What does the Bible have to say about the "Rapture" and when will that happen?
For the most part, Bible believing Christians accept that there will be a day when Christ returns and "raptures" the church. The term rapture is not found in scripture but is derived from the Greek word, barpagesometha, which refers to being "caught up." The Bible says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 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 Thessalonians 4:16)
There are three basic views concerning the rapture or catching away of the church. All three revolve around the seven year period of chaos and judgment known as the tribulation. Some folks hold to the theory that Christ will return after three and one-half years of the tribulation period (mid-tribulationists). They connect the trumpet of Revelation 11:15 with the trump of 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
Others believe that the church will go through the entire period of end time judgment before being caught up in the air to meet the Lord (post-tribulationists). Most that accept the post tribulation theory deny the two stages of Christ's second coming.
I am a pre-tribulationist. That means I believe that the church will be raptured prior to the tribulation. It is our belief that the Apostle Paul had the rapture in mind when he said, " For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him" (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10). Keep in mind the word "sleep" in this passage refers to death. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 records the fact that Jesus will deliver us from "the wrath to come."
There are a host of other scriptures that make the same point, but perhaps the most compelling evidence is the reoccurring theme of scripture to "watch." At the end of the second Gospel account, Jesus had this to say about end time events, " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." (Mark 13:32-37).
In numerous other places in scripture we are exhorted to "watch" or "be ready." Over and over we are told to look for His coming! In 2 Peter 3:10 we are told He will "come as a thief in the night." Never are we instructed to look for the coming of the antichrist. We are not told to watch for the tribulation period. We are taught to be ready for the imminent return of Jesus Christ. In fact, we are told to "look up" in Luke 21:28 because our redemption is drawing near. We are led to believe that the rapture could happen at any moment. This point is made clear in the writings of the Apostles, who expressed the urgency of His soon return. They weren't looking for the tribulation, they were looking for the return of Jesus!
It must be said that no one can be certain of end time events. There is much speculation and deductive reasoning involved. Many good Christians who love God with all their heart believe differently. It is not an issue upon which our salvation hangs. But the pre-tribulation theory also has the advantage in that it promotes righteous living. It enables us to encourage one another with the thought of the imminence of His coming. There are no events yet to take place before He comes for His saints. Of the other theories, this cannot be said. ctc
God Bless You,
TheAnswerMan