“The Great Snatch”Or, “The Translation”

1 Thessalonians 4-51 Corinthians 15

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“Rapture”

• Derived from the Latin rapio, “to seize,” “to snatch,” the word…refers to a removal from one place to another by forcible means.

Source: Baker’s Dictionary of Theology

Why teach prophecy?

• Over 20% of the Bible is prophetic.

• 3 out of 4 of Christ’s discourses are prophetic.

• Edifying: it was the “hope” of the 1st- Century church.

• It explains God’s plan in history.

God’s Prophetic “Time-Line”

Israel

Church Age

Christ

Pentecost

Ete

rnit

y P

ast

Creation

The Unique Church Age

Israel Church Age

The Holy Spirit Indwells Us

Romans 8:11 He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through

His Spirit who indwells you.

The Holy Spirit Came Upon Them

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me

To bring good news to the afflicted..

The Holy Spirit Permanently Indwells Us

The Holy Spirit Temporarily Indwelt Them

Ephes. 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for

the day of redemption.

Psalm 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

The Holy Spirit had not been given yet.

John 7:39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet

given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.

God’s Prophetic “Time-Line”

Church Age

Ete

rnit

y P

ast

7 yr T

ribulationChrist Great

Trib

2nd A

dvent

Millenial

Kingdom

1000 yrs

You are Here

G.W

.T.

Pentecost

Eternity F

uture

Israel

Israel

Romans 11:25 or I do not want you, brethren, to be

uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own

estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to

Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in;

The Unique BeginningActs 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were

all together in one place.

[2] And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

[3] And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Thessalonican Excitement

• 1 Thes. 1:10 “…to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

• 1 Thes. 2:19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

Thessalonican Excitement

• 1 Thes. 3:13 so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

“The Great Hope”

• Matthew 12:21; Acts 2:26; Acts 23:6; Acts 24:15; Acts 26:6-7; Romans 4:18; Romans 5:2; Romans 5:4-5; Romans 8:20; Romans 8:24-25; Romans 12:12; Romans 15:4; Romans 15:12-13; Romans 15:24; 1 Cor. 9:10; 1 Cor. 13:13; 1 Cor. 16:7; 2 Cor. 1:7; 2 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 1:13; 2 Cor. 3:12; 2 Cor. 5:11; 2 Cor. 10:15; Galatians 5:5; Ephes. 1:12; Ephes. 1:18; Ephes. 2:12; Ephes. 4:4; Philip. 1:20; Philip. 2:19; Philip. 2:23; Col. 1:5; Col. 1:23; Col. 1:27; 1 Thes. 1:3; 1 Thes. 2:19; 1 Thes. 4:13; 1 Thes. 5:8; 2 Thes. 2:16; 1 Tim. 1:1; 1 Tim. 4:10; 1 Tim. 5:5; 1 Tim. 6:17; Titus 1:2; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:7; Philemon 1:22; Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 6:18-19; Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 John 3:3; 2 John 1:12; 3 John 1:14;

“The Rapture”• 1 Thes. 4:13 But we do not want you to be

uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.

John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

2 Cor. 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

“The Rapture”• 1 Thes. 4:14-16 1 Thes. 4:14 For [since] we believe that

Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

• [15] For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

• [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 shall rise first.

2 Cor. 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. [3] And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- [4] was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

“The Rapture”

1 Thes. 4:17-18 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

[18] Therefore comfort one another with these words.

John 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

God’s Prophetic “Time-Line”

Eternity F

uture

7 yr T

ribulation

2nd A

dvent

Millenial

Kingdom

1000 yrs

G.W

.T.

Raptur

e

…

BemaSeat &

“WeddingFeast”

BOC1 Thes.4

OTRev.20

NBRev.19

2 Thes. 2:5-7 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. [7] For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

[50] Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

[51] Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

1 Cor. 15:52-53 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 shall be changed.

[53] For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

ComparisonRapture Second Advent

Meet in the Air(1 Thes. 4:17)

Meet on the Ground(Mt.25:31)

Become immediately immortal (1Cor.15:53)

Believers remain mortal (Is.65:20; Rev.19:18)

Go immediately to be in heaven (1Thes.4:17; John 14:3)

Remain on earth for Millenial Kingdom

Immanent (any time!)Mt.24:42,44,50; 25:13; Lk.12:40; Jas.5:8

Proceeded by signs (Mk.13:20) 

Resurrection of the “Dead in Christ” proceeds the living meeting Christ (1Thes.4:15)

Resurrection of the believing dead is after the living meet Christ at the Second Advent (Rev.20:4ff)

Summation1. “Rapture” passages don’t describe “Second Advent”.

2. The “Rapture” and “translation” is a mystery; “Resurrection” is not (1Cor.15:51; cf.Zech 14).

3. We “comfort one another” with these words, since the Church is promised to be delivered from the tribulation (Rev.3:10; 1Thes.1:10; 4:18; 5:9; cf. w/ Jer.30:7 or Rev.6:17).

4. God is not finished working with Israel, and will remove “the restrainer” (Rom.11:5; 2 Thes. 2:5-7).

5. “Goat & Sheep Judgment” makes no sense (Mt.25; Rev.20:4ff).

God’s Prophetic “Time-Line”

Israel

Church Age

Ete

rnit

y P

ast

Eternity F

uture

7 yr T

ribulationChrist

2nd A

dvent

Millenial

Kingdom

1000 yrs

You are Here

G.W

.T.

Pentecost

Raptur

e

JCnt ot gwt

God’s Prophetic “Time-Line”

Israel

Church Age

Ete

rnit

y P

ast

Eternity F

uture

7 yr T

ribulationChrist Great

Trib

2nd A

dvent

Millenial

Kingdom

1000 yrs

You are Here

G.W

.T.

Pentecost