Rapture Characteristics

In Short

Many movies and short films have been made on the rapture of the church, which have had enormous influence on peoples' imagination on how this future Biblical event would happen. Unfortunately, almost none of these movies and films give a presentation of the rapture that accords with Biblical information. According to the Bible, there the atmosphere wil be filled with sounds - a command, the voice of an archangel, the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise from their graves. The living believers will be changed. Together they will be taken up into the clouds. There they will meet the Lord. They will be with Him forever and ever. Only one of these events is said to happen in the twinkling of an eye, the change of believers to immortality. But in almost all films, all items of the rapture happen in a moment, making it an instant disappearance. Here we dive into the aspects of the Rapture that the Bible mentions.

The Rapture

"I will come again and take you to myself."

John 14:3

 

Millions of people worldwide will have disappeared without a trace. Impressive sounds were heard in the sky, and there are thousands of eyewitness accounts of large groups of people flying through the air like flocks of birds. What happened?

The word "Harpazo" in the Greek source text of the New Testament is translated into Latin as "Rapturo," from which the English word "Rapture" is derived. In Dutch, this is often translated as "Rapture." The word means: 'to suddenly snatch away'. In case of the church, it means: taken up to heaven. Jesus gave this promise directly to his disciples on the night he was betrayed, and this promise was later repeated in detail through the apostle Paul.

Many books and films about the rapture have created the impression that it all will happen in a fraction of a second. But the Bible says otherwise. Several stages can be distinguished.

First, various sounds can be heard from heaven. The first and most important passage in the Bible about the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. It starts as follows:

'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God...'

 

The second thing that happens at the rapture is that all deceased believers are raised from their graves. The text continues with:

'...and the dead in Christ shall rise first...'

This event can also be read in a second passage of the Bible that concerns the moment of the rapture, namely 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

 

The third thing that happens at the rapture is that living believers are changed. This happens in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. It is not mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4 but 1 Corinthians 15:51 states: “We will all be changed, at the last trumpet, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” The “twinkling of an eye” refers to an element of the rapture, namely the change of living believers. This happens with lightning speed.

 

The fourth event of the rapture is the rapture itself, in which all believers, the changed believers and the resurrected believers, meet the Lord in the air and ascend to heaven together with the Lord. From that moment on, they will always be with the Lord. A third text indicates that the rapture goes heavenward and not back to earth. This text comes from the intimate conversation in the upper room between Jesus and his disciples, just before Jesus’ suffering. In John 14:1-4, Jesus says to his disciples: “Do not be anxious, but trust in God and in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, would I have told you, ‘I am going to prepare a place for you?’ If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again.” Then I will take you with me, and you will be where I am.”

This biblical text refers to the Jewish wedding, in which the groom, after paying the dowry, first prepared a dwelling for himself and his bride, then fetched her (at a time unknown to her) and ushered her into his newly built home during the wedding. The notion that the church would return to earth with the Lord immediately after the rapture contradicts biblical data. The believers disappear with Jesus into heaven. It is a rapture into heaven. Afterward, a period of great calamity begins on earth. This period is called "the great tribulation," or "the hour of temptation".

 

Today, the doctrine of the rapture of all Christians just before the onset of the most difficult period in earth's history is fiercely contradicted and ridiculed. Just search for "rapture before or after the tribulation." However, the totality of all biblical data allows only one conclusion: Only after the Christians have been evacuated from the earth does darkness descend. The following texts underscore this view:

 

(1) Revelation 3:10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

Jesus is speaking here to the church in Philadelphia, a church that will exist just before his coming. It's important to note that the Jesus doesn't say that He will "keep from temptation," but rather that He will "keep from the hour of temptation upon the whole world." John always refers to a specific period in history by "the hour," here a period of temptation for the entire world. This period of worldwide temptation will only begin after the rapture of the church. It is the period that is described from Revelation 6 until Revelation 19. The church is kept from it.

 

(2) 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7: “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the departure comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself to be God. Don't you remember that I told you these things while I was still with you? And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only now someone is restraining him until he is taken out of the way.”

Loosely translated, this reads: “The period in which the Lord Jesus will lay his claim on the earth and judge the world will only come after his believers have departed. Those judgments will only come when the world has completely fallen to the lawless one.” And that lawless one can only come when the Holy Spirit, who restrains him, is taken away, with the rapture of the church. For the Holy Spirit dwells in the church.

 

With the rapture of the church, the so-called age of the church comes to an end, in which God gathers a group of people from all the peoples of the earth who together form a heavenly city. This group of people is referred to in various ways: as the temple of God, as the body of Christ, as the bride of the Lamb, and as the New Jerusalem. With the consummation and rapture of the church, God refocuses his plans on his ancient people, Israel. These plans have been on hold for 2,000 years.

 

The Command

The rapture of the church is the transfer of all who believe in Jesus Christ to heaven. This will happen in the future, probably very soon. What are the characteristics of this rapture, and how will it be felt on earth?

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul writes the following:

'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.

