In this first chapter we will look at our Lord's return for the Church. This special event is known as "The Rapture of the Church", because the Lord will take all of His saints up. They shall meet Him in the air. We read about this glorious occurrence in two different places. The apostle Paul speaks about in 1.Corinthians 15:51-52, where he calls it a great mystery. He says: "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, (this means that all will not die) but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." His description is even clearer in 1.Thessalonians 4:13-18, where we read: "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ wil rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words."   

 

1. The Lord will return for His Church personally, according to His promise in John 14:1-3.

We are told that during the beginning of World War II, General Douglas MacArthur was forced to leave the Philippines. At that time he made a promise, that one day he would return. In about three years he did return, with a statement: "I have returned!"

Jesus will also keep His promise. One day He will return for His Church, because He made that promise. But we must also notice that at this time He will not come to this earth. His feet will not touch the ground. Believers from all Christian denominations, from all ages, from all continents and nations - dead or living - will meet Him in the air. (1.Thess. 4:17).

 

Please notice that previous Scriptures clearly state that only those people, who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, will be taken up. Whether they were alive or dead, He will call them up to be with Him in that place which He is now preparing. (John 14:1-3) Therefore it is so important to be in Christ - NOW, even as Noah was in the ark before the great flood. (Genesis 7:7)

I still remember the games we played as children. Later on, I watched our four children playing similar games. One of them was called "hide and seek", when one child stood against tha wall or against a tree with his eyes supposedly closed, (on most occasions they were peeking anyway) while other children were hiding in various places. After a little while, the person who was "it" had to go and seek outall others. Just before the seeking started, he would call: "One, Two, Three", and counting up to ten, he would add: " Here I come, ready or not!"

We can say, that one day Jesus will come, whether we are ready or not. But this is not a game. This is reality. Therefore, be ready for His return as if were today.

 

One lady, who supports our mission on a regular basis, always wants her receipt immediately. When I enquired about the reason for it, (because most poeple wait until the end of the year), she replied that she wants to have everything in order in case she should die, or if the lord should return. In other words, she is ready for this life, for death and for Christ's return. Are you ready to meet your Lord if He should come back today?

 

2. I also believe that the Lord Jesus will come for His Church, because she is His dearly redeemed and blameless bride. (Eph. 5:21-33) The Heavenly Bridegroom will return for her one day in order to receive her into that beautifully prepared place. (John 14:3) Today we often see how people are transferred by their employers. This transfer could mean going to another city, to a different province or state, or even to another country. At first, that person goes to that new place and looks for a house or for an apartment. In few weeks, when the new place for his (or in some cases, for her) family is ready, he will telephone his wife and children to be ready , because on a certain day he will come for them. At this time everybody is filled with joy and excitement, because from then on, they will no longer be separated by this distance. They shall be reunited and be together, and because of this mutual love and respect they have for each other, this husband and wife long to be together. The joy of being reunited with our Lord Jesus and with all others who preceded us to eternity, is much greater. Yes, this holy joy is beyond our comprehension. The following old  hymn describes it so beautifully and with such deep meaning. It says: 1. "When all my labours and trials are o'er, and I am safe on that beatiful shore, just to be near the dear Lord I adore, will through the ages be glory for me. 2. When, by the gift of His infinite grace, I am accorded in heaven a place, Just to be there and to look on His face,  will through the ages be glory for me. 3. Friends will be there I have loved long ago; joy like a river around me will flow; yet, just a smile from my Saviour, I know, will through the ages be glory for me". Chorus: " O that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me; when by His grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory, be glory for me." (Worship & Service Hymnal. No. 479)

 

3. What will happen when the Lord returns for His Church? According to 1. Thess.4 we see that first of all there will be a loud command. (v.16) This great and loud command comes from the Chief Commander and Lord of life and death, ever from Jesus Christ. He himself broke the chains of death when He conquered it and gloriously arose from the grave, (Matt. 28:6) because death could not hold Him. (Acts 2:24) Now this Great Conqueror will command all of His saints to come and meet Him in the air.

 

It is important to state at this time that only believers in Jesus will hear and obey His voice. Both dead and living Christians will respond to His command. All unbelievers will remain in their graves. They shall be resurrected after the millennial rule, as we read in Revelation 20:5: "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the tousand years were ended."

The first people who will taken up to meet the Lord will be the resurrected Christians. Here we will have all those who died of natural causes at their ripe age. But also those who died after long illnesses. Many lost their lives in wars, in accidents and many died for their faith in Jesus. What joy must fill our hearts at this time, to know, that none of the elect of the Lord will be missing at this first resurrection. They will all rise in their new and glorified bodies as they will be reunited with their Saviour and Lord. At this time the promise of Rev. 20:6, will be finally fulfilled, where we read: "Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."

