The return of Christ is one of the most hotly debated topics within the world of Christianity. This is largely because it is hard for our finite, human minds to understand a topic that is so all-encompassing. Whether you hear it referred to as “the day of the Lord,” “the rapture,” or simply “the return of Christ,” those terms all point to the same thing. It is crucial that we build our understanding and personal beliefs on the return of Christ around the truths found in Scripture. Before we take a deeper dive into what we know about that day, let’s take a look at something Paul said in one of his epistles.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 (TPT)
Beloved brothers and sisters, we want you to be quite certain about the truth concerning those who have passed away, so that you won’t be overwhelmed with grief like many others who have no hope.
Directly following this verse, Paul provides some of the most detailed insight that we have in Scripture concerning the return of Christ. He led into this verse by saying that he wanted those reading it to be quite certain about the events he was about to discuss. Since we know that all Scripture was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that means that God wants us to be quite certain about the things that Paul wrote about in the rest of 1 Thessalonians 4.
There is certainly no way for our finite minds to understand everything about the return of Christ. It will be an event so large that its impact will immediately be recognized across the globe. There has never been an event like it before, and there will never be an event like it after. However, while the return of Christ and the calling away of the Church is largely indescribable, God does want us to have some level of understanding about it. In order to build our theology about the “Day of the Lord,” let’s look to a few passages of Scripture.
No One Knows When It’s Coming
Matthew 24:36 (TPT)
“Concerning that day and the exact hour, no one knows when it will arrive, not even the angels of heaven-only the Father knows.
For thousands of years, people have claimed to have some type of insight into when Christ was going to return. This concept isn’t new, although the way that people spread this sort of manipulation has evolved over the years. With social media platforms so readily available, it has become much easier for people to spread a false message in which they claim to have some sort of information about when Christ will come back. Those statements are not true.
Obviously, the idea of people claiming to know when Christ will return isn’t new. That’s why Christ warned the disciples and His other followers that as soon as He returned to Heaven, there would be people saying that they knew when He would come back.
Over the years, countless people have claimed to have received divine revelation that gave them insight into the return of Christ. There are very few things that we can know for a certainty surrounding the return of Christ, but this one thing is certain: no one knows exactly when it’s going to happen.
While there is nothing wrong with looking at Biblical prophecies and comparing them to the world that we live in, it is important that you don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of believing anyone who says they know when Christ will come back. God the Father is the only person who knows that date.
The Return of Christ Isn’t Meant to Be Scary
John 14:1-3 (TPT)
“Don’t worry or surrender to your fear. For you’ve believed in God, now trust and believe in me also. My Father’s house has many dwelling places. If it were otherwise, I would tell you plainly, because I go to prepare a place for you. And when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.”
As humans, we have a natural tendency to fear the things that we don’t understand. When you were a child, you may have been afraid of the dark. That was likely because you weren’t sure what was there because you couldn’t see. As we get older, our fear of the unknown doesn’t go away. Based on that concept, it’s not uncommon for us to view the return of Christ and the last days with some level of fear.
God does not want us to be fearful concerning His Son’s return. Jesus, when speaking to the disciples about His return to Heaven and eventual return to Earth, encouraged them not to be afraid. We can apply the same words to our own lives. We don’t have to be afraid because the return of Christ is our opportunity to return to Heaven with Christ and spend eternity with Him.
What Does the Bible Say About the Rapture?
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (TPT)
For the Lord himself will appear with the declaration of victory, the shout of an archangel, and the trumpet blast of God. He will descend from the heavenly realm and command those who are dead in Christ to rise first. Then we who are alive will join them, transported together in clouds to have an encounter with the Lord in the air, and we will be forever joined with the Lord.
One of the most hotly debated aspects of the return of Christ is based on the fact that the Bible never uses the word “rapture.” However, the earliest translations of Scripture use the Greek word “raptos” in this passage, and that word is where we got the English word “rapture.” The term “raptos” refers to a “violent snatching away from one place to another.” While the use of “violent” may seem alarming, it simply speaks to the suddenness of the calling away that will one day take place.
Based on this passage of Scripture, we can get a better idea of what will take place on the day that Christ returns. Since God is not limited by our concepts of time and space, it will happen simultaneously around the globe. Christ will appear in the clouds, and supernaturally, every Christian who has died will be brought out of their graves. They will go first into the air to be reunited with Christ in a bodily resurrection. Immediately thereafter, any Christian who is still alive will be suddenly caught up into the air to join Christ in the clouds. “We will be forever joined with the Lord.”
From that moment on, there will be no more separation between Creator and creation. From that moment on, there will be no more chasm between Savior and saved. From that moment on, we are in the presence of Christ for all eternity.
While the Bible doesn’t use the word “rapture,” it does point to a day where Christ will return and will suddenly, quickly, and without warning call everyone who has believed in Him into the clouds with Him.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that I cannot begin to fathom everything about the return of Christ. The topic is beyond me, but nothing is beyond You. Instead of being filled with fear and anxiety about the topic, help me to rest in the fact that You do not want us to be uninformed or afraid of that day. Instead, I will seek to make sure that I am prepared for Your Son’s return so I can embrace eternity with You. In Christ’s name, Amen.