The Rapture

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 ESV

(15)  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 note:

God will catch up the saints alive on the earth into the air and unite us forever with Christ. Living saints bodies will become immortal and saints who have died will experience resurrection with immortal bodies. Both kinds of Christians will meet in the air with Christ with whom we will remain never to experience separation from Him. Since we will always be with the Lord from then on we will return to earth with Him at His second coming, participate in His earthly millennial kingdom with Him, and finally dwell with Him in the new heavens and earth. Old Testament believers will evidently experience resurrection at the end of the Tribulation. 

• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ESV

 (51)  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(52)  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 note:

 Christians alive on that day will not have to die but will be transformed immediately. A trumpet blast will open the way for the new heaven and earth.

• 15:52 twinkling of an eye.

 This was Paul’s way of showing how brief the “moment” will be. The Greek word for “twinkling” refers to any rapid movement. Since the eye can move more rapidly than any other part of our visible bodies, it seems to well illustrate the sudden transformation of raptured believers. 

• trumpet will sound. To herald the end of the church era, when all believers will be removed from the earth at the rapture 

• 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV

(16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV

(17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 note:

According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 the living saints follow.

Revelation 3:10 ESV

(10)  Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

Grove Oak Church