Title: The Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
Text: I THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
"(13)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. (14)For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15)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. (16)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: (17)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. (18)Wherefore comfort one another with these words."Introduction:
-- Among those who believe in a LITERAL Rapture of the church-age saints, there are basically 3 positions regarding the TIME of the Rapture. All of these pertain to the timing of the Rapture in relation to the Great Tribulation. 3 Views: PRE-TRIBULATIONAL, mid-tribulational and post-tribulational. -- We, TODAY, will be concerned ONLY with the Scriptural view, that is the PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE.I. Rapture = the Catching Away of the Saints.
See description: I Thessalonians 4:13-18 A. A RESURRECTION of the DEAD IN CHRIST (vv. 14-16) -->"(14)For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15)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. (16)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:"B. A CATCHING UP and TRANSLATION of the LIVING N.T. SAINTS (v. 17) -->"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.""caught up" (v. 17) is the same as ... -- John 10:28 "pluck" "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:28) -- Jude 23 "pulling [out of the fire]" "And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (Jude 1:23) -- Acts 23:10 "take by force" "And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle." (Acts 23:10) The Rapture is a forceful seizing & a snatching away. Other uses: -- (Matthew 13:19) THE DEVIL snatching the Word of God from the heart of the foolish -- (Acts 8:39) THE SPIRIT OF GOD snatching away Philip after the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch.II. CHRIST will snatch way the N.T. Saints BEFORE the Great Tribulation.
See also: I Corinthians 15:51-58 -->"(51)Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52)In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53)For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54)So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (55)O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56)The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57)But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58)Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."The translation of the N.T. Saints will involve: an INSTANTANEOUS CHANGE from MORTALITY to IMMORTALITY. Those believers living at that hour will never see death (v. 51) I Thess. 4:18 & I Cor. 15:18: --The translation of the church-age Saints is said to be a source of Great Comfort and Encouragement. --IF this translation did not occur until the end of the torments of the Great Tribulation, it certainly would NOT produce solace for the Christian standing on this side of Tribulation.III. MORE EVIDENCE for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
A. Church-age believers are promised salvation from God's wrath. I Thessalonians 1:9-10; 5:1-9; Romans 5:9; Revelation 3:10 B. In the Book of Revelation, the local church is NOT seen on Earth after Chapter 3 until Chapter 19. C. The Translation of church-age saints is said to be IMMINENT. It could happen at any moment. D. The local Church cannot be overcome, but the saints of the tribulation will be. Compare Matthew 16:18 & Revelation 13:7 E. There are events intervening between the Translation and Resurrection of the local Church and the Second Advent. I Corinthians 15:51--Every saved person will be translated (changed) at the Rapture. F. The Book of Revelation reveals that the local Church is not on the Earth during the Tribulation. The witness for God then is Israel NOT the local church. (see Revelation Chapter 7)Conclusion:
-- (Our 'Blessed Hope') will be accomplished by Jesus Christ before the Tribulation Period. ALL the Dead & Alive Saints will be gathered unto the LORD forever. Titus 2:13 - Are we Looking for it?