THE RAPTURE

of the Church

PART ONE

THE RAPTURE:

The catching up of believers by Christ at the time of His return in the clouds prior to His return to earth (Thessalonians 4:17). The word came into use by way of the Latin "rapio" used to translate the Greek term of, "harpagesometha". Living believers will be "caught up" to meet the Lord at His coming in the clouds.

Those of varying millennial views about end time events all hold firmly to the biblical truth of such rapture. However, it is within the "premillennial" (Thousand year reign with Christ (Revelation 20:6) view that the teaching of rapture finds major emphasis. This view sees a tribulation period immediately before the second coming of Christ.

Pre-tribulationists see the rapture occurring prior to the tribulation. This approach places the church in heaven during the time of tribulation on earth. "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 thus we shall always be with the Lord". (1st Thessalonians 4:17). Matthew 24:31 "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.(Mark 13:27)

Mid-tribulationists place the rapture at the mid-point of a seven-year tribulation period. The church remains on earth for the first half of the tribulation, but escapes the last half which is seen to be the time of intense or great tribulation. This view, along with the previous one, sees the second coming of Christ in two phases. The first phase will be a secret coming in clouds to rapture the church. The second will be His return with the church to reign on earth during the thousand year period (Revelation 20:6).

Post-tribulationists hold the church will remain on earth during the tribulation period. While that time will be one of wrath upon the world system, the church will be protected from divine wrath although experiencing tribulation. This view avoids dividing the return of Christ into two phases.

We have just looked at the three different interpretations of this event. In this study we will not consider not only the three interpretations listed above but we will look at the Scripture to see what the Bible teaches regarding the rapture. Several erroneous propositions have been presented for consideration. See how the Scripture makes this doctrine clear and understandable.

The doctrine of the rapture of the church has so many different approaches that it will be to our advantage to study them one at a time. When we just read our Bible it is not difficult to become confused, especially when there are so many attempting to explain what Scripture is teaching about any given doctrine. Because of the mass confusion that surrounds this doctrine we will take our study one step at a time. We will "study the Bible" to discover what the Scripture teaches.

One of the most common misunderstandings of this doctrine is found in Matthew 24:36-42 and being confused with 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 2nd Thessalonians

2:1-18.

First we will study Matthew 24:36-42.

~No One Knows That Day and Hour

MAT 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

  • of that day and hour no one knows.
  1. Anything taught outside of Scripture is pure conjecture on the part of the teacher.
  • not even the angels of heaven.
  1. Not even those in the closest relationship to God know.
  • But My Father only.
  1. God and God alone knows the time of Jesus second coming to earth.

Matthew 24:37 "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Consider the days of Noah:

  • Geneses 6:5-7 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
  1. It appears that God has come to the end of His patience with His creation.

38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

  • In total rebellion of Gods standards of living for Him, they continued to live the life that suited them.

39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

  1. The total rejection of God and His standard for living resulted in the judgment of God on His people.
  2. God had given previous notice of what was coming they did not change. They chose to ignore the warning and continued in their sinful lifestyle. Genesis 6:3 "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years".

40 "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

  • Keep in mind that the context of this chapter is referring to the judgment of God and not the second coming of Christ. (Matthew 24:3)
  1. At the time of Christ's return to earth things will going along pretty much as normal (Genesis 6:38)
  2. Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage etc.
  3. Scripture compares the behavior of mankind at the time of Noah to the behavior of mankind in the tribulation period.

Daniel 9:27 Then he (the antichrist) (shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he (the antichrist) shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."

  1. A covenant between the antichrist and Daniels people (Dan 9:24) was obviously to allow Daniels people to rebuild the temple and resume worship by sacrifice and oblation.
  2. In the midst of the week he (the antichrist) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.(Daniel 9:27)
  3. The antichrist will completely dominate the method of worship in the temple until the return of Christ.(Daniel 9:27)

41 "Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

  • When Christ returns at the end of the tribulation period it will not be to rescue the righteous from judgment as was the case of Noah and the arch.
  1. Christ is coming to bring judgment on the unrighteous rejecters of God.
  2. This will be an occasion of utter annihilation of Christ's enemies. (Rev. 19:18-2-17)
  3. During the tribulation period there will a multitude of lost souls come to Christ for Salvation. (Revelation 7:9-17)
  4. Those who are working side by side during the tribulation period are the ones saved during the tribulation period and the unsaved. (Revelation 7:9-17)
  5. .When Christ returns in judgment the unsaved will be taken in judgment and the saved will be left behind to rule with Christ for a thousand years.(Revelation 20:4)

42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

  • This passage is addressed to the Jewish people in general (Daniel 9:24) and it is Daniels people living in the tribulation period that this admonition is given.

Watch therefore. Although the emphasis here is upon the coming of the Son of man after the Tribulation, the warning is pertinent to all believers who come to Christ during the tribulation, for all are to be watchful and ready for his coming. The delineation of various phases of his coming is revealed later. This encouragement to watchfulness is repeated in (24:44) and (25:13).

Short of context this passage it has led many to accept this passage as relating to the rapture of the church. Matthew 24:3 "And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples (Mark 13:3 names the disciples). "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately"), came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world"? In the KJV text, clearly the context of this passage is relating to the end of the tribulation period and not the rapture of the church. At the time of this conversation between Jesus and His Disciples the Church was not yet in existence.

In part two of this study we will compare the judgment of God found here and the love of God found in the scriptural account of the rapture of the church.

 

Pastor Stan