The Coming of Jesus: The Rapture of the Faithful in Christ Jesus. Part Two.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
One concept that we need to correct regarding the rapture is the precedence of the event over the event in relation to the coming of Jesus.
Contemporary eschatology presents this event as one that will take place long before Jesus’ coming and as an almost private act. Most eschatologists place it three and a half years before the coming of Jesus.
In general, presented as a chaos resulting from people disappearing without a trace and no one being able to without a trace, with no one able to give any indication of their whereabouts. This is not biblical; on the contrary, it is an atheistic, apostate and demonic concept.
The rapture is an event that will take place at the same time as the coming of Jesus. In the words of Jesus in chapter 24 of the Gospel of Matthew, both events are described as parallel. events, the rapture as a consequence of the coming of Jesus.
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:30, 31
Notice the simultaneousness: the Son of Man, Jesus, appears in the clouds and immediately He sends His sends his angels to gather (rapture) his elect.
And they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
Matthew 24:30, 31
There is no proof of an anteriority, as contemporary eschatology presents it. A hidden and independent rapture before the coming of Jesus is not supported by the Word.
The simultaneity of the two events is also described in the writings of the Apostle Paul,
BUT we beseech you, brethren, (1)concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and (2)our gathering to Him,
2 Thessalonians 2:1
Note again the simultaneity: the coming of Jesus, immediately after, our recollection of Him.
…the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our recollection of him…
2 Thessalonians 2:1
The rapture of the saints is a consequence of the coming of Jesus.
In his first letter to the Church of Thessalonica, the order of events is best understood,
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so will God bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 Wherefore this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming (Παρουσιαν) of the Lord shall not be before them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, together with them shall be caught up (αρπαγησομεθα) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
As we can see, the rapture of the saints, living and risen, is not an event that precedes or is independent of the coming of Jesus; nor is it a hidden event, with people disappearing without explanation of their whereabouts, as is the case today. The rapture is an event that has unfolded in full view of all.
The rapture[1] signifies a divine act upon man to lift him up from the face of the earth to the place in the clouds where he is. The act does not involve the will or decision of man; it is entirely an act of God’s sovereignty over the righteous man and woman, drawing them to Himself.
As soon as the rapture process is over, when all the participants have ascended into the clouds to meet Jesus, the descent of Jesus and all this great multitude gathered around Him to set His feet on the Mount of Olives, according to the prophecy of Zechariah, begins. ….
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is over against Jerusalem on the east side: and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, making a very great valley; and half of the mount shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Zechariah 14:4
… and in accordance with the instruction which the apostles had from the men in white robes on the day of Jesus’ ascension,
10 And while they were looking up to heaven, as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes; 11 Which also said unto them, Ye men of Galilee, what look ye up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Acts 1:10-11
The people who take part in the rapture are not necessarily people who belong to a church; the Bible categorically states that those who take part are people of faith who, by their convictions and decisions about Jesus and His Word, make adjustments to live according to the demands of His will.
But those who are accounted worthy of that world and of the resurrection of the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Luke 20:35
The Bible presents these people as worthy, which shows that the election is of the Lord according to what is established in His Word,
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:21
In conclusion, the coming of Jesus and the rapture of the Church are not separate or isolated events. Rapture of the Church are not separate or isolated events; they are not independent of each other. independent of each other.
As we have seen from all the texts we have examined, the coming of Jesus is the event that causes the dead in Christ to rise from their graves and, together with the transformed living righteous, go up in one group to meet Jesus in the clouds and finally descend to the Mount of Olives to inaugurate the millennial reign of Jesus on earth.
The image that many eschatologists have managed to establish, which is woefully false, is that the Rapture is an invisible act, in which people disappear without a trace, but are taken up into the air in spirit forms, and after three and a half years they ‘appear’ to accompany Jesus at His coming, and after three and a half years they ‘appear’ to accompany Jesus at His coming.
The use of the term ‘parousia’ to refer to the coming of Jesus The use of the term ‘parousia’ to refer to the coming of Jesus shows that in the use and custom of the word, the concept of going out had the concept of going out to receive the coming one, as a sequitur, to enter together with the person to enter together with the person to the place of destination.
The parable of the ten virgins clearly illustrates this. It is about ten virgins who have been called to wait for the bridegroom and to receive him. When he finally comes, they are told to go out to meet him, and when they receive him, they accompany him back to the place from which they came. They have gone to their receiving party. That is ‘parousia’.
6 And at midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps … 10… and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.
Matthew 25:6-10
Another clear example is the arrival of the Apostle Paul in Rome. The account of his arrival describes the presence of some believers who lived in Rome, who went out to greet the Apostle, and when they met him, they accompanied him to Rome, the city from which they had left.
14 … then we came to Rome; 15 From whence, when the brethren heard of us, they came out to meet us as far as the marketplace of Appius, and the Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he gave thanks to God, and took courage. 16 And how we got to Rome, …
Acts 28:14-16
The believers leave Rome, and meet Paul at Appian Square, and The Three Taverns, and accompany Paul into Rome.
When will these things be and what sign will there be of your coming?
The rapture takes place at the coming of Jesus. The dead in Christ are raised from their graves, and join the group of the faithful who are being transformed, and together they ascend into the clouds to meet Jesus in the clouds, and descend in Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives.
The dead in Christ rise with a glorified body, similar to that of the faithful being transformed, with the same characteristics of the body of Jesus when He was resurrected, as the Scriptures themselves have established,
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
1 John 3:2
… will continue….
Learning Assessment Questions
- According to what has been presented in this lesson, answer:
- – When is the resurrection of the faithful in Christ Jesus?
- – Cite at least three biblical texts that establish that the rising of the church is at the coming of Jesus.
pastor Pedro Montoya
[1] The Greek word for rapture is: ἁρπαγησόμεθα (arpagisomeza), meaning, caught up. Texts where it appears in connection with the coming of Jesus,
Then we which are alive, which are left, shall be caught up together with them (ἁρπαγησόμεθα) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Other texts where its use appears,
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away (ηρπασεν) Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went his way rejoicing.
Acts 8:39
And when there was great dissension, the commanding officer, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces from among them, commanded soldiers to come and snatch (ἁρπάσαι) him out of their midst, and bring him into the stronghold.
Acts 23:10
I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not; whether out of the body, I know not: God knows:) was caught up (ἁρπαγέντα) into the third heaven. … 4Who was caught up (ἡρπάγη) into paradise, where he heard secret words which man cannot speak.
2nd Corinthians 12:2, 4
But save others by fear, snatching (ἁρπάζοντες) them out of the fire; hating even the garment which is defiled with the flesh.
Jude 23
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her son was caught up (ἡρπάσθη) unto God and to his throne.
Revelation 12:5
