“Rapture” is not a word found in the Holy Scriptures, but the concept is there in many verses.  Merriam-Webster defines it as:

 1 : an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion

2a : a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

2b : a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things 

3 often capitalized : the final assumption of Christians into heaven during the end-time according to Christian theology.

This isn’t a theological discussion but I did want to point out a couple of things.  Bible verses that speak to the concept of the Rapture are numerous.  Some of the most often quoted are:

1 Thessalonians 4:16   For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

1 Thessalonians 4:17  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 

Matthew 24:37  For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 

Mark 13:32  But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 

Matthew 24:40  Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 

Luke 17:34  I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.

Really, I didn’t want to get into a theological discussion but rather just wanted to give a quick explanation of what the Rapture is and to whom it pertains.  Basically, it is a day that is coming very soon in which Jesus Christ will come in the clouds and call all believers to Himself.  We will meet Him in the air and go to live with Him for all eternity.  But why is this event even happening?

To understand we have to look at the entire picture.  Throughout the Scriptures, Christ is referred to as the bridegroom and believers as the bride.  A quick look at Hebrew customs of the first century explains not only why the Rapture but also those events that happen to believers prior to the Rapture.

In the first century when a man wanted to marry a woman he made the offer of marriage.  For every person on earth this correlates to the offer of salvation that has been made.  If the woman accepts the offer of marriage then the bridegroom sends a gift or token to seal the betrothal.  Every person who accepts Christ’s offer of salvation receives the “seal” of the Holy Spirit.  The next step in the ancient romance is the bridegroom coming to the bride’s house to get her and take her to his home for the wedding feast.  This, then, is the correlation to the Rapture.  Believers are awaiting the arrival of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, to take them to His home for the marriage supper of the Lamb.  And we are excited!  Because we see the signs as described prophetically in the Scriptures.  These signs of His soon return for His bride are very evident all around us.  They don’t give us an exact date, but they do make it clear it will be soon!

The Rapture is NOT the second coming of Christ.  During the Rapture Christ will remain in the clouds.  At His second coming He will come completely down to the earth.  There are many studies available to explain both occurrences, and if you read through some of them you will discover that some theologians disagree as to the exact timing of the Rapture in relation to the Second Coming.  That is irrelevant as far as I am concerned, and all believers agree that there will be a Rapture and there will be a Second Coming.

But what about all those people who did not accept Christ’s invitation?  All those who are “left behind”?  Well, there are many movies about those events and if you have not accepted Christ’s invitation then I recommend you watch a couple of them.

What I can tell you is that the deception that will be told to all those who are left behind is already circulating.  There is a ‘New Age’ prophecy which claims there is a massive solar flare coming which will affect all human beings and catapult them forward to a new level of consciousness/development.  Of course, according to the lie, not everyone will be suitable for this new enlightened age and they will simply disappear – consumed by the solar flare!  A variation on this theme says that just prior to the solar flare our ancient ‘ancestor’, ancient aliens, will return and they will remove those who ‘don’t belong’ to the new enlightened age at the time of the solar flare.

Please know that the devil is a liar and the father of lies.  He is already spreading his lies so that when the Rapture happens, those who are left behind will be controllable with the lie that they are ‘superior’ in some way.  Rest assured – there is not one good human on earth.  Jesus said there is none good, no, not one, except God.

Now is the time.  Today is your day.  Make your choice.  Eternity is just around the corner, and we will ALL have an eternal home.  We simply have to choose – with God or without.  Your choice.

JOSHUA 24:15   … choose this day whom you will serve….