WHEN THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE TAKEN TO HEAVEN, WILL IT BE DONE IN SECRET?  Christ is coming with a multitude of bright shining angels, Trumpets sounding, the dead waking up, graves opening, and the living and dead ascending in the clouds. This sounds like the most spectacular event ever witness on this earth.  Will it be done in secret?

This series addresses the concerns we all have: the concern for sin, evil, death, dying, and what happens after we die. Is there hope after death? When God created us, humans, he intended for us to live forever in a loving, peaceful relationship with him. But this relationship has been broken by sin.

Here, we address the origin of sin and look more closely at death and dying.

But, instead of looking at death negatively, we look at it in the context of hope, the promised hope based on what Jesus did for us when he died and came back to life again. 

From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 4: Sabbath.School (See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School)

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Let’s invite the Spirit of God

Heavenly Father, we are so looking forward to your return. Whether sleeping in the grave or alive when you come, help us be among those who make heaven their eternal home.

In Jesus’ Name Amen

Books and Movies are great at spreading false ideas. Of these false ideas are those related to God and the supernatural world. Humans love to read, watch, and hear stories about the supernatural. The most profitable movies ever, according to the Hollywood Reporter is Avatar’, ‘Blair Witch Project,’ ‘Star Wars’ and Paranormal Activity, with the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity at the top of the chart.

Often false ideas about what is written in the Bible are presented in movies. One of these ideas is related to what happens when Jesus returns to this earth.

Based on what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:51

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—(1 Corinthians 15:51)

Some people suggest that this mystery Paul is talking about is the “secret rapture” believe and taught by many ministers today.

It is believed by many that Christ’s return will be what is called a “secret rapture”. 

You need to know that the word rapture means experiencing intense pleasure or joy.  The idea is that the ecstasy of being taken to heaven and being changed from mortal to immortal will be secret.

The secret rapture claims that the righteous living, seven years before Christ’s return, will be suddenly, quietly, and secretly taken to heaven while everyone else remains here on earth wondering what happened to them. The assumption is that some people will suddenly disappear while everyone else stays here on earth.

 For instance, someone who may be riding an uber may find himself or herself suddenly in a car with no driver because the uber driver was taken to heaven. Hence, all that is left behind is the driver’s clothes!

A 16-volume best-selling Left Behind series turned into four movies, promoted this idea, exposing millions to it.

These movies lay out this false idea about what will happen when the righteous living is taken to heaven.

The assumption is this will occur secretly. Unfortunately, millions of people brought this notion learned from these movies.

Of course, the Bible doesn’t teach that there is a gap between when God’s people will be taken to heaven and Jesus returns to this earth.  Nor is their ascension secret.

Then what is Paul talking about when he says: I tell you a “mystery” that the living will be changed?

What Paul is referring to is simply the change that will take place when the living righteous join the resurrected righteous dead at Christ’s second coming. This is the “rapture” the intense pleasure or joy experienced by the righteous living as they are transformed from mortal to immortal.

There is no “secret rapture” because the Second Coming will be visible to all living human beings according to Revelations. 1:7 in which it says:

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7). (Split)

The point is both the resurrection of the righteous dead and the transformation of the living righteous take place at the sound of the trumpet at Christ’s return as Paul expresses in I Corinthians 15:51-52

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:51-52) 

This will be the most spectacular event on this earth ever since the creation of us humans. The living righteous will join the righteous dead that God has brought back to life at the Second The Coming.

They are changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:52.

This experience is the only real “rapture” there is. There is no “secret rapture” because every living person on earth will see the Second Coming happen.

The dead will wake up and the living will be changed when God blows His trumpet at the Second Coming.

At God’s command, they are given bodies that never die. Their bodies are made immortal. Together, the living righteous are lifted up into the air to meet their Lord.

Angels according to Matthew 24:31 “ ‘gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’ ” (Matthew 24:31).

I like the description in the Book the Great Controversy: 

“Little children are taken by holy angels to their mothers’ arms. Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 645.

Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when “the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52. The Desire of Ages, p. 632. 

This is such an amazing promise, something so different from anything that we have experienced that it’s hard to comprehend. That is why to us it is a mystery. But think about the vastness of the cosmos, as well as the incredible complexity of life. Creation itself testifies to God’s amazing power. It should be no different when it comes to his amazing power to transform the living and raise the dead at Jesus’ second coming.

I want this experience! How about you?

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