What is the Rapture?
When Jesus Christ returns, he will gather his elect: the faithful followers of Jesus Christ. No one knows the exact day or hour that Jesus will return. Yet, Almighty God has chosen to provide prophesies to help His people understand when the time is at hand.
Jesus Will Gather His Elect
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24: 31)
When Jesus Christ returns, He will gather His elect (the followers of Christ: Christians) from the four winds and from one end of the heavens to the other. This is a supernatural event. It describes what some people call “the Rapture.”
The Rapture
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4: 13-15)
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17)
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15: 51-54)
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)
The last trumpet is when Jesus Christ returns and gathers His followers. When Jesus returns, His faithful followers who have died will be raised from the dead first and then those who were still alive when He returns will be changed from mortal to immortal in the twinkling of an eye – caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. This event is often referred to as “the rapture.”
When Jesus Christ gathers His elect, they are taken (to meet Him in the air). Those who belong to Jesus Christ are indwelled with God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is the same Holy Spirit that will give life to our mortal bodies. It is imperative to receive the Holy Spirit because that is that power that will raise you up at the Rapture.
Those who do not belong to Jesus Christ will be left behind.
Some People Will Be Left Behind
That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (Matthew 24: 39-42)
34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. (Luke 17: 34)
When Jesus arrives (“the coming of the Son of Man”), the rapture will occur. Matthew 24: 31 states that Jesus sends His angels to gather His elect (the faithful followers of Jesus Christ). At that moment, people on earth will suddenly vanish as they are gathered onto Jesus.
Those who do not belong to Jesus Christ will be left behind. Those who are left behind after Jesus gathers His elect will be subject to God’s judgment. (Revelation 20: 5-6, 11-15)
Note that some Bible scholars are confused about the timing of the rapture due to misunderstanding the scriptures that describe the End Times Harvest. (See: What is the End Times Harvest?)
Do Not Be Deceived
23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. (Matthew 24: 23-25)
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24: 26-27)
30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24: 30)
22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. 24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. (Luke 17: 22-24)
Satan will try to deceive the followers of Jesus Christ. There will be false messiahs and false prophets who will be able to perform great signs and wonders. Do not be deceived.
When Jesus returns, no one will have to tell you. The return of Jesus Christ will be visible from the east to the west. ALL the people of the earth will see him arrive and they will mourn. There will be zero doubt as to whether or not it is the real Jesus Christ. (See: What is the Return of Jesus Christ?)
Celestial Signs
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24: 29-30)
There will be celestial signs that Jesus Christ is about to return. The sun and moon will be darkened and stars will fall from the sky. Next there will be the unmistakable sign of Jesus’ return. The people of the earth will mourn when they see Him arriving on the clouds with power and great glory. It will be a dramatically supernatural event. At that time, there will be no doubt as to this being the real Jesus Christ (the Son of God).
The Parable of the 10 Virgins
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25: 1-13)
According to the parable, there were 10 virgins (a term the Bible uses to describe those who are faithful to God). Half of the virgins were foolish and were completely unprepared for the possibility that the bridegroom might arrive later than they expected. The other half of the virgins were wise and prepared for the possibility that the bridegroom may not arrive as early as expected.
Jesus told this parable as a warning. Believers who assume that the Rapture takes place before the Great Tribulation are not preparing for the possibility that Jesus (the bridegroom) may arrive later than they think. As such, they will not be prepared for the time of “great distress” that is about to come onto the world. (See: What is the Great Tribulation?)
Only Jehovah God Knows the Exact Time & Day
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (Matthew 24: 36-42)
Even though God has given some information on timing, He has not given the exact day or hour. Christians are to be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ and we are to know when the time is near. But only Almighty God knows the exact day/hour of Jesus’ return.
The Timing
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. (Matthew 24: 21-23)
“For the sake of the elect” the days of Great Tribulation will be shortened. This scripture indicates that Christians will be present during the Great Tribulation. In addition, the Great Multitude in white robes describes people who were martyred during the Great Tribulation because of their testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 7: 9-17).
29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24: 29-31)
“Immediately after the distress of those days” refers to the time of great distress called the Great Tribulation. It might also include the wrath of God (which follows the Great Tribulation). Therefore, the return of Jesus Christ will happen after the Great Tribulation. It appears that he will return near the end of the time that God’s wrath is poured out onto the earth… shortly before the battle of Armageddon.
15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” (Revelation 16: 15-17)
The timing of this event appears to coincide with the battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ arrives in time to save the remnant of Israel. He will vanquish the armies of the world that have gathered to destroy Israel. (Revelation 19: 11-21)
Certain events must first take place before Jesus will return. For example, the events of the 6th Trumpet will take place before the 7th Trumpet is blown and declares the arrival of Jesus Christ.
Christians are present During the Great Tribulation
10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. (Revelation 6: 10-11)
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,“they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ” (Revelation 7: 13-17)
Those who came out of the Great Tribulation and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb are Christians who experienced the Great Tribulation. Many will be martyred during that time. Some will be taken captive during that time. Some will escape that time of Great Tribulation – but they are not “raptured” before the Great Tribulation because Jesus gathers his elect only once. (See: What is the Great Multitude in White Robes?)
Some will Escape the Great Tribulation
35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21: 35-36)
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. (Revelation 3: 10)
Although the Rapture does not take place before the Great Tribulation, God will keep some Christians from that time of great distress. He doesn’t say exactly how He will do it. He may call them home to be with Him before the Great Tribulation… or He may choose to protect some Christians during that time of Great Tribulation.
God chooses what and how He will act. God is sovereign and His decisions are above reproach. God has a purpose in whatever He allows, He will help His holy people through whatever He allows, and He will make something good come from it. Since God is ultimately the One in control, do not be afraid.
Faithfulness and Patient Endurance
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.10 “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people. (Revelation 13: 9-11)
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. (Revelation 14: 9-12)
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14: 13)
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10: 32-33)
Christians will be present during the Great Tribulation. During that time, we are called to patiently endure what happens and to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. Our suffering will not be in vain. God will use it to draw others to Him. In addition, we will enter into God’s rest and our deeds will follow us. Blessed are those who remain faithful to the Lord. (See: What is Faithfulness & Patient Endurance?)
For more information, please read:
- What is the 6th Trumpet?
- What is the 5th Seal?
- What is the 6th Seal?
- What are the 7 Golden Bowls?
- What is the 7th Trumpet?
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24: 44)
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