The Rapture Special Part 1

Introduction: 
	As most of you are aware, there are different views on the rapture, particularly the timing of the rapture. The approach to this subject in the study will be to look at the primary passages on the subject and interpret them for what the text says.	
	This is a challenge for those who are predisposed to a particular view. To be objective and set aside one’s long held views is difficult for all us. This may involve setting aside many of the teachings of our favorite preachers, teachers, books, and even movies. Regardless, the objective here is getting to the truth. So I ask you--to do the difficult thing, wipe your slate clean and start afresh. If one is not willing to do that, his lens may be so skewed that truth may be overlooked in favor of comfort or tradition. 
	Though it is not my intention to teach a particular view, it will become obvious where this study is leading. At that point, I will take some side-trips to point out how other views interprets the passage and let you decide based upon the evidence presented. 
	
	What is the Rapture? 

	The word “rapture” does not appear in Scripture but that does not mean that the concept or idea is not there. So we go to the scripture from which the idea is drawn. 
	That is 1 Th. 4:16.

	1 Th. 4:16  Because the Lord himself, will come down with 
	a command shout, with the voice of the archangel and with 	the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise up first,  
	(17) then we who are alive, who are remaining will be 			snatched away together with them in the clouds for a 			meeting of the Lord in the air; And so we will always be 		with the Lord. 	 

	snatched away fut. pass. indic. pl.  aJrpa¿zw harpazoœ—  to 		seize, to snatch away, to take away--both quick and forceful		Pass. vo. The subject receives the action. 		

	For a wolf snatching sheep —  Jn. 10:12
	For the evil one snatching away what has been sown in 		the heart	 Matt. 13:19
	For the soldiers taking Paul away from the crowds
		Acts 23:10

	But it is the Latin, the Vulgate where we get the word 			rapture. 
	Latin rapio -- to seize, to carry off 
	from which comes word rapture

	This is one of the first passages someone will show you when they begin talking about the rapture. 

	But we need to keep the “rapture” in perspective. We go to the larger context and the main topic.  
	
	1 Th. 4:13  But we do not want you to be ignorant, 				brethren, concerning those who are asleep, so that you 		may not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 

	1 Th. 4:14  For we believe that Jesus died and arose, so 		also we believe God will bring those with him who have 	fallen asleep through Jesus.

	1 Th. 4:15  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord 		that we who are alive, who are remaining at the coming of 	the Lord will not precede those who are 	asleep. 

	1 Th.4:16  Because the Lord himself, will come down with a 	command shout, with the voice of the archangel and with 		the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise up 		first,  

	1 Th. 4:17  then we who are alive, who are remaining will 		be snatched away together with them in the clouds for a 		meeting of the Lord in the air; And so we will always be 		with the Lord. 

	1 Th. 4:18  Therefore comfort one another with these 			words. 

	The passage is about the dead in Christ rising up (16).
What do we call that?  A resurrection. This passage is about the resurrection. The rapture is mentioned in relation to those who have already died. The comfort is in the Thessalonians knowing that both the previously deceased Christians and alive at the time will ascend together to meet with the Lord.  
	
	What does Paul write elsewhere about the Resurrections?

	Resurrections 

	In I Cor. 15, the apostle Paul is writing about the resurrection of Christ and this leads into the other resurrections of believers.  

	I Cor. 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, 	the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

	Though Christ has been raised from the dead, he is also the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

	Under the Mosaic Law, firstfruits was that part of the harvest that when harvested, was dedicated to the Lord (Ex. 23:19; Lev. 23:10; Deut. 18:4). Paul uses this as an analogy to Christ being the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. “Fallen asleep” is a phrase used to describe the temporary state of the believer’s body until resurrected. 
	With Christ being called the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep —this implies more — will follow.
	The passage continues--

	15:21 For since death came through a man, the 	resurrection of the dead also came through a man.
	15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all 	be made alive.

	The point is that spiritual and physical death came to all mankind through a man Adam. So also spiritual life and physical life (resurrection) comes to man through one man-- the God-man Jesus Christ. 

	In v. 23, Paul writes of the different orders or echelons of resurrections. 

	15:23  But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, 	then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (24) Then 	the end when he hands over the kingdom to God  the 	Father after he has destroyed all dominion,   authority and 	power.

	First in order is--   Christ, the firstfruits 

	Second is-- at his coming (parousia) those who belong to 		Christ.

	coming  parousia - the presence of one coming, hence, the 	coming, arrival 

	Whenever parousia is used of Christ in an eschatological use, it always refers to the Second Coming (Matt. 24:3, 37, 39;1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Th. 2:19;3:13; 4:15;5:23; 2 Th. 2:1,8; Ja. 5:7,8; 2 Pet. 1:16;3:4; 1 Jn. 2:28).

	However, those who hold to the pre-trib. view will sometimes say that it refers a pre-tribulational rapture (e.g. 2:19;4:15; 5:23 etc.). 
	This implies there are two comings, conspicuously absent from 1 Cor. 15:23-24. 

	In agreement with all the other uses of the word parousia in an eschatological context and Christ, the use of parousia here in this eschatological context is the Second Coming of Christ. This is the Second Coming of Christ. 

	The Third resurrection is at -- the end
	This is those believers who are in mortal bodies during the Millennial reign of Christ. They will be changed from mortal to immortal “when he hands over the kingdom to God  the Father .  .  .  (24)
	We move into the eternal state of the new heavens and earth. 
	Our focus here is in the second group--all believers who have died and are alive at the Second coming parousia of Christ.          
	
