Rapture in Revelations


  Book of Revelations splits into two sections after the rapture (see Revelations). From Rev 4-11 John records the activity during the rapture, 3 1/2 yr great Christian tribulation (timeframe 4) and the Day of the Lord (timeframe 5) from heaven's point of view. From Rev 12-19 in the same order  ( rapture, timeframe 4, timeframe 5) records same events from earth's point of view. In Rev 20 Christ and the raptured saints are back on the earth to rule for a 1000 years (see Kingdom).

Rev 12:4,5 Activity as seen from earth 4 The dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Immediately after the rapture, Michael and his angels who insured safe passage as the church was caught up to meet the Lord in the air, fight Satan and his angels. Satan and his angels are cast down to the earth having great wrath. Christ and the raptured saints are now the new powers of the air and have taken over Satan's own territory in the heavenlies. Satan on earth begins to persecute the church left behind (foolish virgins - unsaved church ) for 3 1/2 years. This time period is called the great Christian tribulation (timeframe 4)

Rev 12:7,8 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitors of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

                What is the meaning of the word 'rapture' ?

The word 'rapture' is not in the bible but neither is the word 'trinity'. which is a term used by many to refer to the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Likewise, the word 'Rapture' has come into prominent use to describe an experience based on 1 Thess 4:16 that Christian believers living at a certain time all over this earth will be 'caught up' or 'caught away' to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air.

1 THESS 4:16-18
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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

                     The purpose of the rapture

The reason for the rapture is very simple. God has appointed 2 times of judgments in the future. One is called 'the great Christian tribulation (3 1 /2 years)' and the other the 'Day of the Lord (7 years)'. The great Christian tribulation is a judgment on the church (1Pet 4:17) while the 'Day of the Lord ' is a judgment on Gentile nations for all their ungodly sins and works (2 Pet 3:10).

1Pe 4:17
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

2 Pe 3:10
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

  True Christians that have accepted Christ's death as an atonement for their sins   will not go through the 3 1/2 year Christian tribulation period which is for the church left behind after the rapture (see Manchild, timeframe 4 page 1 ). The saved are from the earth to meet Christ in the air to rule and reign with Him instead. The rapture then is God's great door or exit from the coming flood of judgment. Just as the door was open to the ark in the days of Noah for anyone to enter in to escape the coming flood so the rapture is God's open door for true believers. Jesus told the Philadelphia church (Rev 3:8) that he would put before them a door, that is, a way to escape the trials that are coming upon the whole earth.

Rev 3:8
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

   This promise of an open door is clearly the rapture as shown in the very next charter of Revelations. We read in Rev 4:1-5

Rev 4:1-5
1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, "Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter".
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was  in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

  John is a picture of what happens to the saved believer living at the time of the rapture and being caught up to meet the Lord as 1 Thess 4:16 said above. He hears the voice of the archangel, sound of the trumpet and he looks up and sees an open door and then is immediately caught up to God's throne.

1 Thess 4:16-18 
16 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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

  This is the same open door (the rapture) which Jesus promised to the Philadelphia church (Rev 3:8)  to escape the trial that is coming upon the whole world (the great 3 1/2 Christian tribulation period, the 7 year terrible day of the Lord).
  While the word 'rapture' is usually applied to only the living Christians being caught up at that time, it also applies to the 'dead in Christ' who have been saved in the past but whose bodies are physically dead in their graves. While their soul and spirit have already gone on to be with the Lord when they died they await the time when their soul and spirit will awake in their new body - the old body resurrected and changed body (1 Cor 15:51-53, Phil 3:21).

1 Cor 15:51-53 
51 Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Phil 3:21
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

1 Thess 4:16 above says that at the sound of the first trumpet the 'dead in Christ' shall rise first and then the second or last trumpet of that event (1 Cor 15:52 above not to be confused with the last of the 7 trumpet judgments in the Day of the Lord which is a complete different set of judgments - see chart below) the living Christians will join the raised dead and together all will be raptured (caught up) to meet the Lord. This two step experience will give an opportunity for loved ones to hug and embrace first before all meet the Lord in the air.

                           

  Who else is affected by the rapture?

  The rapture affects heaven, earth, and below the earth.  Everyone is involved and affected. There is a throne set up where dead and living in Christ will meet their savior - the Lord Jesus Christ - in the air (see Revelations).

                    (Father sits on the throne) 
                                                      

  The Father sits on that throne. There are the good angels under Michael the archangel who sounded the trumpets for the resurrection of the dead and living in Christ. Michael and His angels are also given the responsibility for providing safe passage for all those raptured as Satan and his angels are still the powers of the air so we can see them cast down to earth right after the rapture (see Daniel 7:9). Just prior to the first trumpet sound their are angels dispatched by God to go below the earth and separate some of the dead into two groups (see table of scriptures above for reference). Those that died and were a part of the church but rejected the gospel message now awake and are cast into hell with everlasting shame and contempt. Those that died that were not a part of the church but willfully rejected Christ by unbelief are cast into outer darkness to await the great white throne judgement. It is then that they are cast into hell with others at the great white throne judgement (all those whose names were not found in the book of life - Rev 20:11-15).

