The greatest event that will occur in the believer’s lifetime is either a) we will die and immediately be with the Lord or, b) the Lord will come for us as His church to take us home.

The word tells us that before Jesus’ triumphant return at His second coming to rule over all the world, He will first come to gather His church in the air to take us home.

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.  1 Thessalonians 4:17

Notice that He does not touch down on the earth as He will do at His second coming when he will stand on Mount Moriah.  At that time “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7).  At this time only believers will see Him because He is coming for us only.  Also notice that it says that we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Him in the air.  Further notice that once we meet Him in the air, we will be with Him forever.

Who will we be together with when this happens?  Who is the “them” in this verse?  These are the other believers who have fallen asleep in Christ.  Asleep means that they have died but only their body is asleep and not their soul and spirit which are with the Lord.  For to be absent out of our body is to be in the presence of Jesus.

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:8

Those who are asleep now will not precede us who are alive when He comes nor will we precede them.  We will go together to meet Him in the air.  But at the sound of the first trumpet, the dead in Christ will arise first.  This means that their body will rise first and their spirit and soul will come out of heaven and be joined to it.  Right at that moment, they will receive their glorified body, the same kind of body Jesus appeared to the disciples in after his resurrection.

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:  1 Thessalonians 4:15-16

Notice that Jesus will shout Himself when He descends.  What a joyful sound that will be!  It will be the command for the dead to arise just like when He commanded Lazarus to rise from the dead.  His shout will be followed by the shout of the archangel and the trump of God.

There will be two great trumpet blasts.  When the first trump sounds, that is when the dead in Christ will rise and be changed to take on immortality.  At the sound of the second and last trump, we who are alive shall be changed instantly, in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye.  And together we will ascend in our glorified bodies to meet Jesus in the air and so we will be with Him forever.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  1 Corinthians 15:51-52

There are people who claim that all believers must got through the tribulation.  But this does not line up with scripture which tells us that we are not appointed unto wrath.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,  1 Thessalonians 5:9

The tribulation is not designed for the believers but as judgement on Israel for denying their Messiah.  This is why Paul concludes the narration of this revelation telling us to comfort each other with these words.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:18

Jesus warned us to watch and pray always so that we may be considered and accounted as worthy to escape all the terrible things that will occur during the tribulation as He describes them in Luke 21:25-28.

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

How else could this be that we as “worthy ones” will “stand before the Son of man” if not that we will have escaped these things by being taken away, or raptured as it is often called, in order to be in His presence?  (Note that the word “rapture” is not found in scripture.) 

Jesus Himself told us that He would go to prepare a place for us and come again to receive us unto Himself so that where He is, we may be also.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  John 14:2-3

He would not need to go and prepare a place us if we are to stay here on earth with Him when He returns at His second coming.  That would defeat the purpose of his statement “I go to prepare a place for you.”

So be ready to hear the shout of Jesus, the shout of the archangel and the two great trumps of God.  It may only be the believers who can hear it.

Are you watching for His imminent return?  Are you praying always to be accounted worthy to escape these things to come upon the whole world and to stand before the Son of man?  Are your ready?  How can you be ready?  Read the following “Ten Qualifications for the Rapture” courtesy of Finnis Dake:

1. To be in Christ (1Th. 4:14,16; 2Cor. 5:17-18).
2. To be Christ’s (1Cor. 15:23; Gal. 5:24).
3. To be blessed and holy (Rev. 20:4-6 Heb. 12:14).
4. To be good (Jn. 5:28-29).
5. To be worthy (Lk. 21:36).
6. To be in the Church (1Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:20-23; 4:4-6; 5:27; Col. 1:18,24).
7. To be pure (1Jn. 3:2-3).
8. To be without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27)
9. To live and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-21).
10. To walk in the light (1Jn. 1:7; Col. 2:6).

That’s what the lyrics are all about in the song I’ll Fly Away:

Some glad morning when this life is o’er,
I’ll fly away;
To a home on God’s celestial shore,
I’ll fly away (I’ll fly away).

Chorus
I’ll fly away, fly away, Oh Glory
I’ll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I’ll fly away (I’ll fly away).

When the shadows of this life have gone,
I’ll fly away;
Like a bird from prison bars has flown,
I’ll fly away (I’ll fly away)

Chorus
I’ll fly away, Oh Glory
I’ll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I’ll fly away (I’ll fly away).

——-Instrumental———–

Oh. How glad and happy when we meet
I’ll fly away
No more cold iron shackles on my feet
I’ll fly away

Chorus
I’ll fly away, fly away Oh Glory
I’ll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die Hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away.

Just a few more weary days and then,
I’ll fly away;
To a land where joy shall never end,
I’ll fly away (I’ll fly away)

Chorus
I’ll fly away, fly away Oh Glory
I’ll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I’ll fly away (I’ll fly away).

I’m ready!  Are you?

 

Franciscus M. Dartee

Grow in Faith | Walk in Power

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