The Rapture
Rapture means to snatch up; to carry off; to grasp hastily, to overpower; to transport.
It doesn't sugget when a person is snatched away by a kidnapper or someone who plans to do him harm.
No! Rather, it suggests joyous transportation, transformation and exaltation.
Such as;
- Being snatched away to something better.
- Being caught up into real life.
- Stepping out of a dark and stuffy room into a brilliant morning.
- Looking out the window and suddenly spotted a loved one, smiling and becoming you outside.
- A little child being suddenly swept into the arms of her laughing father.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Enoch was in one place in space and time, in one form of existence, when God simply and suddenly transferred him into another realm.
This implies that when the believer is raptured (or transformed and transported) into the heavenly real, it is going to be a joyous celebration.
Believers will be happy and joyous for meeting with the savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Purpose of rapture
- To receive saints to himself as promised
- The transformation of saints to heaven and to receive rewards.
- To change mortality into immortality
- To cause the saints to escape the tribulation.
- To permit the revelation of the antichrist.
- The resurrection of the dead in Christ among the wicked dead.
Christ is coming again, it may be today, tomorrow, anytime. Ask yourself this; "I'm I prepared"?
The world is coming to an end, it is necessary we check our lives and try to amend our ways so that if rapture happens today, we won't be found wanting.