WHEN WILL THE RAPTURE TAKE PLACE

 

A Study By

Gary Ray Branscome

 

 

Prove all things; and hold fast to that which is good

(1Thessalonians 5:21)

 

 

          An emphasis on the “rapture” is rather new to theology. I am not saying that the concept is new, Bible students have always known that we, “Will be caught up… to meet the Lord in the air” (1Thessalonians 4:17). However, traditionally that event was treated as part of the resurrection (not as something separate) and it was not called “the rapture”.  

          I am not sure when the term, “rapture” first began to be used, but because many groups emphasize it, and often treat it as a separate doctrine of Scripture, we need to look at what the Bible says about it.

 

          The words, “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we which are alive and remain will 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,” tell us that the rapture [i.e. being caught up] will take place right after the resurrection (1Thessalonians 4:16-17).

          Furthermore, when we read the context in which that passage appears we find that the Bible also says, “When it comes to the times and the seasons [i.e. when it will happen]… you know perfectly well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night; for, when they are saying, Peace and safety; destruction will come upon them suddenly” (1Thessalonians 5:1-3). Those words tell us that the “resurrection/rapture” will take place on, “The day of the Lord”. Therefore, we need to look at what the Bible says about the day of the Lord.

 

          Malachi refers to it as, “The great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Mal. 4:5). Joel tells us that, “The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD comes” (Joel 2:31). And, Peter tells us that, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with intense heat, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up” (2Peter 3:10). All of those passages point to the final judgment, and Peter makes that clear by telling us that “the day of the Lord” is the day when, “the heavens will pass away,” and “the earth and everything in it will be burned up”. In other words, “The day of the Lord” will be the last day, judgment day, the day the world ends. 

 

          Therefore, because 1Thessalonians 5:2 tells us that the resurrection and rapture will take place on the “Day of the Lord,” we know that it will take place on the day that the world ends. That fact is also supported by a number of other passages. The words, “Man lies down, and does not arise: until the heavens are no more” (Job 14:12), the words, “Every one who looks to the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up on the last day,” (John 6:40), and the words, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” (John 11:24), all tell us that the resurrection and rapture will take place on the “last day,” and Job tells us that it will take place after “the heavens are no more”.

 

The Resurrection

          Regarding the resurrection, the Apostle Paul tells us that, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For, our corruptible nature must be made incorruptible, and our mortal nature must become immortal. So when the corruptible has put on incorruption, and the mortal has put on immortality, then the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up in victory, will be fulfilled. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law: but, thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Corinthians 15:51-57). Those words of Paul tell us that the resurrection will take place “at the last trump”.

          The Book of Revelation describes the events that follow the sounding of the “last trump” thus, “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet [the last of seven trumpets]; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ; and he will reign for ever and ever… The nations were against you, and your wrath has come, and it is time for the dead to be judged, and for you to reward your servants the prophets, and your saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:15-18). Here again we see that the resurrection/rapture, which takes place at the “last trump,” takes place just prior to the final judgment (Compare 1Cor. 15:52 with Rev. 11:15, 18 and John 12:48). [Note: The seventh trumpet completes the section of Revelation dealing with the seven trumpets, and chapter 12 begins a new section that begins with the birth of Christ.]

 

          Christ described the resurrection saying, “Truly, truly, I tell you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and… all who are in the graves will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:25-29). Here again, Christ’s words tell us that the saved and the lost will be raised together, and both will be judged at that time.

          However, in order to rightly understand what Christ is saying you need to realize that the only people who havedone good in the sight of God are those whose sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ. As it is written, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes,” for Jesus Christ, “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” and His “blood… cleanses us of all sin” (Romans 10:4, Revelation 1:5 and 1John 1:7). Those who fail to understand that key fact wrongly assume that at the final judgment works will determine who is good. As a result they franticly deny what the Bible says about the final judgment, twisting some passages of Scripture while explaining away others, in a vain attempt to convince themselves that they will not be at the final judgment.  

 

Conclusion

          The bogus claim that believers will not be present at the final judgment is rooted in a failure to understand “Justification by Faith”. I am not saying that those who make that claim deny that we are saved by grace. On the contrary, they often emphasize salvation by grace. Yet they fail to distinguish between salvation and justification. As a result, they are constantly trying to justify themselves [i.e. please God] by their “obedience” [works] instead of just trusting in Christ for righteousness, while leading “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1Timothy 2:2).