The Mystery of the Rapture of the Saints
“BEHOLD, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep “I What an amazing statement, in the light of the declarations made over and over again by ministers and laymen that “we must all die.”
“We must,” say they. “We shall not,” says the apostle, by the Holy Spirit’s direction. Here, then, is a mystery deserving our careful consideration, in view of the grave discrepancy between the teaching of the Bible and the belief of Christendom.
To the epistles of Paul alone do we turn for the revelation of this mystery. He was the special vessel chosen to make known the heavenly calling. The twelve were, as we have seen, connected primarily with the testimony to Israel. Paul as one born out of due time. was selected to be the messenger to the nations, announcing the distinctive truths of the present dispensation.
The Lord Jesus dearly instructed His disciples as to His second advent in glory to destroy His enemies, and to set up His world-kingdom. After His ascension, this is everywhere proclaimed, as His heralds go about making known His gospel. It was understood that ere that day should come there would be for Israel a period of unparalleled tribulation, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” At its close, the Lord was to appear, to bring in the long-promised reign of peace. All this was in full accord with the teaching of the Old Testament as to “the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow.”
In order to make this clear to the reader who may have given but little attention to these important subjects, it may be well to briefly review what is there set forth, but in a somewhat fuller way than in our first chapter. In doing this it will be necessary to do little more than refer to a large number of passages of Scripture, many of which lack of space will forbid quoting in full, but it is hoped the reader will carefully read any that are unfamiliar to him.
First, then, let it be noted that Old Testament prophecy never refers to the dispensation in which we live (extending from Pentecost to the Lord’s coming for His own) save in a most indefinite way, as, for instance, in Dan. 9:26, a passage which will come before us a little farther down. From Moses to Malachi, Scripture is mainly occupied with one nation, Israel, (Amos 3:2; Deut. 7:6; Psa. 147:19, 20), and the hope of that nation, namely, the raising up of the Prophet (Deut. 18:15), Priest (Psa. 110:4; Zech. 6:13), and King (Isa. 32:1; Psa. 2:6), who is to bring them into everlasting blessing as a people (Psa. 132:11-18; Isa. 35:10; 51:11; 61:7), though not until their regeneration (Ezek. 36:24-30).
The Gentile shall share in that blessing (Isa. 56:6; 65:1), but not as on the same footing with Israel; rather in subjection to them (Isa. 14:1-3; 60:3-5; 62:1, 2).
The prophets predicted, however, that ere the ushering in of that day of Jehovah’s power and Messiah’s glory, there would be a rejection of both the looked-for Redeemer (Isa. 53) and the nation (Isa. 50); the former by Israel to whom He came; the latter themselves set aside by God because of having refused His Son when He came in grace to offer Himself as both Lord and Saviour (Zech.?: 13:14); while the rejected Messiah takes His place in the heavens on Jehovah’s throne (Psa. 110:1), which He will occupy until the future repentance of the people (Hos. 5:15).
This setting aside of Israel is, however, not final, as we have seen when looking at the mystery of the olive tree; and this the 30th and 31St chapters of Jeremiah, together with many other portions of the Word, plainly declare. But it is before their restoration to the divine favor that they must pass through the time of trouble above referred to. See Jeremiah 30:7.
At the expiration of this period of chastisement a remnant will be ready to acknowledge the Crucified as their Messiah, and “will mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and as one that is in bitterness for his first-born” (Zech. 12:10-14; 13:6, 9). In the darkest hour of their sorrow, when Jerusalem is compassed about with armies, and they are in direst distress, He will appear as their deliverer, and as the destroyer of their foes. The tabernacle of David will then be set up once more, and the reign of righteousness ushered in (Zech. 14; Amos 9:8-15). At His apocalypse He is to appear “with all His saints.” Who these saints are, whether men or angels, is not disclosed here. The appointed time had not yet come to reveal it.
Thus far, the Old Testament. Turning to the later revelation, we find many new data introduced, without which the present working of the Spirit of God in the world would be inexplicable. Bearing in mind what we have seen as to the mystery of the eleventh of Romans, we see how Israel’s rejection has but made way for unforetold grace to be shown to the nations, though the apostle quotes Old Testament promises of blessing to the heathen as proof that such is compatible, not in collision, with the word of God before made known. This special work among the Gentiles, however, is not to go on forever; for if these continue not in the dine goodness shown them, they too shall be cut off, and the natural branches grafted in again, for “God is able.”
He now is doing a work unmentioned in the Jewish oracles during the time that His earthly people are “Lo-ammi” (not My people; Hos. 1:9), and unacknowledged by Him: thus “blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” The Lord Jesus confirms this (but rather from the political side) in His prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and the long period of Gentile supremacy following it, finally ending in His personal appearing (Luke 21). In verse 24 we read, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
At first sight it might be supposed that “the fullness of the Gentiles” would synchronize with the closing of “the times of the Gentiles.” But it is just here that a distinction is made by the revelation of the mystery of the rapture, which will come before us as we proceed. In order to fully prepare the way for it, I would ask the reader to turn to the ninth chapter of Daniel, and note carefully what is written concerning the prophecy of “the seventy weeks.” A lengthy exposition of this passage cannot be attempted here, but I briefly notice the main points. From the cycle of time, seventy weeks (or sevens) of years (note the periods before the prophet’s mind in verse 2), making in all 490 years, are “determined,” or “cut off,” and given to Daniel’s people—of course, the Jewish nation.
