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Rapture - Christ's Return for us

Published since 27. Sep. 2024
Bible passages:
1 Thes 4:13-18; Rev 22:20

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20)

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who [c]sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thes 4:13-18)

A central theme

The Rapture of believers is neither speculation nor a special topic for an "elite." It is part of the return of Christ, for which every believer should wait. Christians are people who wait - this is a basic truth that runs through the entire New Testament, from the Gospel of Matthew to the Book of Revelation. To name just a few examples:

  • It is typical of the "evil servant" that he is not (yet) expecting his master (Mt. 24:48). The excesses then described are a consequence of this.
  • Christians should go out in expectation of the Bridegroom, to meet Him (Mt. 25:1.5), should be "like men who wait for their Lord" and "act until He comes" (Lk. 12:36; 19:13).
  • When Christ was about to go to the Father, He comforted the disciples with the fact that He would come again (John 14).
  • Almost every book of the New Testament mentions the expectation that Christ will return: see, for example, Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:51; 2 Cor. 5:4; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thes .1:9 f; 4:17; 1 Tim. 6:14; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 9:28; James 5:8; 1 Pet. 1:7, 13; 2 Pet. 1:16,  19; 1 John 3:2; Jude 21; Rev. 22:7, 12, 20.

A perspective on life

 If this expectation is grasped with the heart, it will change and shape our lifestyle, our behavior, and our desires and thoughts. This becomes particularly clear in the first letter to the Thessalonians. He mentions the coming of the Lord in every chapter. In contrast to a textbook, the statements about this event are not collected and organized in one place but are presented in the context of the topics of the individual chapters:

  • The Thessalonians had been converted. Since then, they had been expecting the Son of God from heaven (ch. 1:9 f).
  • The apostle's attitude towards them was characterized by the fact that the Lord would return and that they would then be his "joy and crown of glory" (ch. 2:19).
  • His desire that these young believers should stand firm and be preserved blameless despite persecution is also presented in the light of the Lord's coming (ch. 3:13).
  • The coming of the Lord gave comfort in view of those who had already fallen asleep (ch. 4:13-18).
  • The last chapter shows that we are preserved for this moment – His coming (ch. 5:23).

 The expectation of the coming of the Lord Jesus is the anchor for practical Christianity. It is what inspires the heart, gives daily new freshness and courage, and spurs us on to faithfulness and holiness and to service for the Lord. On the other hand, abandoning this truth (whether in doctrine or the reality of life) is a danger that should not be underestimated. This has also been shown in the history of the Church. The starting point for its decline was the attitude: "My lord delays his coming" (Mt. 24:48). What woke them up was the cry: "Behold, the bridegroom is coming!" (Mt. 25:6).

Two phases

So far, we have talked about the return (or coming) of Christ in general terms. The reader of the New Testament will quickly notice that there are two groups of Biblical passages. The first speaks of an immediate expectation, a meeting in the air, an act of grace - these passages speak of the Rapture. The other group of Biblical passages is about an appearance, a coming in glory and power, responsibility and judgment. These passages speak of the appearing of Christ. In doing so, we note that

  • The Rapture can take place at any time.
  • The Rapture is followed by the time of tribulation, which will last seven years.
  • This will be followed by the appearing, during which Christ will punish the enemies and establish His kingdom.

 The distinction between the Rapture and the Apparition is extremely important. Nevertheless, both are part of the return of Christ. They are the two phases of His coming - between which there is an inner connection: In order for believers to appear with Christ one day, they must first be caught up to Him. This connection becomes very clear in 1 Thessalonians 4. Verse 14 says that God will "bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus." The following verses answer the question of how this can happen: Those who have fallen asleep in Christ will be raised, the living believers will be transformed, and together, they will be caught up to meet the Lord so that they can then (later) come with Him.

 The expression "to meet Him" is extremely interesting: it only occurs in Matthew 25, where the virgins were to go to meet the Bridegroom, and in Acts 28, where the brothers from Rome had gone to meet Paul. All three cases have one thing in common: you go out to meet someone and then come back with them.

The expectation is forgotten

Tragically, the "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13) was soon forgotten. From the beginning of the second century AD, there are hardly any references in the literature to the Rapture as an immediate expectation of Christians. Until the beginning of the 19th century, when this truth was rediscovered (cf. Mt. 25:5.6)! And since that time, there has been no lack of attacks on it:

  • Some completely reject the idea of Christ's return. They claim that the "coming of the Lord" is a figure of speech that actually means the death of the believer. Yet the one is the opposite of the other: Should we die, we go to be with the Lord; at His coming, He comes to us. When a believer dies, his body is laid in the grave. At the Rapture, the opposite is the case; he is raised from the dead. We are to be like people who are waiting for their Lord (Luke 12:36). Death is not our Lord!
  • Others confuse the coming of the Lord with the coming of the Romans (they say that the prophecies about the appearance of Christ were already fulfilled in 70 AD). But in 70 AD, Titus came, not Christ!
  • Others agree that Christ will return but overlook (or deny) that this can happen at any time. They think that the time of tribulation must take place first. But the Thessalonians were not waiting for the tribulation but for "the Son of God from heaven" (1 Thes. 1:10).
  • Others have even "postponed" the coming of the Lord until the end of the Millennial Kingdom. If that were the Christian expectation, the daily expectation of the Thessalonians (and the apostle Paul) would have been completely unjustified.

