The Rapture: The Next Event on God's Calendar By John F. Walvoord When we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we transfer from the road to Armageddon to the road to Glory. The wonderful fact is that Christ is going to come one of these days, perhaps very soon, and take His church out of the world and to heaven before the road to Armageddon comes to its finale and the world is judged for its sin and unbelief. In John 14, Christ, for the first time in the Bible, introduces the concept of the rapture of the church. The word rapture means “to catch up or snatch up,” and it’s what the apostle Paul describes in detail in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4. Paul says in verse 13: “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant [uninformed] about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men - who have no hope”. The rapture is something God wants us to know about because He doesn’t want us to face life without hope. When the rapture occurs, 1 Thessalonians 4 tells us that Christ will bring the souls of those who have died from heaven to earth. He’s going to resurrect their bodies in incorruption, raised in power and glory. Now Paul says, according to the Lord’s instructions to him, that we (that is, Christians) who are still alive will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep, but the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are alive will be “caught up.” This is where we get the word rapture, caught up, or snatched up. And so we will be with the Lord forever. When will the rapture occur? It’s a natural question that is often asked. The Bible doesn’t give us a direct answer to that. But what we’re seeing in our world today, in a very remarkable way, is the setting of the world stage for the events that will follow the rapture. And as these events continue to rapidly line up, then the rapture could be at any time. Just think of the life that awaits us for all eternity! Instead of a broken down body that dies with age, we will be eternally in a heavenly body that will never know the aging process. There will be no aches and pains. There will be no broken hearts. There will be no sinful thoughts and deeds. All will be perfect... because Jesus has transformed us in body, soul and spirit to be in the family of the one and only true God. We will live in peace and harmony with all that is around us and actually walk with God! If the rapture occurred, would you be ready? For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17)