Lesson 12: The Rapture

The term rapture refers to the event when Christ returns to take believers from the earth.

Scripture does not use the term rapture, but it describes the event.

We will begin this lesson by looking at two passages that describe the rapture.

Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 together. Ask some students to describe what happens in the passage.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 says that the Lord will return with the sound of a trumpet, and at that time believers who have died will rise. All believers will rise together in the air to meet the Lord.

► What does verse 13 show that the Thessalonians were worried about?

It seems that the Thessalonian believers were anticipating the return of Christ, but they were worried about believers who had already died. Maybe they thought that someone who died before the return of Christ would not be included in Christ’s kingdom. The apostle assured them that the believers who died will be resurrected and included. Therefore, Christians do not grieve without hope for believers who have died.

Look at 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 together. Ask some students to describe what happens in the passage.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53 says that the Lord will come very suddenly, at the sound of the last trumpet. At that time the dead will be raised in glorified bodies, and living believers will also be changed.

► What does verse 50 say is the reason that believers must be changed into an immortal form?

This passage comes in a chapter about the resurrection. Some of the Corinthian Christians did not understand that the doctrine of the resurrection is necessary for the Christian faith. Throughout the chapter, Paul gave many reasons that this doctrine is important.[1] In these verses he said that a person in his natural form cannot enter into the eternal conditions of the kingdom of God. Whether a believer is alive or dead at the return of Christ, he will be changed into an immortal form.

► What are some reasons that Christians will rejoice at the return of Jesus?

We will rejoice at the end of our persecution and other suffering (2 Thessalonians 1:7).

We will rejoice about those who found salvation through our ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:19).

Look at 1 John 3:1-3 together.

1 John 3:1-3 says that because we are already the sons of God, we are different from the world. However, believers are not yet in the physical form they will have in eternity. At the return of Christ we will see him in his glorified form, and we will be changed to be like him.

A person who lives with this anticipation will be spiritually and morally pure because he wants to be like Jesus. It would not make sense for a person to say that he wants to be like Jesus in heaven but not want to be like him in his purity on earth.

Another passage that makes a connection between holy living and our expectation of a change at the return of the Lord is Philippians 3:20-21.

Paul prayed that the Thessalonian believers would be established in love so that they would be blameless in spirit, soul, and body at the return of Christ. His prayer was not that they would be made holy at the return of Christ, but that they would be made holy for Christian living and found holy at the return of Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Different students should read Matthew 24:30-31, Mark 13:26-27, and Luke 21:27-28 for the group.

The coming of the Lord and gathering of his people are described in these passages in the gospels. Not all theologians believe that these verses describe the rapture, for at least two reasons: (1) they believe that the rapture will occur before the tribulation, but the passages in the gospels put the return of Christ at the end, and (2) they believe that the rapture will be seen only by believers, but these passages say that everyone in the world will see Christ’s return.

In this lesson we will study the controversy of whether Christ will return before, during, or after the tribulation. It is important to remember that a person’s opinion in this controversy does not determine whether or not he is a true Christian. The return of Christ is a necessary Christian doctrine, but the time of his return is not. A Christian may have a strong opinion based on his understanding of the Bible’s statements, but he should not break fellowship with a believer who has a different opinion.

[1]“Man’s ultimate perfection demands the reunion of soul and body.”
- Thomas Aquinas, Compendium of Theology

The Didache (A summary of Christian doctrine written in the 2nd century)

This writing warned believers not to fall away from their faith during the rule of the Antichrist.[1]

There “shall appear the deceiver of the world as a Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be given over into his hands ... and many shall be offended and be lost, but they who endure in their faith shall be saved ... then shall the world see the Lord coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The Shepherd of Hermas (Used in churches as devotional material from approximately 150 A.D.)

The writer warned believers of a great future persecution. He said that if the church is warned to keep its faith, the trial will be as nothing.

Justin Martyr

Justin Martyr was a defender of the Christian faith who ultimately died for his witness. He wrote of the return of Christ, “He shall come from heaven with glory when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful things on the earth against us Christians” (Dialogue with Trypho, 110).

