The Bible warns of a coming day when all who are found waiting in faith for Jesus Christ (Yeshua Ha'Mashiach in Hebrew), will be removed from the Earth "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" . . . 

What is this strange, bizarre, mysterious, Bible prophecy all about?

The Scriptures warn us Jesus-Yeshua, the promised Messiah, will return . . . twice:

        First, "as a thief in the night" . . .  for those who waited in faith

        Second, "every eye shall see" . . .  with those who waited in faith

It might help to understand why God feels it will be important to remove this remnant (or 'body') of believers from the Earth in such a decisive and startling way.  We find the Rapture is somewhat analogous to a loving Bridegroom yanking His young wife ('betrothed') off the railroad tracks just as the train goes thundering by.  Prophet after prophet in the Bible warns us of a very specific period of time referred to by many names, including the "Day of the Lord," "The Day of the Lord's Fierce Anger (Wrath)," "The Time of Israel's (Jacob's) Trouble," "the Great Tribulation" or the "Apocalypse" (which actually refers to the Revelation or "revealing"), when God is going to pour out His wrath on a violent, arrogant, immoral, disobedient, and unbelieving world in rebellion against His Word.  We are told those who sincerely believe in Jesus-Yeshua, the promised Messiah, and humbly wait for Him in faith, are not 'appointed' to this coming time of God's wrath . . .

                "And to wait for His Son from heaven,

                 whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus (Yeshua),

                 who delivers us from the wrath to come."

                 (1 Thes 1:10)

                "For God did not appoint us to wrath,

                 but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah),

                 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep,

                 we should live together with Him (in Heaven).

                 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another,

                 just as you also are doing."

                 (1 Thes 5:9-11)

The actual word "rapture" is not found in most Bibles.  The original Greek word "harpazo" which was translated "caught up" in the King James version (see 1 Thess 4:17), was translated in the Latin as "rapturo."  So, the term "rapture" comes from a Latin translation.  In fact, the original Greek word "harpazo" easily could have been, or should have been translated, "to seize, to pluck away, or to take by force."  As noted, there are two precedents in the Bible ... Enoch (the 7th from Adam in the book of Genesis) and the prophet Elijah were both taken ('raptured') before they died . . .

The "Rapture of the Church" is controversial.  So, before we get started, please remember one important thing.  Whether you believe the body of believers will be "snatched away" before the great and awesome Day of the Lord, or in the middle of it, or at the end of it, or if you just don’t know, doesn’t really matter.  The only thing that matters is that you don’t get left behind.  The door will be shut.  This prophecy, or any prophecy, should not be a point of contention between believers.  However, it is an interesting prophecy.  The belief expressed here is that the Lord will remove all those who sincerely believe in and trust in His Messiah (Jesus-Yehua) from the Earth before the coming Apocalypse, also called the great Tribulation.  Many of us also feel the generation which is alive today is the generation of the Rapture, and a worldwide body of faithful believers will be removed suddenly before the person or the identity of the coming Antichrist (a 'counterfeit' messiah) will be, or even can be, revealed.  And since many feel this man who has been given many titles in the Bible, including the Antichrist, is probably alive today, it is worth the time to look at some of the verses found in the Bible which directly, or indirectly refer to this strange, forceful, prophetic event which we simply call 'the Rapture' . . .

                "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"

                 (1 Cor 15:51-52)

                "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,

                 with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.

                 And the dead in Christ will rise first.

                 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 Thes 4:16-18)

                 "For in the time of trouble ('Jacob's Trouble' ... the coming Apocalypse)

                  He shall hide me in His pavilion;

                  in the secret place of His tabernacle he shall hide me;

                  he shall set me high upon a rock."

                  (Ps 27:5)

                 "Come, my people, enter your chambers,

                  and shut your doors behind you;

                  hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment,

                  until the indignation [the great Tribulation] is past.

                  For behold, the LORD comes out of His place

                  to punish the inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity [the coming Apocalypse];

                  the Earth will also disclose her blood,

                  and will no more cover her slain."

                  (Isa 26:20 - 21)

                 "Seek the LORD, all you meek of the Earth,

                  Who have upheld His justice.

                  Seek righteousness, seek humility.

                  It may be that you will be hidden

                  in the day of the LORD'S anger."

                  (Zeph 2:3)

                 "Because you have kept My command to persevere,

                  I also will keep you from the hour of trial

                  which shall come upon the whole world,

                  to test those who dwell on the Earth."

                 "Behold, I come quickly!"

                  (Rev 3:10-11)

                 "But of that day and hour no one knows,

                  no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."

                  (Matt 24:36)

                 "Then two men will be in the field:

                  one will be taken and the other left.

