The Rapture!

The term rapture does not appear in the Bible. The term rapture comes from the Latin verb rapto, which means to seize or to snatch away. Rapture implies the act of conveying a person from one place to another and is therefore used to denote the conveying of living persons to heaven. The rapture is declared to be a mystery- something that God did not reveal in the Old Testament. The first clear mention of the rapture came from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven. Jesus’ coming will be a physical coming, not merely a spiritual or symbolic coming. Jesus’ coming will be visible to those who belong to Him. The dead in Christ shall rise first, caught up to meet the Lord in the air, to be with Him forever.

Resurrection (unlike the rapture) was no mystery, the Old Testament clearly teaches that people would be raised from the dead. Job declared, I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy my body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; who I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed (how my heart longs) within me. David spoke of awakening in God’s presence. Isaiah gives a clear statement of the hope of resurrection: Dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out (give birth to) the dead. Daniel clearly describes a future resurrection: Many multitudes of them that sleep are dead in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Jesus rebuked the Sadducees for not believing in resurrection. Jesus declared , the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. Jesus promised everlasting life to those who believe on Him, giving them the assurance that He would raise them from the dead. Jesus declared, I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me shall never die. Jesus then proved the validity of His statement by raising Lazarus from the dead. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is foundational to Christianity. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ also guarantees the resurrection of all those who belong to Him. Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man (Adam) came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first-fruits (the first of many to rise from the dead, never to die again); afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming. The term first-fruits refers to the first of many to rise from the dead, never to die again.

There is plenty of biblical truth regarding physical death. Physical death is the result of being in Adam. Physical death is the consequence of sin. Physical death is ordained by God. Physical death will be experienced by all people who are presently alive, with the exception of those believers who are alive when the Lord returns. Physical death brings the end of earthly projects and possessions. Physical death is the leveler of all ranks of people. Physical death is to be regarded as at hand and therefore preparation should be made for it. Physical death should prompt faithfulness to the Lord. Physical death is described as sleep. Sleep is a euphemism- a figure of speech that utilizes a softer, gentler way of dealing with a harsh subject. This does not mean that the soul is unconscious between the time of death and the resurrection. It applies primarily to the body, which will one day be awakened when it raised from the dead. Physical death is described as putting off the tabernacle. Physical death is only temporary for those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Physical death holds no fear for the believer. Physical death—in the case of a believer – is precious in God’s opinion. Physical death is never experienced by those who are in the presence of the Lord. Physical death will one day be destroyed.

Living believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, to be with Him forever. There will be Christians who will not experience death—another mystery. The Old Testament clearly teaches resurrection, but it does not reveal that some people will go into God’s presence without experiencing death. The rapture will produce a spectacular reunion. All believers (those who have died and those who are still alive) meet the Lord Himself. Christians who are alive are reunited with other believers who have died. The bodies of all believers (those who have died and those who are still alive) will be changed. The believer’s present body, which is called a vile body is not yet suited for entrance into the presence of God. A change in our physical bodies must take place. A phenomenal change in the bodies of all believers (those who have died and those who are still alive) will be accomplished by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. This change will take place in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

Characteristics of having a resurrected body include having a body that God, in His sovereignty, will give to believers, having a changed body that is not to be subjected to the limitations of our present physical bodies, including sickness, injury, fatigue, weakness, exhaustion, and death, having a vast improvement over the old body, having a glorious body, having a heavenly body, perfectly suited to the environment of heaven and perfectly suited to accomplish the purpose of God. It also includes having a body similar to the glorified body of the Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrection body of the Lord Jesus Christ was a real physical body – the same one in which Jesus’ followers had seen Him living, the same body that had died. People recognized Jesus after His resurrection. Jesus demonstrated certain physical functions, such as when he ate with His disciples. But Jesus’ physical body was changed—free from restrictions. Jesus may have passed from the sealed tomb. Jesus entered into a locked room without using the door. Jesus appeared suddenly and He disappeared just as suddenly. Distance was no restriction to Him after His resurrection. Most importantly, the risen Lord Jesus Christ cannot ever die again. The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the firstborn of the dead and the first begotten of the dead. The Greek term translated firstborn and first begotten is prototokos, from which we get the term prototype. There are passages that refer to Jesus being a prototype—the first to have an everlasting resurrected body, the first to die and rise again, never to die again. Other people were raised from the dead, but only to their former existence. They all died a second time, at which their bodies remained dead.

Also, the new resurrected body will have somewhat of a resemblance to the present earthly body. Jesus was recognized by his friends and associates after He rose from the dead. It is likely that people will still be recognizable in the presence of the Lord. The resurrected, glorified bodies of believers will be like the resurrected, glorified body of the Lord Jesus Christ, in some ways resembling their present earthly bodies, and in other ways very different from their present earthly bodies. Every believer will be changed at the rapture. These changes will occur in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The rapture will accomplish the final stage of salvation.