While the word “rapture” does not appear in Scripture, Shaul does say there will be a “great catching away.” In Greek the word is harpazo (ἁρπάζω), which refers to a plucking, or a “catching away.”

 

 

The Aramaic is “n’t’khatef” (נתחטף), based on the root word “khatef” (חטף), which means to “snatch” or to “pluck” away, which is the same basic idea as harpazo. In this chapter we will see several interesting things about the harpazo.

 

1.    There will be more than one harpazo

2.    The first harpazo will probably take place at trumpet 7, but perhaps at seal 6

3.    The bodies that are raised in the harpazo are immortal spiritual bodies (not physical ones)

4.    Those who are raised will go to be with Yeshua

5.    They will return with Yeshua to the Wedding Feast (Revelation 19), which is Armageddon

6.    Yeshua and the bride will not remain on earth, but will return to His Father’s house

7.    Another harpazo will take place at or near the end of earth’s history (around +/- 3000 CE).

8.    At the second harpazo, all those who are raised go to the White Throne Judgment

9.    Neither harpazo will likely be visible

 

Much of what we know about the harpazo comes from Shaul. In 1 Thessalonians 4, Shaul says, “For this we say to you by the word of Yahweh….” Some scholars believe this means Shaul learned these things by direct revelation, while others believe he may have learned of them second hand, from one of the other apostles (who heard Yeshua speak them). Still others believe he may have derived them from his knowledge of Scripture. Whatever the case, many believe Shaul expected to see the harpazo in his lifetime, since he used the plural inclusive “we” in verses 15 and 17 (below).

 

[In this passage, it helps to remember at least at one level, Yeshua is Yahweh, in that He is His Son. For more details, please see, “Yeshua: Manifestation of Yahweh,” in Nazarene Scripture Studies, Volume 1.]

 

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up [harpageesometha (ἁρπαγησόμεθα)] together with them in the clouds to meet Yahweh in the air. And thus we shall always be with Yahweh.

 

In verse 17, “shall be caught up” is the Greek word harpageesometha (ἁρπαγησόμεθα), which is based on the root word harpazo (ἁρπάζω).

 

In verse 16, Shaul says that Yahweh Himself (i.e., Yeshua) will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of Elohim. Since the term “shout” is also used for trumpet (or shofar) blasts, this may refer to the 7^th trumpet. Verse 16 also tells us that we who are alive and remain will be caught up to be with Yeshua, and so will be with Him forever. However, this raises some issues.

 

We are told that Yeshua returns at the last trumpet.

 

In context this is likely trumpet 7. However, as we will see later, there is likely a +/- 45 day lag time in between trumpet 7 and Yeshua’s triumphal return at Revelation 19:11 (Armageddon/Gog 1/Wedding Feast).

If we think about it, this 45 day lag time explains why Shaul tells us that the dead in Messiah will rise first (verse 16), while verse 14 tells us that when Elohim (i.e., Yeshua) comes, He will bring with Him those who sleep. Those who sleep in Messiah shall rise when Yeshua (or His “sign”) is first seen in the clouds (likely at trumpet 7). Then they go to be with Him for the 45 days, and return with Him when He comes triumphant, to smite Israel’s enemies at Armageddon (verse 16).

 

However, if we think about this, the 45 day gap also explains why the bodies which are raised cannot be physical, for they will go to the heavens for 45 days, where there is no oxygen or food; and physical bodies need both oxygen and food to survive. This explains why Shaul says the bodies that are resurrected will not be physical, but spiritual (in verse 44, below).

 

 

That the dead in Messiah are raised with incorruptible spiritual bodies does not rule out the possibility that there will also be a physical resurrection here on earth: it simply says that those who plan to go be with Yeshua will not have physical bodies, for those who go to be with Yeshua will leave the earth for +/- 45 days, and physical bodies cannot survive without oxygen or food for that long. As we will also see later, they will not live here on earth (with the “elect”), but will probably live in the heavens during the millennium. This means that they cannot have physical bodies, for no flesh can stand before Him.

 

We will see many other reasons why the dead who are given incorruptible spiritual bodies will not reside here on earth (with the elect) during the millennium.

 

Proponents of a physical harpazo tell us that because of the examples of Enoch, Eliyahu (Elijah), and others, that the harpazo must be physical in nature. However, in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Shaul writes about a man in Messiah who was caught up to the “third heaven.” As we will show in some other place, the first heaven is the physical sky, the second heaven is outer space, and the third heaven is the throne room. Many scholars believe Shaul is talking about his own experiences here; but mostly what we need to see is that in verse 2, “caught up” is the Greek word “harpagenta” (ἁρπαγέντα), which is based on the same root word harpazo (ἁρπάζω). It describes a “spiritual catching up.”

