Page 189 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition
Rapture uniformly as an imminent event, as if there were no
Great Tribulation preceding it.
The background of 1 Thessalonians is significant. Paul.
Silas, and Timothy had come to the town of Thessalonica in
southeastern Europe and had ministered for three Sabbath
days in the synagogue. The result was, according to Acts 17:4,
“Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,
as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few
prominent women." The success of Paul and Silas in propa­
gating their new faith aroused jealousy in the Jews, who
“formed a mob and started a riot” (Acts 17:5). It seemed best,
under the circumstances, for Paul and his companion to leave
Thessalonica, lest their lives be taken.
Paul, soon after, sent Timothy back to sec how the Thes­
salonians were getting along. After staying with the Thessalo­
nians for a time. Timothy rejoined Paul and reported that the
Thessalonians were standing fast in the faith, bearing a good
testimony, and preaching the gospel to those in Thessalonica.
Paul, overjoyed at the good tidings, wrote 1 Thessalonians.
Timothy had brought back some theological questions, and
some of these related to the rapture of the church. This gave
Paul occasion to expound the doctrine of the Rapture in some
detail.
The Rapture as an Imminent Event
While some of the references to the Rapture in 1 Thes­
salonians are brief, they all imply that the Thessalonians were
looking for the return of Christ any day. The first reference in
1 Thessalonians 1:10 is of this character where Paul described
their expectation, “And to wait for his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from
the coming wrath.” Here the hope of the Lord is seen as an
event duly anticipated and an event that preceded the coming
wrath. Paul referred to the wrath again in 1 Thessalonians
2:16.

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