will be taken up before God’s judgment of the Tribulation. Another foreshadowing of the rapture in the Old Testamen was the prophet, Elijah. While Elijah and his apprentice Elisha were walking it says Elija was carried by a whirlwind into Heaven (2 Kings 2:11). Others could not bring themselves to believe God took Elijah to Heaven. They sent out a search party but came up empty. Many will no doubt search high and low for believers who’ve been raptured but will not find them. Some believe Isaiah was raptured when he was brought before God’s throne (Isa. 6:6). In the New Testament there are a number of raptures as well. Philip, one of the seven deacons, was raptured (Acts 6:5; 8:39-40). Immediately after Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch, it says the Lord “snatched” (ἁρπάζω) Philp away to a city called Azotus twenty miles away! One moment he was standing next the man he’d just shared Christ with and the very next – poof! He was gone! It doesn’t stop there. Paul was raptured, transported to Heaven (2 Cor. 12). Some believe the Apostle John was raptured when he was on the island of Patmos. In Revelation 4 God tells John to “Come up here,” (Revelation 4:1) referring to Heaven.
The most significant rapture in the New Testament though is the rapture of Jesus known as His ascension (Acts 1:9-11). After He rose from the grave He spent forty days with His disciples giving them many convincing proofs that He was in fact alive (Acts 1:3). On the fortieth day, He physically ascended into Heaven in a cloud. As Jesus’ disciples were lost in wonder watching Jesus ascend into Heaven it says two angles told them Jesus will one day return in just the same way they saw Him go to Heaven (Acts 1:9). Paul’s description of Jesus appearance at the rapture for His Church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) is exactly what the angels said would happen. All believers will one day meet the Lord in the air.
What do these raptures tell us? That no matter how bizarre the rapture may seem, it is not the first, nor will it be the last (the two witnesses in the middle of the Tribulation as seen in Revelation 11). It has happened before and it is going to happen again. Are you ready?
- Phase #5: All believers will be with the Lord forever. and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thess. 4:17-18). Someday, we will be with Jesus and be reunited with loved ones and friends forever! Some have wondered: Will we recognize each other? Yes. Peter, James, and John recognized Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-4). They’d never even seen Moses and Elijah before, but they immediately recognized them. In fact, I don’t think we’ll really know each other until we get to heaven. Why? No more window-dressing. No more facades. No more masks. Our relationships will be completely unhindered from sin and immaturity. Paul says, encourage, comfort one another with these words. I don’t know about you, but I’m encouraged when I read about this great truth.
When Paul was writing about this two-thousand years ago, he said it was a “mystery” a brand-new truth God had not clearly revealed until the NT was written (1 Cor. 15:51). Other raptures had happened, but no one understood the significance of what they foreshadowed. This means up until Paul wrote about the rapture of the Church you could read your Bible and think, “The only way for me to get to heaven and get a glorified body is to die.” Not so now.
One of the amazing clues given in the New Testament that further unveils this mystery is the analogy of the Jewish wedding that is applied to the Church. The Bible tells us the Church is the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5; 2 Cor 11). This is a powerful image describing the kind of relationship God has with His Church, one of incredible love, intimacy, and commitment. But there is one hick-up, the marriage ceremony hasn’t taken place yet (Rev. 19:7). Right now the Church is engaged to be married to Jesus. In the New Testament this engagement is just as binding as marriage. That’s why Joseph sought to quietly divorce Mary when he learned she was pregnant even though they were only engaged (Matt. 1:9). The fact that the Church is the Bride of Christ is not new, many have pointed it out, but I have to tell you it is nothing short of stunning to me.
This past week I came across a lengthy prophecy lecture given a number of years ago by respected theologian Dr. Andy Woods. In it he does a superb job of showing the significance of how the New Testament portrays the Jewish marriage custom as an analogy showing the relationship of Christ and the Church. Dr. Woods points out seven features of this relationship:
First, the groom travels to the home of the bride’s father and pays the betrothal contract price for the hand of the bride. This step is the equivalent of Christ’s death that paid the price necessary for the church to enter into a relationship to Him (1 Cor 6:19-20).
