I have been so encouraged by the Bible’s teaching of the rapture lately, it has really motivated me in my spiritual journey. This short article will serve as a basic introduction to the rapture.  A parallel article will address the second coming of Christ.  I felt it important to break apart these two topics as many Christians confuse the rapture and second coming, often believing they are the same events, when in reality they serve two very different purposes.

The subject of the rapture has come under attack in recent years with some saying it is not Biblical, others that it was invented in the 1800s and still others mocking the idea because Christians have long held to this expectant hope.  For me, as the time draws near, I am not surprised at the level of attack and it only confirms the truth of this blessed hope as I see world events heralding its’ arrival. 

Purpose – the rapture is a great hope for believers; it is a rescue from the terrible time(s) of “wrath to come,” which will occur during the seven year tribulation period. That seven year period is also known as “the day of the Lord” or “the time of Jacob’s trouble.”

Timing – while we do not know the exact time of the rapture, we are clearly told in 1 Thess. 5:4 that we are “not in the dark, for that day to surprise us like a thief. We are children of the light…”  In other words, we can observe the state of world events, cultural phenomena, etc and discern that the time of the rapture or rescue is approaching. 

The scriptures below provide hope for believers that we are not destined for that time of wrath which will come on the earth.

… you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Thess. 1:9b-10

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thess. 5:9-11

In the passage below Jesus promises to take his followers to heaven (father’s house), not to the earth.  Being protected in heaven during the tribulation period, is what happens during the rapture. And John 14 is the Lord’s promise of this event long before the Apostle Paul wrote about it.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 
John 14:1-3

The two scriptures below explain the process of the rapture. Those souls who’ve previously died and are with the Lord, will first be reunited with their glorified bodies;  then we which remain will be caught up in glory with them to be with the Lord forever.

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 Thess. 4:13-18

In this passage, two events are described as occurring prior to the “day of the Lord.”  The first is the rapture/our being gathered to him and the second is the rebellion and revelation of the Anti-Christ. This can be confusing if one is unfamiliar with the language “day of the Lord, day of God or day of Jehovah,” as these terms are used throughout the Bible to refer to the time of tribulation or judgement, (not the rapture of the church).

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.  Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?  And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 
2 Thess. 2:1-8

In this introduction to the rapture, we have seen its purpose, general timing and process by which the rapture of the church will occur.  Thanks for spending a few minutes of your time with me. If you have questions or comments, please leave those and I will respond as time allows.