1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
13-“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death,(B) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14-For we believe that JESUS died and rose again, and so we believe that GOD will bring with JESUS those who have fallen asleep in Him. 15-According to the LORD’s Word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the LORD, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16-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. 17-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. And so we will be with the LORD forever. 18-Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
1 CORINTHIANS 15:52
“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.”
MATTHEW 24:36
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the FATHER.”
JOHN 14:3
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Hundreds of biblical prophecies have been fulfilled in CHRIST. In I Thessalonians 4 there is one mentioned that will be the next to be fulfilled. Billions, in the last two thousand years, have been waiting for this one (vs. 13-18) to be accomplished. It is the great catching up of the dead in Christ and the Christians that are living (vss. 16- 17) at that time.
The Greek word used for “caught up” (vs. 17) is “harpazō”, and it means “to catch away, to seize, pluck, pull, and take by force”.
It is very similar to the English word “rapture,” which means “transport, seizing away”. Although the word “rapture” is not used in the preserved King James text, this futuristic happening is often referred to by that name.
When the LORD shouts, the archangel’s voice is sounded, and GOD’s trumpet is blown, the rapture will occur (vs. 16). The first to ascend will be the dead in CHRIST. Those that have trusted JESUS as Saviour and died will be called up. Their souls are already joined with Him (II Cor. 5:8, Eccl. 12:7) as a soul never dies; but the body sleeps (vs. 14), awaiting its wake-up call by the heavenly summoning of the rapture.
“Then we which are alive …” (vs. 17), all Christians living at that time, will follow the dead in CHRIST to meet the LORD in the air with them — without dying and without going through the terrible Tribulation events. No one knows when this catching away will occur (Mat. 24:36). It could be today. It could be tomorrow or ten years from now, but it will happen. GOD’s Word promised it!!
If the heavenly trumpet were blown to call the living saved from this world, are you absolutely, positively sure you would be called away home to heaven? What a terrible time it will be when a lot of well-intentioned, good-doers, and many religious-but-lost find out that they never were summoned by the heavenly call. It will be too late for those that have already heard GOD’s message and have rejected it. What a scary time it will be when the prophesied wrath of GOD is finally poured out on this earth.
If you are not sure or someone you may know is not sure to make it to the rapture, make sure that they (or you) will be taken away when it happens.
Admit you’re a sinner, and trust CHRIST JESUS’ death on the cross as the only payment for your sins. If you do, then you will be one of the many that will hear the trumpet call of GOD to believers one day, any day soon.
Are you looking forward to this major event with enthusiasm?
The Word says, “ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WITH THIS WORDS.”
Anticipating His Coming,
Pastor Wally & Sister Mattie