 

Here are mentioned three attributes with which the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven:

1. A commanding cry

2. The voice of an archangel

2. The trumpet of God.

The word "commanding cry" in the Greek text is "KELEUSMA," which means: an order, a command, a commanding cry, whether to incite or urge animals, such as horses by riders or dogs by shepherds, or as a signal for people, such as rowers by their skipper or soldiers by their commander. The word appears only once in the New Testament, and here. A unique word for a unique event.

Never before has something like what 1 Thessalonians speaks of happened, and never will it happen again. It is a unique event in the history of heaven and earth. Central to this event is a command from the Lord. After all, He holds "the keys of death and Hades." He has the power to raise the dead and to transform mortal bodies into immortals. He calls himself “the Resurrection and the Life.”

 

In a discussion with the Jews of his day, Jesus said:

'Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth' (John 6:28,29)

For those who have believed in him, that moment of “coming out of the graves” has arrived once the rapture will take place. His voice is the command that calls them out of the tombs. Just as his voice once sounded at the tomb of Lazarus, his friend. This Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days when Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” At that, the deceased came out, his hands and feet still bound with grave clothes (John 11:43).

The loud voice of Jesus had almost never been heard during his ministry on earth. In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear God say of Jesus:

"Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust." (Mathew 12:18-21)

 

There are only four occasions on which Jesus cried out here on earth:

1. At the Feast of Tabernacles, six months before the crucifixion, in the temple. 'Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.' (John 7:28,29)

2. At that same Feast of Tabernacles. 'In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.' (John 7:37,38).

3. At the resurrection of Lazarus, above. Jesus called Lazarus from the grave.

4. From the cross. Twice Jesus cried out from the cross. First:

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mathew 27:46)

A little later:

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46)

The Epistle to the Hebrews says about this:

"He who, during the days of his flesh, with vehement cries and tears offered up both prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save him from death, and was heard for his godliness."

Following Jesus' cry from the cross, many dead were raised:

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

 

The word used here for 'appeared' - emphanizō - in the meaning of someone presenting himself, is only mentioned four times in the New Testament. Twice in the case of Jesus, about how his disciples would see Him after his resurrection: 'I will love him and manifest Myself to him' - that was about Him being in his resurrection body. (John 14:21,22). And once in case of Jesus about his presence before God in heaven: 'For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but in heaven itself, not to appear in the presence of God for us.' (Hebr.9:24) Therefore one might assume that the saints that rose at the cry of the Lord on the cross were risen in their 'resurrection bodies', never to die anymore. That is probably why the stayed in their graves till the resurrection of the Lord in order for Him to be the true first-fruits from the grave (1 Cor.15:23).

 

Such a loud voice of Jesus will be heard again, but this time from heaven and worldwide. And worldwide, all who have died "in Christ" will be raised from the dead. The voice of Jesus will have an even greater power than at the tomb of Lazarus. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus calls Himself "the Alpha and Omega." A little further on, the voice of the glorified Jesus is described as follows:

“...And his voice was like the voice of many waters” (Revelation 1:15)

The voice of Jesus in Revelation corresponds to the voice of God Himself:

“When he utters his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth: he makes lightnings with rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.” (Jer.51:16)

'You.'

What does this murmur of many waters sound like?

Like the combined sound of a river, a waterfall, and the waves?

Upon seeing the Lord, the apostle John fell as dead at his feet (Rev.1:17). If only Jesus' voice would be heard during this event, people worldwide would already be staring at heaven in awe, in utter confusion at this unparalleled event.

 

'Soon the long night will be over and morning will break.

Your Jesus is coming, his voice is like music to your ears.'

 

The Voice of the Archangel

The Lord Jesus will one day descend from heaven to share with those who believe in him the glorious results of his work on the cross: the redemption of their bodies (Romans 8:23) from the grip of imperfection, decay, and death. This descent of the Lord is accompanied by three manifestations: A call of command, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Because the text says "the voice of an archangel," some might suggest that Jesus is accompanied by an archangel. Now, it is quite possible that an archangel is present in Jesus' company during this descent, but this text does not indicate this. It is not about an archangel, but only about "the voice of an archangel." The descent is accompanied "with the voice of an archangel." The Greek root for "with" here is "AND." This word has an "instrumental" meaning. Jesus calls with the voice of an archangel, like someone "blowing a trumpet." He uses a voice like that of an archangel. This sound can be heard alongside the first mentioned 'crying of a command', which will sound like 'the voice of many waters'.

 

That noise alone was enough for John to fall "dead at the feet" of Jesus. The voice of the archangel is an additional factor. The term "archangel" appears only twice in the Bible: in our text (1 Thessalonians 4:16), the "voice of the archangel," and in Jude 1:9, where Michael is called "the archangel." That verse concerns a dispute between Michael and satan over the body of Moses (Jude:9). We also read about the archangel Michael in the book of Daniel (where he is not called an archangel - Daniel 10:20). Michael came to the assistance of another angel in his battle against heavenly powers associated with the world empires of that time.

The voice of the archangel testifies to the battle still being waged in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). The archangel Michael has repeatedly been associated with God's adversary, Satan. In the end times, this archangel will assist the people of Israel in their time of great trouble (Daniel 12:1). He does this, among other things, by casting out satan from heaven, some time before the start of the 3.5 years great tribulation (Revelation 12:9-12).

