Our Eternal Inheritance: Understanding the Rapture and Beyond
- truthandvictory
- Jul 9, 2024
- 6 min read
The concept of the rapture of the Church involves the appearance of Jesus Christ in the clouds to gather His Church. This event is distinct from the second coming, during which Christ will return with His Church to reign and rule on Earth, establishing a theocracy. This peaceful reign, known as the Millennium, will last for one thousand years, eventually giving way to the transformation of the current world into a new heaven and new earth.
In this blog series, "Our Eternal Inheritance," we will delve into the rapture, heaven, the Millennium, and the new heaven and new earth, each accompanied by scriptural references. Understanding these future events is crucial because the things we see now are temporal, but what we do not see are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). In this first series, following a brief overview of the events from rapture and beyond, a comprehensive list of scriptures on the rapture is provided for your own study on the subject.
The Rapture: Meeting Christ in the Clouds
The rapture is a pivotal moment for believers. The Apostle Paul describes this event in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
This moment of being "caught up" with Christ is further echoed in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52:
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
The Second Coming: Reigning with Christ
The second coming of Christ involves His return to Earth with His Church to establish a millennial reign. Revelation 19:14-15 portrays this event vividly:
"The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty."
In the Millennium, Christ will reign with peace and righteousness (Revelation 20:4-6)
"They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years."
The New Heaven and New Earth: Our Eternal Home
After the Millennium, God will transform the current world into a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21:1-4 beautifully describes this transformation:
Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth,' for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'"
Our Eternal Inheritance
As believers, it is essential to understand and cherish the promise of our eternal inheritance. Our future is secured with our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit. We will also be reunited with fellow believers from all ages. Let us take comfort in these truths and encourage one another as we look forward to our eternal life in glory (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
Stay tuned for more insights into our eternal inheritance in the upcoming posts. Let us prepare our hearts and minds to embrace the eternal joy and peace that await us.
Key scriptures on the rapture:
1. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (Primary Rapture Passage)
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord 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 will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words."
2. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
"Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'"
3. John 14:1-3
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
4. Philippians 3:20-21
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."
5. Colossians 3:4
"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
6. 1 John 3:2
"Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
7. Revelation 3:10
"Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
8. Revelation 4:1
"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."
Salvation prayer
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, please do open your heart to Him and invite Him. Confess with your mouth that you believe in Him and need Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. This will be the best decision of your life. Eternal life will start now and last throughout. Be blessed in Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.
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