Rapture!

 

The purpose of the following is to outline a systematic study of the scriptures to determine the major differences between two biblical terms commonly referred to as the "Rapture" and the "Second Coming" of Christ. The position I have taken in this study is one referred to as a "Pre-Tribulational" view. That being that the True Church, or the body of Christ will be raptured prior to the judgments we see in the Book of Revelation.

*Rapture
**Second Coming/ Day of the Lord/ Day of Christ

**Revelation 1:7
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."

*Revelation 4:1
"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

**2 Thessalonians 2:1-2
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

**Joel 1:15
"Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come."

*2 Thessalonians 2:7
"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

*1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

*1 Corinthians 15:51-52
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

**Joel 2:1-3

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them."

The scriptures below have the Greek word "harpazo" in common in the King James Bible. (The actual word rapture is not found in scripture. The Latin word is "raptus".) This is where many theologians have come to use the term "Rapture"...in the sense that it can be interpreted as a "snatching away" or a "catching up" of all born again believers prior to the seven year period of the judgment of the earth known as the Tribulation.

*Harpazō...Strongs definition;
"catch (away up) pluck pull take (by force)
To sieze"

Matthew 13:19 - When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and *(catcheth away) that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Acts 8:39 - And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord (*caught away) Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

2 Corinthians 12:2 - I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one (*caught up) to the third heaven

2 Corinthians 12:4 - How that he was (*caught up) into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we which are alive and remain shall be (*caught up) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Revelation 12:5 - And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was (*caught up) unto God, and to his throne.

The following outline is from the notes of C.I. Scofield on the Day of the Lord. This period of judgment is synonymous with the "Second Coming".

"The day of Jehovah (called, also, "that day," and "the great day") is that lengthened period of time beginning with the return of the Lord in glory, and ending with the purgation of the heavens and the earth by fire preparatory to the new heavens and the new earth Isa (65:17-19 Isa 66:22 2Pet 3:13 Rev 21:1.) The order of events appears to be:

(1) The return of the Lord in glory Mt 24:29,30

(2) the destruction of the Beast and his host, "the kings of the earth and their armies," and the false prophet, which is the "great and terrible" aspect of the day Rev 19:11-21.

(3) the judgment of the nations Zech 14:1-9 Mt 25:31-46.
(4) the thousand years, i.e, the kingdom-age Rev 20:4-6.

(5) the Satanic revolt and its end Rev 20:7-10.
(6) the second resurrection and final judgment Rev 20:11-15 and

(7) the "day of God," earth purged by fire 2Pet 3:10-13."

I hope you find this outline to be of value in your personal study of the scriptures.

Dave Jacobs  

  Backwoods Home Missions               Jennifer O’Neill Ministries 

Let me close the same way the Apostle Paul does in his Epistle to the Romans. 

"To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen."  

My dear friend, if you have never received Christ as your Saviour, would you do so today? Pray this from your heart. 

Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe you died on the cross for my sins. I believe you were buried and rose again the third day. I ask you now to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and save me. Amen