We shall be caught up

A 2010 calendar. What will happen this year? We put all our appointments on the calendar so that we can keep our schedules.

God’s calendar. He has planned this year, and he planned all the years before time began. He is never late, never misses an appointment, never in the dark as to what happens next. So what is the next great event on God’s calendar?

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, He is writing to the church at Thessalonica who had grown anxious and worried about what was going to happen to those who had died in Christ. Verse 17 states, “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.”

There are five different meanings associated with the words “to catch up”.

1. To Catch Away Speedily

This is the translation in Acts 8:39 where the Spirit “caught away Philip” after he led the Ethiopian to Christ. So will we be caught up quickly to meet Him, in the twinkling of an eye. We should be ready and patiently waiting for our Lord’s return. (1 John 3:1-3) Because it happens so suddenly and we aren’t told the time, we need to be sure that we keep ourselves clean from sin before Him so we aren’t ashamed at His coming.

2. To Seize by Force

This is yet another meaning imbedded in the words “caught up”. Jesus used this in John 6:15. He departed from the multitudes when He knew that they would take Him away and make Him king. I hope this does not mean that some saints will be so attached to this world that they must be dragged away as was the case with Lot when the angels came to take him out of Sodom before the city was burned with fire.

3. To Claim for One’s Own Self

To think that this sees the rapture from God’s perspective, makes us all the more thankful and awe-struck to know of God’s delight in us. This sees the rapture from God’s point of view as He comes to claim His bride. “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2) With His blood He bought us, and He has placed us in the church as His bride. In His time he will return and claim His bride for Himself. Then our union with Him will be complete.

4. To Move to a New Place

Paul used this word when he described his visit to Heaven. (2 Cor. 12:1-4) Jesus has gone to prepare a home for us, and when He comes, He will take us to that glorious place. We are strangers here and our true citizenship is in Heaven. (John 14:1-6, Phil. 3:20-21)

5. To Rescue from Danger

In Acts 23:10 we read that the mob was about to do great harm to Paul, and the captain ordered the soldiers to go down and rescue Paul from them. With this meaning in the mind we know that the church will be raptured before the Great Tribulation period spoken of in the book of Revelation. In 1Cor. 5:9, Paul says that we have not been appointed to wrath. The wrath of God will be poured out on the unbelieving world for seven years, but He says that we have not been appointed unto wrath. Thus we will not be upon this earth during that time.


From this paper we learn what it will mean to be caught up into the air to be with our Lord. It will be very sudden. No one knows the day nor the hour but our Father in Heaven. It will be announced by the voice of our Savior Himself. It will be instantaneous with no time to prepare for it. Are you ready for the coming of Christ? It says in Revelation that all those who do not believe in Him will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. God has provided a way for you to be saved from eternity in Hell. “No man comes thru the Father but thru me.” That “me” is Jesus Christ. He died on the cross for you. Don’t ignore His words.