What in the World is Happening? November

“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. After 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”.

A number of letters in the Challenge Christian Weekly recently centred round the Rapture, its timing and its nature. Unfortunately most of them were disagreeing with a learned Bible teacher and his description of the raising of the Church and the position of the Jewish people. The teacher expounded the generally accepted sequence of events surrounding the return of our Lord and Saviour. The letter writers unfortunately showed just how much is not known regarding these things and the danger of a little knowledge assuming events happen in a particular way which does not check out when studied in the light of total Scripture. Hopefully here we may clarify the situation.

To start with, read 1 Thess Ch4 v13 to Ch5 v11. This describes the “Rapture” as it is known in Christian circles. When Christians refer to the “Rapture” they are usually referring to the resurrection of the Church, a concept that is clearly taught in several different passages of Scripture. Although the word rapture does not appear in English translations of the Bible, it is an excellent word, that describes what the Bible declares will happen to all born again believers who are alive at the moment when Christ calls his Church home to Heaven.

Jesus, we believe, referred to the resurrection when he spoke to Martha after the death of Lazarus. Jesus also referred to the resurrection in John Ch 11 v25-26, where he said “Whosoever believes in me will live, even though he dies”. Paul sheds light on the Rapture in his letters to the Thessalonians and Corinthians (1 Th Ch4, v15-18; 1 Cor Ch15, v51-54).

The Christians that are alive at the time of Christ’s return, will be caught away to meet the Lord in the air. When will this happen in the scheme of end times predictions? The answer is at any moment. Many of the events forecast by our Lord in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, are beginning to show the signs of coming to pass, increased earthquakes, and natural disasters, perilous times in the world, wars and rumours of wars, ethnic conflict, Israel returned to it’s land in unbelief (dry bones – Ezekiel Ch37), and many other things we have dealt with, and will deal with if the Rapture does not take place, in coming months. We used to hear the words “if the Lord wills” or “DV” (God willing), or if “the Lord tarries”, etc. Not so much so now, perhaps we are not so aware of the Lords imminent coming.

Let us look at some basic facts regarding the Rapture; [1] not all Christians will die (1 Th Ch4, v17, 1 Cor Ch 15, v51). Many will be alive in the final generation when Christ returns. [2] Before those that are alive are translated to heaven, Christ will resurrect the bodies of those believers who have died (1 Th Ch4, v16; 1 Cor Ch 15, v 52). This Rapture will be instantaneous (1 Cor Ch 15, v52). [4] There will be the blowing of the last trumpet. (Same verses). We sometimes hear of “the Secret Rapture”. This might not be so. We are told Jesus will come like a thief in the night, with the voice of an archangel and the trump of God (1 Thess Ch 5, v1-4). In the days this was written thieves used to attack a village or encampment on horseback with shouts and burning of buildings etc. It happened unexpectedly and suddenly but not quietly by any means, everyone knew about it. This might be true of the Rapture. [5] All believers, dead or alive, will be changed (1 Cor Ch 15, v51). Our corruptible, earthly bodies will be transformed into immortal, heavenly bodies fit for eternity.

There is some confusion as to the timing of the Rapture. Most orthodox teaching gives the event either before or at the beginning of the great tribulation. However some give the event as being in the middle or the end of the tribulation, that great time of God’s wrath and judgement described in great detail in the book of Revelation Ch’s 5 to 18. However during these chapters the Church is never mentioned. The 144,000 are sealed but these are Jews, there will also be those Gentiles who having missed the Rapture through unbelief will wake up and turn to our Lord for salvation. Paul writes in 1 Th Ch 1 v 10, “Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath”. The writings by Paul in Corinthians describe the Rapture as a meeting with the Lord in the air. The return of the Lord in all His glory (Revelation Ch 19) will involve a totally different sequence and will bring the Lord complete with His armies and see His landing on the Mount of Olives to overthrow the Antichrist and reign as King from Jerusalem for 1000 years. If the Rapture and the arrival as king in Jerusalem happen at the same time, when will the wedding feast with the Church take place? Also the Judgement seat for believers will take place before the time of the Great White Throne judgement time. Christians will be assisting Christ in his rule over the world during the millennium, the 1000 year reign of Christ which is after the tribulation period. The sequence with the Rapture at the start of the tribulation period fits in with Scripture much better than a later happening.

I have set out below the differences between the Rapture and the Lord’s coming as king:

The Rapture will be for Believers only, Will you be included in the Rapture? Only those who are born again will be included, only those living and walking with Lord, whose souls have been redeemed, whose sin has been forgiven will be going, will you? The Rapture may be at any time, no one knows when it will be, and all prophecy’s are now fulfilled before this could occur, it could happen at any time. The Bible says “now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor Ch 6, v 2) no promise is given about tomorrow.

“And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words”.

Yours in His Service

Brian D Papworth
Representative for the Prophetic Witness Movement in the New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.