WHEN DID JESUS SAY THE

RAPTURE WOULD TAKE PLACE?

by Steve Jackson

WHEN WILL THE RAPTURE TAKE PLACE?

In answering this question, many Christians will give a typical response of quoting possibly from Mt. 24:36 - "But of that day and hour no one knows..." to indicate that we can not know the day or hour of the Rapture.  However, they stop there and do not read the next verse where Jesus says, " But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."  Here He makes it clear that He is speaking of the timing of His Return, which still in the context of verses 29 and 30, is "after the tribulation", when all the world will see Him...an event at the end of the 7 year tribulation...not at the start of it!!

So, the verse "...of that day and hour no one knows..." does not necessarily refer to the Rapture.  Perhaps, because of a mistaken limitation on the timing of the rapture, many Christians are not even aware that Jesus Himself did tell us in other places when the Rapture would take place...in fact, the very day of the Rapture, and these other scriptures do not conflict with Mt. 24:36 above.  In fact He told us 4 times exactly which day it would be!  So, lets take a look at what else Jesus said so that we can see how this is possible and just what He did say that pertains to the Rapture.  But before we look at what day Jesus said the Rapture would occur, "Rapture" must be defined.

"Rapture" comes from a Latin word that is supposed to be the equivalent for the Greek word "harpazo" which is translated "shall be caught up" in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you do not sorrow, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those also who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who are asleep.  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 who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so we shall ever be with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words."

The Greek word "harpazo" (Strongs's 726) means "to seize, catch up, carry off by force, snatch out or away" and describes the nature of the event in this scripture passage very well.  With that in mind, take a look at all the places in the New Testament where it is used and see how it is used:

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take <726> it by force <726>.

Matthew 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away <726> that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take <726> him by force <726>, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

John 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth <726> them, and scattereth the sheep.

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall <726> any man pluck <726> them out of my hand.

John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck <726> them out of my Father's hand.

Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away <726> Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.  40 But Philip was found at Azotus.  [Note earlier in this section that the angel told Philip to catch up and intercept this man traveling by chariot from Jerusalem to Gaza on a desert route.  Take a look of a map of Israel to understand the significance of his being "caught away".  Now if Philip was "caught away" from the closest part of that route to Azotus, he would have been "caught away " 10 miles minimum.  If it was not at the closest point, it would have been more than 10 miles.  How would you like to travel that way with no chariot or car?]

Acts 23:10 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 <726> him by force <726> from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up <726> to the third heaven...4 How that he was caught up <726> into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.  [It is believed by most Bible scholars that Paul was speaking humbly about himself being "caught up" because in verses 1-8 he says he does not want to glory in the amount of visions and revelations God gave him.]

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up <726> together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Jude 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling <726> them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Revelation 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child (i.e. Jesus) as soon as it was born.  5 And she brought forth a man child (i.e. Jesus), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child (i.e. Jesus) was caught up <726> (i.e. his ascension to heaven 40 days after his resurrection) unto God, and to his throne.

Note that "harpazo" always means to catch, seize, pluck, or take something by force or power.  It does not talk of some vague, weak action, but a strong, powerful, violent removal of something.  All the verses in red deal with people changing location supernaturally...going from one place on earth to another place on earth, or going to the third heaven, or paradise, or to the throne of God.  Why would being caught up to the clouds in the air in 1 Thes. 4:17 be any different?  Well, it isn't!

Now because of the association of the word "rapture" with levitation in Hinduistic, Persian, and occultic literature and also in spiritualist circles in the United States and Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries, many Christians do not want to use this term to describe the wonderful event described in these verses.  Since the strength of the event is so well described by this choice of the Greek word by the Holy Spirit, it is obvious that some human beings (i.e. Christians saved at this time - both physically living and dead) will get new resurrection bodies and be caught up into the clouds to be with Jesus forever.  This event is what the Holy Spirit, Paul and many Christians refer to as the "catching away, seizing or snatching away" of Christians and some other Christians refer to as the Rapture (perhaps unfortunately).