Second, during the betrothal period, the groom is temporarily separated from the bride in order to prepare temporary dwelling places in his father’s house. These dwellings would eventually be indwelt by the groom and his new bride. This step represents Christ’s Ascension and the beginning of the Church Age. Here, Christ is temporarily separated bodily from His church as He is preparing temporary dwelling places for His bride in His Father’s house (John 14:2). Just as the fidelity of the groom and bride are tested during this time of separation, the church’s loyalty to Christ is currently being tested as the church is tempted to succumb to false teaching and worldly conduct (Jas 4:4; 2 Cor 11:2).
Third, at an unknown time, the groom returns to the bride’s home. Upon his return the groom is accompanied with escorts, is preceded by a shout, and comes to collect his bride and take her to his father’s house. This step is the equivalent of the rapture of the church, when Christ accompanied by angels and preceded by the shout of an archangel (1 Thess 4:16-17), will come at an unknown time to take the church to His father’s house in heaven to the temporary dwellings He has prepared for her (John 14:3).
Fourth, the bridal party returns to the groom’s father’s home in order to meet wedding guests who have already assembled. This step is the equivalent of the raptured church being taken to heaven in order to greet Old Testament saints who are already in the presence of the Lord.
Fifth, during the consummation of the marriage stage the wedding party waits outside the marital chamber while the new couple enters into this chamber in order to physically consummate their new union. This step is the equivalent of the church’s marriage to Christ. Thus, at this point, the church is no longer merely the bride of Christ but now has formally been married to Him.
Sixth, the groom emerges from the marital chamber announcing to the wedding party the reality of this new physical union. The groom then returns to the marital chamber to be with his bride for seven days while the wedding guests continue to celebrate outside the marital chamber. This step is the equivalent of the church after the rapture being hidden with Christ in heaven for seven years (Dan 9:27), while the events of the Tribulation transpire on the earth below.
Seventh, the groom and the bride emerge from the marital chamber unveiled and in full view of the wedding party. The bride had been veiled to the wedding party thus far. This step is the equivalent of Christ and the church returning to the earth at the conclusion of the seven year Tribulation period unveiled (Col 3:4) and visible to the entire world (Rev 1:7; 19:7-9). (Dr. Andy Woods, Jesus and the Rapture, lecture presented at 2011 Pre-Trib Study Conference: The Rapture in the 21st Century).
Right now, the Church is waiting for the third feature of the wedding custom – at an unknown time the groom returns to the bride’s home with a shout to collect his wife. I’m looking forward to that day! Are you?
One of my favorite Bible teachers was Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse. It is said he used to love to sing an old hymn written in 1910 – “Is It the Crowning Day?” Jesus may come today, Gald day! Glad day! And I would see my Friend: Dangers and troubles would end if Jesus should come today. Glad day! Glad day! Is it the crowning day? I’ll live for today, nor anxious be, Jesus, my Lord, I soon shall see; Glad day! Glad day! Is it the crowning day?
Having a witty sense of humor, Dr. Barnhouse would point out that the imminency of Christ only makes sense in the pre-tribulationist view. He would note that if mid-tribulationists or post-tribulationists were to sing this song they’d have to sing: Jesus can’t come today. Sad day! Sad day! And I won’t see my Friend; Dangers and troubles won’t end because Jesus can’t come today. Sad day! Sad day! Today is not the crowning day? I won’t live for today, and anxious I’ll be. The Beast and the False Prophet I soon shall see, Sad day! Sad day! Today is not the crowning day?
In summary: the five phases of the rapture: 1)The Lord will unexpectedly reappear in the sky.
2) The dead in Christ will receive a glorified body. 3) The living in Christ will receive a glorified body. 4) All believers will meet the Lord in the air. 5) All believers will be with the Lord forever.