The Rapture: Still Our Blessed Hope
Part of the The Rapture ~ David Petterson series.
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used by permission of Truth and Tidings
Paul instructs believers to wait “for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).[1] As his instructions pertain to “the present age” (v12), I believe this “blessed hope” includes the Rapture of the Church.[2]
The teaching of the Rapture as a comfort to the Church is under attack.
Popular authors and bloggers (many of them Reformed) have effectively turned many Christians away from belief in the Rapture. Perhaps fictionalized end-times scenarios in books and movies have led some to believe that the idea of a Rapture is indeed fiction. Is the evangelical world becoming “post-Rapture”?
The attacks often run something like this:
1) The word “rapture” is not found in Scripture. While true in English Bibles, this point is not necessarily important. The Latin Bible does contain the word rapio (1Th 4:17), and our English word “rapture” is derived from it. Rapio means “to seize or snatch away.”
2) Belief in the Rapture began in the 1830s with John Nelson Darby and therefore was not embraced as doctrine during the majority of Christian history. On the contrary, it can be pointed out that other Christian writers believed in a Rapture event centuries prior to Darby.
3) Christians who believe in the Rapture are escapists who want to do nothing to help the many problems in our world. However, many missionaries have spread the gospel, holding a belief in the Rapture of the Church.
Attacks aside, the important thing is to look at the Scriptures.
Promise of the Rapture
Jesus promised in John 14:3, “I will come again.” Where was He going? Remember that Jesus said this to sorrowing disciples because He had just told them He was going away (13:33,36). He will tell them later (16:7) that it will be for their benefit that He go away. So where was He going? To where He was before He came to earth. “I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father” (16:28). In chapter 16, He said three times that He was going to the Father (vv10,17,28). Where is the Father? In the Father’s house (14:2 – “In my Father’s house are many rooms”). What is the Father’s house? Heaven, the place from which He came.
At this “coming again” He says He will “take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (14:3). Jesus promised to come again and to take the disciples to the place where He is going.
It should be stressed that most Christians believe in a return of Christ. It is the timing of it that is most disputed. Many Christians believe in a single return of Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom and/or to introduce the new heavens and the new earth. Can that be what Jesus is referring to in John 14? If so, we might expect Him to say, “I will come again, and you will take me to yourself that where you are, there I may be also.” But what He says is just the opposite: “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (14:3).
Christ is coming to take us from here (earth) to be with Him there (heaven), and it is a promise! God always comes through on His promises.
Previews of the Rapture
There have been other raptures. How do we define “rapture”? William Mounce describes one of the meanings of the word used here in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Greek harpazo) as follows: “God’s activity in physically and miraculously transporting people from one place to another.”[3]
Have individuals ever been physically and miraculously transported from one place to another? “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen 5:24). Elijah was swept away in a chariot of fire, transported from earth to heaven (2Ki 2:11). The word harpazo is used in Acts 8:39: “the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more.” The word is also used of the Lord Jesus, seen as the man child in Revelation 12:5, who was “caught up” to God and to His throne. Thus, there have been other rapture events. Why should Christ’s promise to do the same for His own be thought unusual?
There will even be a rapture after the Rapture of the Church (a post-Rapture rapture). During the Tribulation Period, the two witnesses of Revelation 11 are killed, but then rise again. Afterwards we read, “And they went up to heaven in a cloud” (v12).
Participants in the Rapture
Jesus makes this promise to His disciples in John 14: “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Paul adds more clarity on the participants in the Rapture.
He says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that the dead “in Christ” will rise first. Not all the dead will arise at the Rapture, but only those “in Christ.” This implies that those who are “alive and remain” (KJV) and are “caught up together with them” are also those “in Christ.” Who are those “in Christ”? They are believers of the Church Age. OT believers are never said to be “in Christ,” and appear to have their time of resurrection at the end of the 7-year tribulation period (Dan 12:1-2,13).
