As our title suggests, this five-part series focuses on The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament).
Some of the passages we cite are crystal clear, others are nuanced, and still others are to be considered allusions. These allusions within this study series will be clearly identified and are generally for portions of Scripture that speak generically of the resurrection, as we know that the rapture is intrinsically linked to the resurrection of the church.
Many of these allusions are found in the gospels in some of Christ’s parables, as well as His teachings on the resurrection, while others are found throughout the epistles. Hence, this is why they are included within this study.
Some of the passages within this series have already been covered in past study articles. Therefore, links to those past study articles are provided in this series so that the reader may access them for a more enhanced understanding of those passages.
Past articles:
The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah – Part I
The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah – Part II
The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah – Part III
The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah – Part IV
Underlined Scripture passages are my own emphasis.
Additional Passages
We will conclude our examination of The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah from our series on the Olivet Discourse in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The links are provided for the reader in each subheading so that they may access these study articles for an in-depth assessment of these vitally important rapture passages in Christ’s Olivet Discourse. Therefore, due to space constraints, we will not offer any commentary on these Olivet Discourse passages within this study article, as the links will provide the reader with the necessary commentaries.
Our final article in the Olivet Discourse study series, The Olivet Discourse in Its Entirety, combines each synoptic gospel account into one easy-to-follow synopsis.
I realize that many in the prophetic community do not see the rapture in the Olivet Discourse, which honestly surprises me greatly. While it is true that those who survive until the end of the Tribulation will, it seems, lose the ability to track the passage of time, they still will know without a doubt that He is coming very soon. As Jesus said concerning the end of the Tribulation, “And when these things begin to come to pass [Luke 21:25-26], then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” [Luke 21:27] (Luke 21:28).
When it comes to this incredibly important topic, I consider it imperative that the body of Christ realizes that Jesus Was the First to Teach the Rapture! This truth is a beautiful comfort to those Christians who are eagerly watching and waiting for their Bridegroom’s return, and it saddens me greatly and breaks my heart that many in the bride of Christ are missing out on such a wonderful prophetic insight.
We will also end our series study with some other very cool rapture passages from Luke and John that we did not include in Part I.
Only the Father Knows When the Rapture will Occur
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” – Matthew 24:36
As the Days of Noah
“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” – Matthew 24:37-39
One Taken and the Other Left
“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” – Matthew 24:40-41
Watch!
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” – Matthew 24:42
An Analogy
“But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” – Matthew 24:43
When You Think Not
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” – Matthew 24:44
Parable of the Rapture
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 24:45-51
Not Even the Son Knows! Only the Father Knows!
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” – Mark 13:32
No One Knows When the Time Is
“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” – Mark 13:33
A Parable of the Rapture
“For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
“Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” – Mark 13:34-37
Take Heed!
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” – Luke 21:34
The Rapture Comes as a Snare
“For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” – Luke 21:35
Watch and Pray Always!
“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” – Luke 21:36
Luke
Luke 12:36-38, 40, 45-46 – The Parable of The Faithful and Unfaithful Servant
“And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord…. that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching…. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants…. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
“But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” – Luke 12:36-38, 40, 45-46
Regarding this passage, we observed the following in Watching and Waiting Is Not Knowing 2:
Notice that the Lord said that the unfaithful “servant say[s] in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming” and “shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken” and the Lord will come “at an hour when He is not aware.”
Likewise, our Lord said of the faithful servants, “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching,” and that they should “Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh at an hour ye think not.”
Both servants do not know when the Lord will come back, but the faithful servants are said to be “wait[ing]for their lord… that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”
So, precious Saint, continue to be steadfastly faithful, eagerly and earnestly watching and waiting for our Lord’s return as He commanded us!
Luke 13:24-30 – The Parable of the Master of the House – Allusion
“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
“But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” – Luke 13:25-27
This brings us back to our observations in Revelation 3:7, which we discussed in Part IV.
When Christ comes back for His bride, some will be shut in with the Bridegroom, while many others will be shut out.
In this parable, though it can certainly speak figuratively to the rapture of the church in a secondary sense, the primary premise is that of addressing those who try to enter the Salvation Kingdom by any other means than exclusively by Jesus Christ alone, by grace through faith.
