THE RAPTURE

The Rapture

"Rapture", a word used today by the Christian to describe part of the return of the Lord event. This word "rapture" is not found in the Bible. The basic meaning of the word "rapture" is "a great pleasure or joy." The word has now come to be used in the Christian world to be referring to the coming of Christ for the Believers, for them it will be "a great pleasure or joy."

There are two phases to the return of the Lord, the first stage, the word "rapture" is used to describe this first event, Paul writes about this day in 1 Thess:4:16,17; 1 Cor 15:51-57; 2 Thess 2:1-14.

Other verses referring to the "Day of the Lord;" Phil 1:6,10; Phil 2:16.

The Second phase is when God permits Satan to rule the earth for a while. Satan raises up a fake trinity to rule the world, lead by the anti-Christ. But eventually God pours out His punishment on Mankind, ending up with the Day of Judgement.

The Book of Revelation is divided into three basic periods, Rev 1:19:
1) "the things which thou hast seen", John meets the Lord Jesus Christ in His real appearance.
2) "the things which are.". The churches of the time and is used as prophecy of the future church history.
3) "the things which shall be hereafter.".From chapter 4 to the end are all events still to happen.

The Book of Revelation does not directly refer to the Lord coming and calling the true Believers up to heaven as describe in 1 Thess:4:16,17; 1 Cor 15:51-57; 2 Thess 2:1-14, but following this point in Revelation there is no reference to the church only the Believers in Heaven, in addition the Holy Spirit has to depart from the earth, 2 Thess 2:3,4; "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, 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." This can only happen if the Holy Spirit leaves the earth, leaving Satan a free hand.

Also note that part of the promise to a Believer is that the Holy Spirit will never leave a true Believer, John 14:16, if the Holy Spirit leaves the earth then the Believers must also have left the earth. See Roman 8:1-39; Look at v11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you," verse 16 "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

The "Rapture" will be the day the True Believer is called up to heaven, it cannot be far away because the world is rejecting God so strongly, "unless the falling away comes first."