 

 

[The word for “caught up” in verse 4 is heerpagee (ἡρπάγη), which is again based on harpazo (ἁρπάζω).]

 

It does not make sense that Shaul is describing the experiences of a man who was given an immortal body and was caught up to be with Yeshua forever after. Rather, it seems more like Shaul is describing what is called an epiphany, an ecstatic state in which spiritual clarity and revelation is given. Such a spiritual ecstatic state is probably also what is described in Acts 8:39, where the Spirit of Yahweh caught Philip away. In Greek, “caught away” is heerpasen (ἥρπασεν), which is based on the root word harpazo (ἁρπάζω).

 

 

Philip cannot have been given an immortal body and a “one-way ticket” to heaven, because verse 40 tells us he was later found Azotus. Therefore, his harpazo was more likely a spiritual epiphany, although it is possible (however unlikely) that he was physically caught up to the first or second heaven (the sky, or outer space), only to be re-deposited on earth.

 

Proponents of a physical rapture point to the example of Eliyahu (Elijah), and how he was caught up to heaven in a whirlwind.

 

 

These say Eliyahu went to the throne room in heaven, because his body was searched for, but not found.

 

 

However, Eliyahu cannot have gone to the throne room in heaven, because seven years later he wrote a letter to Yehoram, King of Judah.

 

 

We also know that Eliyahu did not go to the throne room in heaven, because Yeshua tells us that He is the only one who has ever ascended to heaven.

 

 

Remembering that there are three “heavens” in Hebraic thought (the sky, outer space, and the throne room), it may be that Eliyahu was caught up to the sky (the first heaven), or perhaps even to outer space (however unlikely), before being safely re-deposited on earth.

 

Proponents of physical rapture theory tell us Hanok (Enoch) was also an early “type” of physical rapture.

 

 

The interpretation here is somewhat more difficult. We know Hanok did not go to the throne room in heaven, because Yeshua no one has gone to heaven. We might conclude that Yahweh “took” Hanok’s life, except that this contradicts Hebrews 11:5.

 

 

Some writers suggest that Yeshua meant no man had gone to heaven and returned, so as to be able to speak of heaven with authority. The present author does not know. However, we do know that the Tanach (“Old” Covenant) never speaks of a mass physical harpazo. This is a problem for rapture theory, because Yahweh tells us that surely He does nothing unless first He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

 

 

Shaul was a prophet, but not necessarily in the same sense that Yahweh speaks about in Amos. Shaul never says “Thus sayeth Yahweh” with regards to the rapture. Instead, he says he is revealing “mysteries;” but he never gives us the references, so we don’t know if he is writing by direct revelation, recording Yeshua’s words (which he may have learned from the other apostles), or whether he learned them from Scripture analysis (or by some other method). However, the parable of the wheat and the tares tells us that those who are taken out of the earth will be taken away and burned; and therefore, being physically “caught away” is not good.

 

 

There are perhaps other workable theories, but these things seem to fit with the following scenario:

 

1.    Yeshua’s elect will reign on the earth (Matthew 24:22, Revelation 5:10)

2.    During the tribulation, many of the righteous will suffer. However, it will also happen that those who are “not elect” will be “taken out” of the earth, and burned (Matthew 13:30, above)

3.    When Yeshua (or His “sign”) appears in the clouds (probably at trumpet 7, but perhaps at seal 6) the dead in Messiah will be given immortal spiritual bodies, and will be caught up to be with Him, and so will be with Him forever. However, Yeshua and the saints do not touch down on earth at that time

4.    When Yeshua returns on His white horse at the Battle of Armageddon (Gog 1), all of the saints come with Him (Revelation 19:11), and this is when He touches down on earth (Zechariah 14)

5.    However, as we will see, Yeshua and his saints do not stay on earth during the millennium, but go to His Father’s house in heaven. This allows a multitude of other prophecies to play out

 

This scenario also works with Daniel 12.

 

 

However, since we already know the elect stay on earth during the millennium, then there must be yet another “harpazo” of sorts, for the sake of the elect (who remained on earth during the millennium, and who went through the Second Exodus, the Ingathering, etc.). This is reflected in Revelation 20:11-15.

 

 

We will talk more about these passages when we get to the corresponding section of the timeline. However, now we need to talk about the 144,000, who have the seal of Yahweh on their foreheads.