In our previous study we looked at the second coming of the Lord. In this article I will share with you on the rapture which will precede the second coming. Sometimes these two are confused by many but they are distinctly different. The rapture is also a coming of the Lord but He will stand in the air, while in the Second Advent He will touch the ground at the Mount Olives. Rapture means the catching away from a Greek word harpazo. Our themes says, "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: 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". We shall meet in the air.

The rapture will occur in a quick and secret style while its effects will be hugely felt. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 shows us how the rapture will happen, "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 be changed". It will happen at the speed of the twinkling of an eye. Notice that He says it is a mystery and that explains how that many have argued about the rapture for many years. Only those in Christ will hear those trumpets. At that moment our bodies shall be transformed by God's power to be immortal. This is the event that we are waiting for now. It will precede the second coming of Christ.

In the rapture His target are those that are looking forward to meet Him while in the second coming it's a judgment on the world. Hebrews 9:29 tells us, "Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation". As the bride actively looks forward to the wedding day, you must also look forward with excitement to meeting the one who loved you the most, Jesus Christ.