AS THE DAYS pass by, there seems to be an increasing interest in the subject of the rapture of the church. While this interest is growing, there seems to be a proportionate development of uncertainty in regard to it. The confusion is becoming greater with the discussion of the subject. The point of disagreement is not the fact of the rapture, but rather the time when it will occur. Some brethren believe that it will take place before the beginning of the Tribulation; others, in the middle of that period of judgment; and others, that it will occur at the end of the Tribulation. As a person enters into the investigation of this subject, he can understand clearly why it is that these different positions are taken by earnest, honest, conscientious truth seekers. Another point about which there is quite a bit of discussion is what is known as "a split rapture." Some brethren believe that the entire church--every born again person--at the time of the rapture will be taken out of the world. There are, on the other hand, those who believe that only the "overcomers" will be taken out of the world; whereas all of the rest of the church who have thus not attained to such perfection in life will be left to pass through the horrors of the Tribulation, which will prove as a purging element to purify them and to prepare them for the presence of the Lord.

In the present discussion we shall look only at the fact of the rapture as it is set forth in the Scriptures and leave these controversial points for a later discussion.

"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 22 and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Gen. 5:21-24).

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, walked with God. It appears from verse 21 that the advent of a little one into his home had a decided effect upon the life of this patriarch. This truth appears from the statement: "... and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years." Parents' bringing children into the world brings upon themselves responsibilities and duties that should never be shirked, but should be met. The parents are responsible before God for the proper training and rearing of their children. It is unfortunate that at the present time many parents do not seem to realize their responsibilities and obligations for the proper training and rearing of their children--in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. All too frequently is it clear that the parents entirely neglect training and rearing their children in the way in which they should go. The state demands that they put the children in the public schools for their secular education. Sometimes even Christian parents depend upon the church to give all of the training in spiritual matters to their children and neglect the little ones entirely. Their sending the little tots to Sunday School will not meet the obligations that rest upon the parents to train them personally and to give them the individual attention that only a mother and a father can give.

Enoch realized his responsibility keenly and thus walked with God. Walking with God implies trusting Him for everything, looking to Him for guidance in all the affairs of life, and observing whatever instructions or commands that He has given for the regulation of a person's life and activities both secular and spiritual.

Enoch walked with God in this most intimate manner for three hundred years "... and he was not; for God took him." If the reader will examine the entire fifth chapter of Genesis, he will find that the other eight patriarchs, of whom we read in this chapter, enjoyed longevity and reached the end of their earthly career by dying; for of each one it is said: "... and he died." But with Enoch this was not true "for God took him." Concerning the Lord's taking Enoch, Paul, the writer of Hebrews, declared: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God" (Heb. 11:5). Enoch's being raptured, or caught away, is spoken of in this passage as God's translating him. Thus he was living a normal life up until a given moment, at which time God took him from all earthly scenes. We may be absolutely certain that at the translation of Enoch a miracle was performed which changed his body from its mortal, physical condition into a spiritual body. Such a transformation prepared him for the heavenly realms, which are not of a material nature, but are of etherial make-up.

The statement, "... for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God," is quite significant. When we view this statement in the light of all the facts connected with Enoch's translation, we come to the conclusion that God communicated in some way to Enoch that he was in a special manner well-pleasing to Him and that he had been prepared for his translation. This testimony may have been given through some prophet living at the time. Or it may have been made to him by "the still small voice" of the Spirit, speaking to his very soul. That God does, through His Spirit, impress the soul and incline it frequently toward truth and facts is a spiritual phenomenon that cannot be questioned. Having completed his roll call of faith in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, the writer declared, "And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, 40 God having provided some better thing concerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect" (Heb. 11:39,40). On account of their faith the witness was given to these, probably the testimony that they were pleasing to God as was Enoch.

In II Kings, chapter 2, we have the account of the translation of Elijah the prophet. The account tells us that he was in Gilgal, which is in the central part of the mountainous country of Samaria. He left Gilgal with Elisha and came to Bethel, which is around fifteen miles south of Gilgal. Upon their arrival at this place, the sons of the prophets said to Elisha: "Knowest thou that Jehovah will take away thy master from thy head today?" (II Kings 2:5). His reply was in the affirmative. Elijah tried to get Elisha to remain at Bethel while he went to Jericho. But Elisha, having cautioned the students of the theological school of the prophets to be silent concerning the translation of Elijah, went with this great man of God to Jericho.