 

It is also inportant to notice that believers in Jesus Christ never die. They only "fall asleep". (1 Thess. 4:13). Those who sleep, will rise again, in order to start a new day of service and praise. Jesus confirms this teaching by stating after the death of His friend, Lazarus, that he only fell asleep. (John 11:11) Later on He told his sisters, Martha and Mary, that He has the power over death, because He is " .. the resurrection and the life. He who belives in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. " (John 11:25-26)

 

We do not know what exact words Jesus will use for this command. Perhaps He will only use one simple word "come!" Or He might use one sentence: "Come, you who are plessed by my Father, enter into your new home and rest ." Even through we don't know the exact words the Lord Jesus will use at this time when He will call His saints, we know what will happen. For that we praise His holy Name! All these dead Christians will rise up in their new and glorified bodies. After that all the living Christians will be changed and taken up ("Rapture") to be with their Lord forever. (1 Thess.4:17) This means that all believers, Christians from all nations, races and from all ages will be taken up and delivered from this sinful and suffering world. Hallelujah!  Praise be to God for this marvellous revelation.

 

We also hear the voice of the archangel. (1 Thess. 4:16) Angels are always closely connected with the life and ministry of our Lord. We see them in Bethehem, annoucing His miraculous birth. (Luke 2:9-14) Angels ministered unto Him after His temptation in the wilderness. (Matt. 4:11) They announced His resurrection (Matt. 28:2-7), and His ascension. (Acts 1:10-11) Now we see an archangel, one of the leaders and helpers and helpers of our Lord, helping Him to call and gather all His saints.

 

Then we have the call of God's trumpet, (1 Thess. 4:16) Trumpets are used by God and by people throughout the Bible and history. Just before the law was given to the people of Israel, God's trumpet was heard on Mt. Sinai. (Exodus 19:16) Trumpets were blown in order to call the army together for war, (Num. 10:9) and during a day of celebration (Num. 10:10). In the book of Revelation we hear several trumpets of God annoucing His coming judgments. (Rev. 8:6) At that time God's trumpet will signal the gathering of all His redeemed people. It will be day of joy and will cause great celebration. Therefore it will be a very loud and clear call.

 

I must also state that the Lord Jesus is coming for His Church and for His Bride, personally and visible, even as He came personally to Bethlehem. As God's Lamb, He went to the Cross of Calvary in order to redeem all those who trust Him, love and serve Him. Now He is coming, personally to take these redeemed to their new home in heaven.

 

Let us try to see this beautiful picture of our Lord as He is coming for His Church, and as He is standing there between heaven and earth. At one time He was hanging between earth and heaven, on that cruel Cross, as if He were unfit for either place. Now He is standing there in splendour, glory and grace, as He is calling His own followers and servants.

 

Unbelievers will not see the Lord Jesus at the time of the raprure of His Church. Neither will they hear His voice nor the voice of God's trumpet. All those who are deaf and blind toward His love and saving grace, will not see Him nor hear Him at His coming for the Church. Matthew 24:36-44 reminds us that prior to our Lord's return for His saints the situation of the world will be as in the days of Noah. People will be buying, selling, getting married and divorced, drinking and enjoying all kinds of worldly pleasures. Spiritual matters will not interest them, as in Noah's days. They will even laugh and ridicul Christians until the day when they will suddenly disappear from this world. We may say that until that time when the Church is taken up into the clouds, the people of this world will carry on their business as usual, according to their own ways, plans, without having any idea that anything might happen. This they will notice after these believers disappears from the face of the earth. They will disappear suddenly from various places. Matthew 24:40 says, that two men will be working in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left behind. Therefore we may make this conclusion that some people will disappear from homes, from schools, from offices, and factories. Others will be taken out of the hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, airplains  and even from cemeteries. I don't want to overdramatize this scene, but can you imagine the fear and confusion that will grip this world after these Christian people disappear? All of them will vanish suddenly and at once.

The apostle Paul says that it will be "in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet." (1 Cor. 15:52) I wonder what will happen to all those people who will be left behind in an aeroplane after the Christian pilot disappears, or in a bus, train, taxi, subway, ocean linerand anywhere else, when those in control are suddenly taken up! I wonder what the radio announcers, television and newspapers reporters will say about the spectacular disappearance of so many people all over this world! Many will be puzzled by it all, but the unbelievers will try to ignore it and play it down by stating that perhaps they are just hiding somewhere, or that is it just one of those inexplainable UFO occurrences. But I am convinced that this world will be in confusion and turmoil as it has never been before! I thank God that I will not be here to see it!    