 

The angel, assisted by Michael, appears to Daniel above the Tigris River. The voice of this last angel, whose identity remains hidden, is described in chapter 10 of Daniel, as well as its effect on those who hear it:

“…the sound of His words was like the sound of a multitude. I, Daniel, I alone saw the vision, but the men who were with me did not see the vision. A great terror fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves… Then I heard the sound of His words. And when I heard the sound of His words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, and my face to the ground.” (Daniel 10:7-9)

The angel’s voice is like the sound of a great multitude and was so terrifying that Daniel’s company fled, and Daniel fell into a sleep of death, similar to how John experienced the appearance of Jesus in Revelation: he fell as dead at his feet. (Rev.1:17).

 

Perhaps there's no great difference between the "roar of many waters" and the "roar of a multitude" because crowds of people are compared in the Bible to raging waters. This happens, for example, in Revelation 17:15): "The waters you saw … are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues."

This example of the voice of a great multitude bears a strong resemblance to the roar of waters. When this voice gives commands, it might sound like a crowd in a South African stadium, a Turkish stadium, or a German stadium.

Jesus's authoritative command will be heard worldwide in the firmament of heaven as the roar of many waters and a great multitude. He speaks with an authority that raises the dead. The world's population will never forget this unparalleled, terrifying experience. It carries a formidable warning:

 

"See that ye refuse not Him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven" (Hebr.12:25)

 

God's Trumpet

The moment will come when the Lord Jesus descends from heaven to resurrect or transform all who have believed in Him for 2,000 years into immortality. Then He will bring them into His Father's heavenly dwellings. He will do this with a command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. What will that sound like?

 

The command speaks of the turmoil of battle. Warriors are called upon to prepare or to form a group. The voice of the archangel sounds like a battle cry, since the archangel Michael is engaged in constant conflict with Satan, our adversary. And the trumpet of God is also an instrument in the battle. The Old Testament contains several texts where the trumpet is blown as a signal in battle:

'I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war' (Jeremiah 4:19)

Literally, it says: trumpet blast, the alarm of war.

 

In the New Testament, the trumpet is also seen as an instrument of war:

'For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?' (1 Cor.14:8)

To get an idea, here you hear the sound of a ram's horn, which served as a trumpet in Israel.

And here you get an idea of ​​God's trumpet and here.

Recently, sounds reminiscent of a trumpet have been heard in the air worldwide. Listen HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

These could come from SPACE. God can use his trumpet to create elements within creation (natural causes) or from outside creation (supernatural causes).

 

The story of Jericho is well known, where the people of Israel marched around the city of Jericho 13 times in a procession, trumpets sounding, before the walls fell and the city was captured.

"And it happened as Joshua had spoken to the people: the seven priests bearing the seven ram's trumpets, went out before the Lord and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. Those prepared for battle went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed behind the ark, blowing the trumpets as they marched." ( (Josh.6:13)

 

Also well-known is the story of Gideon, who addressed the 300 men with whom he defeated the Midianite army as follows:

“When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpet around the whole camp, and say, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’” (Judg.7:16)

The trumpets were instrumental in achieving victory.

 

Thus, God’s trumpet is a sign of the battle that is underway at the moment Jesus comes to take His own from the earth. It is not a battle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph.6:12)

 

At its core, this is a battle between truth and falsehood, between freedom and slavery, between righteousness and lawlessness, between life and death. This battle began at Sinai, where a people enslaved for hundreds of years in Egypt and captive to the idolatry and lies of Babylon received God's holy and righteous laws, which—if obeyed—put an end to all injustice.

Therefore, the giving of the law at Sinai, in Arabia, as the beginning of the battle of God's law against the adversary's lawlessness, is the first occasion in the Bible where a trumpet is mentioned. IT IS GOD HIMSELF WHO BLOWS THE TRUMPET ON SINAI.

“On the third day, when morning came, there were thunders and lightnings, a thick cloud, and a very loud trumpet blast on the mountain, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. The trumpet blast grew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice.”

 

The trumpet blast was so loud that the people trembled. The sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. They were not to touch the mountain where God was about to descend.

“On the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set a boundary around the mountain for the people, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or even to touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will surely be put to death.’ Then the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. The Lord called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

 

How different it will be when Jesus comes for his church. Then his people will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This will happen to the deafening sound of God’s trumpet.

Paul also speaks of this trumpet in his first letter to the Corinthians. He calls it "the last trumpet":

"Look, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51,52)

 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16, "the trumpet of God" is mentioned, and 1 Corinthians 15 speaks of "the last trumpet." When we refer to "the last trumpet," which is also a trumpet of God, the question arises as to how many trumpets God has. An answer to this question may be found in the book of Numbers, about the people of Israel on their wilderness journey. In the tenth chapter, we read that God commands the people of Israel to make two silver trumpets from a single piece of silver (Num. 10:1-10). These two trumpets could symbolize the fact that God has two trumpets.

