By Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18

By Rev. Ron Purkey

“This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11b)

First, The Next Biblical Event. The end of this dispensation will be signaled by the next event on the timeline of biblical prophecy, which is the rapture, when Christ returns for all the saved.

“Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

Second, The Transport To Heaven. Our English word “rapture” comes from a Latin term that means “to transport” or “take away.” Do you know the actual word “rapture” is not found in most English translations of the Bible? But that doesn’t diminish its reality or our excitement about it.

According to the apostle Paul, one day Christ will descend from heaven with a shout and all believers who are alive at the time will be “caught up” or “caught away” to be with him.

Third, The Event Clearly Described. “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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

In our modern society, the word “rapture” also means being caught up in excitement and joy. When the Lord Jesus Christ descends from heaven with a shout, we Christians, his children, will be caught up with him in the clouds, and we’ll feel rapturous joy in our hearts.

Fourth, The Trumpet Will Sound. Jesus will come as “the trumpet will sound.” In the Old Testament, the single blast of the trumpet was either a call to war or to worship.

At the rapture, Jesus will usher us into his presence and we will worship him. At the same time, the trumpet will signal God’s final battle with Satan.

Before our nation declares war on another country, the first act is to call the ambassadors home, to get them out of harm’s way. In much the same way, God will protect us from his “wrath” as the battle begins. There are those who think the believer will have to go through the Tribulation, but I believe God’s Word teaches us otherwise. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

Many people do not seem to think the Lord Jesus Christ will come back in their lifetime. If they did believe it, it would affect the way they live. What do you believe?

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.