The Rapture and Second Advent of Jesus
Christ
The Rapture and Second Advent:
 What is the meaning of Rapture?
 Who will be involved in the Rapture?
 When will the Rapture occur?
The word "Rapture" is not found in the Bible. It is a term used by theologians and
Bible teachers to describe the last event of the Church Age. It means, "A departure, or
a catching away." It should also be noted that the word "Trinity" is not found in the
Bible either, yet it is believed and accepted by most Christians as being a Biblical
doctrine. The same is true with the word "Rapture." It is a Biblical doctrine, a doctrine
that many Christians do not truly understand. In fact, there are many who have never
heard of it.
The Rapture is a part of the resurrection of Church Age believers; therefore, it is a part
of the first resurrection, which involves believers only. The Rapture is a part of
"Mystery Doctrine," (referring to doctrines which apply to the Church only) in I
Corinthians 15:51; "Behold, I show you a MYSTERY; (this refers to something that
has never been revealed before). We shall not all sleep (in death), but we shall all be
changed."
The Rapture actually marks the end of the Church Age, II Thessalonians 2:3-12, "Let
no one deceive you by any means, because there must come THE DEPARTURE
first (the departure mentioned here refers to the Rapture) so that the man of
lawlessness may begin to be declared, the son of destruction. (this refers to the
world dictator called the Antichrist) The one opposing and exalting himself above
everything that is related to God, or that is an object of worship: so that he is
seated in the Temple of God proclaiming that he himself is God. (this refers to the
rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem) Do you not remember, that I, being with you,
told you these things? And now you know what keeps on restraining, so that he
would be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already in
operation: only the One who is now restraining (referring to the Holy Spirit, who is
the great restrainer) will keep on restraining until he is taken away. And then, at
that time, the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord
will take away by the breath of His mouth, and will render him powerless by His
glorious appearance. (this refers to the actual second advent of Jesus Christ) Whose
coming (referring to the coming of the Antichrist) is according to the operation of
Satan in all power, and signs, and false wonders. And in all deceit of
unrighteousness to the ones being destroyed, because they did not accept the love
of the truth for them to be saved. And because of this, God sends them a
powerful delusion with the result that they may receive judgment, these ones not
having believed the truth, but having had pleasure in the deceitfulness of
injustice." The main characteristic of the Church Age is the giving of the Holy Spirit:
its baptism, its indwelling, and its filling to all who believe in Jesus Christ. The
Church Age began about 30 AD when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers at
Pentecost (Acts chapter two). The Church Age will end when the Holy Spirit is taken
out of the world. And when He is taken out of the world, all those He indwells will go
with Him. This is what we call the Rapture.
Who will be involved in the Rapture? The Bible teaches that the Rapture will only
include those who have lived in the Church Age. In other words, all those who believe
in Jesus Christ between 30 AD, to the end of this present age. (All the believers from
other ages will be resurrected at a different time.) The Rapture will actually involve
two groups of Church Age believers:
(1). Those who have died during the Church Age will be raised from the dead and be
given a glorified resurrection body. I Thess 4:13-18. (See Bible Lesson on
Resurrection).
(2). Those who are alive at the end of the Church Age when the Rapture occurs will
be changed, or transformed, and given a resurrected, glorified body without dying. I
Corinthians 15:51-53.
When the Rapture occurs, there will be a great reunion. We will join friends and
family who have died in Christ and we will meet the Lord Himself. I Thessalonians
4:15-18, "For this we declare to you from the Word of the Lord, that we, the ones
living and surviving to the coming of the Lord, will not go before the ones who
have died. (In other words, the ones living will not receive their resurrection bodies
before the ones who have died.) Because the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a loud shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with a trumpet of
God: and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we, the ones living and
surving will be TAKEN AWAY TOGETHER WITH THEM in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. Therefore, comfort and encourage each other with these
words." I want you to notice that this reunion takes place "IN THE AIR," in the
atmosphere above the earth. Our reunion with the Lord and loved ones will take place
where Satan is said to be "the prince and power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2.
