An In-Depth Look at This Most Hotly Debated Topic

The Rapture

-An in-depth look at this most hotly debated topic-

By John Benjamin

If you are a student of the scriptures – or someone who is interested in End Time Bible prophecy – you may be quite interested in the revelations presented in this study if you have never seen them for yourself. Some of you may have already seen, or noticed, these things as you studied through the Bible over the years, but they were brand new to me when the Lord revealed them to me; and, so far, I have only seen a few of them in print at the present time in the many writings out there on End Time prophecy.

The “Rapture Chapter”

One day recently, as I was reading through “The Rapture Chapter,” (First Thessalonians 4), the Lord began to show me brand new things that I had completely overlooked before. I had read through these passages many times over the years – and even memorized them – yet I had never seen these intricate details; or thought about them until the Lord just suddenly “revealed” them to me.

It’s so neat when the Lord does things like this. I just love it! Usually these types of revelations are very simple and easy to understand when the Holy Spirit presents them – and so it is with these.

Let me begin by presenting the scripture passages themselves; and then pointing out these neat new revelations one by one:

“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.”

“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 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”

I Thessalonians 4:13-18

As many of you may already know, the word “rapture” comes from the word “raptio” which was first translated as such by St. Jerome in the 4th Century A.D. from the words “caught up” found in verse 17 above as he wrote the Latin Vulgate Edition of the Bible.

The word is used in the above scripture specifically in reference to those still alive at the time of Christ’s coming as being “caught up” by the Lord’s angels to meet him in the heavens.

But what came as a shock to me was when the Lord slowed me down to study this passage out more closely; and I noticed the first thing mentioned here is the “rising of the dead in Christ.” It immediately hit me that this is speaking of the “:resurrection!”

It suddenly dawned on me that the only term I had ever heard in reference to what was occurring here in this passage was the word “rapture.” As you can plainly see, this term is used to describe this highly anticipated event we are all looking forward to – which includes both the “rising of the dead” and the subsequent “catching away” of those who are still alive at the time of Christ’ coming.

According to these passages, the “rising of the dead in Christ” comes first; and is immediately followed by the “rapture of the living.” They are both part of this great procession of the Saints rising up into the air to meet Jesus in glory. As we know from other scriptures, we will be “changed” into our new spiritual bodies at that time, forsaking the old fleshly body of this world, being made “like unto the angels.”

But, in the teaching of most Bible scholars and preachers concerning this grand event spoken of here, you only hear mention of the words “the rapture,” “the rapture,” “the rapture.” You hardly ever hear a teaching on the “resurrection,” or “the rising of the dead.” As I thought of this, I got the witness of the Spirit that the Lord wanted me to look up the definition of the word “resurrection” in the dictionary; and that some new and very important things might be brought to light and discovered there – and they were!

Please observe the definitions of the word “resurrection” from two separate dictionaries:

1. From the Online Dictionary: noun: in Christian belief, the rising of the dead at the last judgment

2. From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:a) capitalized: the rising of Christ from the dead; b) often capitalized: the rising again to life of all the human dead before the final judgment; c) the state of one risen from the dead.

Now, there are actually two resurrections: the first being that of the Lord’s followers and Saints; whereas the other deals with the resurrection of all the dead. There are also two “judgments” which occur at both resurrections: the first which is known as the “Judgment Seat of Christ.”

The particular resurrection spoken of in the dictionary is quote obviously referring to the other resurrection and judgment which concerns all the dead. So, perhaps the writers of the dictionary were not aware that there are actually two of these great events spoken of in the Bible, or perhaps they just didn’t want to get into all the details surrounding both resurrections which might just tend to confuse people.

But, after seeing this in the dictionary and putting “two and two together,” I suddenly realized that the main thing being addressed in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17 was actually the resurrection of the Lord’s Saints; but my attention was also drawn to the fact that, in the dictionary, the term “resurrection” is also directly connected to the term “judgment.”

