Rapture about Jesus’ return for Christians

The world doesn’t understand the “catching away” of the church, and that’s understandable for those people who do not know the Bible. Christians, though, should understand and believe in the “rapture,” even though the exact word “rapture” does not occur in the Scriptures and was formed from a word in the Latin translation of the Bible.

As that time fast approaches, I want to do a synopsis of the “catching away” of the born-again Christian as we see in the Bible.

In chapter 24 of Matthew, Jesus’ disciples asked what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the church age. Jesus said there would be wars, famines, pestilence and earthquakes in many parts of the world. Jesus went on to say the world will do many terrible things to the Christians and we will be hated all over the world.

Then many false preachers will rise up and deceive many, but those who endure to the end will be saved.

In the book of Acts 1:9-11 we see where Jesus was “taken up” into a cloud, and as his disciple stood watching, two white-robed men appeared and said, “why do you stand staring at the sky?

“Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven and someday, just as you saw him go, he will return.”

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 tells of the Christians, the church, being caught up, raptured.

A very descriptive account, “for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout.” Then, first, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.

We see in the Scriptures when a Christian dies his soul and spirit go to heaven with Jesus. And when Jesus returns for the church, those dead in Christ will also return to take up their earthly glorified bodies and will rise.

Then we, who are alive on Earth, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and will remain with him forever. Of course, Jesus is in heaven with the Father. That is where we will go after the rapture with Jesus, until he comes back to take up his earthly throne, at which time we will come back to rule and reign with Jesus for a thousand years.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:2-8, there is also an account of the catching away of the church, but also the revealing of the antichrist. We see where the followers of Jesus were concerned that the day of the Lord had already come. But they were encouraged when they were told that the day will not come until the departure, the catching away, of the church had taken place and the antichrist will be revealed.

When the Christians are no longer on Earth holding back the lawless one, the antichrist, this evil man will be revealed and for seven years do the work of Satan with counterfeit power, signs and miracles. Why are the Christians holding back the lawless one? Because we are Christ’s ambassadors here on Earth.

I don’t see how the Holy Spirit will be taken out of the world, because many people will be born again during the seven years of tribulation. Scriptures show those born again after the rapture face martyrdom during the antichrist’s evil days.

At the end of the seven years – of which, the last 3 1/2 years (42 months) is called the Great Tribulation – the Lord Jesus will return and consume the evil one with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his (Jesus’) coming.

Then those who have taken the mark of the beast with their allegiance to the antichrist during the tribulation will be condemned to everlasting punishment, for they have rejected Jesus and his Lordship. Jesus paid the price for all mankind’s sins. All those who reject Jesus, reject eternal life.

Jesus said in Matthew 25:13, “Watch therefore, for you know not neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Be prepared.

For those of you who have noticed, I use the word “departure” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 instead of “falling away.” I believe the word departure, or catching up, better fits the translation, as I have seen departure was used in three different 15th-century translations of this verse because a possible rendering of the Greek word apostasia is departure (of the church). Although I am not saying there is not a falling away in today’s believers.

My view here of a pre-tribulation rapture will only be established once Jesus comes. And I must say my study Bible has a page of eight different pre-millennial views, although some of which are very difficult to follow in light of the word of God.

As Christians, the Bible shows us to keep Jesus Christ our Lord No. 1 in our lives.

So as interesting and important as some of these side issues may seem, we are not to be dogmatic in our interpretation to where we become argumentative. As one minister said, we can disagree without being disagreeable.

So in light of that statement, I pray this synopsis of the catching away of the church is helpful and that it does the scriptures justice.