The Rapture

Resurrection and the “Rapture”

THE RESURRECTION AND THE RAPTURE

1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4

TWO GROUPS OF BELIEVERS

There are two types of people being described:

• Deceased believers → those who have already died
• Living believers → those still alive at that moment

THE LAST DAY

For deceased believers:

• They are resurrected first
• They receive incorruptible (glorified) bodies

For living believers:

• They do not all die
• Instead, they are instantly transformed
• This change happens:
• “in a moment”
• “in the twinkling of an eye”

CAUGHT UP 

The key term:

• Greek: harpazō → means snatched away, seized, carried off
• Latin: rapturo → where we get the English word “rapture”

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

1. A trumpet sounds
2. Christ returns from heaven in the air 
3. The dead in Christ rise first
4. Then living believers are caught up to meet Christ in the air
5. All believers are:

• Given new glorified bodies
• United with Christ forever

6. The seven year tribulation begins

• False Covenant made
• The Antichrist revealed
• Jewish persecution arises
• Armageddon begins
• Israel repents

7. Christ returns to earth with the saints as the Second Coming to end the wars and rescues Israel

KEY THEOLOGICAL POINTS

• Humans cannot enter heaven in their current physical state → a transformation is required
• There is no second chance after death. No purgatory
• Two ultimate outcomes:
• Eternal life for all believers
• Eternal separation for unbeliever (damnation)

RAPTURE TIMING

• A “last days” period
• A 7-year tribulation framework – Pre Trib
• Imminent (can happen at any time)

 PURPOSE

• Hope → believers will be with Christ forever
• Comfort → no fear of coming judgment
• Encouragement → “comfort one another with these words”