Richard Hollerman

The question that we have posed above is a relevant one. Different answers have been given for the past two thousand years. So what is the truth?

The answer, as given in the first couple of centuries. has yet to be seen. During the middle ages (or Dark Ages) we learn even more. At the time of the Protestant Reformation (beginning 500 years ago) we have a different answer—that Christ will come unannounced and this “every moment” rapture should be one that we all anticipate. At the time of John Darby of England, about 1830, we have the beginnings of the so-called “secret rapture” and His coming was to be in two different stages—separated by a thousand years (supposedly based on Revelation 20). The Dallas Theological Seminary and the Fundamentalist movement across this country and world picked up this view and today it is an integral part of the modern Protestant “Fundamentalist” view.

Others in the Fundamentalist Movement, including those who profess a belief in Scripture (such as Fundamentalist Baptists, Fundamentalist Presbyterians, Assembly of God, and other conservative Protestants), would follow Darby’s lead and also say that Jesus will come back “secretly” and His followers will be “snatched away” and remain for a thousand years, after which Jesus will return.

What does Scripture teach?

We would like you to read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 for in this portion of Scripture we learn that Jesus will come again and He will bring dead Christians with Him (vv. 13-14). Those of us who are alive at this time will not “precede” dead saints (v. 15). Then we read that Jesus Himself “will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God” and “the dead in Christ” (those believers who have died) “will rise first” (v. 16). Then the Lord says, “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together when them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” and “so we shall always be with the Lord” (v. 17).

We see from this that Jesus will bring with Him those who have died in Jesus (v. 14). We won’t come before those believers who have died (v. 15). Those Christians who have died will be the first to be resurrected from the grave (v. 16). We will then be “caught up” to be with them in the air (v. 17).

Instead of a “silent rapture” or a “secret rapture,” this has been called the loudest verse in Scripture! It will be a “loud” rapture and a rapture that all will see! Of course, “rapture” comes from the Latin word that refers to the “catching up” of people to meet Jesus in the air.

How this will be, I don’t know. How people from Russia, and Africa, and South America, and India, and North America, and Europe will see Jesus coming in the clouds, we don’t know—but we do know that God is God and He can do all things such as this!

We also ask that you read Matthew 24-25 (especially 24:30); Mark 13; Luke 21; Acts 1:9-11; 17:24-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Daniel 7:13, 14; 7:18; Revelation 1:7; chaps. 20-22. Or course, there are a hundred other verses that supplement these and should fill in the details.

In short, we sadly must say that those who think that Jesus will come silently and secretly for His own will be rudely mistaken. In the words of Jesus in Matthew 24, he will come in a way that we should all be prepared. We should await His coming and be ready! As the question with which we began and asked, we really don’t know when Jesus will return! He will come again—this we are sure—but when this will be, we don’t know. Thus, let us wait, be patient, and seek Him at all times!