So, with this knowledge in mind, it suddenly hit me “like a ton of bricks!” “The lights came on,” and I realized there are other places in the Bible that refer to the “resurrection of the Lord’s Saints” as well as the “judgment of these Saints,” which would now, by necessity, also apply to the “rapture,” since all three of these terms are intrinsically linked together as being part of the same big event.

Like pieces of a great End Time Puzzle, I highly suspected that searching these other areas of scripture might include very important events that may not have been mentioned in 1st Thessalonians 4, which could shed some light on the “rapture,” including even its possible “timing.” I just somehow knew in my spirit that I was going to stumble upon brand new things I had never seen before.

Well, as I began to carefully study the scriptures that deal with the resurrection of the Lord’s Saints, many new revelations did, indeed, begin to come to light. Things which cannot be taken any other way than to mean just exactly what they are saying in black and white! When these scriptures are studied out in depth, they all go together in a very cohesive manner which paints a very clear and vivid picture of just how things are going to play out in the end. Each of these passages mention certain things that the others do not, which, when all put together, portray the greater vision of what is to come quite clearly.

The First Resurrection

The first area of scripture the Lord reminded me of, which also speaks of the resurrection of the Saints, is Revelation 20:4-6. As I read through these passages carefully, I clearly began to see some very important details emerge which do indeed change the whole scenario of what is presently being taught by the vast majority of Bible scholars and teachers concerning the rapture.

“And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them,

and judgment was given unto them:

and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus,

and for the word of God,

and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image,

neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;

and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.

This is the first resurrection.”

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:

on such the second death hath no power,

but they shall be priests of God and of his Christ,

and shall reign with him a thousand years”

Revelation 20:4-6

Man! This adds some new variables into the equation that are not mentioned in 1st Thessalonians 4. To start with, please note the mention that this passage is speaking of the “First Resurrection,” and the specific details of what happens to Christ’s servants on earth before it happens. Then, think of the scriptures we have just covered in 1st Thessalonians 4 which equate to the resurrection, or “the rising of the dead in Christ” with the “catching away” of those yet alive in Christ – on earth – which is known as the “rapture” that occur together as one and the same big event.

Please note that they must both be speaking of the same resurrection – or otherwise, the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20 could not be the first one – right? Can you see this? If the resurrection spoken of in 1st Thessalonians 4 were the first one, then the one spoken of in Revelation 20 would have to be the second one. There is simply no way they cannot be addressing the same resurrection.

I have had many people argue with me and say there are many resurrections spoken of in the Bible – “what about the resurrection in Ezekiel of the dry bones?” “What about the resurrection of many saints at Jesus crucifixion who came out of the graves and appeared to many in Jerusalem?” “What about the man who touched Elijah’s bones and was brought back to life?” “What about Jesus’ friend Lazarus which he brought back to life from the tomb?

Well, all of these resurrections were special resurrections of just a small handful of people for a specific purpose at the time. They were not speaking of the main, large resurrection of millions, and possibly billions of people that is spoken of in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, quoted above. It says in that passage that the Lord will bring the souls of all the Saints who are “asleep” – those who have died in Christ down through time – with him when he returns, to be raised along with those still living.

Neither do those special, limited “resurrections” refer to the Saints spoken of in Revelation 20:4-6, also quoted above. The general consensus among Bible scholars is that the “first resurrection” spoken of in Revelation 20, is the resurrection that occurs at Jesus’ Second Coming; and the subsequent “Judgment Seat of Christ” which is for his followers only – just as the one spoken of in 1st Thessalonians is.

Therefore, the resurrections in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17 and Revelation 20:4-6 must, by necessity, both be referring to the same, great main resurrection of all the millions, or billions, of the followers of Christ down through time. This clearly places them as being one and the same event. So, by the association of the term “rapture” being used in conjunction with the “rising of the dead,” or “resurrection” in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17, the rapture must also, by necessity, be referring to what is called “the first resurrection” in Revelation 20. There is simply no other way it can be…

Now, there is a second resurrection also spoken of in Revelation 20 which comes a thousand years later at the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ. This resurrection is called the “Great White Throne Judgment;” and is for all the dead and not just for the followers of Christ. So, there are actually two resurrections mentioned in Revelation 20: a first one, followed by a second one a thousand years later.

