The Not-So-Secret Rapture
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump[et] 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. 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.
In these verses we find the Bible's most vivid description of the rapture. Paul writes that "we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess. 4:17, RSV).
The words to watch are "caught up." The Greek word behind the translation means "to seize," to "snatch away," and to "transport hastily." It has worked its way into English as "rapture" through the Latin rapio. So when Paul speaks of the end-time rapture he means the event in which God's people are "caught up," or raptured, at the Second Advent to meet Him who is coming in the clouds of heaven.
With verse 17 in mind, it is little wonder that Christians like to talk about the rapture. But what is inconceivable is that some have concluded that it would be secret.
Paul tells us just how secret it is. First, he ties the rapture to the Second Advent. That is, it will take place at the same time that Jesus returns. And how hidden is His coming? According to Jesus Himself, it would as visible as the lightening that flashes across the heavens (Matt. 24:27). And the book of Revelation tells us that when He returns "every eye will see him" (Rev. 1:7, NKJV).
But Paul adds to that lack of secrecy when he tells us that "the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God" (1 Thess. 4:16, RSV). All the noise and calling and victorious trumpeting have the effect of awakening those asleep in their graves. The coming will be just as audible as it will be visible.
The rapture and the Second Advent are the opposite of secret. They will be accompanied by a massive shout, the voice of an archangel, the blaring of a trumpet (verse 16), a heavenly display that will be as visible as lightening illuminating the sky (Matt. 24:27), something so widespread that every eye will see it (Rev. 1:7), and around the entire world the opening of the graves and resurrection of the dead who had accepted Jesus as their Lord (1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52).
It appears that the not-so-secret rapture will indeed be the greatest show on earth. I look forward with all my heart to that day!
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump[et] 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. 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.
In these verses we find the Bible's most vivid description of the rapture. Paul writes that "we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess. 4:17, RSV).
The words to watch are "caught up." The Greek word behind the translation means "to seize," to "snatch away," and to "transport hastily." It has worked its way into English as "rapture" through the Latin rapio. So when Paul speaks of the end-time rapture he means the event in which God's people are "caught up," or raptured, at the Second Advent to meet Him who is coming in the clouds of heaven.
With verse 17 in mind, it is little wonder that Christians like to talk about the rapture. But what is inconceivable is that some have concluded that it would be secret.
Paul tells us just how secret it is. First, he ties the rapture to the Second Advent. That is, it will take place at the same time that Jesus returns. And how hidden is His coming? According to Jesus Himself, it would as visible as the lightening that flashes across the heavens (Matt. 24:27). And the book of Revelation tells us that when He returns "every eye will see him" (Rev. 1:7, NKJV).
But Paul adds to that lack of secrecy when he tells us that "the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God" (1 Thess. 4:16, RSV). All the noise and calling and victorious trumpeting have the effect of awakening those asleep in their graves. The coming will be just as audible as it will be visible.
The rapture and the Second Advent are the opposite of secret. They will be accompanied by a massive shout, the voice of an archangel, the blaring of a trumpet (verse 16), a heavenly display that will be as visible as lightening illuminating the sky (Matt. 24:27), something so widespread that every eye will see it (Rev. 1:7), and around the entire world the opening of the graves and resurrection of the dead who had accepted Jesus as their Lord (1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52).
It appears that the not-so-secret rapture will indeed be the greatest show on earth. I look forward with all my heart to that day!
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