The Rapture

 

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV).

 

The “rapture” in the Bible refers to a prophetic event where Jesus will return to "catch up" or snatch away all true Christian believers (living and resurrected dead) to meet Him in the air, taking them to heaven. Our reading today is the clearest reference to this event. It involves believers being instantly transformed and taken to be with the Lord, often described as happening suddenly, "in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:51). It should be noted that many theologians have interpretations that vary on whether it's a secret event before or simultaneous with the Second Coming.

 

The word Apostle Paul uses that is translated "caught up" is ἁρπαγησόμεθα. The word "rapture" comes from the Latin rapere, meaning "to seize" or "snatch away," reflecting the Greek harpazo in the New Testament (1 Thessalonians 4:17). HELPS Word Studies says it can be understood as to seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); or, to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).

 

From this passage we can know without debate that both deceased believers (resurrected) and living believers (transformed) will meet Christ. These will meet Him in the air, thus not at the time Jesus comes to the Earth specifically. It is a separate event surrounding the Second Coming. Some of the things that are debated are the timing. Whether the Rapture occurs before, during, or after the Great Tribulation (a period of judgment) is a significant point of difference among Christian traditions. And, some see the Rapture and the visible Second Coming of Christ as separate events, while others view them as one unified event depending on the timing of it. It is worthy of note that the Reformers of the 16th century, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, generally did not distinguish between a "Rapture" and a "Second Coming" as two separate events. Their eschatology was focused on a single, visible, and triumphant return of Jesus Christ to judge the world and establish the new heavens and earth.

 

I must confess that I hope for the rapture before the tribulation, although that is purely selfishness on my part. I just don’t want to be here when the world is in such turmoil. In recent years I have leaned more toward the traditional reformed belief that these events are indistinguishable in their timing. They happen virtually at the same time. Regardless the hope we have because of this truth is the same. Jesus IS coming to finally set all things right and banish evil from creation once and for all! To be sure, that may be much sooner than many would believe.