For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God...
Rapture - The Word Rapture - means to be "caught up." Many believe that since the word "rapture" itself is not found in the Bible, it is not biblical. This is just not true as the event is mentioned many times in scripture. The catching away of Christians is a significant event in Bible prophecy which is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 & 1 Corinthians 15:52. This event, in short, is Jesus Christ returning to gather His church to Himself just as He promised. The pinnacle of the true Christian’s life is being in the presence of the one who has laid down his life for us. We are practicing that now in this life through prayer and intimacy with the Lord in our hearts by faith but soon we shall see Him and be like Him and be with Him for all eternity totally unhindered by natural restraints!
The rapture itself can be thought of as a point in eternity which will protrude into our historical time frame at some fixed point which only God knows. Again, anyone who claims to know the date and the time of this great event is, in fact, revealing themselves to be a false prophet as Jesus clearly states in Matthew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
My purpose for creating this section of the website was not to get into a deep eschatology (study of the end times) debate, I do however, want to communicate and remind you that Jesus Christ is coming back very soon. He is coming for His church that is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, for those that are living in a growing dynamic relationship with Christ. Jesus is coming for those who love and are looking for His appearing. He is coming for those who live in trust and dependence upon Him. The scriptures say that Jesus will return in the clouds and every eye will see Him, every tongue will confess and every knee will bow before Him.
In 2 Peter chapter 3 in verse 3 it says “knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days' scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. We all deal with the temptation to take our ease and comfort, to get distracted by the cares of this life. Remember, sometimes when promises are delayed our true hearts are revealed. In other words, who and what we are can at times be shown clearly when we are not motivated by an apparent punishment or reward. Jesus warns us to remain watchful and sober regardless of whether we think we are in immediate danger or not. The scripture says when they cry “peace and safety” sudden destruction shall fall upon them, and in another place that the Lord’s return will be like a thief in the night, meaning it will happen when we least expect it, loss of expectation usually implies a lack of preparedness. Since these things are real, the only reasonable thing to do is to get ready, be ready and to stay ready at all times!
I am personally looking forward to the day of the Lord with growing anticipation. It is becoming more and more apparent that we are in the last days and probably the final hours according to the scriptures, there are no additional prophesies that need to take place before Jesus' return to this flailing earth, which means it could be at any moment. While I am still here, I am looking to get to know the Lord even more and to be used of God whichever way He desires to use me. Taking more time to open my heart before Him that He would continue to help me be more like Christ. One of the ways of doing this is by sharing God’s truth with those that He gives opportunity, redeeming the time. Sure, I like to have fun and enjoy things, but God’s Word is more important than my personal desires, ease, and comfort or rather it should. I don’t always get it right as this requires humility, sacrifice, and faith. All the things that I need more of and by God's grace I believe that I have them in Christ Jesus.
If you are preparing yourself with God’s help to meet the Lord, praise God! I know there are things we all can and should allow the Lord to change in us, for all who are trusting in Him. I often ask myself, are there changes in my life I would make if I knew the rapture was going to take place today? Those are the things I am prayerfully changing in my life now!
What about you, are you ready to meet the Lord?
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Cor 15:50-52