0952. The Rapture–a Selection
The Rapture–a Selection
"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" (Luk_17:34-36)
"One shall be taken and another left." Our key verse shows that the rapture will be a selection from among the living. Other Scriptures show that the rapture will also be a selection from among the dead ones.
We will consider the latter first.
1. The rapture is a selection from among the dead ones. There is no such thing in the Word of God as a general resurrection. Such a statement may be found in the creeds of men, but when the Bible is opened, there is a distinction which positively sets forth the first resurrection as differentiated from the last resurrection.
We will notice four Scriptures along this line.
(1) "The dead in Christ shall rise first" (1Th_4:16). These word's are both inclusive and exclusive. They include all the dead in Christ. They exclude all the dead who are not in Christ. It is a thing inconceivable that the Lord would raise the wicked dead and catch them up into His Glory; up unto the marriage of the Lamb; up unto the reward of the saints; up far up, above the scenes of tribulation darkness, There must therefore be a difference in time between the resurrection of the wicked and the righteous dead.
(2) "The resurrection from the dead" (Php_3:11, \1911 Bible). The words which Paul used, positively express a resurrection out of the dead ones. Such an expression would be altogether meaningless if all the dead were to be raised. Paul was anticipating a partial and not a complete resurrection.
(3) "Every man in his own order" (1Co_15:23). We often weary of heart, saddened, when we hear the 15th chapter of I Corinthians used at the funeral of the wicked. We have no right to quote the words herein given about the corruptible putting on incorruption; about the mortal putting on immortality; about the kind of body we then shall have; about "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" at the grave of the wicked dead. These words are applicable exclusively to departed saints. To be sure, the chapter concedes the fact "that as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive;" but it insists that this resurrection will not be simultaneous; for everyone will be raised "in his own order"–that is, in his own "phalanx," "company" or "group." Those who are in Christ will not be raised along with those out of Christ, the distinction in the time of resurrection is certainly stated. The chapter, as a whole, discusses in detail only the first resurrection, that of the righteous dead.
(4) "The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Rev_20:5). This verse positively places one thousand years between the resurrection of the righteous and the resurrection of the wicked. Thus we have established, the fact that the rapture is a selection so far as the dead are concerned.
2. The rapture is a selection from among tile living ones. Not all who are alive shall be caught up. Of two in the field, only one is to be taken, the other will be left. The same statement is said of the two in the bed, and of the two at the grindstone. A few passages must suffice.
(1) "Unto them that look for Him shall He appear" (Heb_9:28). This Scripture is talking of the rapture, the "parousia" of the Lord, and it includes only those who are looking for His appearing.
(2) "Lest you should draw back from Him at His coming." John had been talking about abiding in Christ. He says in this same chapter that there were certain ones who had been with them but who had gone out from them; but they had gone out simply because they were not all of them (see 1Jn_2:19). Therefore, he is talking very plainly about church-members–professors but not possessors,–when He says, "Little children, let us abide in Him, lest any of us should draw back from Him at His coming." John is teaching that when the Lord comes only those who abide in Him shall be caught up to meet Him in the air. The false and the untrue will be left behind.
(3) Christ said, "I will receive you unto Myself." Paul said, "We shall not all sleep but we shall be changed." Again he spoke of "our gathering together unto Him." The pronouns in these quotations and also in many other passages which refer to the rapture, are pronouns whose antecedents are saints; whose antecedents can not be unbelievers. Therefore we conclude that the rapture is a selection from among the living. John said, "We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him." Any one who has read John's Epistles would not think of including the wicked in John's "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR