Passages that speak to the rapture of the Church.

 In a recent conversation, I was told by a person who also spent a tremendous amount of time attending church, as I did, that they can see very little in scripture that tells us of a rapture of the church. They said that if there is a rapture, they don't expect it to happen for another fifty years. What makes this even worse is that I had a brother in Christ and a pastor tell me to relax as they could not see Jesus returning for His bride anytime soon.

I responded to the rather one-sided conversation by saying every prophetic event, up to this point, has been fulfilled, and all the events needed to make these things happen have exploded on the scene so quickly that there will be no stopping or slowing this process down. And we have a group called the World Economic Forum, run by Klaus Schwab and many rich, powerful, demonically motivated egomaniacs who desire to eliminate commoners. You are blinded by the enemy if you cannot see this in the scriptures.

Even as this person was talking to me, my head and heart were telling me that I needed to gather the information that validates that the church will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air and forever be with Him; and that the Bible is filled with passages that affirm that He is coming back for us, which has a secondary benefit as we are removed from the wrath that will quickly hit the earth. On that note, I did NOT include Noah and his family, who were told to get into the ark, and then scripture tells us that God closed the door. The other example or type is Lot and the fiery destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, and several other cities. At one point in that narrative, the angels had to grab Lot and his family because they could do NOTHING until Lot was moved to safety – just as we, the church, will be.

With that, let's dive in, starting with Daniel, as he wrote extensively about the time we have been experiencing.

"But you, Daniel, keep this message a secret. You must close the book and keep this secret until the time of the end. Many people will go here and there looking for true knowledge, and the true knowledge will increase." (Daniel 12:4 ERV)

The question you should be asking is, is this speaking of when the church gets snatched away, or is it meant for the moment, seven years later, when Jesus comes back as the warring Messiah?

If it is intended to convey the moment Jesus returns on the white horse in Revelation 19, you have to ask, what has been going on up to this point? The time of wrath has been a non-stop onslaught of death at the hands of humans, weather changes that kill the plant life, death by starvation, death by plagues – both natural and lab-made, sky-born objects poisoning the rivers and oceans– making the waters undrinkable and fish life die.

Here in Revelation 3, the moment when the wrath is unleashed is called “the hour of testing” and does not exclude the other descriptives, such as day or week = 7 years.

Revelation 3:10 NASB) “'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

Matthew 24 alerts those looking for Jesus to return for His bride that a multitude of signs will take place. Well, all those things have taken place; seeing Israel as the fig tree is one of those.

(Matthew 24:32-35 MKJV) “Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branch is still tender and puts out leaves, you know that summer is near. So you, likewise, when you see all these things, shall know that it is near, at the doors. Truly I say to you, This generation shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled.”

Another of those alerts tells us that “This generation shall not pass until all these thing are fulfilled.” The NASB conveys it this way “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

1 Thessalonians 5 points out that we (believers) are not in the dark and therefore have an awareness of what is coming and approximately when.

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 MKJV) But of the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you, yourselves, know accurately that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety! Then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.

The day will come like a thief in the night. How does the thief in the night function?

By sneaking around in the darkness, undetected. But Christ's return for His church is NOT like a thief, nor will those who are looking for Him be caught off guard. Why? Because we ARE NOT in the darkness, because the light became a part of who we are.

When I try to convey that we should be able to tell when Jesus is coming back, I am met with the “out-of-context” garbage that says, “no man knows the day or the hour.” This was said to Jews in a language that was completely knowable to them and had everything to do with seeing the moon, which indicated the new month. Even though there had to be witnesses, cloud cover could obscure the sighting to the point that an arbitrary announcement would have to be declared. Can't you see that even this has variables involved in it, just picking the winners of the World Series of baseball or how many games they will play?

Matthew 13:10- 13 MKJV) And the disciples said to Him, Why do You speak to them in parables? He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. For whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whoever does not have, from him shall be taken away even that which he has. Therefore I speak to them in parables because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not; nor do they understand.

There is no doubt that Jesus was here and returned to the Father. His promise to us is John 14:1-3.

John 14:1-3 (KJV) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also

1 Corinthians 1:7 tells us that we are waiting for Christ to come again. For us, He will meet us in the air.

“This proves that what we told you about Christ is true. Now you have every gift from God while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. He will keep you strong until the end so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes, you will be free from all blame.”
(1 Corinthians 1:6-8 ERV)

Raised incorruptible, we shall be changed.