	The only other resurrection which is not in this context is that of a resurrection to judgment or the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium (Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:46; Jn. 5:28-29; Rev. 20:11-14). 
	There is no other resurrection in the Scripture. 

	Resurrection Body 

	1 Cor. 15:50 Now this is what I am saying, brethren 			[brothers and sisters] that flesh and blood cannot inherit 		the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit 
	incorruption. (51) Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not 	all 	sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in 	the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the 	trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised 	imperishable, and we shall be changed. (53) For this 	perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this 	mortal body must put on immortality.
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	The mystery, now revealed is this change of body when Christ returns.  It happens instantly in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The perishable changes to the imperishable, mortal to immortality. This is the mystery and not the rapture as some may say. 
	
	last trumpet  The trumpet blast is used in the ancient world to signal for something: worship, announcement of a king, call to judgment, an alarm, summons to war, a call to assemble etc. Here it is a call to assemble with the Lord. Same trumpet call as in Matt. 24:31; 1 Thess. 4:16. 

	When is the Rapture-- the Resurrection?      

	This is the most controversial question on this topic. There are several views on the subject with lines of evidence supposedly backing them all. The two most prominent views are the pre-tribulation rapture and the post-tribulation rapture. The lesser popular views are the mid-trib., partial trib. and pre-wrath rapture. I will continue teach the scripture and let you decide which seems to be the best view and give my own conclusion. 

	Though the use of the word parousia is good evidence for only one resurrection at his Second Coming and not two resurrections or one in two parts (as proposed by the pre-trib. view), we should look at other Second Coming passages to get an even clearer understanding.  
	Again, let the Scripture speak for itself.

	Comparison of Scenes   

	One of the main arguments for seeing a rapture apart from the Second Coming is that when one compares the Second Coming passages with the “rapture” passages, they present very different scenes. 
	Since that is the case, then they cannot be the same event. 

	Second Coming Passages

	Is. 13:9 ¶ Behold, the day of the LORD comes,
		cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,
	 to make the land a desolation
		and to destroy its sinners from it.
	Is. 13:10 	For the stars of the heavens and their 						constellations
		will not give their light;
	 the sun will be dark at its rising,
		and the moon will not shed its light.
	Is. 13:11 I will punish the world for its evil,
		and the wicked for their iniquity;
	 I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,
		and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.
	Is. 13:12 	I will make people more rare than fine gold,
		and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

	Four points:
		It is the day of the LORD. (9)
		There is wrath. 	(9)
		There is darkness. (10)
		After the punishment, few people will be left (11-12)

	Obviously, this passage emphasizes the judgment aspect of the Day of the Lord. 

	In the book of Zechariah 12:1-14:21, we have the second oracle which is the Second Coming of Christ and his reception. 
This passage focuses in on the siege of Jerusalem, the battle of Armageddon and the Lord’s return, the Second Coming. 

	Siege of Jerusalem 12:2-3
	All the nations are gathered against it and Judah
	The Lord begins to deliver   12:4-9
	Much of Israel will turn to the Lord  12:10-14
	Land cleansed of false teaching 13:1-6
	Two thirds people killed, one-third repent, refined 13:7-9
	Day of battle (Armageddon)  Lord fights       14:1-3
									                                                    
	Zech. 14:3  Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
	Zech. 14:4  In that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west,  forming a very large valley; half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
	Zech. 14:5 Then you will flee by the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azal; You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with him! (Rev. 19:14)
	Zech. 14:6  It will happen in that day that there will be no light: luminaries will dwindle. (Looks back to beginning)
	Zech. 14:7  It will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.
	Zech. 14:8  And in that day living waters will flow out of 	Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will happen in summer and in winter. (Looks forward to Millennium).
	Zech. 14:9  And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be one, and his name one.

	The Lord returns to the Mt. of Olives in front of Jerusalem
Mt. of Olives splits in two, one-third, the survivors flee. (4-5)
	Then the passage transitions to the Millennial kingdom.
Note that that there is no direct mention of a resurrection/rapture of the saints. 
	
	Joel 2:30  “I will display [lit. give] wonders in the 
			heavens [sky] and on the earth, 
			blood, fire and columns of smoke.
	Joel 2:31  The sun[light] will be turned to darkness
			and the moon to [the color] of blood,
			before the day of the LORD comes–
			that great and awesome day!
	Joel 2:32  “And it will come about that whoever calls on the 			name of the LORD will be delivered.
			For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
			there will be a deliverance, [of the remnant]
			even among the survivors,
			whom the LORD calls.

	Joel 3:14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! 
	    For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
	Joel 3:15  The sun and moon are darkened
	    and the stars will gather in [diminish] their brightness.
	Joel 3:16  The LORD roars from Zion; 
	    and from Jerusalem he gives [forth] his voice 
	    and the heavens and the earth trembles;
	    But the LORD is a refuge for his people;
	    and a stronghold to the sons of Israel.

	Some may ask, why is there not a rapture or better yet resurrection mentioned here. The only deliverance is for those in Jerusalem (2:32).
	The emphasis here is on the Second Coming and his establishment of his kingdom. Believers knew that a resurrection was coming (Job 19:25-27; Dan. 12:2-3) but no detail has been revealed yet.
	At the time of this writing, there hasn’t even been a first resurrection, that of Christ.

	So none of these OT verses help us in establishing the resurrection of the saints in relation to the Second Coming. 

	They are not supposed to. 

	We will continue here next time by looking at some more Second Coming passages but they will be in the NT.