What is the rapture?
The word 'rapture' comes from the Latin for 'caught up' in 1 Thessalonians 4: the Lord descends, the dead in Christ rise, and believers who are alive are caught up together with them to meet Him in the air. The Bible's emphasis is not the timing but the certainty and the comfort: we will be with the Lord forever, and we are not appointed to wrath. Whatever the precise schedule, the point of the promise is hope, readiness, and an unmovable union with Christ.
This question arose from studying Will Jesus return literally? and What signs should we look for before Jesus returns?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The word and the text
Paul writes that 'the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet,' then 'the dead in Christ will rise first,' and 'we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.' 'Rapture' is simply the Latin translation of that phrase, 'caught up.' The promise is one event with two parts: resurrection for the dead in Christ, transformation for the living, and together we meet Him.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.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.
For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep.For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
The transformation: in a moment
At the last trumpet, 'we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye... the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed,' for 'this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.' Paul echoes it in Philippians: the Savior 'will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory.' The meeting is not a trip to the air; it is the moment our humanity is remade to match His.
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 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.
But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
The promise is comfort, not a schedule
Paul gives the whole passage its purpose: 'Therefore comfort one another with these words,' and urges that we not grieve like those who have no hope. The Thessalonians were grieving Christians who had died; the answer was not a calendar but a certainty, that God 'will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.' Jesus Himself refused the schedule: 'no one knows of that day and hour,' so watch, 'for you don't know in what hour your Lord comes.'
But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven,but my Father only. “As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left; two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left. Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
We are not appointed to wrath
Paul's assurance runs to the end: 'God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,' and the Thessalonians are always waiting for His Son from heaven, 'Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.' Whatever tribulation the world must pass through, the believer's destiny is joined to Christ, who has already taken the judgment of our sins. The coming is a rescue, not a threat, to His own, and Jesus Himself promised, 'I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.'
For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.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.
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Honest differences about timing; unity about the truths
Christians differ over when the gathering happens in relation to tribulation, and 2 Thessalonians 2 exists because some had even claimed the day had already come; Paul answers, 'Let no one deceive you in any way,' and anchors the church in the truth it had already received. What the text makes certain, whatever the timetable: the Lord will return, the dead in Christ will rise, we will be with Him forever, and we are to live ready. The practical response is the same for every view: watch, pray, work, and comfort one another.
Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, we ask you not to be quickly shaken in your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, saying that the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter.Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever.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.
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 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.
For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Worth visiting