 

4. The miracle of changing. Throughout th Bible we see several marvellous miraculous changes. Actually the first miracle our Lord Jesus performed was when He changed water into wine in Cana of Galilee. (John 2:1-11) During conversion God's Holy Spirit comes in and changes sinners into Saints. (John 3:1-16) During the Rapture of the Church our Lord will change the bodies of all the believers. Their new bodies will be spiritual and beatiful, they will never again suffer from illness, pain, or hunger and will not be subject to any other suffering. These new bodies will also not be subjects to gravity, nor be limited by time or space, and will not suffer any corruption. Perhaps, as God changed Enoch, who faithfully walked with Him, (Genesis 5 :24) and later on changed the prophet Elijah and took him up to heaven in that mysterious chariot of fire. (2 Kings 2:11) now He will mysteriously and marvellously change all these followers of Jesus and transport them into heaven. Maybe we can say that Moses is the prototype of all those believers who died and will be resurrected at our Lord's return for His Church, while Elijah is the prototype of the living believers who will be instantly changed and taken up. They will not taste death anymore. This might sound only like wishful thinking, and as an unbelievable phenomenon. Yet this is truthful and Bibical teaching.

 

After the Church is taken up from this sinful world, all believers will be rid of all imperfection and sinfulness. They shall be finally as perfect as their Lord. (1 Cor. 15:44) Their bodies will be same as was the Lord's body after His resurrection. They will not suffer from any sickness or yield to sinful temptations nor will they die any more. I am sure that on that day many of us will throw away this old body, which has caused us so much pain, suffering and agony, even as that blind man threw away his old coat, when he was healed by Jesus. (Mark 10:50) We will jump for joy. Perhaps some believers will experience health and strength in their bodies for the first time. I can imagine them jumping, shouting and praising the Lord. Indeed all believers have something to look forward to with great gladness and joy.

 

A Christian mother was very ill. She knew that her time on this earth was very short, therefore she called for her husband and three adult children to bid them farewell. First of all she thanked her husband for all he had done for her during their life together. She said: "Honey, soon I am going to leave you for a while, but not for long. I will see you again. You were my husband, companion, provider and my closest friend for all these years. Thank you for everything. Farewell, honey. Farewell! Then she talked to her oldest son. She also thanked him for his help, and what he had done for her during her long illness. She went on encouraging him to be obedient and helpful to his father. But she asked him especially to be true and faithful to the Lord Jesus. Then she hugged him and with tears in her eyes, she also said: "Farewell, Johnny. Farewell!" In the same way she talked with her daughter, Mary, who was still finishing university at that time. The mother encouraged her to finish school and help her father and brothers. She also asked Mary to be faithful to Jesus. Then she thanked her for her help and assistance for so many years. Her final words to Mary were: "Farewell, Mary. Farewell!" Then she talked with her youngest son, George. George, who was still in High School, was a very good student and an excellent athlete. He was a very kind and helpful son, who loved his mother dearly and tried his best to help and please her. But George was not a believer in Jesus. He liked many pleasures of this world, and he had many other priorities. The dying mother also thanked George for all his help. She encourage him to complete his education and to continue to be helpful to his father. Then with tears in her eyes, and with quivering voice she said to her youngest son, as she hugged and kissed him: " Good-bye George. Good-bye my son. Good-bye!" George, very suprised and touched by his mother's good-byes, asked: " Tell me, mother dear, why did you say, "Farewell to dad, Johnny and Mary, but to me you are saying this sad "good-bye?"

The dying mother replied with more tears and almost shaking with compassion and sorrow in her heart: " Because your father, Johnny and Mary are all believers in Jesus Christ. As far as I know, you have never made that confession. You still live for this world and its pleasures. I am leaving this world, and where I am going only Christians will come. If you want to join me one day in glory, you must  accept Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord." Without any hesitation or delay, George knelt at his mothers bed and asked Jesus to come into his life. After a brief prayer, he looked up at his mother and declared: "Mother, I too am a believer in Jesus." Then everybody hugged him, but especially the dying mother, as with great relief and joy she said: Farwell, Geroge, Farwell!"

 

The same hymn No.87 which I quoted in my introduction in the first stanza asks this important question: "Jesus is coming to earth again, what  if it were today? Coming in power and love to reign, what if it were today? Coming to claim His chosen Bride, All the redeemed and purified, Over this whole earth scattered wide, What if it were today?"

 

How is it with you, dear reader? Are you a believer? Would your dying Christian mother or father be able to say to you, Farewell or Good-bye?

Don't wait until the last moment, and do not delay your desission till next time. Next time might be too late! Accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord right now. Be ready for His glorious return for the Church and be among those who will be changed and caught up into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Yes, do it right now and be ready for His return.

 

"Because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. " (Luke 12:40)             

 

Chapter 2:

REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS