Let’s briefly take a look at the words “caught up” in 1 Thes. 4:17 as these words have formed the basis of a common Christian ideology of “the rapture.”

“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 Thes. 4:17).

The Greek word for “caught up” means “harpazo,” which is translated “caught away or seized.” The commonly taught “rapture” theory uses this scripture as the basis of the belief of escaping the world before it is destroyed and entering into heaven eternally. But there is a major flaw in this ideology.

Starting in the Old Testament, we can look at God’s leader of the Israelites, Moses, who had several experiences at Mt. Sinai when He went up the mountain and was “caught up” in a thick cloud-like presence of God (Ex. 19:18-20; Ex. 24:9-18). While in God’s presence, Moses was instructed to return to the people, not escape and stay away. God needed him to complete His purpose in leading the Israelites closer to God.

“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die…….So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.” (Ex. 20:18,21).

In the New Testament, there are a few examples besides Jesus who were “caught up” in the Spirit.

The disciple Phillip was one who had an interesting experience that transported him from one place to another in the earth:

“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.  But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea (Acts 8:39,40).

The Apostle Paul shares a story to the Corinthians about an experience he knew about of someone who was “caught up” to the third heaven. In like manner, this person didn’t escape earth…. He was given instruction to tell Paul and others about the LORD:

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2),

These examples pale in comparison to our Savior, who was “caught up” after His resurrection to present Himself to the Father in heaven as the “firstfruits” from the dead.

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20).

But Christ didn’t stay there. He returned to earth and revealed Himself to many for 40 days because He had to ignite the disciples to start the Church Age.

The Bible says that Jesus will return again to the earth to ignite the next age, the Millennium, and will have an army of saints with Him that are “caught up” in the presence of God Almighty and return to assist in the Millennium.

Many Christians who are waiting to be raptured are missing the point that the LORD is coming back to the EARTH to finish His work as Judge and King. Waiting to “escape” has caused so many Christians to sit idly on the sidelines thinking what we do on earth doesn’t really matter… but it does!

The union with Christ “in the air” as stated in 1 Thes. 4:17 is for the purpose of escorting the KING (Commander in Chief) to His kingdom here on the EARTH to reign and judge.

As Jesus rose from the dead 2,000 years ago and presented Himself to the Father as the firstfruits” from the dead, the firstfruits remnant (Symbolically represented in Revelation as the 144,000) will follow this pattern too. They will also receive their inheritance (their glorified body) as Christ did, and then come back to earth to assist in the healing of the nations.

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.  And in righteousness He judges and makes war…And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp work, that with it He should strike the nations.   And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron…” (Rev. 19:11,14-15).

The LORD’S Prayer itself corroborates this blueprint of God’s basic plan of redemption:

“Thy kingdom COME, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

God’s plan is to bring His kingdom to earth to rule, redeem, and multiply His goodness, not destroy it. His glory is prophesied to cover the earth:

“And one cried to another and said, “Holy, Holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory(Is. 6:3).”

Anyone who has embraced the Lord’s sanctification process has been preparing for battle, not trying to run and hide from it. It is God’s training program to teach us how to obey our Commander in Chief!

God is also NOT taking Christians away so He can destroy the earth.  The earth will go through tribulation due to God’s judgment in correcting the choices believers and the non-believers have made to sin.  It will produce a “shaking” to break the evil strongholds and to set the captives free (Is. 24).  This will lead creation through a process that produces healing, life, and a revelation of His love. 

God and His army are coming so that the earth can be restored back to His glory through righteous leadership.  This is why the Bible says:

“creation eagerly waits for the revealing [unveiling, stepping forth, “catching up” of the sons of God”(Rom. 8:19).

Jesus informs us that the “last days” before the LORD returns, it will be similar to the days of Noah. 

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37).

Noah was never taken from the earth during the tribulation of his days. Noah was divinely protected through the flood of judgment.  It was Noah’s obedience to the Lord’s instructions to build an ark and share the news of repentance for 120 years prior to the flood that was a part of his “sanctification process.” Noah obeyed the Lord wholeheartedly.  

Jesus captures the heart of Noah’s example when He said,

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

From the story of Noah and then later Lot who was in Sodom and Gomorrah, the WICKED were removed from the earth, not the righteous.  

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took THEM all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left (Matt. 24:37-40).

The “THEM” in the above Scripture was the WICKED, not the righteous!

The Lord even tells us in the Beatitudes in Matt 5:17 that the meek (gentle) will be blessed and inherit the EARTH, not be removed from it.

Jesus is coming back to judge the nations, and there will be consequences for those who oppose Him. But God promises His “sons” protection, as He declared in Psalm 91, and showed us that same pattern of protection for His people in Egypt when the 10 plagues were released.

“And in that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land.  I will make a difference between My people and your people.  Tomorrow this sign shall be” (Ex. 9:22-23).

I believe the sign of the “dead in Christ” rising from the graves, and the sound and sign of Christ and His army coming will cause an alarm to ALL Christians who will then mourn.  This is because the “fear of the Lord” will come upon us, and we will understand our frailty in the presence of the Lord and recognize our need to repent. This is also why the ten days following the Feast of Trumpets are called the “Ten Days of Awe,” as Christians will be in awe that the time is at hand for the Millennium reign to begin, which means judgment will begin in the house of the Lord.

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17)?

We will all be in a state of reflection:  Are we ready? Will we be like the 5 wise Virgins in the Parable of the 10 Virgins, who had oil? Or will we be like the 5 foolish Virgins who didn’t have oil and the door was shut, unable to join those chosen for the First resurrection (Matt. 25:1-13)?  These Fall Feast “dress rehearsals” each year helps us examine our hearts so we are ready.

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matt. 25:13).