Not only will all the Church Age believers living and dead be given resurrection
bodies, and be taken off the earth, but they will be taken INSTANTANEOUSLY. It
will take less than 1/1000 of a second for the Lord to take all living and dead Church
Age believers off the earth. I Corinthians 15:51-53, "Behold, I tell you a
mystery: (this refers to something that was never revealed before) We will not all
sleep, (in death) but we will be changed, IN A FLASH, IN THE TWINKLING OF
AN EYE, at the last trumpet......"
The Rapture of all Church Age believers is "imminent." Which means that it could
occur at any moment with no warning. Imminency means that there are NO
PROPHECIES TO BE FULFILLED before the Rapture can occur. As soon as the
body of Christ is completed, He will return to the clouds above the earth and take all
those who are His off the earth.
While the Rapture is imminent (it could occur at any moment), the Second Advent of
Jesus Christ is not. Before the Second Advent of Jesus Christ occurs, there are many
prophecies which must be fulfilled. Like the Rapture, the Judgment Seat of Christ, the
Tribulation, the rise of the world dictator called Antichrist, the false prophet, and the
horrifying judgments and disasters that will sweep the world along to the war of
Armageddon. All these must be fulfilled before the Second Advent of Jesus Christ can
occur. In fact, all of the information recorded in Revelation chapters 6 - 19 must all be
fulfilled before the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
The Rapture will deliver all believers in Jesus Christ from the Tribulation period,
which is a time of great divine judgment that will fall upon the world. I Thessalonians
1:10, "...we wait with great expectation for His Son to come out from heaven,
whom He raised out from among the dead, Jesus, the One who delivers us out
from the coming tribulation." I Thessalonians 5:9, "Because God did not appoint
us to suffer wrath, (referring to the judgments of the tribulation period) but to
obtain deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ."
To show you that there is a difference between the Rapture and the Second Advent, I
want to give you a number of comparisons between them.
(1). The Rapture is instantaneous, I Corinthians 15:52, "In the twinkling of an
eye." The Second Advent covers a number of days; at least 45, and possibly more.
Daniel 12:11-12.
(2). At the Rapture, the Lord only comes to the clouds above the earth, I
Thessalonians 4:17, ".....in the clouds.....in the air." At the Second Advent He
actually physically returns to the earth, Zechariah 14:1-4. Verse 4 says, "On that day
his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of
Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of
the mountain moving north and half moving south."
(3). At the Rapture all believers in Jesus Christ are removed from the earth, I Thess
4:13-17; while at the Second Advent all the unbelievers will be removed from the
earth, Matthew 24:37-44.
(4). The Rapture marks the end of the Church Age; while the Second Advent marks
the end of the Jewish Age.
(5). The Rapture marks the beginning of the Tribulation period; while the Second
Advent marks the end of the Tribulation period.
(6). While the Rapture marks the end of the Church Age, it also marks the beginning
of great disaster, and catastrophe, and judgment upon the earth; While the Second
Advent marks the end of disaster, and catastrophy, and judgment upon the earth and
ushers in the perfect kingdom of Jesus Christ.
(7). The Rapture of the Church is private, Acts 1:11 tells us that He left in the
presence of believers only, therefore, He will come for believers only. In other words,
the Rapture is only for a select group of individuals, believers in Jesus Christ. But the
Second Advent is very public, Revelation 1:7 tell us that "every eye will see Him."
(8). At the Rapture all Church Age believers go to heaven (John 14:1-3); At the
Second Advent all Church Age believers come back to the earth (I Thess 3:13).
(9). At the Rapture there is the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers only (II Cor
5:10); At the Second Advent there is a judgment called "The Baptism of Fire," for
unbelievers only (Matt 3:11).
(10). At the Rapture the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth. II Thess 2:6-7, "And
now you know what keeps on restraining that he would be revealed in his own
time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already in operation: only the ONE WHO
IS NOW RESTRAINING WILL KEEP ON RESTRAINING, UNTIL HE IS
TAKEN AWAY." At the Second Advent Satan is removed from the earth.
Revelation 20:1-3, "And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the
key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon,
that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand
years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him to keep
him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended.
After that, he must be set free for a short time."
