Many Christians are looking forward to a time when, interrupting their ordinary lives, they will be suddenly raptured into heaven with Jesus Christ. But is this true?
FREE BIBLE GUIDE: All Study Guides
Does this teaching come from the Bible?
Christians all over the world are looking for a sudden rescue - a Rapture - to save them from the coming time of trouble. Explore the roots of this doctrine and discover the wonderful hope of resurrection God has planned for all mankind.
What's in the Guide
The idea of a rapture of believers up into heaven before the prophesied tribulation of the last days is widely taught and believed in Christianity today.
Darby argued in favour of what is termed premillennialism in contrast to popular postmillennialism and amillennialism. Let's briefly consider these terms.
Most people say 1 Thessalonians 4 describes a secret Rapture taking place before the Great Tribulation. But put together all the scriptures that talk about being resurrected to meet Christ in the air, and you can piece together a coherent picture of not only when it will happen (at the end of the Tribulation), but how obvious it will be (very).
The book of Revelation describes Satan's wrath on God's people and God's judgment on humanity as seven seals. Additional passages in Matthew, Daniel and other books add further detail. By piecing together all of these references, we can create a timeline of end-time events, presented here. Feel free to print this chart and stow it in your Bible for reference.
Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 about the resurrection and glorification of Christ's followers at His return. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 shows that this will occur when Christ descends from heaven with a mighty shout and the great sound of a trumpet. This is no secret event.
The most popular and widely-believed version of the rapture theory has Jesus Christ miraculously rescuing His people from an earth on the brink of tribulation. It's a comforting belief, since it offers the promise of peace and safety in heaven while the earth below is immersed in turmoil and destruction.
Let's summarise 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 which mentions believers being caught up, actually says: 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: Then we which 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.
Revelation Unveiled
STUDY GUIDEMany people believe the book of Revelation is all about bad news. Although it reveals where our actions and decisions will take us, it also shows how mankind will finally experience a world of peace. Is the book of Revelation relevant today? Is it possible for us to understand it? Can we know to whom it was written and why? What are the meanings of its mysterious symbols? Once you grasp the message of Revelation, you too, will see that it contains the most remarkable message of hope ever written. Its fundamental message is plain and its conclusion certain.
-
Why Were You Born?
STUDY GUIDEWhy do you exist? What is your destiny? Is there a reason, a purpose, for human life? These questions have baffled the greatest thinkers and philosophers down through the ages.
-
You Can Understand Bible Prophecy
STUDY GUIDEHow will the world finally find peace? What will happen before that finally comes to pass? The Bible reveals many details about end-time events and the major trends that will lead up to Jesus Christ's return. Read this featured booklet to learn the answers.
- Subscribe to Beyond Today Magazine
