WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

Transcription

1 WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 I. Where Is The Rapture Taught In The Scripture? (1 Thess 4:15a) 15a For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, A. Is The Word Rapture" Found In The Bible? B. Is The Rapture Concept In The Scriptures? C. Where Else Is The Rapture Taught In The Bible? 1. The Rapture Demonstrates Christ s Love (Jn 14:1-3) John 14:1-3 1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 2. The Rapture Is The Resurrection Of The Church (1 Cor 15:50-53) 1 Corinthians 15: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 3. The Rapture Keeps The Church From World Wide Judgment (Rev 3:10) Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 4. The Rapture Results In The Believer s Ultimate Sanctification (1 Thess 3:13; 5:23) 1 Thessalonians 3:13 So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. The Rapture Is The First Phase Of Christ s Second Coming (2 Thess 2:1-12) D. What Is The Rapture Event? II. Who Is Involved In The Rapture? (1 Thess 4:15b-17a) A. Believers Who Are Alive At The Coming Of Christ (15b,17a) 15b that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, 1

2 B. Believers Who Are Already Deceased At The Coming Of Christ (15c, 16b) 15c will not precede those who have fallen asleep 16b And the dead in Christ will rise first. C. The Lord Jesus Christ (16a) 16a 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. III. What Occurs During The Rapture? (16-17) A. Jesus Christ Descends From Heaven (16a) 16a 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. B. Those Dead In Christ Rise To Meet Christ (16b) 16b And the dead in Christ will rise first. C. Those Alive In Christ Are Caught Up Together With The Dead To Meet Christ In The Air (17a) 17a 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, D. The Church Will Be Forever With The Lord 17b and so we will always be with the Lord. IV. What Does The Rapture Mean To Me? (18; cf. 1 Th 1:10; 2:19; 5:9; Tit 2:13) 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. A. The Church Is Comforted Because We Are Delivered From The Wrath To Come (1 Thess 1:10) 1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. B. The Church Is Relieved To Be Not Appoint[ed] To Wrath (1 Thess 5:9) 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ C. The Church Looks Forward To The Rapture As A Blessed Hope (Tit 2:13) Titus 2:13 Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ D. The Church Finds Joy In The Hope Of The Rapture (1 Thess 2:19) 1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? Conclusion: 1. Are you prepared to die? To die in Christ. 2

3 2. Are you prepared to not die? Are you ready for the rapture? WHAT IS THE RAPTURE? 1 Thessalonians 4: Thessalonians 4: 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. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. According to a Newsweek poll in 2004, 55% of Americans believe that the faithful will be raptured up to heaven at some point. (David Gates, David J. Jefferson, and Anne Underwood, The Pop Prophets, Newsweek, May 24, 2004, p. 48) Everyone Pays Taxes, But Not Everyone Dies (1 Thess 4:13-17) o in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. (Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789) o Things as certain as Death and Taxes, can be more firmly believ d. (Daniel Defoe's The Political History of the Devil, 1726) o Not everyone will die. o Some will be resurrected from life on earth. I. Where Is The Rapture Taught In The Scripture? (1 Thess 4:15a) 15a For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, A. Is The Word Rapture" Found In The Bible? 1. The Greek Word For Rapture Is Harpazo har-pad -zo Harpazo is used 14x in the New Testament o Stealing or plundering (Mt 11:12; 12:29; 13:19; Jn 10:12, 28-29) o Removing (Jn 6:15; Acts 8:39; 23:10; Jude 23) o Caught up (1 Th 4:17) to seize (in various applications): catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force) (The New Strong s Dictionary Of Hebrew And Greek Words, G726) To take something forcefully (firmly, quickly or rapaciously) (Münster Werner Foerster, Kittel s Theological Dictionary Of The New Testament) to snatch or to seize 3

4 John 10: And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father s hand. Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. John 6:15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. 2. Our English Word Rapture Is Derived From The Latin Term (Rapturo) Used For The Greek Term (Harpazo) Comes from the Latin rapio, rapto, or rapturo Rapio means caught up In 1 Thessalonians 4: 17, Jerome translated the Greek word harpazo into the Latin word raeptius. The Latin word rapio means to seize, snatch, or seize away. This word was eventually brought into English as Rapture. (Hitchcock, Mark The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days, Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition, 2012, p. 124) B. Is The Rapture Concept In The Scriptures? The rapture is not a new concept in the Scripture. There were Old Testament instances of believers being caught up. Enoch, Elijah, Phillip, Paul and even perhaps Isaiah (Isa 6) were miraculously caught up and transported. 1. Enoch s Escalation (Gen 5:24; Heb 11:5) Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him ; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 2. Elijah s Elevation (2 Kings 2:1,11) 2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Kings 2:11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 3. Jesus Christ s Ascension (Acts 1:9-11; Rev 12:5) 4