(11). At the Rapture the believer's body will be changed. I Corinthians 15:52-
53, "Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, (in death) but we shall
be changed. In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the
trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and WE WILL BE
CHANGED." At the Second Advent it is the earth that will be changed: (Isaiah
chapters 11 & 35). There will be no more violence among animals, man will learn
about war no more, there will be a uniform climate over all the earth, death will take a
holiday, and sin will be controlled by Jesus Christ Himself and held to an absolute
minimum.
(12). At the Rapture the four unconditional covenants (promises) to Israel will remain
unfulfilled, (the Abrahamic, Davidic, Palestinian, and New Covenant). But at the
Second Advent these four unconditional covenants to Israel will be fulfilled.
(13). The Rapture brings comfort, I Thessalonians 4:18, "Therefore, comfort one
another with these words." The Second Advent causes great terror among the
people of the earth, Revelation 6:15-17, "The kings of the earth, the princes, the
generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in the
caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and
the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and
from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of his wrath has come, and who
can stand?'"
(14). The Rapture was never revealed in the Old Testament, only in the New
Testament. It is known as "mystery doctrine," which pertains to the Church only. The
Second Advent on the other hand was clearly taught in the Old Testament, as well as
the New Testament. The Church is involved in both the Rapture and the Second
Advent. The Jews are only involved in the Second Advent.
Therefore, the Rapture will occur suddenly and without warning, and when it occurs
millions of people (only believers in Jesus Christ) will be taken off the earth. They
will disappear. And immediately following the Rapture of the Church there will be
great confusion all over the earth. Just imagine the great moral and spiritual vacuum
that will result when all believers in Jesus Christ, along with the Holy Spirit being
removed from earth at the same time. The "salt" and the "light" of the world would
be removed at the same time. Families, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and
churches would be left without any influence for Christ or God. The snowball effect
of such an instantaneous worldwide removal of all moral restraint would be beyond
comprehension. Humanism would at last be unhindered to move to the forefront of
religious importance.
Equally staggering would be the social and political impact of scores of millions of
people suddenly vanishing from the earth. The event itself would be so sudden, so
universal, and so eerie that its effect upon the emotional stability of the survivors is
impossible to even imagine. Hundreds of millions would have witnessed personally
the terrifying, instantaneous disappearance of one or more persons and would have
found it beyond belief. The effect of seeing with their own eyes what their minds
knew was impossible could drive millions mad.
Driverless cars and pilotless aircraft alone would account not only for world
devastation but for inconceivable panic. The disappearance of air traffic controllers,
firemen, policemen, doctors, and hospital personnel would cause inexplainable panic
and confusion. Interrupted surgeries, empty pulpits, unmanned rescue vehicles,
decimated communications systems, the disruption of goods and services would be
indescribable. Life as we know it would descend into an abyss of chaos and human
carnage. The shock, the bewilderment, and stark horror of this historic global event
would paralyze the world. Any explanation would initially be completely beyond the
comprehension and even the imagination of the most brilliant minds. An unreasoning
terror of not knowing what had happened and when it might be repeated would grip
the entire world. Most would feel lucky or fortunate to be left behind. Government
bodies, from local school boards to universities and the corporate giants of business
and industry; from city councils to state and national congresses; from senates and
parliaments to the president's cabinet, the Pentegon, and the United Nations would be
meeting in emergency sessions, with members missing in many cases.
It would take months to restore order out of the incalculable chaos. The credit card,
banking, and insurance confusion would be almost impossible to untangle. In many
cases large segments of business and industry would be paralyzed by the
disappearance of the operaters of sophisticated computers and key pieces of
equipment. Engineers and scientists with specialized skills would be missing, with no
one to unravel the puzzles left behind. The disruption and confusion on a global scale
would be beyond calculation. Hardest hit would be the United States. If there are only
a quarter of born-again believers that polls indicate, the Rapture would decimate this
country, a possible reason why the United States is not mentioned in prophecy.
Professing Christians hold key positions almost everywhere. Their disappearance
would cause the United States to teeter on the brink of collapse, to be possibly taken
under the wing of Western Europe, where the church is largely dead and a far smaller
segment of society would be missing. In China or Africa there may be far more
missing, but those who have vanished will be, for the most part, the common laborers,
whose ranks can quickly be filled by the unemployed, and if need be, by students and
army rank and file. In Russia it will be the same, with millions missing, but few who
held positions of importance. A surprising number will have vanished from Israel,
while in Muslim, Hindu, and Buddist countries the number will be minimal.