This event is equated again by both Paul and the Holy Spirit to be one and the same as the Resurrection of 1 Cor. 15:35, 51-52.  This being the case, then Jesus had very pointed statements as to when these 2 events would take place and at this point, we can now take a look at the 4 times Jesus told us what day would be the day of the Resurrection or the "snatching away"

You will be amazed at the four times in the gospels that Jesus told us when the Resurrection would take place because you have probably read them many times and never really noticed a phrase of three particular words repeated and grasped their significance. Have you ever heard or read them before?  Here are those 4 passages:

1) "And this is the Father's will who has sent me, that of all whom He has given me I should lose none, but should raise him up again at the last day." (John 6:39)  Dear Reader, are you one that the Father has given to Jesus?  If so, Jesus said He would raise you up on the last day!

2) "And this is the will of him who sent me…that every one who sees the Son and believes on Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day". (John 6:40)  Dear Reader, are you one that has believed on the Son?  If so, Jesus said He would give you eternal life and raise you up on the last day!

3) "No man can come to Me, except the Father who has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)   Dear Reader, are you one that the Father has drawn to Jesus?  If so, Jesus said He would raise you up on the last day!

4) "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:54)    Dear Reader, are you one that has eaten His flesh and drank His blood and has eternal life?  If so, Jesus said He would raise you up on the last day!

Jesus tells us 4 times, "…I will raise him up at the last day", but precedes that statement by telling us who he will raise, and most Christians would have to say those 4 preceding descriptions include them!  So, Christians would be raised on the Last Day.   Do they include youIf so, you will be raised on the last day too!

When is the Last Day?  That is a good question and deserves an honest answer.  In Mt. 24:3 "...the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, 'When shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'" (Note on the word "age" in the verse just quoted: The King James Version translates the Greek word "aeon" as "world" whereas Greek lexicons translates it "age", meaning "an unbroken age, perpetuity of time".  In fact "aeon" transliterates directly into English as "aeon" or "eon" (look both words up in your English dictionary) from which we have a popular expression…"I haven't seen him for eons (of time)!"  They are saying in effect, "I haven't seen him for ages." The world will not end when Jesus comes back; the age will. "Age" is the correct translation for "aeon".)

Then Jesus gives his reply starting in the next verse. Note the high lighted parts:

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass,
but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure
unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and
then shall the end come.

Jesus concludes the answer in verses 29-31 with his coming at the end of the age:

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And
then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Jesus concludes his answer to "when is the end of the age" by giving the signs of his Second Coming to planet Earth.  This is the END OF THE AGE! Other time expressions occur in the Bible like "last time, last times, latter day, latter days, last days" (you will recall Acts 2:17 "in the last days, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh...") and here under discussion, "last day".  So, the Last Day is the last day of the "latter days" or of the "last days" or of the Age.  What could be simpler?

Obviously, "the last day" is a 24 hour day.  Paul says the Resurrection (of Christians) will be in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:52) and how long does that take?  It certainly can't occupy more than one day because it is one split second! Incidentally, if there were two phases of one Resurrection separated by 7 years, as some people teach, wouldn't there have to be TWO "twinklings of an eye"?  Paul would have had to been mistaken in telling us that there was only ONE!

There are still more "at the last day" scriptures we haven't looked at yet, but when have you ever heard an End Time expositor consider what Jesus had to say in these scriptures about when he says the Resurrection will take place?  Let's take a look at another such scripture.  It is John 11:24 where Martha, even with limited teaching from Jesus, understood the simple truth of when Jesus would "raise ALL believers".  "Martha says to Him, 'I know that he [Lazarus] shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'" How much better should we know it?  So we may not know the particular "day or hour" of the Resurrection on the calendar, but we can know that it is on the "last day" of the Age!

Now since all Christians will be resurrected on the Last Day, then this event is described in different ways in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-55  and Matthew 24:29-31.  Many Christians have been taught that Mt. 24 is for the Jew after Christians have been "snatched out" to be with the Lord (1 Thes. 4:15-17).   However, as it can now be understood that Christians will be raised or changed on the Last Day of the Age, it can be seen that Mt. 24 is really for all believers and applies to Christians (Jew or Gentile) on Earth during that time.  Thus, Mt. 24 is far more relevant than what so many have realized.  Let's take a look and see what Jesus has to say to us.

Open your Bible to Mt. 24 and take a closer look at the end time events that Jesus gives and notice that they are basically in chronological order as indicated by a liberal supply of time-order indicators like "then" in verses 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 21, 23, 30, 40, "not yet" in verse 6, "therefore when" in verse 15, and "immediately after" in verse 29.  These time-ordering indicators makes it easy to see the chain of events that will happen.  They are of the utmost importance in a proper end-time sequence to determine the timing of the rapture.   This whole discourse of Jesus in Mt. 24 was preceded by the disciples asking 3 questions in verse 3:  When will these things happen?  What will be the sign of your coming?  What will be the sign of the end of the age?  Jesus answers them in verses 4 through 31.  Read along in your Bible.  Here is the order of events:

1) verses 4-8:

Jesus says this period is the "beginning of sorrows" (verse 8) before the tribulation of verse 9 for "the end is not yet" (verse 6).  It is the time of escalating political unrest, famines, disease, and geological disturbance, with rising deceptive messianic claims.

2) verses 9-14:

This period is the "sorrows" that Jesus alluded to in verse 8.  It is the period of "tribulation" (verse 9), "offenses" growing into "hatred", persecution, and "betrayal" where "lawlessness abounds and love grows cold" making many people ripe for "false prophets that will mislead".  Notice the word "then" being used 4 times here ordering the sequence of events.  Notice further that Jesus says that this period ends at his coming and that the end won't occur until the gospel has been preached in all the world and that those "who endure to the end will be saved" (i.e. delivered in the broad sense of the Greek word "sozo").

3) verses 15-28:

This period is the "great tribulation" and starts in verse 15 when Jesus says, "Therefore when [note the time-order indicators] you see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place...".  Jesus is referring to what Daniel said, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." (Dan. 9:27), and "shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place there the abomination that makes desolate." (Dan. 11:31), and "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up..." (Dan.12:11).

Jesus said that this period of "great tribulation" starts when the Abomination of Desolation appears...which Daniel says takes place in the "middle of the (70th) week".  Jesus tells us further that this period goes to the end of the age when He returns.  Incidentally, since Daniel got all this information that was quoted above from the angel, Gabriel, and other angels who obviously got it from God, and Jesus referred to it as being correct, the above chronology and time table is beyond controversy.

Now the middle of the "week" (Hebrew word meaning "seven") of years is 3 1/2 years from the end of the week.  This 3 1/2 years is referred to in other portions of the books of Daniel and Revelation as "time, times and half a time", "42 months", or "1260 days".  They are one and the same period of time...just different ways of saying it (calculate it out yourself).  For anyone looking for proof of this, Rev. 12:6 and 12:14 equate the "1260 days" and "time, times, and half a time", respectively, and Rev. 11: 2 and 11:3 equate the "42 months" and the "1260 days", respectively. 

This time will be so bad that Jesus warns them that "when you see the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place" of the temple (see also Thes. 2:4), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains".  He tells them not even to go back home and get some clothes, but to drop everything and head for the hills!  Maybe that's where the expression came from, "Head for the hills!"  He further warns them that those who are pregnant, those who are nursing babies, and indeed, those who are practicing Jews and are limited by the distance they can travel on the Sabbath will suffer additional hardships, not to forget the increased misery all would have to suffer if this event occurs in the winter time.   Note that Jesus' statements, "...standing in the holy place...those in Judea...Sabbath..." indicate local events in Jerusalem, Judea and much of Israel .   It is not that the rest of the world will be untouched by end time events, but that Jesus is relating them to the land of Israel and the Jews who live there because that is where the worst of it will center.  The rest of the world will hear about this through the mass media, but for those there in Israel, it will be a worse time than for the rest of the world.  That's why Jesus says at this point that it is time to head for the hills!

The reason that Jesus gives these extreme commands to flee in the light of the great suffering people will have to endure is because, "For then [note again the time-order indicators] there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved [i.e. delivered]; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (verses 21, 22).  When Jesus says there never was or will be a time with more tribulation than this, you had better be sure He knows what He is talking about.  That is why He is warning us.   Then in verses 23-28, He goes on with another time-order indicator, "Then, if anyone..." further warns them of the great deception that they are ripe for due to their great vulnerability to a whole flurry of false christs and prophets saying that the Christ has already come in secret.  He says ignore them because when He, the real Christ comes, it will be as obvious as lightning starting at one end of the sky and streaking and flashing across to the opposite side and that just as the birds are drawn to a carcass, so will the saved be gathered together to him!

Yes, it will be a terrible time..., but it will also be a glorious time for God will show much grace and protection upon His children and many Christians will lead many people to the Lord.  "After these things I looked, and saw a great multitude that no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, crying out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb'.  And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, 'Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might be onto our God forever and ever.  Amen!'   Then, one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"...he said to me, 'These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple.  And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them" (Rev. 7:9-15).  Yes, this is not a time for Christians to fear, but to prepare for the greatest time and serve God with their whole heart, mind and soul.

If you believe that God did raise Jesus Christ from the dead, but have not yet given your life and will over to God through Jesus Christ, why not make Jesus your Lord, that is master, of your life and confess Him from the heart as your Lord and commit yourself to Him, so that He might save you to Himself and make a new creation out of you (see Romans 10:9-10 and 2 Cor. 5:17).  Then you have no need to fear anything that is coming in the future, for you will have put your life into His hands!

4) verses 29-31:

This period is the "coming of the Son of Man", the Rapture: "Immediately after [note the time-order indicator again] the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then [another time-order indicator] the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Mt. 24:29-31)

This period starts "immediately after the tribulation of those days" and concludes with the Resurrection of dead Christians, the changing of living Christians to immortality and catching them all away to be with the Lord on the Last Day.  Speaking of the events in the last paragraph, Jesus says in Lk. 21:28, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is very near!"  Why?  Because it's the rapture, and Jesus is coming to receive us to Himself!  Why "look up and lift your heads"?   Because He is coming from "up"..."coming in the clouds of glory"...and "we shall be caught up...in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air"!  The events that happen at this point may be the most stupendous,  the most incredible, the most fantastic events that any human being will have ever seen.   They start with the heavenly signs that the prophets of old (Isa. 13:10, Ezek. 32:7, Joel) have prophesied over thousands of years ago.  The Church was birthed on Peter's proclamation  that the Pentecostal pouring out of God's Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (see Acts 2:16-21 and Joel 2:28-32) and that God "would show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood, fire, and smoke.  The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and notable Day of the Lord shall come."  This is repeated in Rev. 6:12 as the Sixth Seal.  What an awesome, fantastic event.  No one will miss this when it happens.  This will not be "done in a corner".  You would have to be blind in one eye and not be able to see out of the other to miss this!

If this was not enough, "then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory".  This is going to be a "two for one special" like none before.  On the heels of the first dramatic eye opener will be the Lord's personal appearance and revelation and "Behold, he comes with clouds, and every eye will see him...and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him" (Rev. 1:7).

Perhaps "the sign of the Son of Man in heaven" will be a vision of "they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven..." since when he comes back in his physical resurrection body, he can be only in one place physically at a time and obviously that will be in the sky over Jerusalem, and the rest of the world will need a sign and comprehension that something did take place - namely, his return to planet earth!  That may be why "all the tribes will mourn" and "every eye will see him".

Now if even this wasn't enough, there's more yet!  "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Mat. 24:31).  This will be 1 Thes. 4:15-17 coming alive!  No more of just words on a page.  The Incredible will have taken place..."the Lord, himself, shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead shall 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..."  The archangel and angels will be involved in this at the Lord's command collecting the saints from the "four corners of heaven" " together to meet the Lord to be with him forever."

The trumpet is the Seventh Trumpet of Rev. 11:15-19 which signals the end of the Age and its history.  Some Christians (who are pre-tribulationists) believe the "last trumpet" of 1 Cor. 15:52 is the first "last trumpet" and the Seventh Trumpet will come 7 years later and is the second "last trumpet".  However, there are no two "last trumpets"; there is only one...just as there are  no two raptures at the start and end of Daniel's Seventieth Week...just one...and it will be on the Last Day of the Age.

Thank God Jesus told us when the rapture would take place...not only four places and times in John's gospel but also in Matthew 24.  We may not be able to say right now what the date is, but we do know it will be "after the tribulation of those days", and we can know the chronology and the number of days between certain events so that we can know when Jesus will come for us.  The closer we get to it, the more obvious will be those things in prophecy which are hard to foresee right now.  Thank God Jesus told us the whole scenario that we can understand how simple and straight forward it really will be.   These are exciting times to be living in.  We could be very close to his coming and to being caught up to be with him forever!

"Behold, I show 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 shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  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.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?'" (1 Cor.15:51-55)

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WHEN DID PAUL SAY THE RAPTURE WOULD TAKE PLACE? Paul knew something that we all need to know!

HOW DOES THE DAY OF THE LORD RELATE TO THE RAPTURE? A very neglected Bible doctrine that is very relevant to the Rapture and its timing!

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