The Rapture

(I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11)
 The Word “Rapture”
(Greek)
• Caught up
• Catch away
• Taken up
• To seize
• To pluck
• To pull
• To take by force
“The things which thou hast seen”
(Revelation 1:11-17)

The vision of the

glorified Christ
“Iam Alpha and
Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith
the Lord, which is, and
which was, and which
is to come, the
Almighty.”
 “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.
And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like
unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down
to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden
girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool,
as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of
fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they
burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of
many waters. And he had in his right hand seven
stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged
sword: and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength. And when I saw him,
I fell at his feet as dead.”
“The things which are”
(Revelation 2:1-3:22)
Spiritual condition of the
seven churches
 “The things which shall
be hereafter”
(Revelation 4:1-22:21)
Rapture
Tribulation Period
Return of Jesus Christ
Establishment of the Millennial Kingdom
New Heaven and New Earth
 “After this I looked,
and, behold, a door
was opened in
heaven: and the first
voice which I heard
was as it were of a
trumpet talking with
me; which said,
Come up hither, and I
will shew thee things
which must be
hereafter.”
 The Seven Spirits of God
(Revelation 4:1-11;
Isaiah 11:2)

• Spirit of the Lord

• Spirit of wisdom
• Spirit of understanding
• Spirit of counsel
• Spirit of might (power)
• Spirit of knowledge
 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to
receive glory and honor and power:
for thou hast created all things,
and for thy pleasure they are and
were created.”
 Four living creatures
“Seraphims”
(Isaiah 6:1-3)

