The subject of the believers’ rapture is a great matter in the Bible. Although the term rapture is not found in the Bible, the thought is strongly emphasized. Objectively speaking, to be raptured is to be taken, such as Enoch and Elijah, who were taken by God in the Old Testament (Gen. 5:24; 2 Kings 2:1, 11). This matter is also repeatedly spoken of in the New Testament, referring to the believers being taken by God (Matt. 24:40-41; Luke 17:34-36; 21:36; 1 Thes. 4:17; Rev. 3:10; 7:9; 11:12; 12:5; 14:1; 15:2). Subjectively speaking, to be raptured is for the believers to experience the redemption of the body, that is, to be glorified—the ultimate step of God’s full salvation in life. At that time God will transfigure the believer’s body of humiliation to be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory (Phil. 3:20-21). Hence, the rapture of the believers is not only to be raptured to the air; it is also to be taken with the transfiguration of the body through the life that emerges from within the believer and swallows up his mortal body (1 Cor. 15:50-54).
According to the New Testament all believers, whether living or dead, will be raptured at the Lord’s coming. The dead and resurrected overcomers and the living mature believers will be raptured before the three and a half years of the great tribulation. The living immature believers who remain will pass through the great tribulation and will be raptured with the other resurrected believers close to the end of the great tribulation.
Revelation 12:5 says, “She brought forth a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” In the Bible a woman signifies the weaker vessel and a man the stronger vessel (1 Pet. 3:7). Hence, the man-child in Revelation 12:5 signifies the stronger part of God’s people. The words unto death in verse 11 show that the strong man-child is composed of the dead and resurrected overcoming saints. Abel, who was the first martyr, the apostles, and all the martyrs and deceased overcomers are waiting for the time of resurrection. Their resurrection will be the delivery of the man-child (cf. Acts 13:33-34). They will be raptured to God and to His throne (Rev. 12:5) before the three and a half years, that is, before the twelve hundred sixty days, of the great tribulation (v. 6). Then they will execute the Lord’s judgment on the devil, God’s enemy, casting him out of heaven (vv. 7-11), and shepherd all the nations with an iron rod (12:5; 2:26-27).
Revelation 14:1 says, “I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” The second half of verse 4 goes on to explain, “These were purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.” The one hundred and forty-four thousand firstfruits will be raptured before the great tribulation (vv. 1-5) and will stand on the heavenly Mount Zion with Christ the Lamb (v. 1; Heb. 12:22). God’s people are His crop (cf. 1 Cor. 3:9; Matt. 9:37-38; Luke 10:2; John 4:35). The firstfruits are those of God’s crop who ripen the earliest. Hence, they will be reaped before the harvest, that is, raptured to the heavens before the rapture of the majority of the believers (Rev. 14:14-16), just as the firstfruits of the good land were reaped and brought into the temple of God for God’s fresh enjoyment before the harvest (Lev. 23:10-11; Exo. 23:19). The firstfruits are not for fighting but for the satisfaction of God and of the Lamb. God and the Lamb need enjoyment. The living overcomers will be the firstfruits to satisfy this need for enjoyment.
The living overcomers who will be raptured before the great tribulation also include the overcomers signified by the man and the woman who are taken in Matthew 24:40-41: “At that time two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.” Furthermore, Luke 17:34 says, “In that night there will be two on one bed; the one will be taken and the other will be left.” To be taken in these Scriptures refers to being raptured before the great tribulation (21:36). Those who are taken are the overcoming believers who are alive before the great tribulation. One is taken and the other is left because there is a difference in the maturity in life. The one taken is the mature one; the one who is left is the immature one. This also indicates that the rapture of the overcoming believers will occur secretly and unexpectedly, at night for certain believers who are sleeping, and in the daytime for certain sisters grinding at home and certain brothers working in the field. They will be raptured to the heavens to stand before the Son of Man, that is, to stand before the Savior on the heavenly Mount Zion. Hence, the believers should be watchful so that they may overcome to escape the coming great tribulation and to stand before the Son of Man (v. 36).
In Revelation 3:10 the Lord also speaks concerning the living overcomers who will be raptured before the great tribulation: “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.” Trial in this verse undoubtedly denotes the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21). The Lord promises the overcoming believers that He will keep them “out of the hour of trial,” not only out of the trial but out of the hour of trial. This indicates that the overcomers who keep the word of His endurance will be raptured before the great tribulation.