Day 15 – The Great News of the Rapture

Read: I Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18

The early Christians at Thessalonica were already looking forward expectantly to the return of the Lord but they had questions concerning those in the church that had already passed away. Paul included this section to answer their questions and allay fears that they had missed the return. The term asleep or fallen asleep was often used for death in those days because people thought of death as entering into a time of rest. Paul only uses this term to apply to believers and never those who die outside faith in Jesus Christ.

In I Thessalonians 4:17 Paul uses a term which means to seize or carry off by force. When this term was translated into Latin it became “rapturus” and from this we get our term “rapture”. It is important to note that in this passage Paul is not using symbolic or allegorical language. Christ followers who are alive when Christ returns will rise up into the clouds to meet Jesus and all those who have previously died in Christ. Those who have died in Christ will receive a new perfect body regardless of how they died or how long they have been dead. The bodies of those who are alive will instantly be changed into a new and incorruptible body that they will have for eternity.

It is important to understand the distinction of Christ’s return at the rapture versus what we refer to as the second coming of Christ. At the rapture, Christ will return in the air to redeem his church. At the second coming, Christ will return to fight for Israel. His foot will touch down on the Mt. of Olives and he will walk across the Kidron valley and enter Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate to begin the fight that is referred to as the Battle of Armageddon.

Prayer time: Lord, it’s exciting to consider that you will be returning to take us from this broken world to a new life with you in eternity. I know that this truth has the power to free me from much of the anxiety that I feel about my future and the condition of this present world. I pray that your return will affect how I live my life today and give me urgency to share the gospel with those who need you. I know the shout and trumpet blast could come at any moment and I will rise up off of this old mud ball and my opportunities to share Jesus will be over.

Final thought: I Thessalonians 4: 17 tells us that a loud trumpet blast will accompany the return of Christ at the rapture. This is reminiscent of the loud trumpet blast that sounded on Mt. Sinai when God came to meet with Moses. An Archangel (an angel with command authority) will announce the return with a loud shout that will be heard by all Christ followers. What will the command be? Perhaps, “Its time” or “Come home” or “Behold the Bridegroom Comes.”