There are some that deny the pre-tribulation rapture of the body of Christ. A simple search of the term “caught up” in any online Bible concordance will point you to the verses in the Bible where a rapture (“caught up”) is recorded. In II Corinthians 12:2-4 Paul tells us that he himself was “caught up” to the third heaven.
Paul Was “Caught Up” To Heaven
In II Corinthians 12:2-4 Paul tells of himself being “caught up” to the third heaven.
II Corinthians 12:2-4
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Jesus Christ Was “Caught Up” To Heaven
In Revelation 12:1-5 the apostle John uses symbolic language to tell of the rapture of Jesus Christ unto God, and His throne. In these verses, Israel is referred to as a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Jesus Christ is referred to as a man child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and that Christ was “caught up” unto God, and to His throne.
Revelation 12:1-5
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rapture – The Body of Christ “Caught Up” Pre-Tribulation – Gospel of the Grace of God
In I Corinthians 15:51-52 and I Thessalonians 4:13-17 Paul tells the Thessalonians a message of hope. Paul tells them that through their belief of Christ’s death and resurrection that they who are alive when Christ returns will be “caught up” together with the “dead in Christ” in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and that they will forever be with the Lord.
The rapture of the church, that is the body of Christ, is a pre-tribulation rapture of all members of the body of Christ. This rapture involves a rapture of both the living and dead who have been saved by believing the gospel of the grace of God taught by our Apostle Paul. The gospel of the grace of God is recorded in I Corinthians 15:1-4.
I Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
Paul tells us of this rapture or “catching up” in I Corinthians 15:51-52 and I Thessalonians 4:13-17. We see in I Corinthians 15:51-52 that this rapture was a “mystery,” meaning that it was not prophesied of and was kept hidden by God, until it was revealed to our Apostle Paul by Jesus Christ. Paul tells us that we shall all be changed, meaning that whether we are alive or are dead in Christ, we will at that time get our new everlasting and incorruptible body.
I Corinthians 15:51-52
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 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 be changed.
In I Thessalonians 4:13-17 Paul gives us additional knowledge of this rapture. Paul tells us that it is by our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we will be a part of this rapture, and that what he speaks of this rapture came directly from the Lord.
Paul tells us that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead members of the body of Christ shall rise first.
Then we who are alive will be caught up together with those that Christ brings with Him (the spirits and the souls who have died in Christ), to meet the Lord in the air, and that we shall ever be with the Lord.
I Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 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.
In I Thessalonians 1:10 Paul tells us that we are waiting for Christ, whom God raised from the dead, to come from heaven to deliver us from the wrath (Tribulation) to come.
I Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Rapture – The 144,000 “Caught Up” Mid-Tribulation – Gospel of the Kingdom
The rapture of the 144,000 referenced in Revelation Chapters 7 and 14 is a mid-tribulation rapture. In Revelation 7:1-8 we are told of 144,000 from the tribes of the children of Israel that have been sealed on their foreheads. We are told that these who are sealed are 12,000 from each of the twelve (12) tribes of Israel. These 144,000 are sealed with the name of their Father on their forehead, and no harm will come to them.
Revelation 7:1-9
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.
In verse 3 we are told that these 144,000 are servants of God. In verses 4-8 we are told that 12,000 will come from each of the tribes of Israel of the children of Israel. In verse 9 we are told of a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.
The vision of the saved multitude mentioned in verse 9 are those that will be saved by their belief of the gospel of the kingdom preached during the Tribulation, of which many will have heard the gospel preached by the 144,000.
In Revelation 14:1-5 we again are told of these 144,000. At this time, they are before the throne of God. Therefore, sometime between Revelation Chapter 7 and Revelation Chapter 14 these 144,000 are “caught up” to the throne of God. These 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth are called the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Revelation 14:1-5
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
In II Corinthians Chapter 12 we are told of Paul being “caught up” to heaven.
In Revelation Chapter 12 we are told of Jesus Christ being “caught up” unto God, and to His throne.
In I Thessalonians Chapter 4 Paul tells us of Jesus Christ coming from heaven to rapture the church, which is the body of Christ, from the coming Tribulation.
In Revelation Chapter 14 we see that the 144,000 servants of God have been taken from the earth into heaven, to be before the throne of God, so that they will not have to experience the terrible last half of the Tribulation.
The rapture of the body of Christ and the rapture of the 144,000 servants of God show us how much God truly loves us, and the more that we study God’s word, the greater our understanding becomes of His total and complete love for us.