---- The Rapture (Catching-away) of the Church (Saints) ----

(Notes from the Finis Jennings Dake Annotated Bible)

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power." (1 Corinthians 15:20-24 KJV)

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which 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 which are alive and remain shall be caught up [raptured] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV)

Rapture defined

The death of Jesus Christ is the assurance of salvation for all who will believe (Mat. 26:28; Rom. 5:6-11; 1 Pet. 2:24). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the assurance of resurrection for all men (1 Th. 4:14; 5:10; Jn. 14:19; Rom. 5:10; 6:5-8; 1 Cor. 15:4-23; 2 Tim. 2:11). Christians at death go immediately to heaven to await the resurrection of their sleeping bodies (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-24; Heb 12:22-23; Rev. 6:9-11). When Christ leaves to come down in the air of the earth (1 Th. 4:17), the saints who are in heaven will come back with Him and be reunited with their bodies which will be resurrected in a moment (1 Th. 4:14; 1 Cor. 15:51-58).

Scriptures on the rapture – Christ's coming for the saints

1. "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:34-36 KJV)
2. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3 KJV)
3. "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. 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? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." (1 Corinthians 15:51-56 KJV)
4. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27 KJV)
5. "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead? For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:10-11, 20-21 KJV)
6. "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." (2 Corinthians 5:1-9 KJV)
7. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" (1 Thessalonians 2:19 KJV)
8. "To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." (1 Thessalonians 3:13 KJV)
9. "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him? And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, 23 KJV)
10. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him?For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:" (2 Thessalonians 2:1, 7-8 KJV)
11. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:4 KJV)
12. "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28 KJV)
13. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2 KJV)
14. "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1 Peter 5:4 KJV)
15. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:7-8 KJV)

10 qualifications for the rapture (1 Th. 4:16)

1. Be in Christ (1 Th. 4:14, 16; 2 Cor. 5:17-18).
2. Be Christ's (1 Cor. 15:23; Gal. 5:24).
3. Be blessed and holy (Rev. 20:4-6; Heb. 12:14).
4. Be good (Jn. 5:28-29)
5. Be worthy (Lk. 21:36)
6. Be in the Church (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:20-23; Eph. 4:4-6; Eph. 5:27; Col. 1:18, 24).
7. Be pure (1 Jn. 3:2-3).
8. Be without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27).
9. Live and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-21).
10. Walk in the light (1 Jn. 1:7; Col. 2:6).

10 purposes of the rapture (1 Th. 4:17)

1. To receive saints to Himself as promised (1 Th. 4:17; Jn. 14:1-3; Eph. 5:27)
2. To resurrect the dead in Christ from among the wicked dead (1 Th. 4:14, 16-17; Rev. 20:4-6).
3. To take saints to heaven to live in the New Jerusalem and receive rewards (1 Th. 4:17; 1 Th. 3:13; Jn. 14:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 12:22-23; Rev. 19:1-10; Rev. 21:9-10).
4. To change bodies of saints to immorality (1 Th. 4:16-17; 1 Cor 15:35-58; Phil. 3:21).
5. To present saints before God (1 Th. 4:17; 1 Th. 3:13; Jn. 14:1-3; Jude 1:24; Rev. 19:1-10).
6. To make saints whole in body, soul, and spirit (1 Th. 4:16-17; 1 Th. 5:23; Phil. 3:21).
7. To receive the fruit of the early and later rain (Jas. 5:7; Jn. 14:1-3).
8. To cause the saints to escape the tribulation of Rev. 6:1-19:21 (1 Th. 4:16-17; 1 Th. 5:9; Lk. 21:36).
9. To remove the hinderer of lawlessness (2 Th. 2:7; Rev. 4:1).
10. To permit the revelation of the Antichrist (2 Th. 2:7; Rev. 4:1).

Five (5) raptures in the 1^st resurrection

1. Christ and the many saints that were resurrected after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20, 23; Mat. 27:52-53; Eph. 4:8-10).
2. "Afterward they that are Christ's at His second coming" (1 Cor. 15:23, 51-54; Jn. 14:1-3; Lk. 21:34-36; 2 Cor. 5:1-8; Eph. 5:27; Phil. 3:11, 20-21; 1 Th. 2:19; 1 Th. 3:13; 1 Th. 4:13-17; 1 Th. 5:9, 23; 2 Th. 2:1, 7; Col. 3:4; Jas. 5:7-8; 1 Jn. 2:28; 3:2; 1 Pt. 5:4). Everyone in Christ, dead or alive, will be translated at this time. Not one person will be left on earth who is in Christ (1 Th. 4:16-17).
3. The 144,000 Jews saved in the first 3½ years of Daniel's 70^th week (Rev. 7:1-8). They will be caught up as the manchild in the middle of this week or 3½ years before the second advent (Rev. 12:5; Rev. 14:1-5; Isa. 66:7-8; Dan. 12:1).
4. The great multitude of tribulation saints who are saved after rapture 2, above, and during the whole of Daniel's 70^th week (Rev. 6:1-19:21). The first martyrs of this period are told to wait until the rest of them are killed (Rev. 6:9-11) when vengeance will be taken and all raptured in time for the marriage supper (Rev. 7:9-17; 15:2-4; 20:4-6). Even those killed by the beast in the last 3½ years of this week have part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-6). This proves their rapture in time for the marriage supper (Rev. 19:1-10) and in time to come back with Christ (Rev. 19:11-21; Jude 1:14; Zech. 14:5).
5. The rapture of the two witnesses, ending the first resurrection which began with the resurrection of Christ (Rev. 11:7-12).

Other Sources Of Information On The Rapture