This is consistent with the imagery of Christ as Bridegroom and the Church as His Bride. is coming to take His Bride whom He purchased, to be with Him in the Father’s house, where He has prepared for her a dwelling place. This is what traditionally happened within first-century Jewish customs.[4] The groom left his place of residence (his father’s house), traveled to the bride’s place of residence, paid a price to purchase her, and then left to make a dwelling place, which was usually an addition to the already existing father’s house. This is what Christ did. He left heaven (the Father’s house) and came here to where we lived (earth). He paid a great price to make us His (purchased by shedding His spotless blood). Then He went back to heaven, thus preparing a place for us. His return to the Father involved death and resurrection, and this is how He prepared a place in heaven for us. Now we await His return. Church Age believers are privileged to be the participants in the Rapture – still our blessed hope.
[1] All Scripture quotations in this article are from the ESV unless otherwise noted.
[2] To believers reading Titus 2:13 who will be living during the dark days of the Tribulation period, Christ’s return to reign upon the earth will be their “blessed hope.”
[3] William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 666.
[4] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come (Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995), 164-169.
The Rapture:
Where, Why and When
In the previous section, we noted the promise, previews and participants in the Rapture. Next, we consider the place of the Rapture.
Place of the Rapture (Where?)
Jesus said He would come again and receive us to Himself (Joh 14:3). We have argued that He will ultimately take us to the Father’s house. But Paul tells us something additional. He says that the dead in Christ will rise first and be joined together with the living to be “caught up together … in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1Th 4:17 KJV).
Why “in the air”? Why not just take us all straight to heaven?
First, this is consistent with what the groom would do when he returned to take his bride back to the Father’s house.[1] Upon returning, the groom would stand outside of her home. The bride would then go out to meet him. So too will the Lord Jesus leave the Father’s house and return just outside of our house, this earth. He will come to the “air” and we will meet Him there. Then the processional from the air to the Father’s house will take place.
But there might be further significance to the fact that we meet specifically in the “air.” Satan is called the prince of the power of the “air” in Ephesians 2:2. We are going to meet in the territory of our enemy’s headquarters without any need to fear, as he will be proven powerless over us. He will be unable to touch any of us there. Thank God! The one who harassed and tempted us here will be incapable of harming us any longer.
Purpose of the Rapture (Why?)
What is the purpose of this great event? Jesus stated two things about the purpose of the Rapture. One is “to receive you unto myself” (this happens in the air) and the other, tied closely to the first, is “that where I am there you may be also” (this happens by taking us to the Father’s house). Paul writes that the purpose is “to meet the Lord in the air.” And as a result, we will forever be with the Lord (1Th 4:17).
What needs to happen, then, for this purpose to be realized? Christ’s Bride is composed of those in heaven without bodies, yet Christ Himself is in a body of glory. They need to be reunited with bodies, but bodies of glory. Another part of the Bride is upon earth, in bodies of corruption. They must be changed, which is exactly what we find in 1 Corinthians 15:51: “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (KJV). Thus, believers who have died are raised and changed, and believers who are living are changed. Lord Jesus “will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body” (Php 3:21 NET). Immediately afterwards, we will be “caught up together … to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Th 4:17 KJV). So the purpose of the Rapture is for Christ to unite His Bride, the Church, to receive us to Himself forever, and to take us home to be with Him. Perhaps His anticipation of this event is even greater than ours!
Pre-tribulation Rapture (When?)
A number of Scriptures point to a pre-tribulation Rapture. First, consider texts teaching that Christ’s return is imminent. If He were not going to return until after the seven-year tribulation period begins or concludes, the texts emphasizing His return “at any moment” (i.e., imminent) appear senseless. Some argue the tribulation period has either passed or we’re living it now. Jesus described the tribulation as follows: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be” (Mat 24:21 ESV). This language strongly implies the tribulation has not yet occurred.