 

God blows the trumpet twice in history. Many things in history occur twice—albeit with differences. For example, there was a first Adam and a Last Adam (1 Cor.15:45 - so also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15). There was an old covenant with Israel, and there is a new covenant with the Church (2 Cor.2:6). God had a wife in the Old Testament (Israel), and the Messiah has a bride in the New Testament (the Church). There is an earthly Jerusalem, and soon there will be a heavenly Jerusalem coming down from heaven (Rev.21:9). The old world of Noah perished by water, and the present world will perish by fire (2 Pet.3:6). Thus, Peter used the keys of the kingdom of heaven twice, once for the Samaritans (Acts 8:14) and once for all Gentiles (Acts 10:34). That Farao's armies were buried in the waters of the Red sea will be repeated with the Zionist armies of the empire around the Endtime, only this time the burying will take place with 'earth' (Revelation 12:14-17). 

 

Just as God's world history involves dual events, so too did the life of his Son, Jesus, on earth involve mirror events: two times a temple cleansing, two miraculous feedings, two miraculous catches of fish, two storms, and so on. The two silver trumpets, made of one piece, fit this imagery well. These trumpets served four purposes (Num. 10:1-10): (1) To summon the assembly, (2) to signal for departure, (3) to remind the people of the LORD in case of war, and (4) to signal for feast days and the first days of the month.

Each of these meanings applied to the first time God blew the trumpet on Mount Sinai. That was for the gathering of the people to bring them under one law, to then have them ascend and act according to that law, and finally to fight with that law against the spiritual powers of darkness in the world. Sadly, in the centuries that followed, the exact opposite happened. The people failed to be a beacon of light through the application of the law. They were enveloped in the darkness of idolatry and lawlessness of surrounding nations until they were completely destroyed in the deportation to Babylon.

 

The second and final time that God blows the trumpet is on the occasion of Jesus' coming to call all of His people from earth to heaven, the "gathering to Him." (2 Thess.2:1) Furthermore, God's last trumpet has to do with the people of Israel. After all, the gathering of all the believers of the past 2,000 years marks a new period in Israel's history, the last half week of Daniel (Dan.9:27). This will be a period of great conflict, the "time of Jacob's trouble." (Jer.30:7) God's trumpet will sound on the eve of this period, indicating that the people of Israel will rise as God's important instrument during those final 3.5 - 4 years and will be remembered by God.

 

The heavenly gathering of all his people by Jesus marks the end of the church age and the beginning of a new era for Israel. This great event is symbolically depicted in the Feast of the Trumpet in Leviticus 23. In that chapter, the seven Jewish feasts are mentioned, and each of these feasts is related to the Messiah's actions. The first four feasts found their fulfillment in the first coming of Jesus. The first feast, Passover, represents the suffering and death of the Messiah, the Lamb of God, who was slain for the sins of all who believe in Him. The second feast, Unleavened Bread, represents the Messiah's burial and his death, the wages of sin, to blot out all sin. The third feast, the Feast of First-fruits, represents the resurrection of the Messiah. The fourth feast, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the Messiah.

The final three feasts will be fulfilled in the future at the second coming of Jesus. The first of these, feast five, is the Feast of Trumpets, when trumpets (traditions says 100 blows) were blown on the first day of the seventh Jewish month. It is significant that the original text does not mention any instrument : no shophar (ram's horn) or trumpet. Nor is there any mentioning of a "joval" (another word for horn or trumpet). Only the word "alarm" or "blow." This corresponds to the reality of which this feast is a type: that it is God himself who will blow the trumpet at that great moment of the gathering of all believers in heaven, "our gathering unto Him."

 

The first day of the seventh month of the religious year corresponds to the first day of the first month of the civil year, Rosh Hashanah. Just as the trumpet of the feast of Rosh Hashanah heralds the first day of a new civil Israelite year, so too does God's trumpet mark the beginning of a new era for the people of Israel. Israelites who do not believe in Jesus and do not participate in the rapture of the church into heaven will undoubtedly mention this enormously impressive and fearsome heavenly trumpet blast, which, just like God's first trumpet on Sinai, will be very intense and will grow ever stronger. On this basis, they will seek the God of their forefathers. Far better however, is it to be among the believers who share in the rapture.

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts..." (Heb. 3:7)

“For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard begged that the word should not be spoken to them any more ...^..And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant...". (Hebr.12:18-24)

 

Resurrection

The first purpose of Jesus’ command with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God is the resurrection of the dead in Christ, that is, all who have believed in Him. What is this resurrection "from the dead" based on, and what happens to the dead who did not believe in Jesus?

First of all, with the resurrection of all believers, Jesus fulfills the promise He made to all who would believe in Him:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternity and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." (John 5:24)

And:

"I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, though he were dead, will live." (John 11:24)

The resurrection of the dead is a unique teaching of the Bible. Only religions based on the Bible, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, have a resurrection of the dead. And of those religions, only Christianity attaches absolute importance to the resurrection of the dead—not to life after death, but to the resurrection of the dead.

 

Contrary to popular belief, not all the dead rise simultaneously. This only came to light with the coming of the Son of God to earth. Believers in ancient Israel before Christ knew about the resurrection of the dead, but not about the different times when it would occur. They believed that all the dead would rise on "the last day," as evidenced by a statement by Martha of Bethany (John 11:24). The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant by 'rising from the dead' (Mark 9:10). They knew about the resurrection "from the dead," but not that the dead would rise from among the other dead.

