A teaching prevalent among many today is the idea that one day Jesus will return, silently whisking His faithful away to Heaven so that they can avoid a horrible tribulation. We’ve all seen the bumper stickers that say “In case of rapture, this car will be unmanned.” But is this taught in the Bible?

Keeping things in context is essential to understanding what God intended. Two texts are commonly misapplied in premillennial doctrine of The Rapture. The first is found in both Luke 17 and Matthew 24. In Luke 17:34-36 we find Jesus saying, “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding grain at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”  Matthew records most of the same conversation in 24:40 where Jesus says “Then there will be two in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding grain at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” Though nothing in either of these two texts supports it, the popular doctrine of the rapture assumes these “takenings” will be silent.

The second misapplied text for The Rapture is in 1 Thessalonians 4. It appears the Thessalonian  brethren mistakenly thought that their brethren who had already died would miss the chance to go to heaven when Christ returned.  In verses 15-17 we read, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” Paul comforts them by assuring them that the dead would join Christ along with the living when He returned.  In Latin, “caught up” in verse 17 is “raptura.” So, the idea of a “rapture” of saints upon a return of Jesus is certainly scriptural, but is the premillennial rapture consistent with the New Testament rapture?

Note what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God.” This doesn’t sound silent at all. Believers of this doctrine may counter with, “but only the saved hear the shout and trumpet blast.” The problem is that we have to add to what is written by these inspired men to prove these events are silent. In Revelation 22:18 John tells us what will happen to those who add to what God has revealed: they will be punished. John was writing about the prophecies in the book of Revelation, but it makes sense that this principle holds true for all of God’s word.

Jesus makes clear that the rapture will not be silent. In John 5:28-29 Jesus said, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.” Jesus said “all who are in the tombs will hear His voice.” Jesus’ own words refute the idea of a rapture heard only by some.  

Another facet of this misconception is that the unsaved won’t be resurrected with the saved. This theory says the unsaved will be resurrected after a 7-year tribulation, which is then followed by a 1000-year reign of Christ and his saints. But as we read earlier, Jesus said, “an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth.”  Again, Jesus’ own words singlehandedly refute the popular doctrine of the rapture.

Finally, we know the “takenings” of Luke 17 and Matthew 24 have already happened. After Jesus talked about people leaving beds, grinding grain, and working in the field, His Apostles, puzzled about these strange events, in Luke 17:37 asked “Where, Lord?”  Jesus responds with “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.” In  Matthew 24 we find this same conversation. In verse 2, as they are looking at the magnificent Temple built by Herod, Jesus tells them it will be completely destroyed. In the next verse they ask when this will happen.  He then proceeds to describe the many signs that they should look for to warn them to flee the destruction of Jerusalem while there is still time. In verse 28 he says, “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” Essentially verbatim what Luke recorded in Chapter 17, after the so-called rapture occurs. But then in Matthew 24:34, in the same context of the statement about the vultures gathering, Jesus clears up the question about when these events will occur: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” “All these things” includes the ones leaving the beds, grinding grain, and working in the field. Since it had to happen within that generation, the events described by Luke and Matthew that many today call The Rapture, actually occurred over 1900 years ago - when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 AD.

When Christ returns, all dead or alive,  saved or unsaved, will be resurrected in the same hour for Judgment. The question is, are you ready now for Him to come back?

We sincerely welcome you to study and worship with us as we prepare for His ultimate return.

Buz Turk

Blanco Hills Church of Christ

830-554-0701

www.blancohillschurch.com