Consider some of the imminence texts. In Titus 2:13 Paul says we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (ESV). Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, “… so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end” (KJV). Also, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 instructs us to “wait for His Son from heaven.” The teaching of these and additional texts (Php 3:20; Heb 9:28) is that we await the “any-moment” appearing of our Savior to take us to be with Him. The imminence texts are consistent with a pre-tribulation Rapture position.
Second, there are texts teaching exemption from wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 says that we are to wait for His Son from heaven, even Jesus, who “delivered us from the wrath to come” or, literally, “the coming wrath” (JND, ISV). The coming wrath appears to be a reference to the tribulation period. The nature of the tribulation itself is God’s wrath (Rev 6:17). Paul writes, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Th 5:9 ESV). If some contend that part of the tribulation is not God’s wrath but Satan’s, the argument doesn’t hold, for we are saved from wrath – period.
Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation [judgment] for those who are in Christ Jesus” (ESV). Revelation 3:10 is also helpful here, where Jesus promises, “I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (ESV). He does not say, “I will keep you in” but “I will keep you from.” The next verse (v11) tells us exactly how Christ will accomplish this – “I am coming soon.” We are saved from the coming wrath (i.e., the seven-year tribulation period) because the Rapture will remove us from the place where that wrath will be poured out.
Third, a pre-tribulation Rapture is consistent with the removal of the restrainer in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. Paul is writing to address the faulty belief among the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord had already arrived (v2). They had received a letter, claiming to be written by Paul, which led them to embrace this false view. Because of this, they were “shaken in mind” and “alarmed” (v2). They believed they had missed the Rapture and were going to endure the horrors of the tribulation period (which is included in the Day of the Lord).
But Paul tells them that the Day of the Lord cannot begin until a number of things happen first. A “falling away” and the revelation of the “man of lawlessness” must first occur (v3). But this “man of lawlessness” won’t be revealed until the “restrainer” is removed (vv6-8). Therefore, the Day of the Lord (including the tribulation period) cannot begin until this restrainer is removed. Who or what is this restrainer?
- First, note that the word for restrain (v6) is katecho and means “to hold something back.”
- Second, both neuter and masculine nouns are used to refer to this restrainer (v6 “what” and v7 “he”).
- Third, consider that this restrainer must be removable.
- Fourth, the restrainer must be powerful enough to hold back the outbreak of evil under “the man of lawlessness.” Only God can hold back the outbreak of evil. I believe this refers to the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is spoken of in Scripture as restraining sin and evil in the world (Gen 6:3) and is our restraint as believers. He convicts us of sin and wars against the flesh, thus restraining the full outbreak of evil in our lives.
But how can God be removed, for God is omnipresent? I believe the restrainer is the Holy Spirit at work in and through the Church. This is the only view that adequately explains the use of both neuter and masculine genders. In Greek the word pneuma (Spirit) is neuter. But the Holy Spirit is also referred to consistently in Scripture by the masculine pronoun “he” (esp. in John 14-16). Mark Hitchcock wrote, “The church and its mission of proclaiming and portraying the gospel is the primary instrument the Holy Spirit uses in this age to restrain evil. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mat 5:13-16). We are the temple of the Holy Spirit both individually and corporately.”[2]
But how can the Holy Spirit of God be removed? Is He not omnipresent? This is why I say the restrainer is the Holy Spirit in the Church.
The event in 2 Thessalonians 2 seems to be a reversal of the Day of Pentecost.
What began the Church Age? The coming of the Holy Spirit. What will end the Church Age? The removal of the Holy Spirit. How can He be removed? By removing from the earth all those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (i.e., all that are part of the Church) at a pre-tribulation Rapture. This must happen before the Day of the Lord begins.
[1] Renald Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come (Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1995), 164-169.
[2] Mark Hitchcock, An Overview of Pretribulational Arguments. Retrieved from https://www.pre-trib.org
The Rapture:
Getting Rapture Ready
So far we have examined the promise, previews, participants, place, purpose and pre-tribulational timing of the Rapture.
