13/09/2022
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 (𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟏)
The state of mind of Old Testament believers was one of both imperfect knowledge and confusion concerning what occurs to a person at the time of death. They believed that everyone went to sheol, which is the Hebrew phrase for the “underworld” or the “home of the dead”. In their mindset it did not matter whether they were believers or not, it was the resting place of all dead. Their expectation was that there would come a time at the end of the age, where there will be a time of judgment, where the books are opened and everyone’s lives will be examined in microscopic detail.
The righteous will inherit eternal life, while the unbelieving dead would receive eternal damnation as wages for their sin. This thinking is evident just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead where He told Martha: “Lazarus will rise again”, to which she responded: “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day“, (Jn. 11:23-24). The fate of the wicked or unbelieving dead had always remained the same until Jesus resurrection. Jesus warned everyone: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell”, (Mt 10:28). He described it as a place of “blazing fire”, “outer darkness”, where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth”, (Mt. 13:24-30 & 22:1-14). Hell was originally designed “to be a place of torment for Satan and his demons”, (Mt. 25:41) and a place of eternal destruction. It is certainly not God’s desire that any human being should choose this destiny.
𝗛𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. To the repented thief who died with Him on the cross, He said: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”, (Lk. 23:43). Many people wonder why death had no hold over Jesus. It is because the “wages of sin is death”, (Rm. 6:23), the reward for those who sin against God. Since Christ was perfect and sinless, death had no hold over Him. Paul encouraged all believers describing that at the time of death, there is a great separation between the soul, spirit and the body of the believing man. He encouraged Christians: “To be absent from the body is to be present with Christ”, (2 Cor. 5:8). You can be rest assured that every believer you have known is already in the presence of God. But do they have their immortal bodies yet? This is something which Paul addressed to the early Christians who were living in Corinth an Thessalonica.
Paul was caught in a conundrum as he desired to “depart and be with Christ”, (Phil. 1:23), but realized he still had a mission to fulfill. During Paul’s missionary journeys he was facing these same type of questions by those in Thessalonica. What happens to the believing saints who have already died? Also, by implication, do those who have already died have any benefit over the living, or the other way round?
𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
Paul wanted to set the record straight so believers would not be confused. He provides an orderly account answering these deep rooted fears. To set their ignorance of this matter aside, once and for all, he informs everyone that “those who have fallen asleep in Christ” will simply have no advantage over the living, (1 Thes. 4:13-14). The word: “sleep” is always used as a simile to describe the physical bodies of departed Christians. It is never applied to the soul or spirit. He explains that the process of giving these souls in Christ their immortal bodies begins with a special event.
It is the “Lord Himself who descends from heaven” with those who had died “slept” in Christ. He then sets out exactly what was revealed to him, “by the Word of the Lord”. God does not send His angels to reap as in the case of His second Coming, but together with “a shout” and the “voice of an archangel” and the “trumpet call of God”, the “dead in Christ will rise first”. In other words, since Paul already described those who had died as being with Christ descending from heaven, they are the first to receive their eternal immortal bodies”, (1 Thes. 4:15-16). It is only after those who have already died and received their immortal bodies, that whose “who are alive” are “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”, (1 Thes. 4:17).
The great reunion of all Christians takes place, where they all have their immortal bodies given to them. He closed off this orderly account, by stating that “we shall always be with the Lord” from this moment into eternity. The phrase “caught up” is the Greek word “harpadzo” which means to “be suddenly removed or snatched away”. It is used on many occasions in the New Testament in reference to the acts of a thief, who steals or plunders, (Mat 11:12, 13:19 & Jn. 10:12). It is also used by Paul in describing him being “caught up” to the third heavens, (2 Cor. 12:2) as well as Christ’s ascension into heaven, (Rv. 12:5). The word that Christians have latched onto to describe this sequence of events is not “caught up”, but rather the Latin translation “raptus”, of this Greek word, which is translated in English as “the rapture”. Since the events and the order of it supplied by Paul only relates to believers in Christ, it has became aptly known as the “rapture of the church”.
The rapture of the church is largely revealed by the apostle Paul, as both a mystery, (1 Cor. 5:51) and as a blessed hope, (Tit. 2:13).
Today, there is much debate about the timing of the rapture and sometimes it really gets ugly. It is a natural desire for any believer to not only be comforted with these words, but also to be excited about it. Our Lord wants us to be excited about His return for believers. He wants us to be excited about receiving our eternal bodies that cannot sin. That is why every generation believed they could be the one's that are gathered together and meet Christ in the air. Those who wait and are excited for His return for them are also promised to receive a special crown.
Join us in part two where we delve deeper into the evidence of the rapture of believers as well as the different viewpoints with divergent opinions.
Until next time ... Maranatha!
