SOME THOUGHTS ON THE RAPTURE!

ALL HUMAN BEINGS SHALL DIE!

Romans 3:23; 6:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God . . . the wages of (just payment for) sin is death....

Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 - For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (Jesus) came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

WHAT ABOUT ENOCH AND ELIJAH?

Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5 - And Enoch walked with God:  and he was not; for God took him. . . . By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:  for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

2 Kings 2:11 - And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

I SUGGEST THEY ARE THE TWO WITNESSES!

Revelation 11:3, 7-12 - And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. . . . And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither.  And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

[Note:  Their deaths fulfill Hebrews 9:27, and notice they ascend like their Lord did (see Acts 1:9).  The words they hear after they are raised, are the exact words of Revelation 4:1, a picture of the Rapture of the Church.]

THE RAPTURE (CATCHING AWAY) OF THE CHURCH!

John 14:1-3 - Let not your heart be troubled:  you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 - Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I show you a mystery; 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.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

[Note:  Because we are flesh and blood and must be changed into eternal beings, I believe the Rapture is an instantaneous death and resurrection for those living at Christ's return for His church.  It all happens in a mere moment, in the twinkling of an eye!  This aligns with Hebrews 9:27; all mankind will have died.]

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.  For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede; rise before) them which are asleep.  For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  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.

Jesus said, "Surely I come quickly."

Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus.