In First Thessalonians 4:15,16 we find the Apostle Paul writing about the supposed “secret” rapture. He notes that things will not take place as we are told by those who know only what they have been told by those who have failed to search out God’s “fine print.” Contrary to what “everybody knows” about Christ’s secret return, Paul notes that the Lord will descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the VOICE OF THE ARCANGEL and with the TRUMPET of God. At that time every righteous saint who will have died throughout the ages, beginning with Abel, will rise to meet Him in the clouds. They will be followed by those who are alive at Christ’s coming. In Matthew 24:30,31 and Revelation 1:7 we are told that Jesus will arrive to the sound of a GREAT TRUMPET and that everyone on earth will see Him and His angels. Does this sound like a “secret rapture” taking place? Come, let us reason together.

If, as we are told, Jesus took all of the Old Testament saints with Him when He returned to heaven following His resurrection; and if, as we are told, since that time, when a member of the _______________ church died he/she went directly to heaven, WHO ARE THE DEAD IN CHRIST WHO WILL RISE FROM THE EARTH TO MEET JESUS IN THE AIR? (vs 17). If they have already gone to heaven, as we are told, would they not come from heaven with Him? as we are told will take place. And if they are DEAD (vs 17), that means they WILL HAVE BEEN DEAD IN HEAVEN! Why go to heaven only to remain dead? Also, if they have been dead in heaven all that time, when would they have returned to earth, and why? Why would Jesus not simply awaken them and bring them with Him?

The problem evolves around the fact that two Scriptural passages are believed to refer to the same event when in fact they do not. This has led to several false beliefs concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Two questions arise relative to this situation: who came with Him? and from whence did they come? The two verses in question are Jude 1:14 and Second Thessalonians 1:7. Jude notes that Jesus will return TO EARTH “WITH 10,000 SAINTS.” However, Paul states that Jesus will arrive IN THE CLOUDS “WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS.” We must distinguish between these two separate arrivals of the Messiah. We must understand who will arrive with Him and where will be their destination.

In Second Thessalonians Paul is referring to Christ’s appearance INTHE CLOUDS accompanied by HIS MIGHTY ANGELS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH HIM IN HEAVEN. NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO MENTION OF SAINTS COMING WITH HIM FROM HEAVEN. It is at that time that the dead saints from all ages will rise from the earth to meet Him and His angels. This will constitute the first resurrection.

Contrast those facts with the writing of Jude who is referring to Christ arriving ON EARTH ALONG WITH 10,000 SAINTS. The obvious questions concern the identity of those saints and from whence did they originate? The answers are: these are they who had been resurrected from the earth upon Christ’s and His angels’ arrival in the clouds. They will have risen from the earth. They will then return to the earth with Him.

Another point of confusion is found in First Thessalonians 4:17 where it is written that Christ’s saints “will forever be where He is.” As the Kingdom of God series assures us, He will be on earth forever, not in heaven. In Zechariah 14:4 we find the prophet prophesying about the return of the Messiah to earth, saying that, when He arrives, “His feet will stand on the MOUNT OF OLIVES.” The fact that Jesus will ascend with His saints to earth where they will remain is confirmed in Acts 1:1-11. Here we learn that, following His resurrection and ascension into heaven, he later returned to earth where He met with His disciples for forty days and taught them about the earthly Kingdom of God that He would create upon His return. Having completed His teaching, He began to ascend into heaven in the presence of His disciples. While this was happening, two “men” (angels) appeared and asked them why they were watching Him disappear into the clouds. The “men” said, “This same Jesus, Who is being taken from you into heaven, WILL RETURN TO YOU IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU HAVE SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN. From whence did they watch Him go AND TO WHENCE WOULD HE RETURN? THE MOUNT OF OLIVES–THE EXACT PLACE TO WHICH ZECHARAIAH PROPHESIED HE WOULD RETURN.

In summary, the so-called secret rapture that the church masses are counting on to save them from the Great Tribulation to will not take place. Unless church people individually turn from their false religion and embrace God’s sure Word, those living upon the arrival of the Tribulation period will indeed pay the price for having rejected God’s Words. Jesus speaks to these people in Matthew 7:21-23.

Relative to entrance into heaven, nowhere in the Holy Scriptures are we told that any human being except Jesus has ever lived in heaven or would ever live there. For a clear picture of what to expect upon Christ’s return read The Three Resurrections and The Kingdom of God. Key words–Three and Kingdom respectively. L.J.