Page 45 - Eschatology - Student Ebook

Study Section 6: The Rapture of the Church

6.1 Connect

The Bible describes an event that will occur in the future which may happen anytime. It is
called the Rapture of the Church. Sometimes people call this event the second coming of
Christ, but that confuses this event with Christ’s actual coming to earth to be King of kings in
Jerusalem. The Rapture is not the second coming of Christ, but a prelude to it. We could call it
Phase I of His coming.

The Bible says Christ will come down only as far as the clouds and that a trumpet will sound. Who all
will hear that trumpet is not told, but definitely those who are believers will hear it. Then, in a twinkling
of an eye, believers will disappear and meet Christ in the clouds. You ever wonder how long a twinkling
of an eye is? According to General Electric, it is 1/50 th of a second or really fast. There will be no time
to prepare or change your mind. One second people will be around you, then the next they will be
gone. Are you prepared for such an event?

6.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to describe the event called the Rapture and validate where it is
found in the Bible.

2. The student should be able to explain how Israel will fit into end time events as described in the
Bible.

6.3 The Rapture of the Church

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.”

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.

The rapture is the next prophetic event to take place. We do not know when it will happen. The
expectation of Paul was that it could happen at any time.

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