Consider next our preparation for the Rapture.
Preparation for the Rapture
Knowing that Christ’s return is imminent, what should we be doing? Should we sell our belongings and wait on a mountaintop somewhere? Hardly. The same texts telling us about Christ’s “any moment” return also instruct us as to what we should be doing.
First, we are to watch. Often in the Lord’s teaching on end-time events, He inserted this advice: “Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord will come.” What is meant by watching? We are to keep awake and stay alert. We should be aware of spiritual realities. Focus on what is really important and don’t get dragged into the mire of a meaningless fleshly existence. Watch, be on guard. There are many things to distract us from living the way we should. Titus 2:12-13 instructs us to “renounce ungodly living and worldly passions so that we might live sensible, honest, and godly lives in the present age as we wait for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus” (ISV).
Second, we are to witness. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mar 16:15 ESV). Knowing that Christ could come at any moment should encourage us to reach people now while we can, for we know not what hour our Lord might come.
Third, we are to work. After Paul speaks about the changed bodies we’ll receive at the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15, and the glorious fact that our blessed Savior has defeated death, he concludes with this exhortation: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (v58 ESV). Therefore, we work, and work enthusiastically, knowing our labor is worthwhile.
Finally, we are to wait. Paul says we “wait for his Son from heaven” (1Th 1:10). We don’t know the day nor do we know the hour when He will come. No one does. Date-setting is futile at best, incredibly dangerous at the worst. The Lord Jesus said He did not even know the timing of His return (Mar 13:32). We patiently wait for that glorious moment when He will take us home.
Prospect of the Rapture
While we wait, the prospect of the Rapture fills us with hope.
The hope of the Rapture is an encouraging hope. Jesus said to His discouraged disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled,” for His promise to come is sure.
Let that promise encourage you today.
But it is also a comforting hope. Paul spoke about the Rapture to those who thought their loved ones were gone and had no hope. He wrote, “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1Th 4:18). I hope these words bring comfort to someone just now. We’re going to see our loved ones again, and perhaps very soon!
The Rapture is also a motivating hope. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” The Rapture is not an excuse to be lazy, but a motivation to be active. May we all be motivated to get to work for our Lord.
Finally, the Rapture is a purifying hope. 1 John 3:2,3 says, “We know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (ESV). Because Christ could come at any moment, let us live godly, pure, holy lives, well-pleasing to the Lord.
J. Dwight Pentecost told this story in one of his messages. He was teaching his students at Dallas Theological Seminary back in the 1950s. They all knew about his “22 Reasons Why the Church Will Not Go Through the Tribulation.” A young man who was not enrolled in the class dropped in one day to attend this very lecture. Pentecost said he could stay and listen. Apparently, the students knew who this young man was and his differences of opinion with Dr. Pentecost. After the lecture, the young man made a beeline for Professor Pentecost. “I have a question for you,” he said. Pentecost replied, “I have just one for you first. What is your blessed hope? My blessed hope is that Christ will come for me, change this vile body into a body like unto his body of glory and take me to be with himself forever. What is your blessed hope?” The young man responded, “My blessed hope is to be martyred for my faith.”
That day came. He was martyred. He was one of the five young missionaries who entered the jungles of Ecuador seeking to reach the Waodani with the gospel and was speared to death in 1956. From my research, I could not determine which of the five he was. But what struck me was this: Here was a young man whose beliefs about the Rapture were different than many of ours, yet that did not paralyze him from reaching the lost with the gospel. He believed the Church would have to go through the tribulation period, yet rather than holing up in the woods somewhere seeking to preserve his own life, he went out boldly for Christ with the message of the gospel upon his heart and lips. Because we believe in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus, how much more motivated ought we to be to reach perishing souls with the gospel. Let us spread the message of God’s grace freely while we can, for very soon “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,” we’re going “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1Thes 4:16-18 KJV).
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