The Coming Judgement

His Mercy

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 NKJV

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

A scripture of great debate and discussion is the event we all term as the “rapture”

The word used here in the Greek is Harpazo - To take something forcefully - steal - forcefully snatch

Jesus said about His disciples

John 10:28–29 NKJV

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Matthew 12:29 NKJV

Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

Plunder - Steal his goods - the epic battle between the strong man and the “stronger man”

We know that there is a battle for the souls of men that is real and deadly - but the promise of the Father is that Satan will never be able to totally overcome you!

Matthew 13:19 NKJV

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

The Apostle Paul uses this word to describe his journey to heaven

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 NKJV

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.