For an analysis of those who respond, “Lord, Lord,” please see Matthew 25:1-13 – The Parable of the 10 Virgins.
For a detailed exposition on the above passage, please see God’s Kingdoms – Part 3 – Luke, under the subheading Luke 13:25-29.
Luke 17:26-29 – Teaching on Societal Conditions at the Rapture
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.” – Luke 17:26-29
Just as Noah and his family escaped the global deluge in the ark, and Lot and two of his daughters escaped the destruction of Sodom – both groups escaping before these judgments could fall – so, too, will the bride of Christ be taken in the resurrection/rapture of the church before God’s wrath can be poured out on a God-hating, Christ-rejecting world.
In all three judgments, life was – and will be at the resurrection/rapture of the church – proceeding on as usual, with the inhabitants totally unaware or willingly ignorant of the judgments that would soon come upon them.
To underscore this mentality, Jesus went on to describe the rapture in vivid detail!
Luke 17:34-37 – One Taken and the Other Left
“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
“And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” – Luke 17:34-37
For more on this passage in Luke, and the other in Matthew 24, please see “The Eagles Be Gathered Together” and The Paralambánō of Matthew 24:40-41 & Luke 17:34-36.
Luke 18:8b – Will Jesus Find the Faith on the Earth at the Rapture? – Allusion
“… Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find [the] faith on the earth?” – Luke 18:8b
The answer to our Lord’s question, because He posed it, is unfortunately not much true faith will be found on Earth when He comes back for His bride.
This verse seems to signify that not as many Spirit-filled Christians will be on Earth when the Lord comes back for His bride as we might want to believe or desire, indicating that a large swath of professing Christians throughout the world are anything but — they are False Converts and will be left behind.
For me, this is one of the sadder verses in all of Scripture.
For our study on Spirit-Filled Christians and False Converts in the professing church, please see our concluding article, ‘If So Be That the Spirit of God Dwell in You’, and then you can access the other study articles with the links provided therein.
Luke 19:12-27 – The Parable of the Pounds – Allusion
The Parable of the Pounds is very similar to The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.
“And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities…. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.” – Luke 19:17, 19
As we alluded to in The Parable of the Talents in Part I:
Our Lord will present His faithful servants with their rewards at the Bema Seat of Christ, subsequent the resurrection/rapture of the church.
Following The Marriage Supper of The Lamb and Christ’s Second Coming, the bride of Christ will rule and reign with the Lord in His Messianic Millennial Kingdom.
In The Parable of the Pounds, Jesus mentioned that the faithful and good servants, after the resurrection/rapture of the church, will be “over cities,” representing our roles in the Messianic Millennial Kingdom as Kings and Priests.
John
John 3:29 – The Bride and the Bridegroom – Allusion
“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” – John 3:29
John the Baptist is speaking of Jesus as “the bridegroom” and references His “bride” who will “standeth and heareth Him, [and] rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.”
This harkens to our Lord’s later Words in the Gospel of John:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” – John 10:27-28
This, in turn, takes us forward to Messiah’s Parable of the 10 Virgins, that speaks of the rapture of the bride of Christ:
“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” – Matthew 25:6
Paul put it this way:
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout…” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16a
The Tanakh’s Song of Solomon rounds out our thought:
“The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills…
“My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” – Song of Solomon 2:8, 10
The allusions in all of this are quite stunning.
The Parable of the 10 Virgins
Matthew 25:1-13 – The Parable of the 10 Virgins
“… Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom…
“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him…
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut…
“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” – Matthew 25:1, 6, 10, 13
Please see Matthew 25:1-13 – The Parable of the 10 Virgins for more information on this amazing parable.
Conclusion
I pray you have enjoyed our study series on The Rapture in the Brit Chadashah, and have found your joy greatly enhanced as you eagerly desire our blessed hope, while loving and serving God and others, and soberly watching and waiting for our Bridegroom’s cry for His bride to “Come up hither.”
“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.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
May our Lord and Savior’s precious Saints continue to live their lives unto Him, while eagerly watching and waiting until that glorious day when the Father sends His Son, our beloved Bridegroom, for His bride in the resurrection/rapture of the church!
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May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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