 We do not want to look down on believers who have not yet grasped this truth. But we do want to show that it is an extremely important and central truth that is clearly taught in the New Testament and that should shape our lives.

The deeper reason for both the Rapture and the attack on it

Before we come to some important details related to the Rapture, we want to show the deeper reason why the Rapture must take place. At the same time, it will become clear why it is so often denied.

  • Firstly, the return of Christ is necessary in order to fulfill God's plan. This involves all things being placed under Christ and Him sharing His reign with the assembly (Eph. 1:10, 23). In order for this to be fulfilled, Christ must first bring us to Himself so that we can come with Him.
  • Secondly, we belong to Christ. We are united with Him. He is the head, and we are His body. But through the Rapture, we will finally be brought to Him. He is the heir; we are His co-heirs. Christ must come and take us to Himself so that He can take up the inheritance together with us. He will take possession of what He created as God, as man, so that He can share it with us! We belong to Him, the heavenly One, and we must be with Him in heaven and bear the image of the heavenly One!

 This insight - when grasped in faith - can only make the heart happy: We are so closely united with Christ that it cannot be otherwise than to take us to Himself. If He "goes," He must also "come again" (John 14:3). He "wants" to have us with Him, and He "wants" us to see His glory (John 17:24). It is not just about our happiness, but about a person who loves us and who is coming because He wants us with Him!

 And yet, the Rapture is vehemently rejected by many Christians today. Why is that? Is it not precisely because they do not understand the closeness into which they have been brought: the Christian position, the sonship and filiation of believers, and the connection with Christ as head? If a believer gives up the hope of Christ's return, he is not aware of how closely he is connected to Him.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

These considerations apply not only to those who reject the doctrine of the Rapture but also to any of us who hold the doctrine but whose hearts are not filled with this truth. We can have the right books on the shelf and use the right prophetic charts and still say in our hearts: "Not yet"!

The character of the Rapture

Christ does not come to earth at the Rapture. The believers will be caught up to Him "in clouds in the air" (1 Thes. 4:17). The meeting of the Bridegroom and the bride will not be seen by the world. The fact that the appearance of Christ to the believers has a completely different character is also evident from the different terms used for both events (more on this in the article on the appearance).

The scope of the Rapture

 In the Rapture, all believers will be caught up. The idea of a "partial" rapture (in which only particularly faithful believers are raptured and the others remain behind to go through the tribulation) is foreign to the Bible. Paul says: "We who are alive," not "we who are faithful." The Rapture is an act of grace.

 This refers both to "us," the believers who are then alive, and to all believers who have died in Christ. The latter - including those of the Old Testament - are included. They belong to the "dead in Christ," who will be raised and raptured (1 Thes. 4:16). They will not be "made perfect without us" (as with us) (Heb. 11:40).

The timing of the Rapture

We have already emphasized that the Rapture can happen at any moment. Here are a few more brief notes on this:

  • In contrast to the apparition, with regard to the Rapture, we do not read of any event that would have to take place beforehand.
  • The Thessalonians were so eagerly awaiting the coming of the Lord that they were deeply disappointed when some of them were called away without having witnessed his coming (1 Thes. 1:9, 10; 4:15).
  • Paul did not rebuke them for this. He merely gives additional instructions.
  • He includes himself in this expectation: he says, "We who are alive will be caught up" (1 Thes. 4:17) and "We will not all fall asleep ..." (1 Cor. 15:51).
  • Very important in this context is 2 Thessalonians 2. It had been claimed that the persecutions in which the Thessalonians found themselves were part of God's judgment, the "day of the Lord." Paul refutes this statement and comforts the Thessalonians with the Rapture, which must take place before that day (vv. 1.2). It is precise because of this hope of "being gathered to him" that they should not be shaken: The day of the Lord had not yet dawned; they were not in the "tribulation."
  • In addition, 2 Thessalonians 2 shows a clear sequence of events: as long as the one who restrains (the Holy Spirit, v. 7) still dwells on earth, the apostasy cannot come, and therefore the man of sin cannot be revealed. Consequently, the Rapture must have taken place beforehand.
  • Paul describes our hope as "blessed" (Titus 2:13). If he had waited for the tribulation, he would hardly have used this expression.
  • The structure of Revelation is consistent with this. The key verse (ch. 1:19) shows that it consists of three parts. The third part ("what must happen after this") deals with the events after the time of the assembly on earth. It begins with chapter 4 (see v. 1). From this point onwards, the raptured believers (in the form of the 24 elders, see below) are already seen in heaven (chapters 4 and 5). Only then are the judgments of the time of tribulation described in chapters 6 to 18. The assembly is not mentioned in this part. It is no longer on earth. We only find them again in chapter 19, at the marriage of the Lamb and the appearance of Christ in glory (not in the judgment of the tribulation).
  • It is clear from their description that the 24 elders (Rev. 4 and 5) are the raptured believers:
    • They cannot be angels, for these are mentioned separately (ch. 5:11).
    • They are the redeemed (ch. 5:8-10).
    • They are worshippers (ch. 4:10; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4).
    • They have insight (ch. 5:5 and 7:13-17).
    • They do not come out of the "great tribulation" (like the great crowd in ch. 7).
    • They have a royal character: they sit on thrones.
    • They have a priestly character: firstly, they wear white robes (ch. 4:4). Secondly, there is only one other passage in the Bible in which the number 24 plays an important role, namely 1 Chronicles 24-25, where the 24 priestly divisions and the 24 groups of singers are described.

