The Rapture?

I would say a majority of Christians believe in some form of a rapture: being caught up into heaven. Even though this is a popular belief it is also one of the most talked about subjects. We don't need reassurance of the virgin birth. We don't need reassurance of the divinity of Jesus. We don't need reassurance of a serpent deceiving Eve. It is the Spirit of God within us that testifies to these things (Acts 5:32). However, we need constant reassurance of a rapture. We will explore some Scriptures to discern the truth and as you read ask the Holy Spirit to bring clarity and testify to the truth.

The last will be first

Revelation 7:13-14 NLT

Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

Matthew 20:1‭-‬16 HCSB

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the workers on one denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine in the morning, he saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. To those men he said, ‘You also go to my vineyard, and I’ll give you whatever is right.’ So off they went. About noon and at three, he went out again and did the same thing. Then about five he went and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing? ’ “ ‘Because no one hired us,’ they said to him. “ ‘You also go to my vineyard,’ he told them. When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and give them their pay, starting with the last and ending with the first.’ “When those who were hired about five came, they each received one denarius. So when the first ones came, they assumed they would get more, but they also received a denarius each. When they received it, they began to complain to the landowner: ‘These last men put in one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat! ’ “He replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I’m doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on a denarius? Take what’s yours and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my business? Are you jealous because I’m generous? ’ “So the last will be first, and the first last.”

So here we have one of the Elders speaking about those who are clothed in white. The answer is that they have died in the great tribulation and here they are standing before the throne! They have received a double honor, not only do they stand before the Lord before anyone else, they will also reign with Him for a thousand years before the rest of the dead are brought back to life and judged. They and only they are of the first resurrection! All those who died before the tribulation, the righteous and the wicked, will be raised in the second resurrection and judged according to our works. The works of these who died in the tribulation follow them (Revelation 14:13).

Make no mistake that these who are dying in the tribulation are the last of the believers.

Revelation 20:4‭-‬6 HCSB

Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the people who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of God’s word, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with the Messiah for 1,000 years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of the Messiah, and they will reign with Him for 1,000 years.

So now we see the illustration of the last becoming the first. They come in at the end of the age, and receive their pay before anyone else! Back in the Matthew verse Jesus made sure to say, "pay them starting with the last." So now we see those who suffered in the tribulation getting their pay before the rest of us. It is they who are among the first resurrection, not any other group! Let's look further at what Jesus had to say about this particular group as opposed to the rest of the dead. First let's see what He says about these who were beheaded for their testimony:

John 5:25 HCSB

“I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

Here you see that He is distinctly speaking about only those who hear. This is the first resurrection. The first resurrection only belongs to those who were beheaded during the tribulation. Now let's see what He says about the second resurrection:

John 5:28‭-‬29 HCSB

Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out — those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment.

Notice the distinction here! This is the second resurrection, notice that in the second resurrection there are both the righteous and the wicked! This is when the separation of the sheep and the goats take place.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 5:5 HCSB

The gentle are blessed, for they will inherit the earth.

We were never meant to leave the earth. The earth is our inheritance. Just as in the time of the old testament when Israel could not inhabit the promised land until the wicked people who occupied it were removed, so we await the removal (rapture) of the wicked so that we can enjoy our inheritance. I will leave you with some scriptures to study. God Bless you, my brothers and sisters!