Therefore, the first one mentioned in Revelation 20 would have to be the same one spoken of in 1st Thessalonians 4, because both of these resurrections deal only with the followers of Christ; and not all the dead as the second one mentioned in Revelation 20 does.

But, there is another new and very important revelation that we should also be made aware of in this passage. It is stated very clearly, and cannot be taken any other way than to mean just exactly what it is saying in “plain black and white.”

The “crux of the matter:” the most important thing we should see from this passage is that it very clearly states that the First Resurrection comes after the Antichrist “beheads” those Christians who refused to take his mark: the Mark of the Beast; and that they died for their faith during the Antichrist’s reign. Therefore, they have to be here on earth in order to be “beheaded!” How could they be beheaded if they were raptured out first and aren’t even here? To verify this for yourself, please re-read Revelation 20:4-6 quoted above.

So, the description given in this particular resurrection most certainly adds more important details to this great event that are not stated in 1st Thessalonians 4; yet they have to be speaking of the same resurrection since they both deal with the main, large resurrection of the Followers of Christ: the First Resurrection.

So, all Christians who are alive at that time must, by necessity, be on earth during the cruel reign of the Antichrist. The rapture cannot have happened yet because it clearly comes at the main resurrection of the Followers of Christ in 1st Thessalonians 4. There simply cannot be two resurrections of the Followers of Christ in the end – with the second one being called “the first one.”

No matter how you cut it, it all still comes down to this one main point: all Christians still alive at the time will be on earth during the Antichrist’s reign; therefore, the rapture cannot happen until after his cruel reign is over and Jesus returns at the Second Coming.

The Last Trumpet

Now, we come to another set of scripture passages which speak of this same resurrection and judgment, adding even more proof to what has been presented so far. You see, the Book of Revelation is not a totally “chronological” book in which one event follows the other in time clear to the end. Rather, it is made up of a “series of events,” some of which are chronological in order; and some which are whole new visions that drop back in time to show special events that happen during the same time period that was perhaps spoken of in a chronological order in a previous chapter or passage.

The following scriptures speak of the same exact event – the resurrection and judgment of Christ’s Saints – and even present us with the actual timing of the rapture, and exactly where it occurs in the Book of Revelation. Most Christians have been taught that this is impossible to know, yet it is in plain “black and white” right in the Bible.

I first received this revelation from the Lord when I was studying through 1st Corinthians 15; and came across the scripture on “the last trumpet” spoken of in I Corinthians 15:51-52.

“Behold, I shew 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”

I Corinthians 15:51-52

The Lord brought to my attention the mention of the Seven Trumpets which are blown in the Book of Revelation; and prompted me to study out what happens after each particular trumpet is blown – to see if there was anything that even remotely resembles the resurrection, or rapture, that occurs at any of them – and in specific, at the last one. Man, did I ever get my mind blown!

Interestingly enough, in the Book of Revelation, there are what are known as the “Trumpet Judgments” in which a series of Seven Trumpets are blown by the angels of God in sequence, with each trumpet representing a judgment of some sort on the wicked who have mocked God’s prophets and people – even persecuting and killing some of them. Those are the people who will have received the Mark of the Beast and followed the Antichrist.

At the blowing of the first Six Trumpets, nothing even remotely resembling the resurrection, or rapture, occurs. Most of the first Six Trumpets sound as if they are “celestial” in nature with stars and asteroids falling to earth wreaking havoc, along with what also sounds like a possible comet called “Wormwood” which poisons a full third of the waters on earth.

Also, at some of the “trumpets,” there are what appear to be “strange creatures” that attack mankind, harming some and killing others. Some even appear as “locusts” that have a horrid scorpion-like sting, while others are an army of 200 million strange “warrior creatures” on “very strange looking horses.”