This all points to the fact that these are heavenly saints. They are the believers of the Old and New Testaments who lived before the Rapture. They are in heaven, in connection with the throne, before the judgments on the earth begin.

  • One - often attacked, but in fact very clear - passage is Revelation 3:10: "... I will also keep you from the hour of temptation." Note that it does not say preservation "in" the hour of temptation or "through it," but "before the hour of temptation." The preposition "before" (gr. ek) means that it is about protection from entering this hour.
  • In addition, it does not just mean preservation "from temptation" but "from the hour of temptation," i.e., from the whole period of tribulation (not just the tribulation that takes place during this time). The fact that this temptation will come "upon the whole world" (the same word as in Mt. 24:14), namely to tempt "those who dwell on the earth," [note: that is a recurring expression in Revelation that is to be understood morally and in no way describes believing Christians (Rev 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8.14; 17:2.8)] makes it clear that it is not about any hour of temptation in the course of history, but about that of the tribulation period.
  • All the passages that speak of the tribulation make it clear that these people are not Christians. It is the "tribulation of Jacob" (Jer. 30:7), the tribulation for the people of Daniel (Dan. 12:1), it is about believers who are in Judea and flee to the mountains and keep the Sabbath (Mt. 24:16,20), and about believers who ask for judgment for their enemies (Rev. 6:9-11). In Revelation 7, John sees a great crowd (vv. 9-17). These are people who come "out of the great tribulation." But they are not part of the 24 elders (because these are mentioned as a separate group). They are not Christians.

The result of the Rapture

Everything will change with the Rapture. Those who have fallen asleep will receive a resurrection body; the living will be transformed, both will experience conformity to his body of glory (Phil. 3:21), and we will be relieved of all problems and pain. In this sense, the coming of the Lord for the Rapture is an act of mercy (Jude 21). But that is by no means all. There is a much more sublime and beautiful side to the Rapture: we will see Christ as He is (1 John 3:2), we will see His glory (John 17:24), and we will "always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Images of the Rapture

There are two remarkable images of the Rapture: Enoch (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5) and the male Child (Rev. 12:1,5).

The example of Enoch shows that the Rapture is an expression of God's special favour (he had "pleased God") and that he did not need to see death. It is also interesting that Enoch was raptured before the flood. Noah (a picture of the faithful remnant), on the other hand, was saved through the flood.

 The example of the male Child (Christ), who is born of the woman (Israel) and whom the dragon (Satan) wants to devour, speaks of the Rapture (i.e., ascension) of Christ. The gathering is not mentioned. We read here only of the Rapture of Christ and immediately afterward of the time of tribulation for Israel, but we know from other passages that in between lies the time of the gathering - and its Rapture. We can, therefore, include the Rapture of the assembly in the Rapture of the male Child!

Practical consequence

We have a glorious future. The One who loves us has promised to come again and take us to Himself. This can happen at any time. Why do we forget this so easily? Are we afraid that His coming could destroy our plans? Or are we simply so busy making provisions for the "waiting time" that we have forgotten what - no, Who - we are waiting for?

The truth of the Rapture is related to the fact that we are so closely connected to Christ. Here, too, we need to become aware of this fact anew. Are we (practically speaking) more connected to Him, the rejected one, or more connected to the world? Where do our interests, hopes, and motivations lie?

Dealing with the Rapture gives us the opportunity to realign ourselves. It is a central theme of Biblical teaching, but it is more than that; it is an occasion for mutual encouragement: "Therefore encourage one another with these words" (1 Thes. 4:18; cf. Rev. 22:17.20).

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