RAPTURE IS ATTENDED BY FOUR REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCES

Rapture is Attended by Four Remarkable Circumstances

1 Thess. 4:13-18 "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. 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. 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

l. The "Lord Himself shall descend" from heaven. Verse 16
No reference here to his touching the earth. Cf verse 17 "to meet the Lord in the air."

2. He shall come "with a shout." 16 Greek - keleusma keleuma kel'-yoo-mah meaning a shout of command. Cf. John 11:43 "Lazarus, come forth."
Cf. John 5:28 "And all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth."

3. He comes "with the voice of the archangel." 16 The highest of created beings shall announce his coming.

4. He comes with "t_he trump of God" (16). This is the call for the final assembly "the church of the firstborn." The symbolism is that of the Old Testament, since the trumpet was used to assemble the people of God.
According to 1 Cor. 15:52 - this is the last trump for the assembly of the church. It is not to be confused with the trump of Rev. 11. Those are angel ie., trumpets. But these are the trumps of God.

• Rapture consists of three great acts of Divine Omnipotence - which will take place in a moment of time.

1. Resurrection and transformation of believers who are dead at that time. 1 Thess. 4:16 "And the dead in Christ shall rise up first."

2. A transformation of believers who are living at that time. 1 Cor. 15:52 "And we shall be changed." be “caught up together with them."
"Caught up" is the word arpazw harpazo har-pad'-zo in the Greek which means to seize by force. Our English word rapture comes from the Latin word rapto meaning to seize by force. Technically speaking, the rapture is the carrying away of the saints into the air by force. Cf. John 6:15; John 10:28; 10:12 "Wolf catcheth."

• Notes

The Thessalonian passages stresses the resurrection and the translation.
The Corinthian passage stresses the resurrection and the transformation.

• Rapture of the Church will Include every True Believer in the Body of Christ

 

1 Thess. 4:18 "Comfort one another with these words" This could not be true if a partial rapture were possible. 

 

1 Thess. 5:5 "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day." Stress should be laid upon the word "All."

 

1 Cor. 15:51 "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed."

 

Not the slightest intimation that any shall be left behind.