Generally speaking, there are two types of resurrection: a resurrection "to life" and a resurrection "to judgment." This can be read in the fifth chapter of John:

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:28)

 

In the sixth chapter of John, Jesus explains what is meant by “doing good,” which gives people a share in “the resurrection of life”:

“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29)

The resurrection of life occurs much earlier than the resurrection of judgment. The resurrection of judgment only occurs when the present creation passes away. The resurrection to life has already taken place since the resurrection of Jesus Himself.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul gives a bird's-eye view of the resurrection of the dead in its various stages (numbering mine):

“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: (1) Christ the firstfruits, (2) afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. (3) Then comes the end when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy, death, will be abolished.”

 

(1) With the death and resurrection of Christ, may believers from ancient Israel also rose from their graves: “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Math.27:52,53)

The word for 'appeared' = emphanizō in relation to a person 'appearing' is only used for Christ after his resurrection (John 14:21, 22, Hebr.9:24). One might therefore conclude that this was a resurrection with immortal 'resurrection bodies'.

 

(2a) The dead in Christ at his coming to take his Church are raised from the dead by Jesus at the moment of the rapture of the Church, the descent of Christ with his command, the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. The believers of Ancient Israel before Christ also belong to this group. After all, they too are “of Christ” or “asleep through Jesus” or “dead in Christ.” Their righteousness, too, is derived from redemption in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24, 25). They, too, are justified by faith (Rom. 4:3, 6, 5:18).

 

(2b) The dead in Christ at his coming in glory, after the moment of (2a), have repented and been put to death in a 3.5-year great tribulation. They will be resurrected after this great tribulation and will reign with Christ in His millennial kingdom (Rev.20:4).

The resurrection up to this point is called “the first resurrection.” (Rev.20:4)

 

(3) The remaining dead will only be raised again after the millennial kingdom, when Jesus has destroyed all enemies. Heaven and earth will pass away, and the last enemy, death, will be destroyed (1 Cor.15:26). This means that all the dead will have been resurrected. Rev. 20:13-15 states:

“And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and the grave also gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each according to their works. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

You become written in the book of the Lamb by believing in the Lamb, who said:

"I have come as a light into the world, so that whoever believes in me will not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not receive my words has something that condemns him, the word that I have spoken, which will condemn him on the last day." (John 12:46)

 

Transformation

Jesus' command raises those who have fallen asleep in Him. His command also has a tremendous effect on those who believe in Him, who are alive at that moment. They are changed. In the blink of an eye, in  "atomos" - the smallest fragment of time - that is what is literally said in a letter from Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor.15:52). But what does it mean that they are changed?

 

It concerns four different consequences, which also apply to those who rise from the grave. These characteristics of the change are found 1 Corinthians 15:

1. Corruption is transformed into incorruption

2. Dishonor is transformed into glory

3. Weakness is transformed into strength

4. A soul body is transformed into a spiritual body

What this exactly means in all its consequences, those who believe in Jesus will only discover when the change actually takes place. But based on the information in the Bible, a general estimate can be made. Here we will briefly discuss the characteristics of the new bodies.

 

1. Incorruption

The human body is subject to decay. Dying cells are constantly replaced by new cells. The quality of that replacement continues to decrease over time, resulting in the body deteriorating and eventually dying. The body is perishable. The cells that make up the body continually decay.

 

Paul speaks of an outer man that decays (2 Cor.4:16) and of an earthly tent in which we dwell that is being taken down (2 Cor.5:1). The new body does not experience a process of cell death. Therefore, eating and drinking are not necessary, but are still possible. We see this in the body of the resurrected Jesus, who ate honeycomb and baked fish. He did the latter on two separate occasions (Luke 24:42, John 21:9). The new body is characterized by immortality because the cycle of cell growth and death has been replaced by a completely new form of bodily existence, unknown to us.

 

2. Glory

Partly because of the body's deterioration, it is afflicted with dishonor. Many people are ashamed of their bodies, sometimes even at a young age. We live in an imperfect creation, where many people have minor or major physical abnormalities. Even people famous for their looks, such as singers or movie stars, aren't always happy with their bodies. They pay large sums for plastic surgery, especially as they get older. Almost no one has a perfectly symmetrical body, face, or eyes.

 

The body often shows differences between left and right. The skin, the largest organ of the human body, is also not perfect in anyone. Almost no one is completely free of blemishes, pimples, or bumps or hair where it's unwanted. Older people struggle with excess skin, double chins, and wrinkles. With the new body, this dishonor is a thing of the past. The new body exudes pure glory. "For the fleeting lightness of our affliction works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor.4:16)

 

3. Strength

The human body is exceptionally vulnerable. How many millions have perished from physical violence or disease? That vulnerability, too, is a thing of the past in the new body. But the strength that is generated or transformed also refers to physical capabilities. There are strong men and women in the world who can easily lift more than their own weight. But compared to, for example, an ant, it's nothing. Ants can carry up to 50 times their body weight. While this is related to scale, it nevertheless demonstrates the limitations of human physical strength on earth.