Irenaeus

Irenaeus was a bishop in the 2nd century. He spoke of the ten kingdoms represented by ten horns in Daniel, who “shall give their kingdoms to the beast and put the church to flight. After that they shall be destroyed by the coming of our Lord” (Against Heresies, 5-26-1). “And for this cause tribulation is necessary for those who are saved ... that they may be fitted for the royal banquet” (27-4). He refers to believers who survive the tribulation as “those whom the Lord shall find in the flesh, awaiting him from heaven, and who have suffered tribulation, as well as escaped the hands of the Wicked one” (35-1).

Tertullian

Tertullian described the day of Lord, identified by signs and wonders, the destruction of the earth, and war among nations. He then quoted the verse that tells believers “Watch therefore and pray always that you may be considered worthy to escape all these things and stand before the Son of Man,” and then said that this salvation will be after all of those things have happened.

Lactantius

Lactantius was a Latin church leader in the third century. Describing the rule of the Antichrist, he predicted that two thirds of believers will die as martyrs during that time. God will send the “Great King” to rescue them and destroy the wicked (Divine Institutes, 7).

Hippolytus

Hippolytus was bishop of Rome in the 3rd century. Describing the rule of the Antichrist, he said, “We ought in fear to keep faithfully what has been told us by the blessed prophets, in order that when these things come to pass we may be prepared for them, and not be deceived.” He said that after the abomination of desolation, “what remains but the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from heaven, for whom we have looked and hoped.... For the Lord says, ‘And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption comes near.’” He believed that the coming of Jesus at the end of the tribulation is the coming that believers are waiting for.

[1]“Every church father who deals with the subject expects the church to suffer at the hands of Antichrist.”
- George Eldon Ladd, The Blessed Hope

The doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture was first taught in 1827 by John Darby, a pastor in a group called the Plymouth Brethren, in Ireland.

According to the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture, the rapture will occur before the tribulation, and believers will not be on the earth during this period. The rapture will be sudden and secret, seen only by Christians. The world will know only that the Christians are suddenly gone.

Jesus will return at the end of the tribulation as a conquering king, bringing judgment to the world. This coming will be visible to the whole world. This coming is called the “day of the Lord.”

During the tribulation period, God will punish the world and will deal with Israel to bring that nation to repentance. Some who believe this doctrine believe that the Holy Spirit will not be active on the earth during this time, and it will be impossible for a sinner to repent and be converted.

Below we will consider reasons that people hold the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture. Not all people who hold that doctrine would use all of these reasons. After each reason, we will consider how people would respond who do not believe the reason to be valid.[1]

Reason 1

God always removes his people before punishing the wicked. For example, Noah was removed before the flood, and Lot was removed before the destruction of Sodom.

Response to Reason 1

Noah and Lot were not removed from a period of suffering, but from a time when everyone else would be destroyed. Noah was not taken from the earth but protected on the earth.

Reason 2

God does not want believers to suffer his wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Response to Reason 2

Many of the conditions of the tribulation are manmade and not directly God’s wrath. In all ages, Christians have suffered earthly conditions. Events near the end of the tribulation are specifically the wrath of God (Revelation 15:1, 7). God could protect his people on the earth or remove them near the end of the period before his wrath is poured onto the earth.

Reason 3

In Revelation 4:1 a door is opened and John is taken into heaven. This symbolizes the rapture happening before the tribulation.

Response to Reason 3

This is making the author a symbol in his own writing. John mentions himself several times throughout the book and could not symbolize the church each time.

Reason 4

The word church does not occur throughout most of the book of Revelation. That means that the church is not present during those events.

Response to Reason 4

The word church also does not occur in the passages about the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52), but we know that the church will be there. Believers are mentioned several times in the book of Revelation (Revelation 13:14).

Reason 5

In Revelation 4:4, twenty-four elders are before the throne. They represent the church, showing that the church is in heaven before the tribulation.

Response to Reason 5

Even if they symbolize or represent the church, it is not necessary that the church is there. John did see the church as a great crowd in Revelation 7:9-14.

Reason 6

In 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8, we read that the Holy Spirit must be removed before the Antichrist is revealed. If the Holy Spirit is gone from the world, the church must be gone also.

Response to Reason 6

It is not reasonable to think that the Holy Spirit must leave the world in order to allow something to happen. God often chooses to allow something to happen. God is present everywhere always. If the Holy Spirit were not present during the tribulation, Israel could not be converted.

