What Is The Rapture And When Will It Occur?

What is The Rapture?

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV

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.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 KJV

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

Be ready

Luke 12:40 KJV

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Luke 17:34-37 KJV

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Luke 21:36 KJV

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Mark 13:32 KJV

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Matthew 24:36-44 KJV

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Matthew 25:1-13 KJV

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

Ephesians 5:27 KJV

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Revelation 3:10 KJV

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Revelation 3:16 KJV

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

When will The Rapture occur?

The Rapture will take place sometime around the tribulation and great tribulation, which is a 7 year period during which God pours out His wrath on the earth. The first 3.5 years has tribulation. The second 3.5 years has great tribulation.

Different views of timing:

Pre-tribulation

Jesus Christ takes His followers off of the earth before the start of the 7 year tribulation and great tribulation.

Mid-tribulation

Jesus Christ takes His followers off of the earth in the middle of the 7 year tribulation and great tribulation, 3.5 years in.

Post-tribulation

Jesus Christ takes His followers off of the earth after the 7 year tribulation and great tribulation is finished.