After we have believed in the Lord and are saved, because of the demand of the divine life which we have received and because of the intensity of our love toward the Lord, we desire to pursue a life that awaits the Lord’s coming. In such a life of loving the Lord and waiting for the Lord, we also expect, according to that which is revealed and prophesied in the Bible, to be raptured to the Lord, to meet together joyfully with Him.
According to the Bible, the rapture of the believers is divided into two categories according to the difference in their individual life and work before the Lord after their salvation. The first is the rapture of the overcoming believers, and the second, the rapture of the majority of the believers.
1) “For then there shall be great tribulation, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21).
The Lord Jesus prophesied here that, at the end of this age, great tribulation, such as is unequaled either before or after its time, will come upon the people of the world.
2) “...and that day come upon you suddenly as a snare; for it will come in upon all those dwelling on the face of all the earth” (Luke 21:34-35).
“That day” refers to the day mentioned above, the day of the coming of the great tribulation, which is unequaled before or after its time. At the end of this age, the day of the great tribulation will suddenly come as a snare upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
3) “...the hour of trial which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 3:10).
This verse tells us that the great tribulation, which is about to come, is to try the people of the whole inhabited earth.
4) “Whenever they say, Peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as birth pangs to a woman with child, and they shall by no means escape” (1 Thes. 5:3).
The coming great tribulation mentioned previously will come suddenly upon men when they are saying, “Peace and security,” that is, when they are seeking peace and security. It will come upon them as birth pangs to a woman with child, and they will by no means escape.
According to the revelation in the foregoing Scriptures, the believers who live in this corrupt, dark age, which will be beset with calamities, definitely need to be raptured that they may be delivered out of this evil earth to be with the Lord, whom they long for.
1) “But be watchful, at every time beseeching, that you may prevail [or, be counted worthy] to escape all these things which are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).
In the original language, “to stand” in this verse is in the passive voice; hence, it has the meaning of being put in a certain place, referring to our being raptured to the presence of Christ. In this word the Lord promised that if we are watchful and beseeching so that we overcome to escape (or, are counted worthy to escape) all the coming tribulations, we will be placed in, that is, raptured to, His presence.
2) “Because you have kept the word of My endurance, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 3:10).
In this word the Lord promised us that if we keep the word of His endurance, He will keep us out of the hour in which the people on the whole earth will be tried, that is, He will take us out of the hour in which the whole earth will suffer the great tribulation.