5 Acts 1: Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. Revelation 12:5 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 4. Philip s Flight (Acts 8:39-40) Acts 8: Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. 5. Paul (2 Cor 12:2-4) 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 6. Two Witnesses (Rev 11:12) Revelation 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. C. Where Else Is The Rapture Taught In The Bible? 1. The Rapture Demonstrates Christ s Love (Jn 14:1-3) John 14:1-3 1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Jesus offers comfort to His disciples after telling Peter He is leaving Peter and the disciples could not follow Him immediately, but will reunite later (13:33-36; 14:1) Jesus is leaving to prepare a place for His bride, the Church (14:2) Jesus will come again to receive the Church to Himself and take us to heaven The Illustration Of A Marriage Betrothal o The bridegroom betroths himself to a bride 5

6 o He leaves his father house, travels to the bride s home, pays the purchase price, and establishes marriage covenant o Then the groom goes back to father's house for 12 months to prepare the house for his bride while separated from her o After a substantial time of preparation, the groom returns to his bride at a time that she is not aware of, though she suspects the season of his return o The two travel back to his father's home where the marriage is consummated and a seven day wedding feast takes place 6

7 Rev 19:7-9 depicts the wedding supper of the Lamb; Revelation 17: Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. 2 Cor 11:2 describes the church as betrothed to Christ 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. The Parallel Of John 14:1-3 With 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 John 14:1 3 I Thess. 4:13 18 trouble v.1 sorrow v.13 believe v.1 believe v.14 God, Me v.1 Jesus, God v.14 told you v.2 say to you v.15 come again v.3 coming of the Lord v.15 receive you v.3 caught up v.17 to Myself v.3 to meet the Lord v.17 be where I am v.3 ever be with the Lord v.17 Thomas Ice, The Rapture, John 14 And Myths, Conservative Theological Journal, Volume 5:14, March, 2001, p The Rapture Is The Resurrection Of The Church (1 Cor 15:50-53) 1 Corinthians 15: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. mystery is a news update from God a musterion was that which was hidden that is revealed according to time and plan ie/ unfold a new car by lifting up a blanket The unveiling of the mystery is hidden to men. But this coming of Christ will be very quick (twinkling of an eye). 7

8 in a "twinkling of an eye" (an instantaneous moment) with a trumpet fanfare, the bodies of the dead will be resurrected and the bodies of the living saints will be translated from a corruptible body to an incorruptible one this passage does not indicate the timing of the rapture, but indicates the nature of it twinkling of an eye o the average blink of an eye is about 3/10ths of a second o Paul s intent with this phrase is that this resurrection/rapture is instantaneous o It is so fast, time can not measure it The Dead Bodies Will Also Be Raised To Join Its Respective Spirit In Heaven (52b) The Decaying Body Will Take On An Immortal Quality (53) 8

9 o 3. The Rapture Keeps The Church From World Wide Judgment (Rev 3:10) Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. a. The Meaning Of "Keep From" (tereo ek) (cf. Acts 15:29; Jn 12:27; Heb 5:7; Jas 5:20; Jn 17:15) external preservation vs. internal preservation tereo ek is always used of being preserved away from the situation; there is always a separation involved b. The Meaning Of "The Hour Of Testing" "hour" indicates a specific period of time, not a general trial 1) The Scope Of "The Hour" worldwide judgment the definite article teis points to a well known hour of judgment, not a general set of trials that Philadelphia was exclusively experiencing the whole world is in view here 2) The Purpose Of "The Hour" a test "test" = gr. peiradzo = test to break down, demonstrate failure the tribulation period will provide condemning evidence for judgment when Christ returns 3) The Deliverance From The Hour (11) the Church will be preserved from this time of testing by being kept out of it when He comes quickly c. The Meaning Of Shall Come Upon The Whole World Philadelphia or the Roman Empire is no longer the microscopic focus. The world is now the telescopic focus. 4. The Rapture Results In The Believer s Ultimate Sanctification (1 Thess 3:13; 5:23) 1 Thessalonians 3:13 So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. 9

10 Paul exhorts a blameless life when Christ comes for them at the rapture and takes them to heaven with the other saints 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. be blameless at the time of the rapture 5. The Rapture Is The First Phase Of Christ s Second Coming (2 Thess 2:1-12) 2 Thessalonians 2: Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. v. 1 gathering together to Him (Rapture) vv. 2-3 someone was deceiving the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord had already begun, Paul is dispelling that false teaching that cause fear v. 3 that Day (Day of Christ) does not come until there is the falling away and the man of sin is revealed (Tribulation) v. 4 the man of sin desecrates the Temple vv. 2,8 the Day of the Lord (2 nd Coming of Christ) does not occur until after the man of sin is revealed v. 8 Christ conquers the man of sin Rapture / Blessed Hope Glorious Appearing 1. Christ comes in the air for His own 1. Christ comes with His own to earth 2. Rapture of all Christians 2. No one raptured 3. Christians taken to the Father's house Resurrected saints do not see Father's house 4. No judgment on earth at Rapture 4. Christ judges inhabitants of earth