At this place the sons of the prophets, like those at Bethel, also spoke to Elisha concerning Elijah's being translated that day. They knew it. Elisha, in like manner, urged these students to remain silent on the subject. Elijah insisted that Elisha remain with the sons of the prophets at Jericho, but he would not. He knew what would take place and wanted to be present at the time of the event. When Elijah started to go toward the Jordan, Elisha was at his side. Then they came to the river. They stood on the banks of the Jordan, but the sons of the prophets stood at a great distance, watching expectantly to see what would occur. Elijah smote the waters of the Jordan with his garment. These waters separated and allowed the two prophets to pass over to the east side of the river. As they walked along, Elijah insisted that Elisha ask of him what he desired. His immediate response was, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me" (II Kings 2:9). Elijah's reply was that he had asked a very hard thing; nevertheless, if he should be with him and see him when he was taken away, his request would be granted. As they continued walking and conversing, there appeared suddenly chariots of fire, to which horses of fire were attached. These came racing between the two prophets, and Elijah was taken up in the chariot of fire into heaven, while Elisha remained upon the earth.

From this account it is clear that God in some way revealed to these students in the schools of Bethel and Jericho that God would take His servant Elijah away from the earth that day. As to how He made this revelation, we are not told. He may have used some prophet--as He did on many occasions--or He may have imparted this knowledge directly by the Spirit to each of these students. It suffices us to know that the knowledge relative to the fact of Elijah's translation was imparted by the Lord to the students of these two schools, to Elisha, and to Elijah himself. This revelation doubtless stirred the souls of all of these servants of God.

"13 But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 16 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; 17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

5 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief: 5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do" (I Thess. 4:13-5:11).

In this quotation we find a prediction concerning the rapture of the church. It was necessary for me to give this passage in its entirety because to quote only verses 4:13-18 would be to break the thought and to destroy its meaning. This statement is in harmony with the general principle that a text apart from its context is but a pretext.

The Apostle declared that at some future time Jesus Christ will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. At that time the dead in Christ will be raised first. Following this glorious event will be the catching up of the saints, those that will be alive at that time. Their bodies will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye--according to I Corinthians 15:50-58.

The believers who are alive at the time of our Lord's coming at the conclusion of this age are assured that they are not appointed unto wrath--to enter into that period of wrath know as "the day of Jehovah," the Tribulation--but are to obtain salvation, deliverance from, this period of judgments. The way they are to be delivered from it is that the Lord descends from heaven to the air, miraculously transforms their bodies, and removes them from the earth. When they, with the dead in Christ who have been raised, meet the Lord in the air, He will return to glory, escorting them into the presence of God. From that time on these immortalized saints will ever be with the Lord.

We have already seen, in studying the translation of Enoch and that of Elijah, that a revelation was made to them prior to their translation to the effect that the time was at hand for them to be taken out of the world. Is there to be a repetition of this announcement that will be made to the saints in the end of this age immediately prior to their being snatched away from this earth--from the wrath to come? There seems to be such a promise in the following statement: "And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation" (I Peter 1:19-20). Until the Lord comes, we are admonished to give heed to "the word of prophecy made more sure" as we do to a lamp that is shining in a dark place. We are thus to study and to give heed to the prophetic word "until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your [our] hearts ..." Just before day there are the gray streaks of the morning painting the eastern skies. In this very early pre-dawn period the morning star arises, the herald of the coming day. With this imagery supplying the thought form, the Apostle thinks of our Lord's appearing in that which is the pre-dawn period. He is the bright and morning Star, but not a literal one that appears in the heavens. But at that time He arises in the hearts of His people. Though this language is figurative--a very beautiful figure it is--it stands for a reality--as all figurative language does. The daystar announces that the morn is right at hand. Thus the Daystar arises in the hearts of believers just before the day comes. It is therefore quite likely that the thing to which the apostle Peter is referring is that of the Lord's bearing witness in the souls of the believers to the fact that they who are thus regenerated and saved are acceptable to God, and that the time is at hand for them to be taken out of this world to be with Him. Thus we may with quite a degree of confidence believe that the Lord will prepare our hearts for that great event by giving us the witness of the Spirit in our souls that we are acceptable to God and are about to be translated.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!