Biblical explanation
Paul writes: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God” (). Then he says that the resurrected righteous and living believers will be: “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (). The word commonly translated “rapture” comes from the Latin translation of the idea of being “caught up.” The biblical event is therefore real, but Scripture presents it in connection with Christ's visible return, the resurrection, the trumpet, and the gathering of His people. Scripture clearly teaches that believers will be caught up to meet Christ. The word “rapture” itself is not found in the Bible, and Scripture does not explicitly describe a separate secret coming years before Christ's visible return.
In brief
Paul writes: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God” ().
Bible references
Go deeper into this topic Is Jesus Really Coming Back? Start the studyThis answer is written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team, and is presented with supporting references so you can examine each passage in context. If you notice an error or unclear statement, please suggest a correction.