This entry is a continuation of yesterday’s entry. If you did not read part 1, I would strongly encourage you to go back read it before proceeding with this blog entry.
In yesterday’s blog we saw the words of Jesus to His troubled disciples in John 14. His words were about a peace and about a place, but that was not it. They are also were about a promise.
Jesus said to His disciples, “I will come again.” This is the first mention in Scripture of the event we call the rapture. The rapture is when Jesus returns to catch away all believers. Some do not believe in the doctrine of the rapture. There main reason is because the word “rapture” cannot be found in the English Bible. That is true. However, the event described by the term “rapture” is most definitely seen in the Bible.
We get the word “rapture” from the Latin translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where the Bible says that at the rapture, the dead in Christ will be resurrected and believers who are alive at the time will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. It is the word “rapturo” (translated "caught up") which gives us the English transliteration of "rapture." Though you cannot find the actual word “rapture” in our English Bibles, the event is promised by Jesus in John 14 and it is described in great detail by the Apostle Paul in both 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. By the way, you cannot find the word “Trinity” in the Bible either, but the Bible most certainly teaches the concept.
So where does the rapture fit into the Biblical overview of future events? The Bible would teach us that there are 4 major events that will come in the future. The first is the rapture, or what is also called The SAINT’S Hope.
The next event is what we call the Tribulation. In the book of Daniel it is called the SEVENTIETH Week. This is a 7-year period in which God judges the world for their unbelief. There are many specific details of this time-period that the Bible foretells. For example, the tribulation will include the rise of a one world religion (Revelation 17) and the rule of the Anti-Christ, who will be energized by Satan and become the ruler of the entire world as he sets himself up to be the Messiah. (Revelation 13). The Bible teaches that there will be a world-wide political confederacy that is called the Revived Roman Empire (Revelation 13 and 17).
This Anti-Christ will gain his control by being able to do what no man has ever been able to do before him…bring about the reality of peace in Israel (Daniel 9:27). However, this peace pact that he makes with Israel, he will also break in grand fashion. This 7-year period will include the receiving of multiple judgments (Revelation 6, 8-9, 16) that will occur in three groups of seven (known as 7 seal judgments, 7 trumpet judgments; and 7 bowl judgments), each one being more and more horrific and intense than the other. This 7 year tribulation will end in the ruin of Armageddon as the armies of the world gather to fight Israel, only to be defeated by Jesus Christ as He returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
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