THE GREAT ESCAPE by T. R. Post

“And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” - 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Most people can remember where they were and what they were doing during horrific events such as President Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963 (if you were alive then) and the September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001. But as tragic as those days were, there’s coming an event that will shock the world more than anything that’s ever happened before.

One day in the near future, millions of Christians will suddenly vanish from the face of the earth. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 gives more details on this supernatural event...

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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.”

This event is commonly referred to as the rapture. The word rapture originated from the Latin word “raeptius”, which was translated from the Greek word for "caught up" (“harpazo”) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Harpazo means "to carry off," "snatch up," or “take away.”

The supernatural nature of the rapture has caused some churchgoers to avoid talking about it. There are a few ministers who preach against the rapture just because that word isn’t found in the Bible. Then again, the word “trinity” cannot found in Scripture as well as the word “bible” itself.

Other raptures to heaven have previously occurred and recorded in the Bible...

• In Genesis 5:24, Enoch “...walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”

• 2 Kings 2:11 says, “Then it happened, as they [Elijah and Elisha] continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”

• Luke 24:50-53 says that Jesus Himself ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

• In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul was caught up and got a glimpse of heaven.

Another reason the rapture has been a subject of controversy is because of date-setters. Over the years individuals have attempted to predict the timing of the Lord’s return with embarrasing results. Just recently, a radio broadcaster named Harold Camping convinced many of his listeners that the rapture would happen on May 21^st, 2011. Obviously that did not take place. Camping previously predicted the rapture to occur in September 1994. If only these deceived believers would read Scripture at face value. Matthew 25:13 clearly says, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

TRIBULATION TIME

Disputes have also arisen amongst the Body of Christ regarding when the church will be raptured. Some Christians (including a few friends of mine) believe in a “post-tribulation” rapture, in which the church will endure the Antichrist’s seven-year reign of terror. A number of post- tribulationists I’ve met want to fight for their right to tribulate. One morning I was watching a church service on TV. The man I was staying with suddenly got angry when he overheard the preacher talk about a pre-tribulation rapture and demanded I change the station.

Then there are Christians who believe in a “mid-tribulation” rapture, meaning the church will be raptured at the mid-point of the tribulation period. Others flippantly call themselves “pan- tribulationists”, meaning that everything will all pan out in the end.

When reading prophetic Scriptures, it’s important to determine whom the Spirit of God is specifically speaking to. There are three distinct groups of people in the Bible: the church, Israel and the nations. Some prophecies may be relevant to just one group of people but not others. Inexperienced students of the Bible make the mistake of trying to apply prophecy to everyone as a whole. This has caused much confusion for those wanting to know more about end time prophecy yet “God is not the author of confusion...“ (1 Corinthians 14:33)

The truth is there will be raptures at different points of the tribulation period but affecting different groups of people. There is the rapture of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses talked about in Revelation 7. Then there are also the two witnesses in Revelation 11 who will be resurrected and raptured three days after they are killed. Verse 12 from that chapter says, “And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.”

A close examination of the Bible shows that the rapture and the Second Coming of Christ are two separate events. Let’s look at reasons why I believe the church will be raptured before the start of the tribulation period...

• Scripture reveals the eventual timing of the Second Coming but not the rapture. Jesus said many times that we won’t know the day or hour of His return for the church. However, Revelation 12:6 points out that God’s people will wait on the Lord in the wilderness for 1,260 days after the Antichrist sits in the Temple of God claiming that he himself is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). This event called the “abomination of desolation” takes place at the mid-point of the tribulation period (see Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15).

• God always protect His people from divine wrath (see 1 Thessalonians 5:9). The Lord kept Noah and Lot from divine judgment. He will do the same for His church. Jesus promised, "...I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 3:10)

• The book of Revelation never mentions the church during the tribulation period. Following the letters to the seven churches, Revelation 4:1 says, “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’" From that point on, no reference is made of the church.

• The Antichrist cannot assume power until a restraining force is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 says, “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 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.” “He” refers to the Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of all Christians on earth right now. Think how much easier it will be for a godless ruler to take over the world once all Christians (especially the prayer warriors and intercessors) suddenly vanish.

• The Lord is coming back for “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27), not a beaten up bride. Bible prophecy author Grant Jeffrey writes, “An underlying attitude of many [pre-tribulation] critics is their incorrect and unscriptural belief that the Church will somehow be purified by enduring the wrath of the Antichrist. However, the Scriptures declare that we are purified solely by the completed work of Christ on the Cross.”

• Different agents are involved in the two gatherings of believers. At the Rapture, Jesus meets His saints in the air (as previously mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16). But at the Second Coming, Matthew 24:31 says, “...He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect” (those who get saved after the rapture).

• The church will have glorified bodies during the millennium while those who receive salvation during the Tribulation will have mortal bodies. If the rapture were to happen at the end of the Tribulation, then who would be left to enter the kingdom of God on earth in natural bodies? All believers would have been raptured and glorified by that time.

Here is an interesting scenario to consider. The laws of many states require that when a person disappears, seven years must pass before that missing person’s belongings can be given away. Just before the courts attempt to redistribute the properties of missing Christians, glorified saints will return from heaven saying, “I’m baaaaaaaack!”

Some Christians reading this may still choose to hang onto their “mid-trib” or “post-trib” viewpoints. But telling other saints they will have to suffer through the tribulation period is robbing them of “...looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). I’ve heard some believers claim Prince Charles or Barack Obama will become the Antichrist. God’s people should stop wasting time trying to “pin the tail on the Antichrist” and debating doctrine. We need to focus more on fulfilling the Great Commission and advancing the Kingdom of God. As Jesus said in Luke 19:13 (KJV), “Occupy till I come.”

I WISH WE’D ALL BEEN READY

Another scenario I’ve heard taught is that some Christians will go up in the rapture while others will be left behind. In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, Jesus talked about five virgins who made themselves ready for the bridegroom by trimming their lamps. The Lord told the other five who weren’t ready, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:12)

Personally I believe the “virgins” left behind will be backsliders. But regardless of who specifically goes up on the first load, we must be ready for the Lord’s return. One woman I witnessed to argued that she didn’t have to receive salvation right away because those “...who endure to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13) But why wait and get saved during the tribulation and then face the immense challenge of avoiding the mark of the beast?

Some people mistakenly think they can live in sin for years and then get born again at a time of their choosing. But people suddenly die every day from accidents, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. If you have a close relationship with the Lord, He can steer you away from such tragedies. 1 John 5:18 says, “...but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” Individuals without Christ have no guarantee of tomorrow.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If you need to make sure you are going to heaven when your life ends, then I encourage you to say a prayer like this one out loud:

"God in Heaven, I know I'm a sinner and I need Your help. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. Jesus, come into my heart, make Yourself real to me, cleanse me and protect me with Your precious blood, fill me with the Holy Spirit, keep me away from sin, make me a soul winner, be my Lord and Savior. Amen."

Congratulations! You have just reserved a place in heaven by making Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. God has a plan and purpose for your life that will manifest if you take the time to build a relationship with Him. For more information on how to do that, please log onto to the “seekers and new believers” section in the Signs & Wonders web site.