Post 38: The Rapture
Image: AI generated image of Jesus surrounded in light coming down from heaven and silhouettes of people being drawn up towards Him in the clouds. The words "Caught Up" and the phrase "bytesofsalvation.com, Sept 2026” shown on the image.
Summary: This is a short post sharing what I am currently learning about the topic of the rapture as discussed in the Bible.
In preparing to write this post, I did a quick search through my Strong’s Concordance and did not find the word "Rapture" at all. Doing a quick online search confirmed that the word "Rapture" does not actually appear anywhere in the English bible.
The Bible does however present the concept of a "rapture" or "catching up" of believers in Christ. The term "Rapture" comes from the Latin translation (rapturo), which translates the Greek word harpazo, meaning "to snatch away," "pluck," or "catch up". 1 Thess 4:16-17 tells us:
"16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
The context of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 is that it was written by the Apostle Paul to the Church e.g. believers in Christ. These verses describe how Jesus will descend from heaven with a heavenly announcement, accompanied with a resurrection of dead believers and a gathering up of believers that are still alive at that moment, reiterating the promise of God that all those who have ever believed will always be forever with the Lord! In the passage, Paul's aim was to comfort worried believers in the Thessalonian Church who feared that Christians who had already died would miss out on the return of Jesus and the future resurrection! AMEN!
1 Corinthians 15:51-52, which says:
"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."
In this passage, Paul is sharing a truth previously hidden, explaining that not every believer will die (or "sleep") before Christ returns, but all believers will receive new, imperishable bodies. This passage also indicates that this change will come instantly ("in the twinkling of an eye"), when the final trumpet sounds at the end of the age.
What the world will be like before the Rapture
The Bible describes that life before the rapture as a time of normal daily routines mixed with growing moral decline and sudden, unexpected surprise.
In Matthew 24:3-28, the bible discusses the signs of the end of the age, with one of the first warnings mentioned being massive deception. In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul writes that some people will turn away from their faith and follow deceptive teachings. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 warns that the return of Christ will not happen until a major rebellion or turning away from the faith occurs first.
The Bible mentions that there will also be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6, Mark 13:7, Luke 21:9), famines and earthquakes in diverse places (Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11). The Bible also mentions that there will be severe persecution and much tribulation that mark the time before Jesus' return (Timothy 3:1-12 and Matthew 24:9-10). There would also be pestilence (Luke 21:11, Matthew 24:7), lawlessness would greatly increase, and the love of many growing cold (Matthew 24:12).
The Bible also tells us that before the Lord returns the world will be in a state of severe moral and social decline. In 2 Timothy 3:1–5, the Apostle Paul warned that "terrible times in the last days" will come. People will love themselves and money, feel proud, hate what is good, and lack love for others while keeping a form of religion.
The bible says when these things begin to increase, look up for your redemption is near (Luke 21:28). While we have technically been in the end times since Jesus first asended to heaven after His ressurection, it does seem like many of these things have been increasing in recent years. I talk a bit more about some of my views on why I think we are in the latter days of the end times in the previous post titled "Living in the End Times".
The Suddenness of the Rapture
Perhaps one of the most unsettling indicators of the rapture's immediate timing is that it will come unexpectedly upon the unbelieving world. Many people are dismissive of the idea that Jesus is going to return, often scoffing at the fact that even the disciples in Jesus time thought His return would be in their life time.
In Luke 17:26–28, Jesus compared the time before His return to the days of Noah and Lot, noting that in those days people were eating, drinking, and marrying—going about life as usual without paying attention to the warnings of judgment until the flood came and swept them away. Likewise people in the end times will be doing the same, but then sudden destruction will come. Matthew 24:37–39 echoes Luke's gospel, with Jesus noting that people would be eating and marrying right up until the day the disaster or departure struck.
Matthew 24:40-44 also addresses the sudden and unexpected nature of the future rapture, explaining that two men will be in the field and two women at the mill grinding; one will be taken and the other left. This passage also warns that this event will happen unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, and urges people to be ready because the Son of Man comes at an hour no one expects.
While these signs indicate the trajectory of the world, exact timelines and dates are unknown. Matthew 24:36 states no one knows the day nor the our, but Jesus himself gives us ideas about how to spiritually recognize the season of his coming and what the world will be like leading up to the rapture. These things mentioned above would be increasing, and as the world is exclaiming "peace and safety", then sudden destruction would come (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
Views on the Rapture
There are many different views on the rapture that I've found in my brief research on this topic. As of this writing, I do not yet have a specific view nor am I promoting a specific view. The purpose here is simply to present very brief discussion of those views and leave you to further research and bible study to draw your own conclusions.
The exact timing and relationship of these events are heavily debated by theologians and Christians. Several primary views outline how these events play out:
Pre-Tribulation View¹: This perspective holds that the rapture will occur before the seven-year tribulation begins. This view says that the entire seven year tribulation is the "wrath of God" but God has promised to spare His church from the "hour of trial" (Revelation 3:10) and the "coming wrath" (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9), the rapture will occur and essentially marks the start of the seven year tribulation.
Currently, in my bible study and prayer regarding this topic, I am finding many more bible verses that seem to support this view and I've shared those excerpts from those verses below for your own study:
1 Thessalonians 5:9: "For God has not destined us to wrath..."
1 Thessalonians 1:10: "...Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come"
Luke 21:36 - " ...praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand for the Son of Man"
Romans 5:9 - "...since therefore we have now be justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God"
Revelation 3:10 – "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." Notice, it does not say "keep you through" but rather "keep you from"
Revelation 6:1 -"Now I watched when The Lamb opened one of the seven seals..."
Mid-Tribulation or Pre-Wrath View¹: This perspective positions the rapture after the Antichrist's persecution begins but before God pours out His actual wrath in the final portion of the tribulation. The verse below could be used to suggest an Mid-Tribulation or Pre-wrath view of the rapture:
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4 also describes believers being "gathered together to Him (Jesus)" but that that day will not happen "unless the rebellion comes first and the Man of Lawlessness is revealed..."
Post-Tribulation View¹: This view suggests the church will go through the entirety of the 7 year tribulation. This view also suggests that the rapture and the Second Coming are a single, simultaneous event that happens at the end of the tribulation, right before Jesus establishes His earthly kingdom. This view also says that believers will suffer together with unbelievers in this time.
Matthew 24:29-31/Mark 13:24-29 - "But in those days, after the tribulation ...and He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call...and gather His elect from the four winds.
Matthew 24:13 – "But the one who endures to the end will be saved"
Regardless of when the rapture occurs, the bible does seem to clearly indicate that there will be a rapture event in which believers, both among the living and the dead, will be removed from the world.
Conclusion:
Whether or not you (i.e the reader) is alive when the rapture occurs, the the most important thing I can mention here is that only those who are redeemed by grace through faith in Jesus's shed blood for the full forgiveness of their sins will be saved from this wrath to come! Out of God's amazing grace and love, He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) unto death on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins! When we put our trust in Jesus' death to fully atone for our sins, we are justified (made right with God, forgiven of our sins, and given eternal life as a free gift of God!
I know that I am trusting solely in Christ death, burial, and ressurection for the full forgiveness of my sin, and therefore I will be included in the rapture! If you are someone who does not believe or rejects the notion of salvation only through the cross of Jesus Christ, I urge you to repent (change your mind) to believe in Christ alone for your salvation, so you will be forgiven of all sin and obtain eternal life in Christ!
Only those reconciled to God through faith in Jesus' death fully paying for their sins will be included in the rapture, whenever it happens!
Believe on Jesus today, and be saved! AMEN!
References & Further Study: