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The Rapture |
The Rapture is an earlier appearance of Christ to remove his faithful followers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It marks the end-point of the Church Age. Then Israel will begin the last seven years of their history before Christ's glorious return.
The Rapture is part of the "mystery" of the Church. The Church was not predicted in the Old Testament or explained in Jesus' Olivet Discourse because it was not yet time for this mystery to be unveiled. When it was revealed, the Apostle Paul taught it in 1 Thessalonians chapters 4 and 5 and 1 Corinthians 15.
Some people mistakenly think that the Rapture is not found in the Bible. Of course, the English word "rapture" is not used in the Greek text. Neither is the English words "church" or "Jesus." But the Greek word for the event is harpazo, which means to "catch up," or "snatch away."
See also: Excerpts from The Prophecy Puzzle and Chapter 6 of our new book,
Connecting the Dots:
A Handbook of Bible Prophecy.
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| Go To Bible Gateway | Go To Blue Letter Bible |
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| NIV & Other Versions | Includes Commentary |
| Matthew 24:32-44 | Further Study |
| Luke 21:36 | Further Study |
| John 14:1-6 | Further Study |
| 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 | Further Study |
| 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 | Further Study |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 | Further Study |
| 2 Peter 2:6-9 | Further Study |
| Revelation 3:10 | Further Study |
| Revelation 4:1 | Further Study | Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 | Further Study |
Current Events and LinksProphetic Significance of The RaptureSee Also: Ron's Blog: Rapture Rapture Drill Today
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Thessalonians 4:13-18 |
Revelation 19:14 |
John 14:3 |
Matthew 24:30 |
1 Corinthians 15:52 |
Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16; Matthew 24:30 |
Revelation 20:1-3 |
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Revelation 20:4-5 |
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1 Corinthians 15:51 |
Dan. 12:1-3; Zech. 12:10; 14:1-4 |
Revelation, Chapters 4 through 22
There are constant references to the church and the seven churches in chapters 1 through 3. The word "church" is found every few verses: angels of the churches, messages to the seven churches, etc. But in chapter 4, verse 1 John is told to "come up here." He is "caught up" (like the Rapture). Also compare Revelation 11:12 where the identical words are used to resurrect and translate the Two Witnesses into Heaven.
Where is the church in the whole story of Israel's last week of history, The Tribulation? It is missing! "Church" is not mentioned during the entire Tribulation period, Chapters 4 to 19. There is no message to the church. What you do have is Two Witnesses from Israel's past, you have the 144000 who are sealed from the twelve tribes of Israel. It is the last seven years of Israel's history before the end of this age. Israel was the vehicle of God's blessing to the whole earth. They were not the "Chosen People" because God was playing favorites. They were chosen that through them, God could get the message out to others. When they did not do well with that, He set them aside and put the Church in. (Romans 11; 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:1-11; 5:32) The Church has been here for 2000 years now. When the Church is taken away, there are still seven years of Israel's history left to play out. This is known as Daniel's 70th Week. We believers of today are the spiritual seed of Abraham, but we are not Israel. We have been temporarily grafted in by God, but the time will come when Israel is grafted back into the tree of God's purposes. (Romans 11:17-24) It all fits together perfectly.
The absent church also accounts for the rise in lawlessness during The Tribulation period. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8).
Luke 21:36
"But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Peter 2
6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
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.
Some people have the mistaken idea that we will be delivered from the time of wrath just because God won't allow Christians to suffer. This is not what the Bible teaches at all. As Christians, we may expect trials and tribulations, suffering and persecution (1 Peter 4:12-13 ;2 Timothy 3:12). God allows our difficulties to improve us, develop our faith, and prove to others that Christianity is true (1 Peter 1:6-8; James 1:12). He promises not to allow us to be tried beyond our ability to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13), and He will see to it that what the Devil means for evil actually turns out for our good (Job 1:9-12; 42:10-17; Genesis 50:20).
On the other hand, we are plainly told that we who trust in Christ are not under condemnation (Romans 8:1). Whenever God judges the unrighteous, He delivers those who trust in Him. This is seen in the Biblical stories of the Flood in the days of Noah, the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Lot and his family saved), and the plagues on Egypt, including the death of the firstborn (Israelites delivered).
The events of the Tribulation are judgments from God, and as such, it would be consistent for Him to deliver the Church before it begins.
