Rapture: the blessed hope
| For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thes 4: 16 |
The word Rapture originates from word Rapturo which means 'caught up'.
Jesus has promised his disciples that He will come and take them personally to where he is, to his father's house. The dead and living believers in Christ are entitled to this great and glorious promise. Since the beginning of Christianity this was the 'blessed hope' to which Christians were asked to look forward to; that 'whether alive or dead we shall be with him' on his return.
Christ shall descend from the sky with a loud shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God. and... the dead in Christ will rise first, followed by those living in Christ. Dead or alive their bodies will be transformed from physical to heavenly, mortal to immortal in the twinkling of the eye and they will be transported to heaven.
They will appear before the Judgment seat of Christ and will have to give an account of their lives! and they will also receive awards for their true and mighty deeds for Christ done for God's glory. Then they will be prepared and ready to be the 'bride of Christ' and adorn in white spotless robes symbolising purity, being washed by the blood of the Lamb, Christ.
The most important thing about rapture is TO BE READY and in the grace of God. Jesus himself has explicitly said to be ready always. Paul taught it with lots of stress.
SO are you ready now to be with Christ if he came today? Are you living in that state of grace? Check out the Salvation Page if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. We are in the end times...