What Happens at the Rapture? A Powerful Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Paul addresses the doctrinal area of conflict in the Thessalonian congregation: the Rapture of the Church.

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

This is the third time Paul has addressed believers wishing them not to be ignorant (1 Corinthians 10:1,12:1). This phrase means that we do not have to be ignorant concerning the coming of Jesus for the Church although many have been and will remain being ignorant.

Spiritual ignorance comes from a lack of understanding God’s Word. One area of ignorance in Thessalonica was over the believers who died and their eternal state. Many were wondering whether or not they would be in heaven with them, and Paul tells them not to sorrow as the world. It is alright to sorrow, but not as the unbeliever who has no hope of eternity.

Believers, in the Word, are the only ones who are spoken of as sleeping when dead. The unbeliever is called dead. The believer is said to be asleep because the resurrection day is coming, and he will wake up. The body is said to sleep because there is a coming wake-up day of resurrection. But the inward man, the heart, is still alive and in the presence of the Lord. I know the real person is in heaven and the body is now an empty shell. The real person is not there, and the body will decay. A new body will be given to them someday; but until then, the best thing we can do is remember the life of the person that continues in heaven.

We are not to sorrow as the world sorrows. There is a difference in saying goodbye to one we will see again, and another we know we will never see again. The sorrow of a believer and a funeral cannot destroy the hope.

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

The whole premise of our resurrection is based on the resurrection of Jesus by the power of God. Those who have died in the Lord will return with Jesus at the resurrection of the saints. Right now, they are in heaven in spirit. They do not have resurrection bodies yet, but will be given one when Jesus appears over the earth to take them to heaven with Him. The saints who have died and those who are alive on the earth will all receive a resurrection body at the same time (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). Those who have died will return to life in a resurrection body as surely as Jesus died and came back in a resurrection body. He is our surety of eternal life in heaven and of a resurrection body forever (1 Corinthians 15:20).

One fear in Thessalonica was that those who died would miss the great event, the Rapture of the Church. Paul now lets them know that this great event would not be missed by those who died and have gone to be with the Lord, it will be shared with the believers who are alive on earth.

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:15).

Paul lets the Thessalonians know that the issues and events he was sharing were part of the Word of God. This is not Paul’s opinion or supposition but were directly from the Lord Himself. The family of God will always be divided until the day of the Rapture. The larger part of the family will be in heaven and the remaining part will be on earth (Ephesians 3:14-15).The Rapture is God’s sovereign act to bring the entire family together to go through the judgment seat. We will be rewarded during that time and fashioned into the bride of Christ. We return with Him seven years later at His Second Coming to rule and reign with Him over the earth.

The Rapture is a private affair, and Jesus’ second coming is a public affair. At the Rapture, all Christians, the Church, will disappear, leaving the remaining citizens of earth wondering. But seven years later, the Church will return as Jesus’ bride. Jesus will be seen by every eye and praised by every person as they bow at His coming (Isaiah 45:23).

The Rapture takes place in the air, and the second advent on the earth. At the Rapture, Jesus comes for His Church and at the second advent He returns with His church. At the Rapture, the Church is removed from the earth. At His Second Coming, unbelievers, Satan, and all his fellow rulers are removed from the earth. At the Rapture, the believers who are alive on earth will not precede the ones who have died and gone on before. All will receive a resurrection body at the same time. The living saints and those members of the Church who died and are in heaven, will all receive the benefits of the Rapture at the same time.

“For the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

This is a military scene of the commander mustering his troops. Jesus is the Commander in Chief, and He personally will come and assemble us together. He will come from heaven with a shout. He will be shouting from heaven as He comes to the earth accompanied by the archangel Michael. The trumpet of God will also be blowing to assemble the troops and call the earth to battle. This will not only end the Church Age but also introduce the time of the Tribulation on earth. The first ones to rise and receive a resurrection body will be those who have died and gone on before us. These are the ones sleeping, mentioned in verse 16.

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The Lord Jesus is going to come down into Satan’s domain and catch us up into His presence. We will join the dead in Christ as they rise into the air. We will receive a resurrection body at the same time they do, and we will go together into heaven with the Lord Jesus. The air which is spoken of here is the domain of Satan. In Ephesians 2:2, Satan is called “the prince of the power of the air.” This is the same word used in this passage. The domain of demons is the atmosphere around the earth. Jesus will come directly into their domain and take us from under Satan’s nose.

 “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

The Rapture of the Church should not bring fear into our hearts but rather comfort. It should especially comfort those who have lost loved ones who were born again. End-time events should spark hope and rejoicing in the hearts of Christians on earth.

This doctrine strikes fear in many hearts today because the teaching has been so distorted. Some teach that only a few will go in the Rapture, and many are fearful they will be left here while others go. Some teach and believe the Church will go through part or all of the Tribulation. This is a distortion of the teaching and contradicts what Paul tells the Thessalonians about this magnificent event. The Tribulation events are already beginning to take place. Jesus told us when we do see these events begin to happen, we are to “look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).