                  Two women will be grinding at the mill:

                  one will be taken and the other left."

                 "Watch therefore, for you do not know

                  what hour your Lord is coming."

                  (Matt 24:40-42)

                 "Therefore you also be ready,

                  for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

                  (Luke 12:40)

                 "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."

                  (1 Thes 5:1-2)

Who will get "Raptured" and who will be left behind?

To simplify things, let’s divide all of the people in the world into four groups:

1. Those who sincerely believe and trust in Jesus-Yeshua, the promised Messiah - All those (both Jew and Gentile) who sincerely believe Jesus willingly and lovingly died on the Cross for all of our sins, and was buried, and then rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15).  All those who have accepted Him as their Lord and 'Savior' (who saves us from our sins and from Hell) and now wait in faith.

2. Those who call themselves 'Christians,' but don’t really believe these things and have no real faith in Jesus, God, or the Bible.  Those who have never willingly opened the door of their heart to invite Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, into their lives and accept Him as their Lord.

3. "The world."  Those who do not believe, and who ridicule, scoff at, or despise those who do.  Those who deny Jesus as Lord and willfully reject His loving offer of forgiveness ... and life in Heaven.

4. Israel.  Those children of Israel who have not yet accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as their promised Messiah have a clear prophetic destiny.  Watch Israel.  Israel is God’s timepiece in Bible prophecy and all the prophecies of the coming 'Apocalypse' revolve around the tiny nation of Israel ... the only nation God calls His own. 

It appears that only those believers in Group 1 will be "Raptured," and thus safely removed and hidden before the coming Apocalypse.  Many churches, pulpits, synagogues, and pews will still be filled.  Many people will be left behind.  The Bible warns of a coming world leader who will be revealed sometime soon after the Rapture.  This coming world leader has been given many names and titles in the Bible, both in the Old and the New Testaments ... one of his names is the 'Antichrist.'  There are some who feel this coming world leader may even powerfully convince those who are left on Earth this missing segment of global population was kidnapped or removed by a much different kind of alien "force."

When will the Rapture take place?

We do not know, and we are told that no man will ever know the day or the hour.  However, there doesn’t appear to be anything left in prophecy that needs to be fulfilled before the Rapture can take place, so, it could easily happen any day . . .

The Lord says it could happen at any moment, "in the twinkling of an eye."  He says it will happen at a time when the world will least expect it.  We are told we should always be prepared by simply believing in Him and waiting for Him in faith.  We are taught we should help prepare others.

After the Rapture . . . the door will then close.

A Warning:  The Parable of the Ten Virgins . . .

                "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins,

                  who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

                  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

                  Those who were foolish took their lamps,

                  and took no oil with them,

                  but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

                  While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

                  And at midnight a cry was heard,

                 ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

                  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

                  And the foolish said unto the wise,

                ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.’

                  But the wise answered, saying,

                 ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you;

                  but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

                  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came,

                  and they that were ready went in with him to the wedding;

                  and the door was shut.

                  Afterward the other virgins came also saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’

                  But he answered and said, ‘Verily I say to you, I do not know you.’

                "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour

                  in which the Son of man is coming."

                  (Matt 25:1-13)

Note:  Throughout the Bible, certain symbols are used consistently as "idioms" or "types."

As both a parable and a prophecy, consider the following . . .

Nicodemus, a powerful Jewish religious leader (who we find later did believe and accept Jesus (Yeshua) as the promised Messiah) came to speak with Jesus-Yeshua one night . . .

                "Jesus answered and said to him,

                ‘Most assuredly, I say to you,

                 unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’

                 Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old?

                 Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’

                 Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you,

                 unless one is born of water and the Spirit,

                 he cannot enter the kingdom of God [Heaven].

                 That which is born of the flesh is flesh,

                 and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’"

                 (John 3:3-6)

We had no choice concerning our first birth (in the 'water'), but to be born of the Spirit and into the Kingdom of Heaven requires a conscious decision on our part.  The Bible says if we simply believe, sincerely and in faith, that Jesus-Yeshua lovingly and willingly died for our sins, was buried, then rose the third day, and sincerely accept Him as our Lord, invite Him into our lives, and turn away from our sinful ways, then we are "born again."  Only this time, we are born of the Spirit and not of flesh. We are then told we will be 'filled' with His Holy Spirit (the oil). This is God’s Word and His Promise.  Then, even while facing the difficult tests and trials we will find in our earthly lives, we can rest knowing our eternal destiny is assured . . .

"For God so loved the world

that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him

should not perish [in Hell]

but have everlasting life [in Heaven]

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world through Him might be saved.

He who believes in Him is not condemned [to Hell];

but he who does not believe is condemned [to Hell] already"

(John 3:16-18)

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