The document discusses the rapture doctrine and whether the Bible teaches it. It summarizes that most denominations teach there will be a secret rapture where faithful Christians are taken away before tribulation. However, the only Bible passage used to support this, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, instead teaches that the dead will be resurrected and living believers will rise together to meet Christ, not be secretly taken away beforehand. The document concludes the rapture teaching was a recent development and the Bible teaches of a single resurrection and judgment of all, not a secret prior rapture.

1. THE RAPTURE :
Coming or Going?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
What is “rapture “?
Does the Bible teach this doctrine?

2. The Rapture
• Most denominations teach the concept of the
rapture.
• They mean a view that Christ's Second Coming
will be in 2 phases
– Rapture = part 1 will be a coming near earth
and taking away all the “faithful”
– Coming = part 2 when Christ comes with
the faithful to set up a kingdom for 1,000
years.

3. The Rapture
• The idea is that there will be an antichrist
world tyrant (the beast, 666).
• Christ will “rapture” away all the saints to
spare them from this horrible event.
• Then Christ will come with the saints to
overthrow the “antichrist” (Armageddon) and
set up an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem and
rule for 1,000 years.

4. The Text
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 16 For the Lord
Himself will descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of an archangel, and
with the trumpet of God. And the dead in
Christ will rise first. 17 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.

5. The Text
• This is the only passage that is used to support
the teaching of the rapture.
• Esp. the phrase in verse 17 - “shall be caught
up to meet the Lord in the air.”
• They teach that all faithful saints will be
caught up (raptured away) to escape the
persecution of the antichrist.

6. Which direction?
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus
• Who will God “Bring with him”?
• Those who have died – 13
• Those who have hope – 13
• Those who have faith - 14

7. What (Who) is coming down?
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus
• What does God have?
– Not their body – in the ground, return to
dust
– Their soul – Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then the dust
will return to the earth as it was, And the
spirit will return to God who gave it.

8. What about those alive?
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.
• They will not “precede” (KJV - prevent)
• Worried about those who have died before
Christ comes? Nothing to worry about.
• They will not miss the coming of Christ!

9. What will happen?
• Here is the sequence of events:
• Lord will descend
• Lord will shout
• Voice (shout) of the archangel
• Trumpet of God will sound
• The dead will rise

10. Coming or Going?
• Are the saints coming down or going up?
• BOTH
– The spirit is coming down with Christ
– The body is raised up from the dust of the
earth
– Resurrection = re-uniting of the spirit and
the body

11. Caught up – v. 17
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.
• This is not a “rapture” text
• This passage was to show that those who had
already died would not miss the coming of
Christ.

12. The Message Is:
• Dead will rise – not be left behind – 16
• Living will “catch up” to them – 17
• Meet the Lord in the clouds – not Jerusalem
• Meet the Lord in the air – not on earth
• Always remain with the Lord

13. How long is “always”?
• Rapture teaches that “always” is:
– 7 years (Pre-tribulation) OR
– 3.5 years (Mid-tribulation) OR
– A few days (Post-tribulation)
• Ever, Always, Eternal, Forever =
– Literal – ages and ages and ages
– On and on, ever and ever, going and going
– Without end

14. Conclusion:
• The Bible does not teach the rapture
• This teaching started less than 150 years
ago
• The 1 Thessalonian passage was
addressed to the church members
concerned that some had died and
would miss the 2nd Coming of Christ.

15. Conclusion:
• John 5:28-29 28 Do not marvel at this;
for the hour is coming in which all who
are in the graves will hear His voice 29
and come forth--those who have done
good, to the resurrection of life, and
those who have done evil, to the
resurrection of condemnation.

16. Conclusion:
• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 51 Behold, I tell
you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed-- 52 in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

17. Conclusion:
• There will be one resurrection
• ALL will be raised – good and bad
• All will be before Christ in judgment
• Are you ready for those final
events?