IV. The Rapture defended

A. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17.
This meeting will take place in the air; and involves only Christians.
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (have died) in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
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 them which are asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:15)
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: (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
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. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)"
In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "caught up" is the Greek, "HARPAZO," and clearly means "to be raptured, or snatched away, forcibly and suddenly." This verb has various meanings according to the context in which it is used. Therefore, it is not translated by only one, uniform, English word. Here are some of the meanings indicated by the context of Scripture.
1. "Catch up, or away."
2. Rapture by force of Divine power.
3. Swiftly removed by force from one place to another.
B. Proof by Scripture References.
1. John 10:28-29. (translated "pluck") from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man PLUCK them out of my hand. (John 10:28) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to PLUCK them out of my Father's hand.” (John 10:28-29)
2. John 6:15. (Translated "take by force") from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and TAKE HIM BY FORCE, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." (John 6:15)
3. Acts 8:39. Ref. Philip (translated "caught away") from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord CAUGHT AWAY Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 8:39)
4. 2 Corinthians 12:2; 2 Corinthians 12:4. Paul (translated "caught up") to Paradise, from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one CAUGHT UP to the third heaven."(2 Corinthians 12:2)
"How that he was CAUGHT UP into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." (2 Corinthians 12:4)
5. 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Rapture (translated "caught up") (force exercised suddenly) from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"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." (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
6. Matthew 11:12. (Translated "take by force") from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent TAKE IT BY FORCE." (Matthew 11:12)
7. Acts 23:10. (Translated "take by force") ref. Paul, from the Greek "HARPAZO."
"And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to TAKE HIM BY FORCE from among them, and to bring him into the castle." (Acts 23:10)
8. Acts 1:11. (Translated “taken up”) ref. Christ, from the Greek “HARPAZO”
"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." (Acts 1:11)
C. All Go At The Rapture.
1. 1 Thessalonians 1:10. "wrath to come" (Tribulation; also, Revelation 6:16-17. All who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior are “delivered from the wrath to come.”
"And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the WRATH TO COME." (1 Thessalonians 1:10
"And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the WRATH OF THE LAMB:" (Revelation 6:16) For the great DAY OF HIS WRATH Is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6:16-17)
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11. Whether serving the Lord; or, not serving the Lord, all Christians go at the Rapture.
“But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you (brethren) as a thief. (1 Thessalonians 5:4)
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we (Christians) are not of the night (lost), nor of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
Therefore let us not sleep ("lie down on the job"), as do others; but let us watch (be vigilant) and be sober(watchful). (1 Thessalonians 5:6)
For they (the lost) that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:7)
But let us (brethren), who are of the day (Christians), be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
For God hath NOT APPOINTED US TO WRATH, but to obtain sal-vation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Who died for us, that, whether we wake (are serving) or sleep (lying down on the job), we should live together (Greek "hama, at the "same" time) with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:10)
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11)
3. 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18. In reference to the resurrection, it is always of the body; as the soul and spirit never die. The soul and spirit is the real "You," and is already in Heaven.
"...whilst we (our soul and spirit) are at home in the body (alive here on earth), we are absent from the Lord (not in Heaven):"- 2 Corinthians 5:6
"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be (soul and spirit) present (in Heaven) with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8)
Returning to our text, which is 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18.
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, EVEN SO THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
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 them which are asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:15)
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: (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
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. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
Wherefore COMFORT ONE ANOTHER with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18)
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:14. All dead bodies of the saved are resurrected; whether spiritual or carnal when alive.
b. 1 Thessalonians 4:15. "Alive" (no difference between carnal and spiritual Christians.
c. 1 Thessalonians 4:15. "Prevent" is Greek "PHTHANO" and means "precede."
d. 1 Thessalonians 4:17. All Christians alive (spiritual and carnal).
e. 1 Thessalonians 4:18. Is comfort for the Christian. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 tells us, there is no comfort for the lost, who have no hope; or, "Blessed Hope!"
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope (died in unbelief).” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
4. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall ALL BE CHANGED, (1 Corinthians 15:51)
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. (1 Corinthians 15:52)
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” -1 Corinthians 15:51-53
a. 1 Corinthians 15:51. "All be changed."
b. 1 Corinthians 15:52. "Dead bodies raised incorruptible." (all)
c. 1 Corinthians 15:53 :
(1). "...for this corruptible" (Dead bodies.)
(2). "...must put on incorruption." (Bodies that can never decay.)
(3). "...and this mortal" (Those that are alive.)
(4). "...must put on immortality." (Bodies that will never taste death.)
No distinction is made between spiritual and carnal Christians.
Note: Harpy Eagles belong to the bird of prey family identified by the term "raptor," derived from the Latin root verb "rapio," (meaning to seize or take by force). This is descriptive of the way these large birds swoop down out of the sky and suddenly seize their unsuspecting prey. In the Latin Vulgate Bible, the Greek word "HARPAZO," or "caught up" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, was translated by the Latin scholar, Jerome, into the Latin verb RAPIEMUR, derived from the root verb, rapio. As we said, "meaning to seize or take by force."
Those who claim “Rapture” is not in the Bible are those infidels who do not believe in the Rapture. They should study their Bible, instead of blowing out hot air!