Don’ Be Ignorant About the Rapture
How We Get the Word Rapture
It is amazing how the things the Bible specifically warns us not to be ignorant about are the areas we seem to be the most ignorant. Today we are teaching on one of those topics – the rapture. Notice in verse 13 Paul says clearly, “I don’t want you to be IGNORANT”. Ignorant about what? The catching away of the Church. This is what we call “the rapture”. We get the English word “rapture” from the Latin word “rapio” translated from the New Testament Greek word harpazo. Harpazo is translate “caught up” in our English bibles.
While there are many opinions about the rapture and differing thoughts that often create confusion, this is not the intent of Jesus. The devil is the author of confusion and deceit and amazingly he succeeds in deceiving many. My purpose is not to try and debate the timing of or other aspects about the rapture. The great thing about Christianity is God gives everyone the freedom of choice to believe what they want. He does not force anyone to believe a certain way. However, you will reap what you believe or don’t believe. So, I am focused here on explaining what “the rapture” is and the purpose of it.
Anchored in the Truth – not speculation
While there is a great deal of speculation by many on the rapture and the coming of the Lord, what is important for us is to keep our focus on is the hope and comfort that is always at the root of Christ and the Holy Spirit. We must stay anchored to the truth. So, what is the truth? The Word of God is truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, THE truth and the life.’ (John 14:6) What does the truth say? The Word of God clearly says when Christ appears, all who are His will be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52) God has a plan and we can know and be confident in His plan. He is not trying to keep His plan from us or make it complicated to understand. The rapture is a promise of God. Its purpose is very simple and clear, to remove believers who are alive, from the earth before the great “tribulation”. This is a time of God’s judgment upon the Jewish people – the time of “Jacobs Trouble”. (Jeremiah 30:7;
Rapture & Second Coming Different Events
It is important to know and understand “the rapture” and the Second Coming are two different events. The Second Coming of Jesus happens AT THE END of the Age of the Gentiles. The rapture happens BEFORE THE END of the age of the Gentiles. Jesus will call up the church saints who are still alive to meet Him in the air before the Second Coming of Christ when He actually returns to earth. In the rapture believers are going up and at the second coming believers are coming down.
Difference Between Rapture and Resurrection
Another important thing to know and understand is the difference between rapture and resurrection. The Bible teaches that every believer receives a new heavenly (incorruptible, eternal) body. This new body is necessary to inherit the millennial kingdom of God that begins after the great tribulation.
Also, there are several different times when people are resurrected. Jesus is the first fruits of that promise when He was resurrected on the third day after His crucifixion. (1Corinthians 15:23) Church saints who have died are resurrected at the rapture of the church. This is when they get their new immortal bodies. However, believers who are alive (not yet died physically) they will be CHANGED not resurrected to receive their new heavenly eternal bodies – in a twinkling of an eye. In this event Jesus is not coming to the earth – we go up to meet Him in the air. It is important to note how Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says we will be caught up (as opposed to resurrected).
What Happens at the Resurrection
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First,
we (true believers) meet our brothers and sisters who have died in the clouds and return to the Heavenly throne room with Christ.
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Secondly,
there is a trumpet call. This is not, again not – a trumpet of Revelation. This trumpet is that of the Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah. The dead in Christ rise (resurrect) first. Secondly, those Christians who are still alive on earth are instantly changed into a new eternal body. (1Corinthians 15:51ff) Paul in his teachings makes it very clear that all believers dead or alive receive new bodies together at this time (the rapture).
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Thirdly,
it is at this time we all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be paid back for what we did while we were alive in the body. (2Corinthians 5:10.) We will all (every believer) appear before Christ for judgment at the same time. This means the judgment seat moment happens only once. Therefore, all believers are judged one by one in that moment, and each receives his or her reward at that time it’s not a judgment for condemnation (see Romans 8:1), but rather it’s a judgment for determining rewards. New Testament writers all agree that the Church is rewarded at the revealing of Jesus when the church is taken out of the world. So even if we die today, we don’t receive our reward until the rest of the Church receives theirs at the resurrection. So, all Church saints will be brought together with new bodies to meet the Lord in the air. It is at this moment we all will be judged and all will receive their reward together.
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Fourth,
the Marriage Supper of Lamb happens in heaven at this time. This time is the 7-year period of tribulation on the earth. The tribulation is the final chapter of God dealing with Israel – Jacobs time of trouble. The Church is with Jesus being prepared to return to earth with the King of Kings at the end of the tribulation and beginning of the millennial kingdom.
Now – you are not ignorant about “the rapture” – so be encouraged and comfort one another with these words!