and the Rapture Of the Church

The expression "the blessed hope" is from Paul’s letter to Titus (2:13) looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, The nature of this appearing is given to Jesus’ followers by angels during His ascension ( Acts 1:11) . Our starting point is John 14:1-6 , which is a common reading at funerals. They are some of Jesus’ words spoken to His disciples at the ‘last supper’, after He told them He was to be betrayed. Here I have quoted just the first three verses, relevant to our topic: 1 Let not your heart be troubled. You 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 to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also. This is a promise from Jesus that there will be an event in the future when He will return to gather His church (believers) to be with Him. It also expresses the hope that loved ones will then be reunited, which is both a promise and a comfort. This is how most Christians understand the meaning of these verses, and rightly so. However, this promise is also Jesus’ teaching that there will be, what Christians refer to as, the rapture of the church. In these verses Jesus is talking to His disciples, and by extension His church, which is us. He is specifically telling us He will return for us to take us to a place prepared for us in heaven. The framework of this message is the Jewish wedding process in which, once all the terms of the marriage are agreed and contracted, the bride returns to her home to prepare for her wedding day. The groom returns to his father's house to prepare their marriage home, often an extension to his father's house. It is then his father's decision as to when all is ready and the groom is able to collect his bride to take her to the place he has prepared for her. The disciples, who were Jews, would have recognised this analogy, but probably not yet realised Jesus was saying He is the groom and they are His bride. It isn't until we read in Ephesians 5:31-32 that Paul reveals this 'mystery'. In these few words in John 14:1-3, Jesus is revealing that there is going to be a time when He will take His people off this earth to be with Him for eternity. The realisation that this is an event that only involves His people, believers, tells us Jesus is describing the rapture. Many say that rapture wasn’t taught until the 19th century ( refuted here ), however, it was clearly taught by Jesus (in John 14:1- 3 quoted above), James, Jesus’ earthly brother and, more significantly, by Paul in the first epistles circulated to the early churches. James wrote his letter around 44-49 AD . In chapter 5, verses 7 & 8, we read: 7 Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain. 8 You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near. [ F ] or the coming of your Lord draws near is considered clear indication that the Lord’s return is thought to be imminent. Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians was written in 51 AD from Corinth. There are references to the rapture in every chapter: 1:9-10 ; 2:19 ; 3:13 ; 4:13-18 ; 5:9,10;23 Chapter 4, verses 13 to 18, is the primary teaching of the rapture event. It was written because the church at Thessalonica was concerned that their brothers and sisters already ‘asleep’ (passed away) would not be included. 13 But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God . And the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. What Paul is telling us here is: All the saints will be raptured - vs 13-15, first the dead will rise - v 16, then those who are alive to be with them - v 17a, and then they will all be together with the Lord, for ever v 17b. By saying Then we who are alive and remain , Paul is indicating that some of them will still be alive when this happens. Again, expressing the belief that the Lord’s return is considered to be imminent. Paul was only preaching in Thessalonica for just three weeks, then remained perhaps just a while before he had to leave the area. In that short time he felt it necessary to emphasise the teaching of a future gathering of the saints to be with the Lord. The suggestion of imminence would have focussed the minds of the church and encouraged them in their faith. Later, in his first letter to the church in Corinth, written from Ephesus in the last half of 55 AD , Paul writes in chapter 15 verses 50- 58 50 And I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; 52 in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet . For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. 57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So that, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not without fruit in the Lord. These verses, particularly verses 51 and 52, are pre-tribulation and cannot refer to the post tribulation saints of Revelation 20:4, because …. Verses 51 and 52 involve all the saints, living and dead: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed [v51b] …. and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. [v52b], whereas …. Rev 20:4 only speaks of martyred saints from the tribulation period: …. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. ( Ref. Rev 13:15,16 ) Here, Paul is telling us: The resurrection of the saints will not be as flesh and blood – verse 50 Which is why our bodies must be transformed This is ‘a mystery’, that is, not taught until now – verse 51 The event will be instantaneous – verse 52 Their bodies will be transformed to be incorruptible and immortal, verses 53 and 54. Some seven or more years later (between 62 and 64 AD ), in Paul’s letter to Titus he uses the phrase the blessed hope , which is the source for that Christian expression ( Titus 2:13 ) verse 13. In summary we have: • Jesus’ promise that He will be returning for His church [John 14:1-3] • James teaching that the coming of the Lord draws near [James 5:7, 8] • Paul teaching that the Lord will descend from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first, followed by those still alive, and together they will all be with the Lord forever [1Thess 4;13-18] • Paul also teaches that this event will be instantaneous, and their bodies will be transformed from corruptible and mortal to incorruptible and immortal [1Cor 15:53-54]. The Blessed Hope then is the expectation found in scripture that Jesus will return to gather His church – believers – to be with Him forever and, consequently, loved ones will be reunited. There is some debate as to when the rapture event will take place. The varying views are: Pre-tribulation - The rapture will occur before the seven year tribulation period begins Mid-tribulation/pre-wrath - T he rapture will occur at the midpoint of the tribulation period, before the worst of God’s wrath is poured out upon the earth. Post tribulation - The rapture will occur at the end of the tribulation period. However, whatever your beliefs on the timing of the rapture, whenever it occurs, you will be raptured. Remembering all the while that this only applies to believers. Believers are those who believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and openly confess that belief. As it says in Romans 10:9 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Simply saying “I believe” is not sufficient unless it is sincere and comes from the heart. A personal reflection on Romans 10:9 can be read here An obvious question is “When are the rapture and the tribulation period likely to occur?” There is a strong opinion that the rapture will be a pre-tribulation event, referred to as pre-trib. Even if you are familiar with the rapture as a study subject, but don’t agree with the pre-trib view, pre-trib is a convenient point from which to understand when this might occur. If you are not persuaded that the rapture is true biblical teaching, but is a misinterpretation of scripture not introduced until the 19th century, the additional information to support this doctrine can be read here . We must now look at the tribulation period in scripture - click here to go straight to the Tribulation page.