Rapture of Christ

Rapture is a term in Christian eschatology which refers to the "being caught up" discussed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord in the air. The term "Rapture" is used in at least two senses, Pre-Tribulation rapture, Post-Tribulation rapture and Mid-Tribulation Rapture. The most popularly taught view among Christian faiths is known as the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.  According to this view, a group of people will be left behind on earth after another group literally leaves "to meet the Lord in the air. The post-Tribulation rapture believes that Christians will remain on the Earth as witnesses during the seven year tribulation period, until the very end of this age. The Mid-tribulation rapture is when those who accept this perspective believe that Christians will be taken from the Earth to be in Heaven with God at some point during the middle of the seven year period of tribulation.

The Rapture will occur at a time related to the tribulation, the seven-year period before the Second Coming of Christ during which the Antichrist will be in power. The rapture and second coming are similar but separate events. Both involve Jesus returning. Both are end-times events. So what is rapture and how does it happen? Rapture is not a verse found in the bible but it’s a biblical idea or concept that is when at the end of this age, Jesus returns and calls his people to him. Those who are dead are raised first and then followed by those who are alive who are true believer of Jesus. Obviously God will remove his people from the earth because God will not allow his people to go through a time of great tribulation. More importantly we have to understand the normal pattern of Christian life is persecution and tribulation. We need to be preparing ourselves and our generations for tribulations because John tells us there is one ultimate anti-Christ but there are many anti-Christ between now and then. We need to be sure that we are not teaching people if we encounter anti-Christ or tribulation that God is not with us. We have to stand strong and firm and teach people that no matter what God is always with us. Rapture will happen in open and every eye will witness it. Most of the people left behind are already in a state of deception. They have been deceived into believing that Jesus is not the Messiah; they have been deceived into believing that the word of God is not true; they have been deceived into living a lifestyle that only brings constant pain and suffering instead of the freedom and paradise that God offers. Shortly after the rapture, a seven-year period known in the Bible as the Great Tribulation will take place. The following events will take place in that seven-year period:

• Violence will increase in all parts of the world, both nation against nation (ethnic wars) and domestically. Men will indiscriminately slay one another as peace will be removed from the earth (Rev 6:3-4).

• In a very short period of time, one-quarter of the earth's population will be killed due to wars, famine, pestilence and wild beasts. These wild beasts could very well be viruses, bacteria and other microbes. 

• There will be a great earthquake, the sun will be blackened, the moon will turn red and all mountains and islands (which are underwater mountains) will be moved (Joel 2:30-32).

• One-third of the earth, one-third of all of trees and all the green grass will be burned up due to a comet or meteor that hits the earth (Rev 8:7).

•  A meteor will hit the earth causing the sea to become like blood, killing one-third of all sea creatures and destroying one-third of all shipping (Rev 8:8-9).

• A "star" named Wormwood will fall from the sky and poison one-third of all fresh water killing many people (Rev 8:10-11).

• The sun, moon and stars will be darkened by one-third. The day and night will be reduced by one-third. There is some speculation that this means the rotation of the earth will be changed so that a day lasts only 16 hours instead of 24 hours (Rev 8:12).

• The fresh waters will become like blood (Rev 16:4-7).

• The oceans will chemically change and become like the blood of a dead man and everything in the sea will die (Rev 16:3).

• Shortly after this great earthquake, Jesus Christ will return with His army to claim the earth as His possession (Zech 14:3-5).