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. 1 Thessalonians 4.16
Someday, when we least expect it, while we are all caught up in the hustle and bustle of our busy schedules and hectic deadlines, Jesus will return for his own. He won’t send an angel or a prophet, the Lord himself will come. In fulfillment of His promise to his disciples: I will come again, and receive you unto myself (John 14.3) and the message from the angels as He ascended into heaven: This same Jesus will come back again. (Acts 1.11)
Yes, Jesus is coming back. His return is imminent. The signs around us point to the next major event on God’s timeline: The rapture of the church. You don’t need a prophet or scientist to connect the dots to prove that our redemption is nearer than when we first believed. Have you surrendered your heart to the Lord? Is your name written in heaven? Do you have an assurance of salvation? Are you a child of God? God doesn’t call us Christians and Christians are not going to heaven.
Three things to look out for when the rapture occurs: A shout, the voice of an archangel, and a trumpet sound. These sounds of varying degrees of intensity won’t be heard in only a city or in one continent but all across the world and at the same time. There’s an ongoing debate if only those who are going to heaven will be the only ones who will hear these three distinct sounds. But what’s important is that when Jesus returns, you’ll be ready to go.
God gives us a glimpse into the order of events at the rapture. Those who put their faith in Jesus but have died will be the first to begin the procession to heaven. They will precede those who are alive on the earth. What a joy it will be to see and be reunited with all those who have gone ahead of us. The rapture will be a joyful event for some but be disruptive for those who are not saved as the world stands still, struggling to understand what has just happened.
What a great reunion to look forward to. Jesus descends from heaven but waits in the clouds as those from the earth both dead and alive meet with Him in the clouds and He will take them to where he has prepared for those who love him and are awaiting His return. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. Supernatural things will happen at the rapture: Our bodies will be changed; we will no longer be constrained to limitations of gravity, and we will be able to hear and see Jesus and sin will no longer have a hold on us as we depart from this ungodliness and immoral world.
While our world continues to struggle with its several problems, while fear and despondency overwhelm many who don’t believe in God and the props we’ve all held onto begin to shake and crumble, we have a hope that’s beyond this world. One day we will see Jesus and be with Him forever. God will wipe away all tears, there will be no more sorrow or pain. Our hope is not in a new political party or in a new constitution, our hope isn’t in a huge bank balance or premium insurance covers, our hope is in a person. His name is Jesus.
The news of Jesus’ return is so much comfort and consolation for many who are struggling in this world. But it is a wake-up call for those who have become complacent and comfortable. This world is not our home, we are only strangers here. We brought nothing into this world and will certainly take nothing when we leave. Lay up your treasures where moth and rust won’t destroy them or where burglars won’t break in and steal. Release your hold on earthly possessions, executive positions, or transient power, all these will have no value in eternity.
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. 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.
The Bible refers to ‘sleep’ as death. When Lazarus died, Jesus told his disciples that Lazarus was sleeping, and he was going to wake him up. Many people will still be alive when Jesus returns. They will not experience physical death, but we will all be changed. And those who are afraid of death can hold onto God’s word, we will all be changed. Death is not the final event, there is life after all this is ended. And all those who have lost their nearest and dearest can look forward to a day when we will all be changed.
And whether you’re handsome or beautiful, morbidly obese or have a healthy weight, intelligent or ignorant, enjoying so much wealth or living in penury, tall or short? We will all be changed. We can look forward to the day when our insecurities and vulnerabilities will be done away with. We won’t have to keep up with our several beauty and anti-aging treatments, we won’t need anyone to like or make a comment about our pictures on Instagram. We will all be changed.
What a mighty God we serve. The rapture will happen in less than a second. In the twinkling of an eye, with not much time to think about what’s going on. No one will have the time to call their family or friends to find out if they have heard the trumpet sound or to describe how their bodies are being changed. It will all happen so fast. And we will all be changed as we finally depart this evil and troubled world. What a tragedy for those who will be left behind! Don’t keep the good news to yourself, let’s share the gospel with as many as we can, no one should experience the judgement that will come upon the world after the church is raptured.