Reason 7

Jesus promised the believers at Philadelphia that they would be protected from the hour of temptation that is coming upon the whole world. Therefore, faithful believers will not go through the seven-year tribulation period.

Response to Reason 7

Faithful churches have suffered in many periods of history. The Greek term translated protected occurs elsewhere in Scripture. In John 17:15 Jesus prayed that believers would be protected from evil while in the world. Galatians 1:4 says that we are protected from this evil age, though we still live in it. Obviously, it is not necessary for someone to be removed from the world to have God’s protection.

► How could the same reason and response be seen in Luke 21:36?

After listing tribulation events in Luke 21, Jesus told believers that these were signs they would see (v.28, 31). Apparently believers would be on earth to see these things.

Reason 8

Matthew 24:22 promises that the time will be shortened for the sake of the elect. That means that God’s people will be taken out early.

Response to Reason 8

The passage says that because of the conditions on the earth, nobody would survive if God did not bring it to an end. He will bring it to an end for the sake of his people, which would not be necessary if they were not still on the earth.

Reason 9

Jesus said we cannot know the time of his return. That would not be true if we will know that he will come seven years after the tribulation begins.

Response to Reason 9

We still do not know when the tribulation will begin. Even during the tribulation, we may not know exactly when it began. Therefore, we will not be able to predict exactly when Jesus will return. However, Jesus said that we can recognize when his return is near because of events on the earth (Luke 21:31).

Reason 10

Dispensationalism believes that Israel and the church are completely separated in God’s plan, with different plans of salvation. Therefore, the church must be taken off the earth while God deals with Israel.

Response to Reason 10

There is only one way to be saved, by grace through faith, for Jew or Gentile (Romans 3:22, 29-30). It is not necessary for the church to be gone from the earth while God deals with Israel.

Reason 11

Jesus said for us to watch and be ready for him to return at any time. The doctrine of imminence is that there is no event that must happen before we expect the return of Christ.

Response to Reason 11

Jesus told the disciples that Jerusalem would be destroyed (Luke 13:35), Peter would get old and die (John 21:18-23), and the gospel would be preached throughout the world (Matthew 24:14). Therefore, they did not expect him to return before those things happened.

The purpose of the Gospels passage (Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13) is that the church be able to recognize the last days.

Paul told the Thessalonian church that several events must happen before the return of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).

[1]“While tradition does not provide authority, it would nevertheless be difficult to suppose that God had left His people in ignorance of an essential truth for nineteen centuries.”
- George Eldon Ladd, The Blessed Hope

The New Testament exhortations to watch always use the Greek words that mean soberness, alertness, and vigilance, instead of the Greek word that means to focus attention on something specific. We are not commanded to watch for Christ’s coming but to be spiritually alert when his coming seems delayed.

Here are some scriptural examples of times when people were supposed to be on guard.

• Official guarding is mentioned in Matthew 14:25, 27:65, 28:11, Mark 6:48, and Luke 12:38.
• In Matthew 26:38 the disciples were not told to watch for something in particular, but to stay awake and alert.
• In Luke 2:8, shepherds were keeping watch over their flock.
• In Acts 20:31, Paul warned the church to watch because deceivers would come after his departure.
• Hebrews 13:17 says that pastors watch for the souls under their care.
• In Revelation 3:2-3, their failure to watch was allowing spiritual things to die.
• In several Scriptures, believers are told to watch but are not told to watch for something in particular (1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Peter 4:7, and Colossians 4:2). In all these examples, they were not to watch for a future event but to guard against a present danger.

So why are we supposed to be watchful because we expect the coming of the Lord? His coming will be unexpected for those who become oriented to this world during the delay (Matthew 24:42-51 and Luke 21:36). If a person is spiritually asleep instead of watchful, the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly (1 Thessalonians 5:6). Servants were not ready for the master’s return because they failed to guard their responsibilities (Matthew 25:13 and Mark 13:33-37).

What are we supposed to watch? We are not looking at the sky waiting for him to come. We are guarding ourselves spiritually so that we will be ready to face him when he returns.

In 2 Peter 3:10-14, the apostle tells believers that they must be spiritually alert because of the coming day of the Lord, even though he describes details that must be at the end of the tribulation. Believers know that the day of the Lord is not coming immediately, but they should live holy lives now because they know it is coming.

The Rapture is an event when Christ returns for His Church,[1] and the true believers shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Like the word trinity, the term rapture is not mentioned in the Bible. This term is a transliteration of the Latin word found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and translated in English as “caught up.”

The Rapture will occur instantaneously in the “twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). The Bible does not teach us to determine the date of Christ’s return. Instead it teaches us to “keep watch because we do not know when He will return” (Matthew 24:42).

The timing of the return of Christ has been debated since the beginning of Christianity. Many beliefs or theories have been taught through the history of the church. We will notice four main ideas that are still prevalent today.

Pre-Tribulation View

The pre-tribulation view, the standard dispensational view, teaches that the rapture will take place at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. This is based on the teaching that Christians are not destined to suffer the wrath of God that will be poured out during the Great Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Mid-Tribulation View

The mid-tribulation view is that the Rapture will occur half-way through the tribulation period, which is when the antichrist will be revealed (Daniel 12:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12), and the Holy Spirit is taken out of the world.

Post-Tribulation View

The post-tribulation view is that the rapture will happen at the end of the tribulation period. This view will be explained later on in this chapter.

Covert or Secret View

The covert or secret view says it is possible that all these viewpoints could be wrong, and that God in His sovereignty has other plans for the future.

None of these different theories of eschatology should not be considered heresy because they do not define salvation or contradict essential doctrines. However, our view of future events does influence our decisions about time, money, and lifestyle. We all live with some view of future events. Regardless of our beliefs on eschatology, the key to eternal life and salvation centers on our belief and faith in Jesus Christ alone. Our relationship with Christ is the absolute priority.

Questions that we should study include:

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the different views of the Rapture?

2. Are the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ the same event or different?

[1] This section was written by Sidney Grant.

According to the doctrine of a mid-tribulation rapture, Jesus will return for believers, including believing Israelites, in the middle of the seven-year tribulation period.

Scripture says that believers will not suffer God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The wrath of God comes on the earth especially in the second half of the tribulation period (Revelation 15:1, 7, 16:1). Believers will be taken from the earth before the wrath of God comes. Revelation 14:14-19 describes the harvest of believers then the harvest of sinners. Revelation 15:2 shows Christians from the tribulation in heaven before the wrath of God is poured on the earth. Believers are present on the earth before the time of the wrath of God, but not during the wrath. Sinners do not repent during the time of wrath (Revelation 16:9, 11, 21).

According to mid-tribulation doctrine, the two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-12 represent the church. They witness during the first half of the tribulation, then are taken to heaven.

Mid-tribulation doctrine teaches that the woman in Revelation 12 who represents believing Israel will be raptured at the same time as the church.

The apostle Paul explained that believers would see the Antichrist demanding worship. That will happen at approximately the middle of the tribulation. According to mid-tribulation doctrine, Christians will be raptured shortly after the Antichrist is revealed.

Mid-tribulation teaching does not have supporters in early church history. Only in modern times have people developed these ideas. People who reject mid-tribulation ideas say that if they were true there should have been people in the church who believed them long ago.

The gospel passages (Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13) show a long series of events with no mention of the Lord’s coming in the middle. The only return of Christ mentioned is near the end, and Christians are told to expect it then.

According to the doctrine of a post-tribulation rapture, Jesus will come for believers at the end of the tribulation. Until the coming of Jesus, believers on the earth will suffer persecution but will be protected from the wrath of God.

Below are reasons for belief in a post-tribulation rapture.

1. The Bible seems to describe only one return of Christ.

Those who believe in a pre-tribulation or mid-tribulation rapture believe that Jesus comes back two times. They try to divide the biblical descriptions of his coming into two events. Those who believe in a post-tribulation rapture believe that all of the descriptions of the return of Christ seem to describe the same event.

The Gospels passage (Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13) gives the most thorough series of events in the tribulation. Only one coming of the Lord is mentioned. It is at the end, and believers are told to expect it then.

Three Greek words are used in the New Testament to refer to the coming of Christ. Parousia means coming. Apocalypsis means revelation. Epiphany means appearing.

Below is a list of the Scripture passages where these terms describe the coming of the Lord.

