THE RAPTURE
The word of God does not have this
word in it. Neither does it have
many other words that we use. The problem lies in some people looking
for an excuse not to believe and this is as good as any. The bible has
been
interpreted using words as the translators saw fit. Just because they used
two words 'caught up' instead of 'rapture' doesn't lessen it's reality.
Rapture is a Latin word meaning 'to be caught up'; so what's the big deal
nit picking with words. The following message in bible study should
put to rest any conflict over the issue of there being a rapture 'catching
away' or not.
THE RAPTURE
I. INFORMATION
A. DEFINITION:
Rapture is a Latin word meaning to be caught up. Caught up
is the actual
phrase
used in scripture.
II. THE FIRST
COMING
Mt 1:25 Joseph knew not Mary till she had brought forth her
firstborn
son and
called him Jesus
Acts 1:9-11 He was taken up. A cloud received him out of their
sight. Two angels said
“This same Jesus, which is taken up
from you into heaven, shall so come in
like
manner as ye have
seen him go into heaven”.
III. THE SECOND
COMING
Mt 16:28 Some standing here shall not taste of death till they see
the
son of man coming
in his kingdom
(note: John saw it in his Revelation visions.)
Mt 24:27 As lightening cometh out of the east and
shines even
unto the west, so shall the
coming of the Son of Man be
(note: This is from the east and shines to the
west showing
speed, He is revealed from heaven at his second coming.)
Mt 23:30 Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven
and all
tribes of the earth shall mourn and see him coming in the
clouds of heaven
(note: Returns as he was seen leaving.)
Rev 1:7 He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him
II Thes 2:1 Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our
lord Jesus
Christ, AND
by our gathering together unto him
(note: This verse speaks of the second coming
and the rapture.)
IV. THE RAPTURE,
“ THE GATHERING”
I Thes 4:14 Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring
I Thes 4:15 We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the
lord shall not prevent
(precede) them which are asleep (dead)
I Thes 4:16 The lord shall descend from heaven and the dead in
Christ shall be raised
I Thes 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught
up (raptured) together
with them in the clouds to meet the lord
in the air
I Cor 15:51 We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed
(note: Because flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of
God.)
I Cor 15:52 In a moment (means cannot split), in the twinkling
of
an eye, at the last
trump, the dead shall be raised incorruptible
and we shall be changed.
I Cor 15:53 for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this
mortal must put on
immortality
I Cor 15:44 It is sown (buried) a natural body and it is raised a
spiritual body
V. PURPOSE FOR A
RAPTURE
A. TO ESCAPE THE WRATH OF GOD
I Thes 5:9 God has not appointed us to wrath
Lk 21:28 When these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift
up
your heads, for your redemption draws nigh
Lk 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always, to be accounted worthy
to escape all
these things that shall come to pass and to stand
before the Son of Man
(This verse is saying to pray continually so that we
will be of a nature to
escape the wrath. Praying to escape it won’t help if one’s heart isn’t
right.)
Heb 9:28 Unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second
time, without sin
unto salvation
(Without sin is describing them looking for him, not
Christ
himself. He was
offered to bear the sins of them looking up.)
B. THE CHURCH AGE IS FINISHED
Jn 6:40 Every one that
sees the son and believeth on him may
have everlasting
life and I will raise him up at the last day.
(This is at the threshold of the last day, not in
it.)
Jn 9:4 Jesus must work while it is still day, the night cometh when
no man can
work.
Jn 9:5 As
long as Jesus is in the world, he is the light of the world.
Jn 15:5 Without him we can
do nothing
Jn 15:5 He is in us
Mt 5:14 We are the light of the world
Mt 5:13 We are the salt of the world
Eph 1:22-23 We are his body (in this world)
Jn 7:7 The world hates Christ but not us
Jn 15:18-19 Now the world hates us too.
Ja 4:4 A friend of the world is God’s enemy
(We can no longer help the world.)
C.
THERE IS A FALLING AWAY OF THE CHURCH
(note: Israel lost the
kingdom for this.)
Jn 12:48 He that rejecteth me and my words are judged by those
words in
the last
day.
Rev 1:11 John is told to write
a book and send it to the seven
churches.
(note: These are not only seven churches, but
seven church ages.)
Rev 1:1 God gave Jesus revelation to show unto his servants,
which will come to
pass.
Rev 2:1 to Rev 3:22 Jesus
warns each church about the ones in
them that
are not righteous.
Rev 3:14 The last church, the
Laodicean, is so far from Christ that
he stands on the
outside and knocks to get in.
I Pe 4:17 Judgment must start at the house of God and if it first
begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel
of God.
(This says obey not, it doesn’t say believe not in.
The warnings of
God
become
a waste of time, falling on deaf ears of a fallen church and a
world
that
wants darkness. If
we, in the church, are all saved; why are we
judged?
A
closer look at Rev chap 1-3 also dispute this notion. The house
of God
are
those
that believe and obey.)
PREDESTINATION
Eph 1:1 to the saints, to the faithful in Christ
Eph 1:3 He
has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly
places in Christ
Eph 1:4
as he hath chosen us in him
(note: This is saying that those in Christ, by their own decision,
are
blessed;
not that some are chosen to be in Christ. God sent his son
that
the whole
world
might be
saved, not just those chosen.)
Eph 1:4 chosen before the foundation of the world that we
should be holy
and without blame before him in love
(note: It is our choice to be or not to be in
him, but if we choose to
be
in him in live, then we are without blame. Some use this as an
excuse to
do their own thing and to hold God accountable. That
won’t work.)
Eph 1:5 Having predestined us (who chose to be in Christ in
obedience) unto adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself.
D. TO
REVEAL THE MAN OF SIN
II Thes 2:3 The day of the lord cannot come until there is a falling
away and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.
II Thes 2:7-8 that wicked is revealed after he who letteth
(means
withholds) is
taken out of the way
E. BEGIN ISRAEL’S
SEVENTIETH WEEK,
THE TIME OF
JACOB’S TROUBLE
Dan 9:24-26 sixty nine weeks ends at the time of Christ
Jer 30:7 There is a time of Jacob’s trouble
VI. EXAMPLES
A. THE START OF JACOB’S TROUBLE
Rev 4:1-2 A door in heaven is opened
A voice like a trumpet spoke
Come up hither
I was immediately in the spirit
(note: This is the rapture. The churches
have been warned, but
have fallen away. The obedient that withhold are taken up.)
B. THE TEN VIRGINS
Mt 25:1-13 Ten virgins know the
bridegroom (Christ)
Five keep their light shining and five do not
The bridegroom comes while five are off for oil
Those five are left out when the door is shut
They are still called virgins so they can probably get
into the wedding later but
have paid a price and
missed the rapture for their lack of concern for
letting their light shine
Lk 16:1-13 Some servants are more interested in gaining for
themselves the things
of God, then they are in serving God. Of
these, some are wise and
use the blessings of God to make friends
in the world. Others consume for themselves all that they receive.
Those that share
find help in the world when the blessings stop.
Both, however, must
reckon with God before being allowed back.
REPENTANCE
C. DAYS OF NOAH
Mt 24:37 As the days of Noah were, so shall the days of the
coming of the Son
of Man be
Gen 9:1-29 Noah was warned of the impending doom of all the
earth. He believed God and built an ark to the saving of his family.
No one else believed
and perished for it. We are in days like
Noah. Being politically
correct is more acceptable than the Ten
Commandments. Warnings are coming but few are
listening.
Christ is the ark of the New Testament. He will save
his family
too. How many are in his family and how many are prodigal?
The
prodigal was dead, but lived again when he returned. (Lk 15:)
D. DAYS OF LOT
Lk 17:28 Lot
is more a picture of Israel being told to leave Jerusalem
before God’s
wrath and vengeance hits.
VII. REVIEW AT A GLANCE
RAPTURE SECOND COMING
I Thes 4:16-17 Comes for us Col 3:4 Comes with us
Heb 9:28 Those looking up see him Mt 24:30 All see him
I Thes 4:13-14 Takes sleeping
II Thes 1:7 Comes with angels
Jude 14 Comes with 10,000 saints
Rev 19:7-8 Take to marriage Jude 14 Comes for judgment
I Cor 15:51 Comes for bodies of sleeping Rev 19:14 We return with him
I Thes 5:2 Comes as a thief II Thes 1:7 Revealed from heaven
VIII. WE ARE THE
SECOND EVE?
I see a picture here of Adam with Eve being formed like the church and
Jesus.
Christ is the second Adam and the church is his bride. The church is his
body (like Eve was Adams body – the rib) until she was taken out of Adam and
became his bride. We
are transformed into his bride at the rapture
(like
the ten virgins) but are in his body until then.