• Eyes = wisdom
• Wings = swift movement
• Lion = strength
• Calf = service
• Face of a man = Intelligence
• Eagle = power and authority
 Four Living
Creatures
“Cherubims”
(Ezekiel 10:15-20)
 “Their rings were
“Every one had four high that they
faces, and every were dreadful; and
one had four their rings were
wings…And as they full of eyes round
went, I heard the about them. And
noise of their wings,
when the living
like the noise of
creatures went,
great waters, as the
voice of the the wheels went by
Almighty…” them.”
“I will come again…”
“And as he sat upon the mount of
Olives, the disciples came unto him
privately, saying, Tell us, when
shall these things be? And what
shall be the sign of thy coming,
and of the end of the world?”
(Matt. 24:3)
 Signs of Christ Coming
(Matthew 24:4-14)
• Increase of false religion
• False religious leaders
• Famines, plagues and earthquakes
• Persecution of Christians
• Break up of the family
• Betrayal of friends and family members
• False prophets (teachers)
• False Christ
• Lawlessness / Rebellion
• Spiritual apathy
• World wide preaching of the Gospel
Signs of Christ Coming
(Daniel 12:1-10)
 “I am come to make thee understand what
shall befall thy people in the latter days: for
yet the vision is for many days.”
1. The last days will be busy days – vs. 4
“running to and fro…”
• Speed and ease of travel is
unprecedented in our day and age
• Everyone is on the move
• Crowded highways
• Air traffic
2. The last days will be brilliant days – vs. 4
“knowledge shall increase…”
• Acceleration of knowledge
• Scientific knowledge
• Medical knowledge
• Technical knowledge
• Communication breakthroughs
• Computer age
• Internet
3. The last days will be blinding days – vs. 10
“But the wicked shall do wickedly (lawlessness
will increase); and none of the wicked shall
understand; but the wise shall understand.”
“The god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the
minds of them that believe not…having eyes to
see they see not and having ears to hear they
hear not…But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
“Prophesying serveth not for them that
believe not, but for them which believe.”
I Cor. 14:22
• There will be an
increase of
wickedness in spite
of increased
enlightenment –
II Tim. 3:1-5
“…wax worse and
worse deceiving and
 “This know also, that in the last days perilous
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away.” (II Timothy 3:1-6)
There will be a spirit of deception and
blindness that will come upon lost
humanity – I Tim. 4:1-2 “…seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils.”
 “Knowing this first, that there shall
come in the last days scoffers, walking
after their own lusts, And saying,
Where is the promise of his coming?
for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation. For this
they willingly are ignorant.”
(II Peter 3:3-5)
 Signs of Christ Coming
• Sin and lawlessness will increase –
Matt. 24:12a
• True church will become lukewarm –
Matt. 24:12b
• Great falling away from the fundamental
truths of Scripture - II Thess. 2:3
• Church will become contemporary, full of
compromise and worldliness - Rev. 3:14-22
• Rise of false religions and false religious
leaders – Matt. 24:5 (Islam)
• Push for a one world church (ecumenicalism)
– Rev. 17
• True followers of Jesus will be mocked, hated
and persecuted - Rev. 6:11
• Increase of War and Terrorism – Matt. 24:6
• Increase of Diseases / Natural Disasters /
Famines / Pestilences / Earthquakes -
Matt. 24:7-8
• Breakup of the traditional family - Luke 12:53
• Domestic violence will be ramped –
Mark 13:12
• Increase of immorality and the acceptance of
Sodomy – “…as it was in the days of Noah.”
• Men will live for the fulfillment of the desires
of the flesh “eating and drinking” –
Matt. 24:38
• Big Government - Governmental control over
every aspect of life, moving towards a one
world government and one world dictator –
Rev. 13:1-10; Dan. 2
• Breakdown of moral values – II Peter 3:1-12
• Rise of occultism – II Tim. 4:3-4
• Scoffers – II Tim. 3:1-5
• Marking of people to prevent – identify fraud
and thief, protect borders, control Terrorism
• In the future no one will not be able to buy or
sell without the mark – Rev. 14:9
• One world currency moving towards a
cashless society in the future – Rev. 13:17
• Gospel will be preached in all the world –
Matt. 24:14
• Luke 21:31 “So likewise ye, when ye see these
things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of
God is nigh at hand.”
• Matt. 24:33 “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all
these things, know that it is near, even at the
door.”
• Heb. 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as
ye see the day approaching.”
• Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come
to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for
your redemption draweth nigh.”
 Signs of Christ return
(Church age)
•Ephesus – Fundamental - A.D. 30-100
• Smyrna – Persecuted – A.D. 100-312
• Pergamum – Worldly – A.D. 312-606
• Thyatira – Pagan – A.D. 606-1520 (Dark Ages)
• Sardis – Spiritual Dead – A.D. 1520-1750
• Philadelphia – Revival – A.D. 1750-1900
• Laodicea – Apathy – A.D. 1900-Rapture
 “And there shall be a
time of trouble, such as
never was since there was
a nation even to
that same time.”
(Daniel 12:1)
• John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life: and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath
of God abideth on him.”
• Rom. 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth
in unrighteousness.”
• Rev. 14:10 “The same shall drink of the
wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out without mixture into the cup of his
indignation.”
“And I saw in the right
hand of him that sat
on the throne a book
written within and on
the backside, sealed
with seven seals. And
I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a
loud voice, Who is
worthy to open the
book, and to loose the
seals thereof?”
 “And no man in heaven,
nor in earth, neither
under the earth, was able
to open the book, neither
to look thereon. And I
wept much, because no
man was found worthy to
open and to read the
book, neither to look
thereon.”
“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not:
behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of
David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to
loose the seven seals thereof.”
 “And he came
and took the book
out of the right
hand of Him that
sat upon the
throne.”
“And when he had taken the book, the four
beasts and four and twenty elders fell down
before the Lamb…And they sung a new
song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to
God by thy blood out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation; And hast
made us unto our God kings and priests:
and we shall reign on the earth.”
 “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of
many angels round about the throne and
the beasts and the elders: and the number
of them was ten thousand times ten
thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and glory, and blessing.”
 Seal Judgments
Revelation 6:4-17

