For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV
The next prophetic event on God’s calendar is the rapture, the removal of the church. Sometimes we confuse the rapture with the second coming of the Lord, but they are two separate events.
At the rapture, Christ doesn’t touch the earth. All believers, dead and alive will meet Him in the air. After the church is removed from earth, seven years of tribulation will take place.
The second coming occurs at the end of the Tribulation when Jesus Christ return to earth riding on a white horse, with an army of believers. He will rule and reign for one thousand years.
The word “rapture” doesn’t appear in Scripture. It’s derived from a Latin term used for the Greek vocabulary in the above verses for “caught up.” Jesus referred to the rapture when He consoled His disciples telling them He was going to prepare a place for them and would return for them one day (John 14:1-3).
Here’s the timetable: the rapture, the Tribulation, and the second coming.
Our focal verses describe the rapture. Jesus Christ will descend from heaven with a shout. At the sound of His voice, the dead in Christ will rise. What? Aren’t they already in heaven? Yes, their souls were present with the Lord at death, but their bodies will rise. Whether they were lost at sea, buried, or cremated, God knows where their remains are.
Michael, the archangel will let out another shout to rally the holy angels to escort the bride of Christ to meet her groom, Jesus.
Then the trumpet will sound. Biblically, trumpets were used to initiate worship and war. Heaven will overflow with worship, but a war is on the horizon, the Battle of Armageddon, which occurs after the Tribulation.
A biblical understanding of the rapture should motivate Christians, especially in light of current events. We must get busy about our Father’s business, telling lost souls about Jesus. Without Jesus as Lord and Savior, people will endure the wrath of God as He pours out one affliction after another on the earth. People will slaughter one another. Unprecedented scarcity will arise. Earthquakes will shake the stars from the sky. Mountains and islands will move, and that’s only the beginning.
But you don’t have to experienced those horrific events. If you aren’t absolutely positive you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, now is a good time.
Are you genuinely sorry for your sins? Do you truly want to leave sin in the past and live one hundred percent for Jesus? If that is the desire of your heart, pray the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am a filthy sinner, and I truly am sorry for my sin. I have lived in rebellion against You, but no more. Today, I agree with You about my evil ways. I ask You to save me, washing me clean. I want to live a new life for You now. Forgive me and come into my heart. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
HIKING THE TRAIL
Who can you tell about Jesus today?
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Originally posted on April 6, 2020 @ 3:00 am