Ere this length of time expires, six important events will have taken place: 1St transgression will be finished; 2nd an end will be made of sins; 3rd atonement (rather than “reconciliation”) will be made for iniquity; 4th everlasting righteousness will be brought in; 5th vision and prophecy will be sealed up, or finished, i.e., all fulfilled; and 6th, the most holy, or holy of holies, of the millennial temple at Jerusalem will be anointed. (See Ezek. chapters 40-48 for a description of the temple to be rebuilt, and its millennial glory.)
The seventy weeks are divided into three unequal periods: 1St seven weeks, or 49 years; 2nd sixty-two weeks, or 434 years; 3rd one week, or 7 years. During the first seven weeks, “the strait times” (see margin), the city and wall of Jerusalem were to be rebuilt. The date from which to count is found in Nehemiah, chapter 2, when a “commandment went forth to restore and build Jerusalem.” The sixty-two weeks seem to have immediately followed, and ended in the coming of Messiah. After the conclusion of this period, He was cut off and had nothing; but by this atonement was made. Then comes in the present long interval of Jerusalem’s treading down. The city is destroyed, as our Lord foretold, and “even unto the end shall be war,” until one arises who confirms a covenant with the mass of Jews for the final, last week. Clearly, then, this week is still future. The prophetic clock, as noted before, stopped at Calvary. It will not start again till “the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” The present is a timeless epoch, parenthetically introduced between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks, in which God is taking out from among the Gentiles a people for His name (Acts 15:14). Not that He has utterly given up the Jew now, but both Jew and Gentile stand on one footing—” there is no difference, for all have sinned” (Rom. 3). Both alike are saved through faith in Christ, and all such are made members of the one Body, the Church, by the Holy Ghost united to the Lord Jesus Christ as Head in heaven, according to the revelation of the mystery which we have already considered. The Church began with the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. How long will it exist on earth? Will it remain here throughout “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” and until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled?
Scripture answers, No! Another mystery was made known to the apostle Paul, declaring the close of the Church’s history by a mighty miracle which may take place at any moment.
He writes, “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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51, 52). This is the proper hope of the Christian, and it is this marvelous event which marks the “fullness of the Gentiles.” The “times of the Gentiles” will not end until the tribulation period is over, which begins upon the rapture of the Church. The Church has no part in that time of trouble. It belongs to heaven, and will be taken home to glory ere it begins. In order that this may be made plain to the least-instructed reader, I would note briefly the characteristics of that period of judgment. It will be a short dispensation, in which divine wrath will be poured out upon Israel, apostate Christendom, and the nations at large. It is to be the awful result of the rejection of the Prince of Peace.
The book of Revelation, from chapter four to nineteen is occupied entirely with its solemn events. The promise is given to the Church in chapter 3:10, “Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” In full accord with this, the heavenly saints are seen enthroned in heaven as the four and twenty elders, who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, ere the storm of judgment breaks. When all is over, they ride forth as “the armies of heaven,” with “the Word of God,” at His glorious appearing, no longer seen as worshiping crowned priests, but now as warrior-saints. This accords with Zechariah’s declaration, “The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee” (ch. 14:5).
In the time of woe intervening, Antichrist will “come in his own name,” and be owned by the apostates of Judah and Christendom as Messiah; the Roman empire having been revived in a new and dreadful form by direct satanic energy, Babylon the great will control it, until judged by God for her blasphemies and her abominable wickedness. The seals will be opened, the trumpets of judgment sounded, and the vials of wrath poured out, while men repent not of their deeds, but blaspheme the God of heaven. This is the great tribulation; but we search in vain for any mention of the Church or the heavenly saints on earth during that fearful time. No! they are above it all—with the Lamb who redeemed them, and who shall have taken them to be with Himself.
The manner of the rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Some in Thessalonica had been put to sleep by Jesus. Their living brethren feared they had missed the glory of the kingdom thereby. Writing to assure their hearts, the apostle says: “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 (or, sleep through Jesus) will God bring with Him.” But how can this be, since they have passed away in death? The “mystery” explains it. God will bring them with Jesus at His glorious appearing, because He will first raise them up, and then change the living, prior to the appearing in splendor to establish the kingdom. “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 anticipate 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 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.”
This is the mystery of the rapture. The shout of the Lord will awaken all the sleeping Church; the voice of the archangel (Michael, who is the prince of Israel) will summon the saints of by gone dispensations from their tombs; the trump of God will sound (the last trump of 1 Cor. 15:52), closing up this dispensation; and in a moment all the redeemed, whether raised or changed, shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
This is the uniform testimony of the Pauline epistles, and the proper hope of the Church of God.
How shocking the temerity, or how gross the ignorance, of men who declare we must all die, in view of such a declaration as that we have been considering!
Not for death did the Thessalonians look, but “they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven” (chs. 1:9,10). May reader and writer so serve and so wait till the voice the shout, and the trump, shall summon us into the presence of our Beloved!