23. What
happens during the
rapture, that is,
when "caught up together"?
The Book of Revelation speaks of a special time
when "henceforth" (Revelation 14:13) those who die in Christ do
not need to "sleep" as the saints throughout the Age did (I Thessalonians
4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52). During the secret, invisible presence of
Christ—when faithful Christians die—they are immediately resurrected to be with Christ
to continue their "works."
"Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labors and their works do follow them."
"Caught up Together"
What was the Apostle Paul, by inspiration, really telling us?
He was teaching us that those who have fallen asleep through the Christian Age would be
raised first when Christ would return from heaven. Those living at the time would
not precede those who slept, but afterward would join them to the same place.
"We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not
precede those who have fallen asleep. . .Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. . . "
1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17 NAS).
"Together" here means the same place in a time period—not
necessarily the same moment.
"Together" means place or location just as it does a
few verses later when Paul says, "we may live together with him"
(1
Thessalonians 5:10).
The place is the "air." Satan, the "god of this world," has been
invisibly ruling as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2).
Jesus returns as a King invading Satan's domain setting up his own Kingdom.
The "dead in Christ" rise first. Afterward those saints who are
"alive and remain till the coming ["presence," Gk.] of the Lord" join
them. They do not need to sleep to wait for Christ to return!
Paul elsewhere explains,
"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump..."
(1 Corinthians 15:51,52).
Thus those who were asleep are raised instantaneously upon Christ's return from heaven.
But those who die in the Lord from "henceforth" —when he has
returned—"rest from their labors and their works do follow" (Revelation
14:13).
One by one—as they prove "faithful unto death" (Revelation
2:10)—"in a twinkling of an eye" each will join Jesus and the brethren who
preceded. They join in one place, not at one time.
"One taken. . . "
But didn't Jesus say, "one taken, and the other left" (Luke 17:36)?
If a driver of a car is a Christian, wouldn't he just be "taken"? If an
airline pilot is a Christian, won't he just be "taken"?
On the contrary, a careful look at the texts reveals that the ones on the
"housetop" are warned not to go inside to take their things. There is time for
choices! The one in the "field" should not decide to "return back" to
his house before leaving.
Furthermore, they are not being snatched away to heaven. But then, where are they
going? The apostles, in fact, asked this logical question, "Where, Lord?" (Luke
17:37)
Jesus answered—as he usually did in symbolic language—"Wheresoever
the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."
Faithful Christians are being gathered to a spiritual feast when he returns! Some
respond to the opportunity. Some do not. Jesus, who had been saying to his church through
the age, "Behold, I come quickly," finally says, "Behold, I stand at the
door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and
will sup with him and he with me" (Revelation 3:11, 20).
In keeping with one of the signs of his return, Jesus said he would provide "meat
in due season" (Matthew 24:45). Spiritual food.
Therefore, the "carcase" to which we as eagles are gathered could not
be the
Lord's fleshly
body in
heaven. He
is spirit
now (1 Corinthians 15:45). (We would not be
eating his flesh in heaven anyway!)
Some would be teachers "grinding at the mill" when the
Lord would return.
Some would be in the "field"—in the world—not
connected with any church ("house").
Some would be uncomfortably lying in their creed-beds (Isaiah 28:20) when
Jesus would return.
The test would be, Would Christians be spiritually sleeping or
spiritually awake to understand that Jesus had returned as a "thief"?
Would they be investigating God's "times and seasons" in the
Scriptures?
Would they understand the "signs" Jesus had given his
disciples to confirm that he had returned invisibly?
If Jesus' disciples would be ready, they would feast on the truths the
returned Lord would provide. They would understand he had returned!
