Rev John Ishmael
The Rapture is an exciting event for believers. Although the Bible does not provide an exact time for the Rapture, it will occur suddenly and unexpectedly. It will mark the first event in the end times, and following it, all the other end-time events recorded in Scripture will unfold one after another. At the time of the Rapture, the Lord will appear in the clouds to take His beloved ones to be with Him forever. The Bible records five different Raptures, which we will briefly examine.
The first Rapture in the Bible occurred when Enoch was taken up into heaven before the flood in the days of Noah. "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:24). Enoch delighted in walking with God every day for 300 years. His walk was in perfect step with God—not ahead of Him, nor behind Him. Enoch enjoyed his relationship with God and looked forward to it each day. We have this beautiful example of Enoch’s Walk with God. Dear reader, how is your spiritual walk with God? Are you walking with Him daily, or is your relationship confined to only on Sundays? Are you walking one step with God and the other with the world? Are you advancing ahead of Him or lagging behind Him? Enoch's daily walk with God qualified him to take part in the Rapture. For us too, a close and daily walk with God is essential if we wish to be a part of this glorious event. It is a wonderful and blessed experience to walk closely with God, as Enoch did, and to be invited by Him into our eternal home.
The second Rapture in the Bible is recorded in 2 Kings 2:11. Elijah's ministry is described in the first chapter of 2 Kings. After this brief ministry, the Lord decided to take him home without him experiencing death. "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" (2 Kings 2:11). Elijah was taken in the Rapture without tasting death—a wondrous experience for him! Enoch and Elijah are the only two individuals in the Old Testament who did not die but experienced the Rapture.
The third Rapture is recorded in Acts 1:9-11. "And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven". After Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples witnessed His ascension into heaven. This must have been an extraordinary sight for the disciples. They had seen many miracles performed by Jesus, but this event was beyond their comprehension. As they watched, a cloud covered Him, and He was hidden from their sight. The angels then confirmed to the disciples that Jesus would return in the same manner, in the clouds, at the time of the Rapture.
The fourth Rapture is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. The previous three Raptures have already occurred—two in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. The Bible also tells us that two more Raptures will take place in the future. The fourth Rapture, which will occur unexpectedly, will involve all believers—both the dead and the living. This is the Rapture of the believers when Jesus comes in the clouds to take His loved ones to live with Him for all of eternity. Every believer should be concerned about this forthcoming Rapture as it determines our eternal resting place. It serves as a wake-up call for all believers to prepare and eagerly await the appearance of Jesus in the clouds. Jesus promised that He would prepare a place for us in heaven, and when He has done so, He will return to take us to be with Him forever.
Paul writes that when this Rapture occurs, the dead in Christ will rise first with glorified bodies. The physical bodies of the living believers at the time of Rapture will be transformed from mortal to glorified ones, and together they will all be caught up into the clouds. This blessed hope is a promise given to every believer. For a believer, death is not the end but merely a transition to eternal life, a life that begins at the moment one accepts Jesus as their Saviour. This Rapture is not for everyone, but is only for the children of God who are eagerly awaiting His return.
The fifth Rapture is recorded in Revelation 11, where John witnesses the death and resurrection of the Two Witnesses. The Bible does not reveal their identities but it is commonly believed that they could be Moses and Elijah, based on the miracles associated with them. Moses performed the miracle of turning waters into blood, and Elijah had power to stop the rain. The Lord sends these Two Witnesses with the specific task of preaching about the coming Kingdom of God. The Antichrist makes war with them, kills them, and their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and a half days. The people of the world will then rejoice over their deaths, and exchange gifts in celebration.
However, the Lord has other plans. "And after three days and a half, the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those who 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" (Revelation 11:11-12).
Of the five Raptures recorded in the Bible, the fourth is the most significant as it concerns every believer. The Bible describes this event in detail both in 1 Corinthians and in 1 Thessalonians. The Lord's return is imminent, and if you are prepared for His coming, you will be one among millions who will have the blessed privilege of taking part in this glorious event. It could happen sooner than we expect—possibly in our lifetime, possibly even within this hour. If you do not yet know Jesus personally as your Saviour, or if you do know Him but have not been walking with Him every day, now is the time to seriously ponder over your eternal destination. Do not delay any longer, but confess your sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness, and qualify yourself to partake in this blessed event. May the Lord grant you the assurance to take part in this glorious event of Rapture and meet Him in the clouds when He appears.
Rev. John Ishmael is the Executive Director of Revival Literature Fellowship based in Bangalore. You can request free literature on Bible Prophecy and Second coming by mailing revivalmails@gmail.com
