What Is The Rapture?
In just one week, I`ll be able to return home to see my family in South Carolina. I`m excited to see all my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, and parents. I can picture seeing the pink and white Mountain Laurels that line the driveway to our house. I can picture being greeted by our puppy dog and seeing the mountains in the backdrop where our house sits on a hill. When I walk in, it will be a sweet family reunion, and I`ll see a sign that hangs over the door that says, “Perhaps today.” When I see the people that I love, I`m reminded that when Christ comes for His church, I`ll see my brothers and sisters in Christ, and perhaps it could be today. There`s an old hymn called Maybe Today that tells us about three realities concerning the Rapture: reunion, resurrection, and imminency.
“Maybe today, My Lord will come for me,
Maybe today, My Savior I shall see,
Maybe today, from Sin I shall be free,
Jesus will come and I will go home it may be today.”
What Is The Rapture: Reunion
Paul tells us about the Rapture taking place in the twinkling of an eye. I think about what will happen at that moment and who I will see again. It will be such a sweet time of fellowship between me, my family, my friends, and other believers in Christ. As believers, we should be longing for this glorious event.
“…We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet”- 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18
What Is The Rapture: Resurrection
At the point of the Rapture, all believers will receive new bodies, the body that God intended for us before sin. The body that we have now is not fit to experience eternity with God. This body we have now is temporary and worn out; heaven is eternal, and we must have a resurrected body to spend eternity with God. Romans talks about how we groan for the redemption of our bodies and the resurrection is part of the hope that a believer has in Christ.
“…but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope, we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”- Romans 8:23-25
What Is The Rapture: Imminency
The Rapture is imminent. Imminent simply means that it can take place at any moment and that it is the next thing to take place on God`s timeline. (1 Thess. 4:13-18) We can see from the text that Paul anticipated participating in the Rapture of the Church. It is interesting to note that he uses the first-person plural in reference to the coming of the Rapture. (1 Cor. 15:51);1 Thess. 1:10; 1 Cor. 1:7; Philip. 3:20).
“Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17
“You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” James 5:8
“Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
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