“I’m telling you a mystery. Not all of us will die, but we will all be changed. It will happen in an instant, in a split second at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will come back to life. They will be changed so that they can live forever.”
(1 Corinthians 15:51-52 GW)

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul writes.

“There are many who live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them. And it makes me cry to tell you about them now. The way they live is leading them to destruction. They have replaced God with their own desires. They do shameful things, and they are proud of what they do. They think only about earthly things. But the government that rules us is in heaven. We are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from there. He will change our humble bodies and make them like his own glorious body. Christ can do this by his power, with which he is able to rule everything.” (Philippians 3:18-21 ERV)

To the church at Colossae, he wrote.

“Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory.” (Colossians 3:4 ERV)

1 Thessalonians tells us about Jesus coming to save us from God's wrath.

“People everywhere are already telling the story about the good way you accepted us when we were there with you. They tell about how you stopped worshiping idols and changed to serve the living and true God. And you began waiting for God's Son to come from heaven—the Son God raised from death. He is Jesus, who saves us from God's angry judgment that is coming.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 ERV)

We are the prize set forth by those who have gone before that will fill the heavens with joy when we see Christ at His return.

“Who is our hope, joy, or prize that we can brag about in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Isn’t it you? You are our glory and joy!” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 GW)

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 ends with, “And so we shall ever be with the Lord, Therefore comfort one another with these words.” This is our hope. I, based upon God's promises, place my hope in the fact that the rapture is coming quickly. Because of the proximity of further deadly actions against humanity and the church, I personally think we are down to mere months of survivability. There are several reasons I feel so strongly about our coming demise, and all of them are based on common sense and the fulfillment of prophecy.

There is NO hope in fear, and the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Thessaloniki to bolster the information he had already given them and to encourage them to hold on to faith and the hope that he had informed them of. The reality of that church body is that they all died and are already in heaven with the Father. The point is that WE never give up hope.

Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and came back to life. We also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring back those who have died. They will come back with Jesus. We are telling you what the Lord taught. We who are still alive when the Lord comes will not go ⌞into his kingdom⌟ ahead of those who have already died. The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet ⌞call⌟ of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way, we will always be with the Lord. So then, comfort each other with these words! (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 GW)

It is wrath that is coming.

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 NASB)

2 Thessalonians chapter 2 has several paragraphs committed to our departure and the onslaught of the antichrist once we are gone. Unfortunately, very few translations use the word departure, as the Geneva Bible does. The state church of England got involved over 100 years after the publication of the Geneva Bible, as people were leaving the Catholic church. For this reason, the Catholic church ordered the King James Version to be changed to reflect their anger and dismay over people turning their backs on God and the church. Therefore, the terminology was changed from departure to apostasy to manipulate people into repentance.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sin be disclosed, even the son of perdition,” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 Geneva)

That departure is our being called back to Jesus, and the thing that is coming is the antichrist. The church has to be removed before he will be disclosed. We will never see him.

“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Timothy 6:13-14 NASB)

2 Timothy 4 speaks of that day.

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:” (2 Timothy 4:1 NASB)

This crown of righteousness only happens at the Bema seat, and that seems to be integrated into that day.

“in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
(2 Timothy 4:8 NASB)

Titus speaks of the day.

“instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,” (Titus 2:12-13 NASB)

He is coming for those who eagerly await Him.

“so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Hebrews 9:28 NASB)

Be patient as you await.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.” (James 5:7 NASB)

Your faith will be found tested on that day.

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;.”
(1 Peter 1:6-7 NASB)

When He appears, you are to have confidence.

“As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” (1 John 2:27-28 NASB)

And I will end with this.

“Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.” (Revelation 2:25 NASB)

The word caught is the Greek word harpazo and means to be snatched up or seized upon with force. The other word, and origin of the terminology rapture, is rapio. Revelation 12:5 uses the terminology harpazo (caught up). This clause gives the basis for belief in the Rapture (from the Latin rapio) of the living saints. The Rapture is clearly Pretribulational, for Paul's purpose is to comfort the Thessalonians by calling attention to this glorious prospect and blessed hope.  (1 Thessalonians 4:18) (The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury)

Time is short; you need to come to Jesus and give Him your life.