 

Humans have overcome the lack of physical capabilities through technology, allowing them to build enormous structures. Those who are not strong must be clever. But a physical body alone won't get you very far.

 

The Bible promises a body that truly has strength. The only example in the Bible of supernatural physical strength is Samson. It was the "Spirit of the Lord" that seized him and gave his body supernatural strength (Judges 13:25).

 

We still live in the time that God works through our human weakness. "...my power is made perfect in weakness," the Lord says to Paul regarding his physical weakness, which he calls a "thorn in the flesh," "a messenger of Satan to buffet me." "... for when I am weak, then I am strong," he concludes this passage (2 Cor.7:-10). In the same letter to the Corinthians (the second), he writes: “ But we have this treasure (Christ) in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.…” (2 Cor.4:7)

 

Regarding the message of salvation in Jesus Christ, Paul writes of the Crucified One: “… the weakness of God is stronger than human strength" (1 Cor.1:25).  Furthermore, in his second letter, Paul writes about Jesus Christ that He was crucified in weakness but lives by God’s power (2 Cor.13:4). After His resurrection, Jesus could move very quickly over great distances and into hermetically sealed spaces. That is why He could appear in so many different places on the morning of His resurrection and suddenly stand among His disciples in the evening, while the doors were closed for fear of the Jewish authorities (John 20:19).

 

The present time of working through weakness will one day come to an end. Then the greatness of God’s power will be revealed in the bodies of all who have believed in Him. That state of affairs will never end. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Cor.15:53)

 

4. Spirit-driven

The soul-body is subject to emotional life, which the Bible summarizes in the single word "soul." The soul is distinguished in the Bible from the "spirit," the seat of reason and will. The current soul-body is subject to feelings. Our reason and will influence our thoughts, words, and actions through feelings. These feelings are often negative and hinder us. We know that many things are good to think, speak, and do, but they are not thought, spoken, or done.

 

On the night of his extradition to the Jewish authorities, Jesus said: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Math.26:41) The disciples were unable to watch with Him during his intense prayer struggle and fell asleep repeatedly. That night, Peter was completely driven by his sense of fear, and that led to his fall: the denial of Jesus (Math.26:69-75)

 

Fear, sorrow, and anger can drive people to very wrong actions, over which their will has no power. Think of a phobia, which prevents people from daring to undertake many things. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, after a long discourse on the conflict within his members, "So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:26)

 

It is the Spirit of God who helps the believer to overcome "the flesh," the wrong emotional tendencies. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." (Rom.8:26) It is God's Spirit who works in the prayer life of the believer; that is, the experience of the ongoing relationship with God, which enables people even now to overcome their inner weaknesses.

 

The spirit-soul distinction is also evident in Psalm 103 of David: "Praise the Lord my soul."  (Psalm 103:1) Who is urging their own soul here? It is the spirit of man, in the power of God's Holy Spirit. Emotional life must be impelled by the spirit to praise the Lord. This will be different in the new body. This will be completely driven by the spirit. It will be a spiritual body.

 

Mortality swallowed up

Through the resurrection and the transformation of the bodies of those who believe in Jesus, what Paul and Isaiah say in 1 Corinthians 15 becomes a reality: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” The transformation of the body is like putting on a new garment over old, worn-out clothing. That is how Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 5:4)

'For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.'

In the transformation of the body (tent) at the rapture, mortality is swallowed up by life. Paul, too, preferred not to die (be unclothed) but to be changed (be clothed with our heavenly dwelling). He anticipated the rapture even in his day: “But we who are left until the coming of the Lord…”

After 2,000 years, the longing of Christians who look forward to the coming of Christ remains unchanged:

“For in this tent we groan, earnestly longing to be clothed with our dwelling which is from heaven…”

 

Clouds

The coming of Jesus to remove his church from earth to heaven will be heard everywhere on earth. The command of his mouth, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God will fill the air worldwide with impressive sounds. But there is also something to be seen, even though Jesus does not yet come to earth on this occasion. What is the spectacle of the clouds accompanying Christ?

As soon as the dead in Christ are risen worldwide and the living believers worldwide are changed in the blink of an eye, they will be caught up together “in the clouds” to meet the Lord in the air. The question is how this is possible in countries where clouds never appear. It has been suggested that "the clouds" refer to the swarms of believers floating up in the air to meet the Lord.

However, this interpretation is inconsistent with the root word for "clouds" in the Greek text. That is the word "Nephele," which throughout the New Testament means clouds in the air, water clouds. Very often, the word "nephelē" is used for the cloud of glory that accompanied the people of Israel on their Exodus from Egypt and their wilderness journey, the cloud under which they sheltered and in which they were baptized.

It is the same cloud that overshadowed Jesus and his disciples at the moment of his transformation on the mountain (Math.17:5). These are the same clouds with which he will visibly return to earth in power and great glory (Mark 13:24). The form of the word in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is exactly the same as the form in Mark 13:26: “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power and great glory.” This is the exact fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy:

“I was watching in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven came One like the Son of Man.” (Daniel 7:13)

 

In the trial before the Sanhedrin, Jesus referred to this prophecy and to Psalm 110: “And Jesus said, ‘I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power of God, coming with the clouds of heaven.’” (Mark 14:62) This ultimately became the basis for his condemnation.