Parousia

• 1 Thessalonians 3:13: He returns with the saints.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17: He returns for the believers, living and dead.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:8: He destroys the Antichrist when he returns. The term epiphany also occurs in this verse. The Thessalonians were worried that they had missed the coming of the Lord. Paul assured them that the coming had not happened and would not happen until after the Antichrist was revealed.
• Matthew 24:27: At the end of the tribulation period, he returns as suddenly as lightning to gather his chosen ones from all over the world. He is seen by the whole world.

Apocalypsis

• 1 Corinthians 1:7: Believers are waiting for it.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7: Believers receive rest and the wicked are destroyed at the coming of Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:13: Believers are enduring until it happens.
• 1 Peter 4:13: Our suffering will end then.

Epiphany

• 1 Timothy 6:14: Believers are to keep his commands until he appears.
• 2 Timothy 4:8: Crowns will be given to the righteous, who love the appearing of Christ.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:8: The Antichrist will be destroyed at that time.
• Titus 2:13-14: The believer’s blessed hope is the coming of Christ.

If all these descriptions are put together they seem to describe one event. Christians are waiting for this event. Apparently Christians should not be expecting a rapture that happens years before the Lord comes in judgment and destroys the Antichrist.

2. All passages that give an order of events put the coming at the end.

Some rapture descriptions provide no order of events at all. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 does not say anything about what happens before or after the return of Christ and resurrection of believers. Therefore, this passage does not make a statement about the time of the rapture.

Another passage that describes the rapture without providing a chronology is 1 Corinthians 15:52. The only implication of chronology in that verse is that the return of Christ is at the “last trumpet.”

In Revelation 1:7, the apostle wrote to give hope to suffering believers, and mentioned only the coming of the Lord that is visible to the world and brings judgment, as if that is the event they should anticipate.

The Gospel passages (Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13) give a long series of events and describe the coming at the end.

Jesus said that he would resurrect believers on the “last day” (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54).

In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Antichrist is destroyed at the coming of the Lord, which would necessarily be at the end of the tribulation.

Every passage in Scripture that provides a chronology of tribulation events puts the coming of the Lord at the end and does not mention any other coming.

3. Biblical descriptions of the tribulation imply that believers are present.

The Gospels passage is spoken to believers as if they will be in that period (Matthew 24:4, 6, 9, 15, 33). Jesus said that the ones who endure to the end will be saved (24:13). The gospel will be preached in every nation (24:14).

Paul said that believers can be sure that the day of the Lord will not come until they have seen the Antichrist revealed. They will recognize him by his fulfilment of prophecies.

While describing the tribulation period, Peter said, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:19-21).

Revelation 6:9-11 refers to people who have died for their faith and predicts that there will be more martyrdoms. Revelation 7:9 and 14 describe a crowd that cannot be counted, saved from all nations, who have come to heaven from great tribulation. In Revelation 12:17 the dragon persecutes believers after failing to completely destroy Israel. In Revelation 13:7-8 the dragon makes war with the saints and everyone worships him except those who are written in the Book of Life. Revelation 14:13 says that there will be more who will die for their faith after the Antichrist is in power.

4. Pre-tribulation doctrine was not the belief of the ancient church.

Pre-tribulation doctrine was first taught in 1827. Mid-tribulation doctrine came later. It seems unlikely that God would not reveal important truth to his people for many centuries.

If believers in previous centuries expected a rapture to prevent their suffering of persecution, they were all wrong, because it did not happen. The Christian hope is to keep faith through a life of suffering until being delivered at the coming of the Lord.

Those who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture believe that the Bible teaches Christians to expect the coming of Christ at any moment. However, in describing the events of the last days, the Bible describes Israel as a nation with territory that is conquered by the Antichrist. But for centuries Israel did not exist as a nation until it was restored in 1948. During that time, Christians should not have expected Jesus to return at any time.

Early church writers understood that the tribulation period would be an intensification of conditions they already were suffering. “Every church father who deals with the subject expects the church to suffer at the hands of the Antichrist.”[1] They taught believers to be spiritually careful and patient, much like the biblical writers. They emphasized that a person would not be ready for the return of the Lord if he became intimidated by persecution or distracted by the things of the world.

[1] George E. Ladd, The Blessed Hope: A Biblical Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), p. 31

Writing Assignment: This lesson covered a very controversial topic. Write about the time of Christ’s return in relation to other events of the last days. Give reasons for your position and respond to reasons that are given for other positions.