Page 118 - Bible Doctrine Survey I - Student Textbook (3)

Study Section 17: Doctrine of Future Things - continued

17.1 Connect.

Now we are ready to really get into details about what is coming in the future. For believers, it
is really good news. For the lost, years of great tribulation are coming as judgment for man’s
rebellion and sin over the ages. We need to do everything we can to share the Gospel with as
many people as we can before these events unfold.

17.2 Objectives:

1. The student should be able to recite some exciting verses that inform us about the soon
coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

2. The student should be able to tell us about the 7 year tribulation period as it relates to Israel in
preparation for the reign of Christ in Jerusalem.

3. The student should be able to describe what the Bible says about the Millennial Kingdom and Christ’s
reign for 1000 years.

4. The student should be able to describe the eternal state and explain what Christ has promised
believers as they enter eternity and time is done away with.

17.3 What’s coming next?

I Thessalonians 4:16-18 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. 17After 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. 18Therefore encourage
one another with these words.

While the word, “rapture” is not used in this passage or any other passage in
the Bible, the concept of being “caught up” to meet Christ in the air is clearly
taught in this verse. The word, rapture, is a Latin word meaning “to be caught
up.” Other key doctrinal teachings in Scripture are not specifically worded in
the Bible but are certainly taught, for example, the word, “trinity.”

The rapture is Christ’s return to take believers to heaven with Him. Pretribulationalism is the view that
this event may occur at any moment (imminent). Thus it is before (pre) the 7-year Tribulation. The key
passages teaching about the rapture are John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 and the verses cited
above, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

At the time of the rapture, our bodies will receive an instantaneous change. “The dead will be raised
imperishable” (those who have died in Christ) and receive a glorified body (I Cor. 15:52 - 58), then those
believers living at that time will be removed from the earth and receive a glorified body.

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