11 5. Church taken to heaven at Rapture 5. Christ sets up his kingdom on earth 6. Rapture imminent -could happen any moment 6. Glorious Appearing cannot occur for at least 7 years 7. No signs for Rapture 7. Many signs for Christ's physical coming 8. For believers only 8. Affects all humanity 9. Time of joy 9. Time of mourning 10. Before the "day of wrath" (Tribulation) 10. Immediately after Tribulation (Matthew 24) 11. No mention of Satan 11. Satan bound in Abyss for 1,000 years 12. The Judgment Seat of Christ 12. No time or place for Judgment Seat 13. Marriage of the Lamb 13. His bride descends with Him 14. Only His own see Him 14. Every eve will see Him 15. Tribulation begins 15. 1,000-year kingdom of Christ begins Chart from Tim LaHaye The Case For The Imminent Rapture Of The Church D. What Is The Rapture Event? Prior to the advent of the Tribulation, Christ will descend from heaven, catching up the church to be with Himself while the Tribulation is unleashed on an unrepentant and unbelieving world. (Paul Enns, Moody Handbook Of Theology) The Lord Jesus will return from heaven and will suddenly and supernaturally remove the church (1 Thess 4:13-18). Jesus will not return all the way to the earth as He will at the Second Coming but, rather, will meet believers in the air. Christians who are alive at this time will be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus and will at that moment receive their glorified bodies. (Paul Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy, pp ) the Rapture of the church, which is the first phase of Christ s coming, is the intersection of two events: the resurrection of the dead, specifically only believers, and the transformation of living believers. They will all be immediately together in Jesus glorious presence, and He will escort them to heaven to live with Him forever. (Mark Hitchcock, The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days, p. 125) II. Who Is Involved In The Rapture? (1 Thess 4:15b-17a) A. Believers Who Are Alive At The Coming Of Christ (15b,17a) 15b that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, B. Believers Who Are Already Deceased At The Coming Of Christ (15c, 16b) 11

12 15c will not precede those who have fallen asleep 16b And the dead in Christ will rise first. C. The Lord Jesus Christ (16a) 16a 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. III. What Occurs During The Rapture? (16-17) A. Jesus Christ Descends From Heaven (16a) 16a For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. with B. Those Dead In Christ Rise To Meet Christ (16b) 16b And the dead in Christ will rise first. C. Those Alive In Christ Are Caught Up Together With The Dead To Meet Christ In The Air (17a) 17a 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, Caught up = Gr. harpazo which lit. means "to snatch or take away" harpazo can mean to rescue from danger as in Jude 23 Jude 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. The living believers will be snatched/taken away from earth to meet the dead in Christ in the air The dead and living in Christ meet Christ in the air We would have to assume that the souls of the deceased believers, that are already in heaven, are reunited with their body at this point D. The Church Will Be Forever With The Lord 17b and so we will always be with the Lord. IV. What Does The Rapture Mean To Me? (18; cf. 1 Th 1:10; 2:19; 5:9; Tit 2:13) 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. A. The Church Is Comforted Because We Are Delivered From The Wrath To Come (1 Thess 1:10) 12

13 1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. though the Thessalonians were faithful through suffering, Paul points to a future wrath that they will be delivered from delivers has the sense of a powerful delivery (George Milligan) from = ek o The question whether ek here means out of the midst of or away from, is to be determined by some statement of Scripture where the subject is specifically mentioned; this is provided, e.g., in 5:9, the context of which makes clear that believers are to be delivered from (not out of ) the Divine wrath to be executed on the nations at the end of the present age. (W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary Of NT Words, Vol. 4, p. 149) wrath to come = most scholars believe that this is the eschatological tribulation or cataclysmic world judgment of God Paul states that Jesus is rescuing believers out of the wrath to come. The idea is not emergence out of, but rather protection from entrance into divine wrath. (LaHaye & Mayhue, p. 313) B. The Church Is Relieved To Be Not Appoint[ed] To Wrath (1 Thess 5:9) 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ The context of 1 Thess 5 is a description of the Day of the Lord, where wrath will come suddenly upon the world. The wrath of v. 9 refers to this period of judgment, the Tribulation, not about a salvation from hell. C. The Church Looks Forward To The Rapture As A Blessed Hope (Tit 2:13) Titus 2:13 Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ The word translated looking has the sense of to await and is used of the subject of Christian expectation. (Showers, p. 134) The rapture is often referred to as the blessed hope (Titus 2:13) because it provides assurance to believers who are concerned about the coming of the Tribulation, and it offers comfort to those who long to be reunited with their departed loved ones who share a faith in Christ. (Tim LaHaye & Richard Mayhue, Rapture, The Popular Encyclopedia Of Bible Prophecy, pp ) D. The Church Finds Joy In The Hope Of The Rapture (1 Thess 2:19) 13

14 1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? Paul's joy of believers presence when Christ comes for Church Conclusion: 1. Are you prepared to die? To die in Christ. 2. Are you prepared to not die? Are you ready for the rapture? 14