Rapture

This is what the Bible says about the “rapture”…that moment when Jesus returns in the sky with those who have died in Christ…the people in heaven come to earth with Jesus, and we meet them in the air. We are given resurrected bodies, not to go back to heaven, but to go to Edom to march in battle with Jesus into Jerusalem, where Jesus will begin restoring the earth back to a Garden-of-Eden like condition…it all starts with the rapture (capitals are mine):


Matthew 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.


1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the TRUMPET makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?


1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST TRUMPET. For the TRUMPET will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.


1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (16) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.


Revelation 11:13-15 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. (14) The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. (15) Then the seventh angel sounded (his TRUMPET): And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"


The rapture timing is one of the most clear doctrines in the Bible. Every time the rapture is described, it is in the context of the trumpet blast…specifically, the LAST trumpet blast. There are only one series of trumpets in the New Testament…the seven trumpets of Revelation.


Trumpets in the Bible are a “call to arms.” They were the tool given to Israel to assemble the army. Jesus isn’t coming back to take everyone away to somewhere else. He is coming back to bring heaven back to earth, what God called “very good” in the Garden of Eden. God hasn’t changed His mind about what is very good. Jesus is coming back to take, by force…by war…where necessary, EVERY kingdom of the earth. Many mistakenly think that the rapture sweeps us all away somewhere else. But that somewhere else is coming here:


Ephesians 1:10 And this is the plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ--everything in heaven and on earth.


The rapture…getting changed in the twinkling of an eye…happens because when heaven comes to earth, you will need a new body to experience the fullness of both realms. Right now Jesus, the only man who dwells in both realms as He pleases, is the only one in heaven with a resurrected body. Everyone else in heaven is in a spiritual form, because they do not need a physical body there. When they return to earth with Jesus, they will need physical bodies like His. Paul said, on the day of the rapture, first they get resurrected bodies, then we do.


The timing of the rapture is one of the most widely debated issues in the Body of Jesus, even though it is actually the only event in the Bible that is timed and documented TO THE DAY:


Daniel 12:6-7 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?" (7) Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time (3.5 years); and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.


Daniel 12:11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.


In this Daniel passage, the angel tells Daniel that it will be 3.5 Jewish years (360 days per year) until Israel would realize Jesus is who He claims to be and would invite Jesus back as Messiah. That is what Jesus promised the Jewish leaders “I won’t return until you invite me back in Jerusalem as messiah.”


Matthew 23:37-39 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (38) See! Your house is left to you desolate; (39) for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' "


That happens just before the seventh trumpet:


Revelation 11:13-15 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city (Jerusalem) fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and GAVE GLORY TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN (emphasis mine). (14) The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly. (15) Then the seventh angel sounded (his TRUMPET): And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"


This is the moment Israel realizes Jesus is the one behind the events, and they repent, and give glory to the God of heaven in Jerusalem. This is when Jesus promised to return as the Lion…as the King…


This happens 1,260 days from the day the antichrist erects a statue of himself in the new temple in Jerusalem. When Jesus returns, the angel told Daniel it will be another 30 days as Jesus marches with His army (you and me in resurrected bodies that can never die) from Edom (present day Jordan) to take possession of Jerusalem and defeat the antichrist:


Isaiah 63:1-4 Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?-- "I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." (2) Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? (3) "I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. (4) For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come.


The reason Daniel was given such specific information about how long the saints would have to endure, is because the time of the Great Tribulation will be the most intense time on planet earth:


Matthew 24:21-22 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (22) And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.


That number of days has been shortened…or “limited”…1,260 days, to be exact. It is SUPER important to know this, because Jesus said MANY would be offended by how intense this time would be, and many will teach wrongly, which will discourage and offend even more. This is called the Great Falling Away by Paul in Thessalonians.


Matthew 24:9-13 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. (10) And then MANY WILL BE OFFENDED (emphasis mine), will betray one another, and will hate one another. (11) Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (13) But he who endures to the end shall be saved.


2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,


Teaching accurately about the rapture is essential to have the Bride be ready and encouraged and confident. Like Paul said, we are to comfort one another with this truth.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (16) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.