When is the Rapture?

The rapture is the belief that just before the end time tribulation. It is believed that the rapture is when the saints that are still alive just before the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be taken up to heaven. In this article, we look at this doctrine and find out when is the rapture to take place.

We shall examine scripture for the rapture and come to a conclusive answer taken only from God's Truth - His Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Before we look into this in detail keep in mind: This belief is NOT a requirement for salvation.

What is the rapture?

Many churches and ministers teach that there will be a rapture (delivery) of the saints at the end time before the tribulation. It is actually now a very popular belief and a hope looked for before the “Anti-Christ” and the Devil cause havoc on Earth. Let’s examine where this belief comes from and examine the scriptures.

The doctrine of a "pre-tribulation rapture" suggests that believers will be taken up to heaven before a period of great tribulation occurs on Earth. However, it's important to note that there are different interpretations of biblical prophecy, and not all Christians agree on the timing of the rapture. Those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture often point to specific scriptures to support their view, but there are alternative interpretations and scriptural evidence that challenge this doctrine.

Here are a few points to consider:

There is a lack of explicit mention in the scriptures: The term "rapture" itself is not found in the Bible, and the concept of a pre-tribulation rapture is not explicitly mentioned. Proponents of this view often rely on passages that speak of the second coming of Christ but do not specifically address a pre-tribulation event.

One Second Coming: The Bible consistently teaches that there will be one visible return of Jesus Christ. If we are to take Matthew 24:29-31 as Jesus' description of His second coming, He states that "Immediately after the tribulation of those days...they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven." This indicates that His coming will follow the tribulation, rather than preceding it.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares: In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus tells a parable about wheat and tares (weeds) growing together until the harvest. He explains the parable in verses 36-43, stating that the harvest represents the end of the age and the separation of the righteous from the wicked. This parable suggests that believers will remain on Earth until the end, rather than being removed before the tribulation. It is the sinners that will be removed.

The Book of Revelation: The Book of Revelation provides a detailed account of end-time events. In Revelation 13, the Antichrist and his system are described, and believers are encouraged to endure and remain faithful during that time. If they are to endure, it means that believers had not been raptured.

Additionally, Revelation 20:4-6 speaks of the souls of martyred believers who are resurrected to reign with Christ, indicating that they did not experience a pre-tribulation rapture.

The Promised Perseverance and Protection: Throughout the Bible, there is a consistent theme of God's people enduring trials and tribulations but being protected and strengthened by Him. In John 17:15, Jesus prays to the Father, "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." This prayer implies that believers will face difficulties in the world but will be protected by God's power.

If we look at the history of the last 2,000 years we can see there has always been tribulation in the world for both the sinner and saint to endure.

Specific Scriptures Referred to the Rapture

Some point to verses in 1 Corinthians 15 to refer to a rapture. The fact stands though that in reading the entire chapter, it is about the hope that we all long for, the resurrection. The dead in Christ will rise first and those that are alive will be changed in an instant into the glorified body promised to us.

All of this occurs at the return of our King and Saviour Jesus Christ to Earth. As there is only one second coming and not two (pre-tribulation and post-tribulation), these events are at the same time.

1 Thess 4:16-17 is often quoted as proof that Christians that are alive on the earth will be taken into heaven. First, We know that there is only one return of Christ and He is coming to Earth to rule the nations. Second, there is no mention of going to heaven but actually, meeting and being part of the procession of Christ in the air as He returns to Earth. Christians will meet Him in the air as He is triumphantly returning to claim His throne on Earth. What better way for us all to be transported to the place he is to set His feet (Jerusalem, Zech 14:4)?

In Acts 1:11 we are told, “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.” And how did he go into heaven? “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9). So he was taken from round and raised up into the clouds and therefore He will return from the clouds to the ground. This confirms 1 Thess 4 above.

People that are taken away

Matthew 24:36-44 is often quoted as referring to Christians being taken away. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is very clear from verses 37-39 that it will be similar to the flood. The sinners are swept away, not the believers.

The workers that are left behind are those working to promote the Gospel. Noah had been warned, so he and his family had worked and were prepared for the flood (just as Christians will be when Christ returns). But everyone else was “taken away” or died. The flood “took them all away.”

Exactly the same is said of the people at the coming of Jesus in Matthew 24:40-41. The people that are taken away will die and those that are left obviously live.

See also ps 37:10,11 it is all the sinners that are gone.

The New Jerusalem

Sometimes rapture believers quote John 14:1-3 as referring to a mansion in heaven that Christ is creating for His followers. Jesus states in verse 3 that he is “coming” again to gather His people. We already know from all other scriptures that Jesus is coming to Earth to establish His Kingdom and the believers are gathered up to meet Him in the air as He returns. Therefore He must be referring to the new Jerusalem that will be part of the new Earth (Rev 21:2).

Conclusion

The rapture theory was first preached by John Nelson Darby in the 1830s. This was popularised by the lawyer C. I. Scofield. It was made more popular, along with dispensational premillennialism, by the publishing of his reference Bible in 1909 and hence these ideas became popular in charismatic churches. Before then, it was never part of the original church.

The popular quote to prove the rapture is 1 Thess 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

But when you cross-reference this to every other quote of the end time, you can see that the Lord if not "taking up to Heaven" the believers but they are being gathered up as He returns to Earth (Acts 1:11).

Jude 1:14-15 also clearly states that Jesus will return WITH His saints (caught up like a greeting crowd as he returns TO Earth) to execute judgement. This is all one event, not a pre-tribulation rapture.

1 Cor 15:51-52 clearly states the dead in Christ are raised from the dead and we are all transformed into our spiritual bodies as the last trumpet sounds at Christ's return. There is nothing here that is "pre-Anything". It all happens at once and without warning.

2 Thess 2 Also speaks of when we will be gathered when Christ returns but not until after the falling away (Christian teachers teaching false things) and that man of sin be revealed.

Verse 4 onward describes who the man of sin is. More on this later.

Jesus is returning like a thief in the night (Revelation 16:15; Matt 24:43; 1 Thess 5:2,4; 2 Peter 3:10). There will be no warning, no rapture. He will suddenly appear and His brightness and judgement will destroy the wicked (see the parables of the tares and the dragnet)

As we can see, there is no mention of a rapture and all scriptures point to Jesus returning to Earth to establish His Kingdom. So when is the rapture? The only mildly similar use of this term can apply to the events when Christ returns to Earth and we are caught up to meet Him in the air as He is returning as promised.

Therefore if you are waiting for a rapture to take you from this world, I suggest in fact that you point your hope to Christ's return which is happening very, very soon and without ANY warning!