We have been looking into the relationship of the Jewish Feast of Trumpets to the Rapture of the Church. The Rapture is a term used to describe the event referred to in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 18.

In one article ⁽⁰⁵⁴⁾ we discussed the five resurrections to life and the single resurrection to condemnation. We did this by making the biblical distinction between kind of resurrection (to life or to condemnation) and timing of resurrection.

Of the five resurrections to life revealed in the Bible, two are prophesied to occur in the midst of on-going human life and activities. These two are:

1. the resurrection of the Church, which will occur while the world is building toward a one-world, new age; and
2. the resurrection of all dead Old Testament era saints, which will occur after Jesus returns to the earth at His second coming and just prior to His establishment of a reign of universal peace and righteousness.

The point I want to make about these two resurrections is that they will occur while people are living on the earth and going about their daily activities. This point is important because the Rapture is tied to the first of these two resurrections. In other words, the Bible teaches that on some given day yet in the future (but perhaps not too long in the future) the resurrection of the dead believers in Christ will occur. And, according to 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, this resurrection will be accompanied by the Rapture.

The Rapture is the instantaneous translation of living believers in Christ out of this world into the presence of the living Christ as He descends into this world's atmospheric heaven. If you will look carefully at what the apostle Paul wrote in the above mentioned passages, you will note that several things will occur in a very rapid order of succession. Among these is the instantaneous alteration of the living believers into immortal believers who will never die. Paul says that this will occur in an eye-blink, so, though the event will be very noticeable to the those living in the world as unbelievers, what they will notice is the sudden disappearance of all believers.

Imagine what it will be like! Two people are talking to one another on the street. Suddenly, one of them disappears in an eye-blink. Now you see him. Now you don't! A believer who is a commercial airline pilot will be in the process of setting his plane down on the runway. Suddenly there is no one sitting in his seat, or controlling the plane. On the busy freeways of some of the crowded cities, people will be driving along when, in an eye-blink, there are cars without drivers careening all over the place. Chaos will reign for several minutes, and the aftermath will create deep fear and wonderment for weeks to come!

This may sound like a fairy tale, but so did the virgin birth--to those too caught up in their own lives to be willing to admit that God not only said these things would happen, but also made them happen. Will you be a part of it or simply one who remembers reading about it in this paper?

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This is article #055.
If you wish, you may contact Darrel as darrelcline at this site.