by Lois Ryan

Created on: February 06, 2011

Sharing the Word-The Rapture

Jude 14-15:  “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these; saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (KJV).

Enoch not only believed with God and called upon him, he had a close relationship with God.  It is like somebody that you consider being your best friend, somebody that you can share your deepest secrets and fears with.  This relationship between Enoch and God was similar to his.  Many people think of the book of Isaiah when it comes to prophecy.  However, Enoch was the first to prophesize about the coming of Jesus.

Hebrews 11:5:  “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation, he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

While Noah was the only other individual to walk with God before the flood, he experienced physical death, Elijah, like Enoch, was taken. As 2 Kings 2:11 states: “And it came to pass, as they still went on, God talked that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (KJV). 

God did not take Elijah secretly.  The prophets at Bethel and Jericho knew that God was going to take Elijah, according to 2 Kings 2:3, 5.  When they informed Elisha, he knew also.  They even knew the day that God was going to take him.

Many of us Christians are familiar with the term rapture.  While this is a man-made term-the rapture is not mentioned in the Bible-we can say that both Enoch and Elijah both experienced the rapture.  They were taken by God but did not experience physical death.  Some of us may be jealous, thinking that we too had a close relationship with God.  Some of us long to be with God without actually dying.  Both Enoch and Elijah were born sinners.  However, Jesus who was without sin, had to physically die.  We know why he had to die.  He had to be our sacrificial lamb.  When he died on the cross, he did it to atone for all our sins-past, present and future sins.

Both Enoch and Elijah not only experienced the rapture because they had a close relationship with God.  They were taken as a sign that people like you and I can be taken in the next moment as both 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians state.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  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” (KJV).

1 Corinthians 15:51-52:  “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 all be changed” (KJV).

All of God’s children who are already passed away will be with God and Jesus before the ones who are alive will be taken.  However, the rapture will be quick.  After the dead are taken, not even a moment will pass before the alive are taken.

Reference:

The Holy Bible.  King James Version

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