THE SNATCH (the Rapture)

Many have trouble accepting that God could create the universe in just 6 days, just by speaking it to happen.   
Well, they’re sure going to get more indigestion over this one!...

We’re finding the focus of this first letter to Thessalonica is the coming again of Jesus Christ but… 
Now we come to the highlight!... 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

• This is ‘by the word of the Lord’!
• Believers who have died are ‘asleep in Jesus’ – not ‘soul sleep’
• The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will raise the bodies of all the saints!
• God will bring them with Christ as their changed bodies rise!
• We all get ‘caught up’ (raptured) together – it’s a snatch!
• We all get to meet the Lord in the clouds
• We will then be with the Lord forever!

We’re not meant to be ignorant about this, surrounded by people with no real hope found in their idols. In fact we are to comfort each other with this.

Yes, there are people alive today who could experience the rapture!

Notice this is a snatch (harpazo), not a gathering (episunagoge). There is no mention of Christ’s glorious appearing (epiphaneia) in either letter to Thessalonica – the Rapture will be a private affair.

What about this wrath business?....NEXT