The Truth about the Rapture

"We...will be caught up" (1 Thes. 4:17) Soon after I was converted at age 17 my dad gave me three books--a King James Bible and two by a local pastor I had yet to hear of: Hal Lindsey's The Late, Great Planet Earth and The Rapture. For the next three years I was immersed in eschatology. I even started a Bible study on my college campus utilizing charts that laid out the entire scheme of the last days utilizing a verse here from Daniel, a verse there from Ezekiel, and a verse over there from Revelation. To say I am conversant with the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial rapture of the church is an understatement.

I now believe that the rapture is the Second Coming. There is no gap between them. 1 Thessalonians 4 makes this clear.

Several weeks ago as I continued to preach through the doctrines explained in the Heidelberg Catechism at my congregation's evening service, I came to the final words in the Apostles' Creed: "the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting." Always trying to keep things fresh for those who've heard my preaching over the years, I went back and re-read many sources that expressed the rapture doctrine above. I knew what they said but it was a good exercise for my congregation. Then a few weeks later Dallas Theological Seminary had a sponsored post on Facebook for a free E-book by Dr. Mark Hitchcock on The Truth and Timing of the Rapture. I couldn't resist. I couldn't resist writing a counter E-book.

Thanks to my friends at the Alliance, we are pleased to offer the following free E-book and inexpensive booklet: Caught Up: 1 Thessalonians and the Truth About the Rapture. Download it; read it; share it.

My goal is simple: show from 1 Thessalonians 4 that the rapture occurs at the Second Coming; there is no gap in time between these two events. If I can get brothers and sisters in Christ to see that, then they (you!) can move on to more heavy duty theological works I mention in the notes of the book.

Tolle Lege! Take up and read!