This Son of Man will receive from God an imperishable kingdom that will extend over the whole earth.

The clouds Daniel and Jesus speak of are the clouds of God’s glory. These clouds are also connected to the rainbow. The first place in the Bible where clouds are mentioned is in Genesis 9, immediately after the Flood. Three times God speaks of "his bow in the clouds." (Gen. 9:11) And two more times God's rainbow is connected to the clouds:

"Like the appearance of the RAINBOW that appears in the clouds on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. It was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of One speaking." (Ezekiel 1:28)

and:

"And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was clothed with a cloud, and over His head was a RAINBOW. His face was like the sun, and His feet like pillars of fire." (Rev.10:1)

In this dream, the rainbow colors were seen in the sky during the rapture of the church (from 2:45).

It is quite possible that the sky at Jesus' coming before the rapture of the church will be filled with rainbow colors, along with the sounds of the command, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. A powerful testimony to all who dwell on earth.

"I have set my bow in the clouds; it will serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth." (Gen.9:12)

 

Harpazo

The rapture of the church is a unique event that will be witnessed worldwide. The change of the bodies of those who believe in Jesus occurs in the blink of an eye, in an "atom of time." Then they, along with the resurrected believers, will be raptured in clouds (1 Thess.4:17). The question is how soon this will happen.

Are we looking to the ascension of Jesus, it seems that his departure from earth was visible to the disciples. It states:

"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." (Acts 1:9)

In the English translation, the same word "taken up" appears to be used here, but in the original Greek text, they are two very different words. The word "Epairo" is used for the "taking up" of Jesus, which is also used for the lifting up of the eyes, hands, or feet.

The Greek root word in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, for the rapture of the church, is "Harpazo." That word has a different meaning, namely, "snatching away suddenly." It contains an element of great speed. Our word "Harpoon" is derived from it. It is often used negatively, as the "snatching away of the kingdom" by the Jewish authorities (Math.11:12), or the "snatching away of the sheep" by the wolf (John 10:12). But sometimes the use is positive, such as “snatching” someone out of the fire. (Jude 1:23)

 

In the following places, the word “Harpazo” is used in connection with God Himself snatching people away.

“When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.” (Acts 8:39, 40)

It seems that Philip suddenly disappeared and reappeared in Ashdod (in present-day Gaza).

 

A second example of the use of Harpazo is found in the remarkable experience of Paul, who speaks of himself below:

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. ³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell." (2 Cor.12:2-4)

The fact that Paul does not know whether he was taken up bodily or out of the body also indicates that it happened quite suddenly.

 

The third occasion on which the word refers to the rapture of a person is the rapture of the Lord Jesus into heaven.

“The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”^[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. ” (Rev.12:4,5)

Given the threat of the dragon, this also seems to involve a very rapid transfer to heaven. But the actual rapture, according to the book of Acts, was visible to the disciples.

 

On the one hand, the transfer to heaven will occur very quickly, but that doesn't mean that, like the change, it will happen in the blink of an eye. We see the latter in almost all film adaptations of the Rapture. The point is, however, that the circumstances at the rapture take on threatening proportions, just as in the case of the Lord Jesus being caught up to the throne of God, The word 'rapture' might indicate that the church is caught up just in time, shortly before the disaster.

 

The command of Jesus, the voice of the archangel, the trumpet of God, the resurrection, the change and the upward transfer will occur rapidly, but will certainly be noticed here on earth. The "Harpazo" of 1 Thessalonians 4 corresponds to the 'I will come soon' (quickly, with haste) of Revelation 3:11, which concerns the same thing: the Lord Jesus snatching us away from the hour of temptation.

“Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which will come upon all the world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, so that no one takes your crown.” (Rev.3:10,11)

 

Rapture Movies

The rapture of the church (Greek: Harpazo; Latin: Rapturo), as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, is a unique event in world history. Such an event has never happened before, and never will again. It's impossible to film. Yet, since the 1970s, several films have been made on the theme of the Rapture. How do these films incorporate the biblical data?

 

It is a unique event that has never happened before. Therefore, it's not surprising that films about the Rapture miss the mark considerably when it comes to the event itself. However, these films can reasonably represent the possible reactions of those left behind.

 

A total of 12 longer films on the subject of the "rapture of the church" have been found for this website. In addition, at least 18 shorter videos can be found online. These films and videos can be clicked on and viewed individually using the links below.

 

The table below shows the extent to which the found films accurately reflect the revealed truth in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Three different criteria were considered: 'heavenly sounds,' 'resurrection of the dead,' 'change,' 'ascent,' and 'disappearance.'

'Heavenly sounds' refers to the commanding cry, the voice of the archangel, and the sound of the trumpet.

'Resurrection of the dead' refers to the resurrection of all who have 'fallen asleep in Christ.'

'Change' refers to the change of the bodies of living Christians in the blink of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52).

'Ascent' refers to being 'caught up in the clouds together with the resurrected Christians to meet the Lord in the air.'

