What is the Rapture of the Church or the Believers

The Rapture is the sudden removal of the Church, which is all the born again believers in Jesus Christ, from the earth to be with the Lord in Heaven for all Eternity. The word Rapture is not in the bible but the idea is drawn from the Latin term for “caught-up” rapturo. It just means that the church of Jesus Christ, which is those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior, will literally be transported from earth to Heaven in an instant or in a twinkle of an eye. There will be no death for those who will be raptured. All of the believers will be taken instantly or all will be caught-up in the air to be with Jesus for ever and ever. However, no one knows the time when this will actually happen. But we do know that we are given in God’s Word as an assurance that it will happen in Gods own time frame and not in ours.

If you have made any attempt to study scriptural references to what the future holds, you should know that the major discussion among most believers today are concerns about the point of time that the Rapture will take place in relationship to the Tribulation. There are several theories, but only two are dominate. The first is the pre-tribulation view. This is the belief that the church will be raptured prior to the Tribulation. I believe this is the view that Scripture supports. The second is the post-tribulation view, which is the belief that the church will not be raptured until the very end of the Tribulation; and the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ are a single event rather than two separate events as held to those who adhere to the pre-tribulation rapture. I would like to ask the question, does it really make any difference when our Lord will come? If Jesus our Savior, should come during the pre-tribulation time we should give thanks and praise Him for that terrible time that we all missed at the tribulation time. But if Jesus should come during the post-tribulation time, then we should all gladly suffer for our Lord sake, for either way, we still have the blessed hope of His coming for the church.

The Scripture in the book of Revelations promises to keep us from the hour of temptation is the basis for my belief that the church will be Raptured prior to the Tribulation; “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”(Revelation 3:10) You should always comfort one another with God’s promises and keep His Holy Word.

Regardless to what we believe about when the Rapture will happen, there is much more concerning exactly what the Rapture is. We have determined that it means that the church will be caught-up or carried-away into the air to be with our Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity. There will be millions of people that will disappear and they will be welcomed into the unspeakable presence of the one and only true God of Heaven. After the Rapture, some people on earth will realize what has happened, and know what they have missed. This terrible time will be the darkest days that will lie ahead for those that have been left behind. But what exactly does that mean? Well, I believe the Rapture covers a number of things.

First, Jesus Christ will return. This event will be one great drama that is prophesied in the Scriptures. The Lord will come and be accompanied with a loud command from what will sound like the voice of an arc angel. This event will be accompanied by the trumpet call of God. This event and the sounds will be heard all around the world.

The second thing we can know about the Rapture is that there will be a resurrection of those who have died “in Jesus Christ.” The dead will be raised even before those who are living will be changed. And both groups will experience their respective changes “in the twinkling of an eye.” (I Corinthians 15:52)

Third, there will be a Rapture of the living believers who will be caught-up to be with our Lord Jesus Christ without experiencing death. The word Rapture specifically refers to the transformation of the living believers into immortal bodies without the event of physical death. Whatever happens in that instant is a mystery, Paul said, but what a glorious mystery it will be for all of the saints.

The fourth aspect of the Rapture relates to the reunion with loved ones who have died and our union with Jesus Christ. Can you just imagine what that will be like? I never met my grandmother or my grandfather because they both died before I was born. I miss my dear mother and father because they have gone to be with the Lord and are in Heaven. I miss my sweet little daughter Lori that died when she was only five years old and is with the Lord now. I also have brothers and sisters and friends with our Lord in Heaven. I just think about what kind of reunion that day will be, but yet, it holds no comparison at all to what it will be like when we see Jesus and sat down with Him for all Eternity to praise Him and worship Him for evermore for His undying love for all of us. There is so much that I could say about the word Rapture, but all the Scriptures listed below can say it better than me because it is God’s Word.

(I Corinthians 15:51) Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(I Corinthians 15:52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

(I Corinthians 15:53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

(I Thessalonians 4:14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

(I Thessalonians 4:15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them who are asleep.

(I Thessalonians 4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;

(I Thessalonians 4:17) 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 so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(Matthew 27:52) And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints that were raised,

(Matthew 27:53) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the Holy City, and appeared unto many.

(Revelation 3:10) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

(Job 19:25) For I know that my redeemer liveth and He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth;

(Job 19:26) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God,

(Job 19:27) Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my heart be consumed within me.

(Isaiah 26:19) Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

(Daniel 12:2) And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

(Daniel 12:3) And they that be wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.

(Revelation 20:5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

(Revelation 20:6) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Note: I pray that these Scriptures have helped you in your bible study and understanding of Gods’ precious Holy word in the Bible. Please feel free to pass them on to other people if they have helped you.

Your, Brother in Christ
Frank Rose