When is the rapture?

We Shall All Be Changed

In the Bible, the book of 1st Corinthians describes our final victory:

Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) [NKJV]

Paul says this occurs at the last trump, which the Bible tells us is the seventh trump. 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 11 are referring to exactly the same thing. For the trumpet shall sound, the dead shall be raised, and we shall be changed.

Transformed Instantly

At the second coming of Jesus Christ, all born-again Christians will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). At the sound of the “last trumpet,” the dead who were born again during their lifetime will be resurrected from the dead. At the same time, those who are born again, and still alive on earth, will be transformed, instantly, from mortal beings to immortal beings. Romans 8:11 tell us that our mortal bodies will be made alive, if we have God’s spirit living in us.

It is often taught that, at the rapture, all of us will instantly disappear, but that is not what the Bible says. It says we will be changed in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye. When Jesus Christ was caught up, He was seen leaving the earth. Just as they were able to watch Jesus go, so will people be able to watch the church go.

Of That Day and Hour No One Knows

“But of that day and hour no one knows…,” Jesus said to His disciples on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:36). In other words, some say, we cannot know the day and the hour when Jesus will return and gather His church to Himself. But others claim that Jesus was speaking only to people living in the first century, not to people living today. Actually, people living in the first century would not know the day and the hour of the second coming of Jesus.

The Times and Seasons

Just before He was caught up to heaven, Jesus’ disciples asked, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6-7). Jesus replied specifically about what would happen “at this time.” In other words, His response was particularly directed to the first century generation in which they were living. He said, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority (Acts 1:7) [NKJV] Will we also, then, be unable to know the times and the seasons?

The Sons of Light Will Know

The answer to this question is found in Matthew 24:34, in which Jesus says, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.” [NKJV] “This generation” refers specifically to the people who live to see all of the of the terrifying events that Jesus had just listed as increasing immediately before His return, such as wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes in various places, widespread famine and disease, and the Antichrist’s rise to power. Paul validates this view, saying,

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5: 1-5) [NKJV]

We will know, according to Paul, the times and the seasons. If we pay attention, we will see the day of the Lord coming. This settles the controversy about knowing the times and the seasons, but what about knowing the day and hour?

Those In Darkness Are Surprised

1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and Matthew 24:42-43 contain a parable that teaches us that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. The master of the house will not know what hour the thief will come. The thief clearly represents the Lord. The master of the house was living in darkness and was not ready for the coming of the Lord. Unbelievers are the ones who will not know the hour of the Lord’s coming. Paul explicitly states that the coming of the Lord would only be a surprise to those living in darkness. 1st Thessalonians 5:4-5 indicates that, unlike the situation with unbelievers, the day of the Lord will not overtake His children of light as a thief in the night. If we keep studying the scriptures, and strive to understand current events in light of Bible prophecy, we will know the generation, and the times and seasons. And as the time draws nearer, we may also not only begin to understand the day of His return, but the hour also.

The Harvest of the Earth

In chapter 14 of Revelation, we see a vision of Christ reaping a harvest.

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. (Revelation 14:14-16) [NKJV]

Jesus compares souls to a harvest in John 4:35. The reaping of the good harvest of the earth is the rapture of the church. This harvest that He reaps in chapter 14 of Revelation is immediately before verses 17 through 20, which describe the wrath of God. Thus, the rapture of the church occurs just prior to God’s wrath.

The harvest signals the end of this age, at which time Jesus Christ will come back for the rapture of His church and the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus prophesied of the harvest. We call it the “rapture,” although the word “rapture” is not found in the Bible. It is merely a word we use that means “the catching away”. 1st Thessalonians speaks of this “catching away”:

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 thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17) [NKJV]

Immediately After the Tribulation…

Those of us who have been taught of a pre-tribulation rapture cannot read chapter 24 of the book of Matthew carefully without concluding that Jesus placed the rapture immediately after the tribulation of those days.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31) [NKJV]

Not a Salvation Issue

The timing of the rapture seems to be the most controversial of all prophecy teachings. However, whether it will occur before, during, or after the tribulation has no bearing on your salvation. God can come for any one of us at any time. Jesus said in chapter 24 of Matthew,

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (Matthew 24:42-43) [NKJV]

At Any Time

Whatever you believe about the timing of the rapture, or whether you even believe in Bible prophecy, if you were to die right now, you would be immediately removed from the earth to stand before your Creator for judgment. The Bible says, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” (2 Corinthians 5:11) [NKJV] and, “Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’” (1 Peter 4:18) [NKJV] This is not the time to emphasize only the parts of the Bible we like, to make us feel good. But it is time for us to make sure that our lives are in line with all the teachings of God’s word. If ever there were a time to walk closely to God, this is the time, as we see the day of the Lord drawing near.