The Rapture, the first part of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
This blog is to explain why the Rapture of the church is a separate event to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth, to set up His Millenial kingdom.
Whilst the English word “Rapture” is not found in the Greek text, the Greek word “Harpadzo” is.
Harpadzo translated into Latin is “Raptura” and this is where we get our word “Rapture” from.
Therefore anyone that says that the rapture is not found in scripture is not correct, the word “Harpadzo” is and the translation into scripture is “Caught up” meaning snatched away.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 18
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall 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.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Three things happen here in this Rapture event.
V16 and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The word “rise” here is the Greek word, “Anistemi”, which is the same word used to describe the rising of Jesus from the dead, a physical resurrection. (the raising of the dead, a resurrection).
This is the first resurrection, unless you count the new birth as a spiritual resurrection. However this is the first physical resurrection after Christ who was the first fruit.
1 Cor 15: 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
There are those who believe that the first resurrection is the new birth and that the thousand years reign is symbolic.
However, the word "Anistemi" is referring to a physical resurrection not a spiritual one which means that the raptured church will reign physically on the earth with Christ.
The second resurrection will occur at the end of the Millennial reign.
1 Thess 4:V17 we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
The word for “caught up” is “Harpadzo”. Latin, Rapturo, English Rapture.
V17b together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air
The word here for gathered together is “Episunogarge”, (Greek for gathering, a meeting, by the synagogue).
Jesus comes first with the clouds. The same way He left is the way He will return.
When the disciples watched Jesus ascend into the clouds, they were told:
Acts 1:10,11 They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
At the rapture of the church, something supernatural happens.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the rapture of the church, both the believing dead and those believers that are alive at His coming with the clouds, shall be caught up and in the twinkling of an eye will be changed, given glorified, immortal bodies.
Mortality shall put on immortality. Corruption shall put on incorruption.
Following the rapture, Jesus shall return to the earth and His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Zech 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
This is the culmination of the second coming, when Christ shall come to set up His one thousand year millennial reign on the earth.
This is when God shall pour out His wrath on an unbelieving world.
The Antichrist and the False prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Rev 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Satan will be bound for a thousand years.
Rev 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
One day in the future, the Father will say to the Son, go and get your bride and take her to Yourself.
The Bridegroom will come to claim His bride, (the church): 1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
What are the sequence of events?
Concerning the rapture, two things must occur before the coming in the clouds.
2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
These verses are referring to the rapture, the coming in the clouds.
1. the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Coming – Greek Parousia). )
2. our gathering together unto him, ( Gathering together – Episunagoge) )----- All these three refer to the
3. the day of Christ (Hamera Christos – The day of the anointed) ) Rapture.
The two things that must occur before the rapture are:
2 Thess 2:3. except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
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The falling away – (Greek Apostasia – departure) A falling away from the faith.
2. The revealing of the Beast, the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, The Son of Perdition.
The Rapture and the return to earth are two phases of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The first three and a half years of the seven year covenant with Antichrist will be tribulation. The same tribulation that has occurred since the inception of the church. (Greek, Thilipsis).
The Rapture happens during the second three and a half years of the seven year covenant between the Antichrist and many. Known as the Great Tribulation, (Megas Thilipsis), which is the wrath of Satan.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, , because he knows that he has a short time.”
Rev 13:7 6 And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.
7 Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
However, we are told by Jesus that this persecution will be cut short for sake.
The Elect and the saints are terms for the believing church on the earth.
Matt 24:22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved;
Then the Rapture will happen, the church will be snatched away, Harpadzoed before the Wrath of God, (Orge).
For the church, the Elect, the saints are not appointed to orge – God's wrath.
Notice: The scripture does not say that we are not appointed to "Thilipsis" "Tribulation" or "Great Tribulation" "Megas Thilipsis". (which is Satan's wrath)
The scripture says that we are not appointed to "Wrath", God's wrath, which is the Greek word "Orge".
God has promised to keep the believers, the Elect, the saints, from the hour of testing. (Keep from – Greek, Tereho ek)
Rev 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.
Therefore this is a Pre Wrath rapture. (Greek, Pro tis orgies – meaning, Before the Rage)