The item "Disappearance" refers to the film portrayal of all of the above happening in the blink of an eye, essentially implying that Christians have suddenly vanished. As we have seen above, this representation is not in conformity with the Biblical data. The Bible only mentions the "transfiguration of the body" as something that occurs in the blink of an eye. Because the resurrection of the dead refers to the same working of God's power, it too will probably  occur in the blink of an eye. That the resurrection of the dead occurs in the blink of an eye can also be inferred from the cloths in which Jesus was buried by Joseph of Arimathea, which are now known as "The Shroud of Turin." Furthermore, the sound of the trumpet is absent from almost all films. The command of Jesus ​​and the voice of the archangel are not heard in any film.

 

                   Heavenly Sounds,  Resurrection,                 Change,     Ascent,              Disappearance

(1) 1972                                                                                                                                                V

(2) 1991               V

(3) 1994                                                                                                                                                V

(4) 1998                                                                                                                                                V

(5) 1998                                                                                                                                                V

(6) 1999                                                                                                                                                V

(7) 2000                                                                                                                                                V

(8) 2013                                                                                                                                                V

(9) 2013                                                                                        V                        V

(10) 2014                                                                                                                                              V

(11) 2016                                                                                                                                              V

(12) 2017                                                                                                                                              V

 

This table shows that the Rapture was not filmed in accordance with biblical data. Almost all films show a sudden disappearance, without heavenly sounds, without bodily transfiguration, without the resurrection of the dead, and without an ascent. Reviews of these films are also not particularly positive. They are generally B-movies, made by unknown producers with very limited budgets. The only film with a well-known star was No. 10 of 2014, starring Nicholas Cage, and the reviews for that film were bad. It seems Hollywood is not very interested in filming the Rapture, even though it is an event that defies all science fiction. Hollywood has, however, produced a wide range of very expensive productions involving contact with extraterrestrial life, UFOs, and alien invasions. Almost 600 of these were made, often with very large budgets. Below are the links to the above films, the top one is for a trailer, the full film or both, the bottom one contains background information.

 

(1)

AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT (1972) – OPNAME VANAF MINUUT 0:29 – Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.CHRISTELIJKEVIDEOTHEEK.NL/PRODUCT/A0601-ALS-EEN-DIEF-IN-DE-NACHT/

(2)

THE RAPTURE (1991) – OPNAME VANAF MINUUT 1:00 – Trumpet

HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/THE_RAPTURE_(1991_FILM)

(3)

LEFT BEHIND, EERDERE VERSIE (1994) – 0:00 Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.IMDB.COM/TITLE/TT2292822/

(4)

VANISHED (1998) – OPNAME VANAF MINUUT 1:00 – Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.MOVIEMETER.NL/FILM/45719

(5)

APOCALYPSE: CAUGHT IN THE EYE OF THE STORM (1998) – 21:30 – Disappearance

HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/APOCALYPSE_(FILM_SERIES)

(6)

APOCALYPSE II: REVELATION (1999) – 3:50 - Disappearance

HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/APOCALYPSE_(FILM_SERIES)

(7)

LEFT BEHIND (2000) – Disappearances

HTTPS://WWW.MOVIEMETER.NL/FILM/13508/INFO/0

(8)

THE FINAL RAPTURE (2013) –Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.CHRISTIANCINEMA.COM/DIGITAL/MOVIE/FINAL-THE-RAPTURE

(9)

REVELATION.ROAD PART 1.THE.BEGINNING.OF.THE.END .(2013) – 1:10:00 – Disappearance, Ascending, 

HTTPS://WWW.MOVIEMETER.NL/FILM/90335

(10)

LEFT BEHIND (2014) – 0:30 – Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.MOVIEMETER.NL/FILM/95216

(11)

LEFT BEHIND (2016) – 0:20 – Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.THE-NUMBERS.COM/MOVIE/VANISHED-LEFT-BEHIND-NEXT-GENERATION#TAB=SUMMARY

(12)

SUNDAY MORNING RAPTURE (2017) – 1:00 – Disappearance

HTTPS://WWW.IMDB.COM/TITLE/TT2852070/

 

In addition to these 12 official films, 18 short films were also found, made by churches, groups, or amateur filmmakers. The table above was also applied to these 18 films:

 

                   Heavenly Sounds,  Resurrection,                 Change,     Ascent,              Disappearance

(1) 1941                                                V                                                                                           V

(2) 2009                                                                                                                                              V

(3) 2011                                                V                                                                                            V

(4) 2011                                                                                                                                              V

(5) divers                                                                                                                                              V

(6) 2011                                                                                   V                              V

(7) 2012                                                                                                                                              V

(8) 2013                                                                                                                                              V

(9) 2013                                                                                                                                              V

(10) 2014                                                                                                                                            V

(11) 2015                                                                                                                                            V

(12) 2015            V                                                                                                                              V

(13) 2015            V                                                                    V                            V

(14) 2016                                                                                                                                             V

(15) 2016            V                                                                                                                               V

(16) 2016            V                                                                                                                               V

(17) 2017                                                                                                                                             V

(18) 2019                                                                                                                                             V