It should be noted here that all children who have not reached the age of
accountability, or any person who has not reached the mental capacity to understand
the salvation of God will also be taken, This means that most if not all elementary
school teachers, and many junior high or middle school teachers will be out of a job,
because of a lack of children to teach. All day care centers and nursery schools would
go out of business, and many patients in mental hospitals would also disappear.
The global sense of irrecoverable loss and bewilderment will be shared by all
mankind. Therefore, the first casualties of the Rapture will be those who are directly
involved with those who have been taken. Suicide will be a factor for many who
cannot cope with this inconceivable event. To say the least, confusion will be the
order of the day.
Immediately following the Rapture there will be a large number of people who accept
Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. But these new believers will become the object
of hostility and persecution and eventual martyrdom. Many will die for their faith.
The mass murder of believers in Jesus Christ will become politically correct. The
persecutions we are seeing in our world today, while horrifying, are but a foretaste of
what is in store for believers in the near future. Revelation 6:9-11 tells us, "And when
He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the SOULS OF THOSE WHO
HAD BEEN SLAIN BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND BECAUSE OF
THEIR TESTIMONY WHICH THEY HAD HELD. And they cried with a loud
voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge
our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' And white robes were given to every
one of them; and they were told to rest for just a little while longer, until their
fellow servants also and their brethren, SHOULD BE KILLED AS THEY
WERE, should be fulfilled." There will be a "multitude of believers too great to be
numbered" massacred during the great tribulation.
After the Rapture of the Church the world will begin to go through, what the Bible
calls,"The Tribulation Period." A time of great catastrophe and disaster where
millions upon millions of people will die:
(1) One third of the world's remaining population will die under the sixth trumpet
judgment of Revelation 9:15. This event would kill about one billion people, if the
Rapture were to occur within the next ten to fifteen years.
(2) There will be a great worldwide destruction of major cities in the world during the
seventh bowl judgment of Revelation 16:17-21, in which many millions more will die.
(3) There will be the war of Armageddon, in which many millions more will die,
when the blood of the slain armies will run as deep as a horse's bridle (Rev 14:20).
(4) Large numbers of people from all around the world will die during the actual
Second Advent of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, according to Jeremiah 25:33, "At that
time those slain by the Lord will be everywhere, from one end of the earth to the
other. They will not be mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse
lying on the ground."
(5) There will be many people left on the earth immediately after the Rapture of the
Church, but very few of those will live to see the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
After the Rapture of the Church, the earth will go through the worst time it has ever
seen, Jesus said in Matthew 24:21, "....there will be great suffering, such as has not
existed since the world began up to this time, and never will be again." There will
be great and tremendous earthquakes that will destroy entire cities throughout the
world at the same time, there will be hailstorms, with the hailstones weighing about
one hundred pounds each, (Rev 16:17-21). There will be terrifying new diseases,
famine, shortages of fresh water, horrible violence, and continuous war culminating in
the War of Armageddon (Matt 24:6-7; and Revelation chapter 6).
(6) The estimated number of survivors of the Tribulation is between 50 and 100
million people, this includes believers as will as unbelievers. Isaiah 13:12 tells us, "I
will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold." Isaiah 24:6 says, "The inhabitants
of the earth are burned, and few men are left." And Jesus said in Matthew
24:22, "Unless those days are cut short, no life will be saved."
There is only one way for an individual to escape that which is going to come upon
this world. And that is to accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Because only those
who have placed their faith in Him will be delivered "from the wrath to come," (I
Thess 1:10). Therefore, if you haven't made the most important decision in your life,
the decision to believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, I encourage you to do
so now. It only takes a moment of your time, and it will deliver you throughout all
eternity. "Believe in Jesus Christ and you will be saved...." (Acts
16:31). "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe
in him stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of
God's one and only Son." (John 3:18). "Salvation is found in no one else, for there
is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be
saved" (referring to the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12).
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Copyright 1999 by Robert H. Kreger. All rights reserved. Anyone may reproduces this material and distribute it, but
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