• Peace taken from the earth

• Global war
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Famine
• ¼ of the worlds population dies
• Christians will be slain for their faith
• Earthquakes, sun darkened, stars fall
• Mountains and islands will be moved
“And the seven angels
which had the seven
trumpets prepared
themselves to sound.”
 Trumpet Judgments
Revelation 8:7-11:19
• Hail and fire mingled with blood
• 1/3 in the sea is destroyed – fish, ships, crews
• Many die from poisoned water
• Sun smitten, affecting light and temperatures
• Demonic creatures sting men
• 1/3 of the world’s population dies
• Earthquakes and great hail
“And one of the four beasts gave
unto the seven angels seven
golden vials full of the wrath of
God, who liveth for ever and ever.
And the temple was filled with
smoke from the glory of God, and
from his power.”
 Bowl Judgments
Revelation 16:2-21
• Malignant sores plague all unsaved
• Sea becomes blood, every thing in the sea dies
• Only blood to drink from rivers and springs
• Men scorched by the heat of the sun
• Men gnaw tongues because of the pain of sores
• World prepares for the “Battle of Armageddon”
• Greatest earthquake since of all time
• Every island and mountain will disappear
• Hailstones 100 pounds fall from heaven
“Occupy till I
come.”
(Luke 19:13)
 “Blessed is he that readeth,
and they that hear the words
of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are
written therein: for the time
is at hand.” (Revelation 1:3)
 “Behold, he cometh with clouds;
and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him: and
all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen.”
(Revelation 1:7)
 “How shall
we escape, if
we neglect
so great
salvation?”
(Heb. 2:3)
“To be absent from the body,
and to be present with
the Lord.”
(I Cor. 5:8)
 “But of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the
angels of heaven, but my
Father only…Watch therefore:
for ye know not what hour
your Lord doth come.”
Matt. 24:36, 42
“Therefore be ye also
ready: for in such an
hour as ye think not
the Son of man
cometh.” Matt. 24:44
 “AND
WHOSOEVER
WILL, LET HIM
TAKE OF THE
WATER OF LIFE
FREELY.”
(REV. 22:17)
“Verily I say unto you,
This generation shall
not pass, till all these
things be fulfilled.”
(Matt. 24:34)
 • 5 references to the
“Lake of Fire.”
• Over 150
references to Hell
in the Word of
God.

• There are 53
references to “Hell”
in the Bible.
• Fire - Matt 7:19,
13:40, 25:41
• Everlasting fire -
Matt 18:8, 25:41
• Hell fire - Matt 5:22,
18:9, Mark 9:47
• Damnation - Matt
23:14, Mark 12:40
• Eternal damnation -
Mark 3:29
• Damnation of hell -
Matt 23:33
• Resurrection of
damnation - John 5:29
• Furnace of fire -
Matt 13:42, 50
• The fire that never shall
be quenched -
Mark 9:43, 45
• The fire is not quenched -
Mark 9:44, 46, 48
• Where their worm dieth
not - Mark 9:44, 46, 48
• Wailing and gnashing of
teeth - Matt 13:42, 50
• Weeping and gnashing of
teeth - Matt 8:12, 22:13,
25:30
(Luke 16:)
23 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being
in TORMENTS. . . “
24 ". . . for I am TORMENTED in this
FLAME.”
28 ". . .PLACE OF TORMENT."
(Luke 16:19-31)
“And in hell he
lift up his
eyes, being in
torments…”
 “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is
better for thee to enter into life maimed, than
having two hands to go into hell, into the fire
that never shall be quenched…And if thy foot
offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to
enter halt into life, than having two feet to be
cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be
quenched…And if thine eye offend thee, pluck
it out: it is better for thee to enter into the
kingdom of God with one eye, than having
two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”
“Lowest hell…deeper than hell…
let them go down quick into
hell…hell is beneath…brought
down into hell…dig into hell…the
belly of hell…lower parts of the
earth…deliver my soul from the
lowest depths of Sheol…”
 “And they shall be gathered together, as
prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall
be shut up in the prison…” (Isa. 24:22)
“I cast him down to hell with them
that descend into the pit.”
(Ezek. 31:16)
“For a fire is kindled in mine anger,
and shall burn unto the lowest
hell…They shall be burnt with
hunger, and devoured with burning
heat, and with bitter destruction: I
will also send the teeth of beasts
upon them, with the poison of
serpents…” (Deut. 32)
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and
the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone: which
is the second death.”
(Revelation 21:8)
 “The same shall drink of the
wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out without mixture
into the cup of his indignation;
and he shall be tormented with
fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels, and
in the presence of the Lamb.”
(Revelation 14:10)