The Rapture Event

End-Time Prophecy Update

The rapture, the event

By Robert Drumheller

Paul, in writing to the church at Thessalonica, describes to them the rapture (harpazo) event as it will unfold:

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 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: 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

This is not to be confused with His Glorious Appearing as recorded in Revelation 19, when He returns to set up the Kingdom and to sit on David’s Throne:

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:11-14).

The description of the Lord Jesus from Revelation chapter nineteen, portrays Jesus making war against the antichrist and his armies. In the second coming, Jesus comes to make war, which is different from when He appears in the heavens to take His church home to heaven as described in First Thessalonians chapter four.

Paul was writing to the church at Thessalonica to correct a false assumption that those who died would miss out on the Glorious Appearing (Second Coming of Jesus), when Jesus comes to make war against the antichrist and his armies and to set up the Kingdom that will last a thousand years. Those that died will still be a part of that Kingdom. We are not to sorrow as the world does when our brother or sister in the Lord goes on before us into heaven. The world has no hope. To die without Christ Jesus, to die without being born again, is tragic as our soul is eternal. Therefore, you do not want to die without Jesus. One day we all will die physically, unless we are raptured. Those that are not born again will die spiritually, too. Again, this is to be avoided. If you have never been born again, you are spiritually dead. But God loves you, and He has made a way for you to become His spiritual child. Friend, according to God’s Word, you are a creation of God, but you are not considered a child of God until you are born of the Spirit. The only way that you can become a child of God is by repenting from your sins and calling upon God to save you. Repent ye therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). God makes this very clear in His Word, For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). Think of it! The very moment that you call on Jesus Christ, trusting Him to save your soul, you are birthed into the family of God and you are His child forever! But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name (John 1:12). Now, that you have become a child of God, ask Him for the baptism of the Holy Spirit so you can have the power over the flesh to walk with the Lord and to please Him.

In the Old Testament there is an event, similar in language, to the event in First Thessalonians chapter four. Notice the words: trumpet, the Lord descends, the Lord called Moses to come up and Moses went up. This is the first occurrence of these words in the Old Testament.

16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up (Exodus 19:16-20).

There is a passage in I Corinthians 15:51-52, where Paul talks about this same event:

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 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 (I Corinthians 15:51-52).

The transformation from the natural to the spiritual will occur as the twinkling of the eyes. The duration of the event appears to be tied to the duration of the trumpet. The first trumpet sounds appear to be mild, with each successive blast becoming louder. At the last trumpet blast, the dead in Christ will ascend, followed by those that are alive upon the earth.

Jesus will come again and receive us unto Himself that where he is, we may be there also.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-3).

This writing in the Gospel of John is tied to the rapture. Jesus will appear and receive us unto Himself.

Not everyone that attends a church will be taken up when He appears. For example, the church of Thyatira has a promise to enter into the great tribulation.

2 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds (Revelation 2:22).

The church of Philadelphia has a promise that they will not enter into the time of testing that is coming upon the earth.

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10).

Those that are left behind after Jesus comes for His church, will enter into the period known as the Day of the Lord:

26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (Luke 17:26-30).

Jesus commanded His disciples to watch and pray that they may be accounted worthy to escape all of these things.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:34-36).

In the Old Testament there is an interesting story in the days of Elijah and Elisha, prophets of the Lord. Elisha knew that today was the day that the Lord would come and take Elijah home to heaven. The prophets of God also knew that Elijah would be taken up today.

And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. 5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (II Kings 2:1-11).

God’s prophets knew that today was the day in which Elijah would be taken up to heaven. They did not know it the day before that day. The Lord revealed this to His prophets. However, Baal’s prophets were clueless concerning this event. The world was also clueless to the taking up of the prophet Elijah.

In the New Testament, we have a similar story. In the parable of the five wise and foolish virgins, all the ten virgins knew that the bridegroom was on his way and they arose to meet Him:

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matthew 25:1-13).

The parable of the ten virgins is a call for the virgins to be ready for the coming of the bridegroom. The wise virgins took oil in their lamps, the foolish virgins did not. Oil in the Scriptures is always symbolic of the Holy Spirit. When the call was made that the bridegroom was coming, the wise virgins trimmed their lamps, but the foolish ones had to go to buy oil. When they were gone, the bridegroom came and the wise virgins went in with him to the marriage. The foolish virgins came in also later on, but the door was shut. Jesus said to them, “I know you not”. The emphasis of the parable was to be ready for coming of the bridegroom.

The wise virgins were ready to meet the bridegroom and they entered into the wedding feast. The foolish virgins were not ready. They knew about Jesus, but they did not know Him as Lord and Savior. They did not have a relationship with Him. It is interesting that all of the virgins knew that the bridegroom was coming for His bride.

When Jesus comes for His church, the event may be tied to the trumpet blasts. Just as Moses ascended up the mountain to meet with God during the trumpet blasts, the church may be aware that the trumpet blasts will precede the rapture of the church. As Moses ascended up the mountain, the trumpet blasts were becoming longer and louder, with the timing of the last trumpet blast becoming more imminent. Moses was aware that he would soon be meeting with God as the trumpet blasts seemed to announce His coming to meet with Moses. Once the last trumpet sounds, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then those which are alive shall be transformed and will ascend to meet their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The apostle Matthew writes about the coming of Christ Jesus for His church:

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:29-31).

Matthew who was with Jesus when He declared what will transpire in the last days, writes that there will be a great sound of a trumpet when Jesus gathers His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. This is symbolic that Christians from all over the earth will ascend to meet Him in the air.

The event of Christ Jesus coming to take His church home to heaven to be with Him appears to be a loud event. Paul writes, “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”. The dead in Christ will rise at the last trump. It is safe to declare that there must also be a first trumpet blast. We do not know how many trumpet blasts will occur. We do know that the blasts were loud, so that the entire camp of Israel heard the trumpet blasts during the time when Moses went up to the mountain to meet with God. It is also possible, since there are Christians scattered all over the world, the entire world, Christians and non-Christians, will hear the trumpet blasts. The faithful church will most likely recognize the event as a heavenly and spiritual event. The sons of the prophets in the days of Elijah and Elisha knew that today was the day that Elijah would be taken up to heaven. The sons of the prophets knew, but the people of Israel along with the false prophets of Baal were clueless to this event. As for myself, I will be ready when I hear the trumpet blasts; my prayer will be, “Even so come quickly Lord Jesus. May we be considered worthy to escape all of these things that are coming upon the earth”.