What is the Rapture?

Please read the Church in Prophecy page first to get some foundational background.

The Rapture describes an event in the future when Jesus Christ will, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51), change all believers of the Church Age  (living and dead) to immortal, giving them a resurrected body (like his), while at the same time catching (snatching) them up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess 4:13-18), also described in John 14.

People say the word Rapture isn’t in the Bible, but this is misleading. The term Rapture comes from the Latin word for the event. This term has been coined for the event rather than the actual Greek word in the text. The Greek word ἁρπάζω, transliterated is harpazo. It means to snatch or catch away, used of Paul in being caught up to Paradise 2 Cor. 12:2, 4. The word is used in 1 Thess 4:13-18, and translated caught up. So, regardless of the word we use to describe the event, it most definitely is a Biblical term. Take a look at Acts 8:39, which uses the same Greek word and has an even more perfect imagery, giving a great visual of what the word means in the New Testament.

Acts 8:39

”When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord ‘snatched’ Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.” The implication it seems to anyone would be that Philip was there and then he was gone. Clearly the word imagery of a Rapture or Snatching Away lines up with the Biblical text. 

Revelation 12:5 – The Ascension

Finally, consider Revelation 12:5. It describes the Messiah (child) being caught up to heaven at the ascension. The same greek word is used – harpazo.

Rev 12:5 – And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne

Luke 24:51 – While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

In the Church in Prophecy page we discussed the implications of the PreTribulation Rapture to the Church. The controversial issue today is to when the event will take place in relation to the time of the second coming and the seven year tribulation. Of course the point is meaningless for those that don’t believe in a literal 7-year tribulation, but for those of us that do, the timing is important. Many Evangelicals believe in a literal 7-year tribulation, and a literal return of Jesus Christ. Less agree on a literal 1000 year Millenium after the return of Christ, but our viewpoint in EndTimes.org is that they are both literal future events. EndTimes.org teaches the following:

• PreMillennialism
• Pretribulation rapture
• A literal 7-year tribulation
• The return of Jesus Christ / the Second Coming
• A literal 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ.

An overview of the different Rapture views

• Pretrib view – The rapture will take place just before the 7-year tribulation starts
• Midtrib view – The rapture will take place at the mid point 3 1/2 years into the tribulation / Great Tribulation
• Prewrath view – The rapture will take place during the second half, and before the Day of the Lord (Distinguishes some judgments to be directly from God)
• Posttrib view – The rapture will take place at the end of the 7-year tribulation, at the second coming of Christ.

Key passages and supporting themes

• John 14:6
• 1 Thess 4:16-17
• 1 Cor 15:51
• Rev 3:10
• 1 Thess 5:9
• 1 Thess 1:10

Rapture vs Second Coming

This is really the starting point in the development of the doctrine of the Rapture. Where did this idea come from and is it justifiable? Another question that we must ask is this:

Would we have come up with the idea of a PreTrib Rapture on our own with a normal reading of scripture? To start we need to look at the verses that we believe show a Rapture separate from the Second Coming.

The Second Coming

Revelation 19 – And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war

Jesus is preparing to leave heaven for the time of judgement

– the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him

– From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron

The heavenly army is ready, Jesus is ready to execute judgement

– And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet … these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire

– the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse

It is a bloody event for sure.

The Rapture and Supporting Passages

1 Thess 4

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

John 14

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³ 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. – Destination: Heaven.

1 Thess 5:2-9

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. ³While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; ⁵for you are all sons of light and sons of day

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Thess 1:10

For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

Were those in Revelation 7 rescued from wrath, or did they participate in it?

Revelation 3:10

‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. 11 ‘I am coming quickly

Not universally accepted as referring to the Rapture, but consider this:

1. This particular prophecy lives in the Book of Revelation. The context shouldn’t be discarded because it’s hard to figure out.
2. The terminology sounds like the Tribulation. (On the Whole world, The hour of testing, the Earth dwellers – All Nations)
3. The Greek word for “keep you from” (from = ek) meaning Keep Out Of, not Keep through or protect. 

Do these sound like the same event?

The Second Coming is described in Revelation as utter judgement ending with the banishment of Satan and the start of the Millennial Kingdom. It is also referenced in the same way in the OT as the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

The passages that we are calling Rapture passages have no feeling of judgement and dread, but of comfort and salvation. They also indicate that the participants location is upward, in the air, or in heaven, and not on Earth, standing on the Mount of Olives, sharp sword in mouth.

Based on this along with the work we’ve done on the Purpose and People of the Endtimes, it seems conclusive that there are two separate events being described. One is the Revelation 19 Old Testament Day of the Lord, prophesied to Israel and meant for Israel, and the other passages are written to the Church. As (1 Thess 4) says, comfort one another with these words.

When will the Rapture happen?

We don’t know when, and the Bible specifically says that no man can know the day or hour. People that set dates are on their own here, in obvious contradiction to the Bible. We hear of people that claim to have a personal prophecy about this – these are not valid based on Mark 13. We know his coming is Imminent. It is the next event on the prophetic timeline.

It is right and good to study this subject, and it makes sense to look at the events around us to see if any precursors of the things Jesus warned of are present. We should not fall into the trap of reading current events into scripture. Caution is better or we will lose credibility. This is what endtimes.org will do as we look at current events. We should have a healthy concern today that the Endtimes are near, and begin to do as Peter said in 2 Pet 3:11

Who will go?

All believers of the church age will be part of the resurrection at the rapture. It seems from Daniel that the OT saints (believers) will receive their resurrected bodies at the second coming of Christ, when the purging of Israel is complete. (The tribulation includes the purging of national Israel) This makes sense when the tribulation is seen in context of Daniel 9. The church is not Israel, and God has spelled out a plan for each group.