Rev 20:11-15
11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

  At the rapture the saved dead will have their soul and spirit united with their new resurrected bodies. The living also will be changed to immortality and join the resurrected immortal group and together will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air as discussed above. Now some scriptures that cover different views of events at the rapture.

Matt 25:1-13 Separation of the wise from the foolish within the church on earth at the time of the rapture

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

10 virgins

  Ten is a round number when used prophetically or symbolically in scripture and means any number including the number ten itself. Virgins are those that outwardly profess to be pure - that is saved. Jesus is referring to the church before the rapture.

which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

  The bible teaches that the church one day will be the bride of Christ. This does not happen till first Christ returns for the church and as we studied in previous verses  this does not happen till the rapture. However, in the early days of the church age after Christ's resurrection, there were those that expected Christ to return very soon. They did not have access to all the N.T. scriptures that we do currently, but their lamp refers to their heart or their spirit. Back in the early church they did not have electricity like we do. To have light you had to light a lamp with oil or burn a candle. Oil is not mentioned in this verse but their lamp is referring to their spirit. Proverbs 20:27 talks of the spirit of man is like a candle. Psalms 18:28 David says that God could light his candle, that is - God could light David's spirit with His Spirit.They all anticipated the Lord returning.

Prov 20:27
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Psa 18:28
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

  The number 10 being divided into two five's means division. Simply saying, that the church was divided into two camps: wise and foolish. The foolish took no oil with them but the wise had oil in their vessel. Oil is known throughout scripture as being symbolic of God's Holy Spirit. The prophets were anointed with oil (1 Samuel 16;13) and we are to pray for the sick anointing them with oil (James 5:14).

1 Sam 16:13
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

James 5:14
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

  The ten virgins at the beginning of this parable  symbolized the church in it's early history after Christ died, was buried and resurrected. Their was an expectancy that Christ the bridegroom would come soon. Within the church their were those that were truly saved and had the Holy Spirit (oil in their vessel) and then their was the  foolish that considered themselves saved but were not (no oil in their vessel). However, Christ did not come in their lifetime and they fell asleep (died). Asleep here (verse 5) is used in the sense that though they died they will awake again in the future (Daniel 12:2 see Daniel 12).

Dan 12:2
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

  Now we pass down in history to the darkest hour of the church age (midnight hour - verse 6). This would be when Antichrist is ruling on the earth. However their will be a great revival due to prophecy being fulfilled before the rapture (timeframe 1, timeframe,2 and timeframe 3) causing a great expectancy once again toward the end of the church age for the bridegroom (Christ) to come (see chart below).

                     
   Here once again the ten virgins (living church at this time) arose and trimmed their lamps. This means they were getting ready for Christ's return. They were trimming their lamps meaning they were doing what they believe to do to be right when the bridegroom (Christ) comes.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

  Once again we have this division at the return of the bridegroom (Christ). Their are within the church just like the beginning of the church age the wise that are truly saved and the foolish which are not. The foolish are acting like their saved but their heart condition before God was that they had no oil in their vessels. Oil once again symbolizing the Holy Spirit which stays in your heart once you receive Christ as your personal savior and are born again unto eternal life (see salvation for full study). The foolish ask the wise for oil but the wise could not give them oil only Christ can give them the Holy Spirit. The wise said we cannot give you oil for your lamp you got to get that for yourself. Only Christ can save an individual . Notice the foolish went elsewhere. They went to other churches that preached only what they wanted to hear (see timeframe 3 - church before the rapture).

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

  And while the foolish were doing their own thing except getting the real Holy Spirit (by being truly saved by repentance and accepting what Christ did on the cross for their sins) the bridegroom (Jesus) returns and the wise went in to the marriage and the door was shut (the rapture took place). This reminds me of the days of Noah when Noah and his family and all the animals that had enough sense to go into the ark and then God shut the door. Noah preached 120 years and time was up, the door was shut and those outside could not get in to avoid the coming flood. We read in verse 11 the foolish virgins now crying out for the Lord to open the door for them and the Lord said 'I know you not'. They never knew the Lord in their heart. They never asked Jesus to be their savior and dwell within their heart. The parable ends with a warning confirming that this is what will happen when Christ returns and though we may not know the day or hour we are to be wise and have oil (Holy Spirit) in our lamp (our spirit, heart) - the evidence of being saved (see Salvation). These foolish went into the great  3 1/2 year Christian Tribulation period (timeframe 4 - see chart above).