SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES LESSON 702: THE RAPTURE

RECAP OF OUR LAST STUDY From our last study, entitled “The Service of Consecrated Saints”, we learnt that God gives us gifts necessary and appropriate to carry out our responsibility in His Body. For our service to be fruitful, we must be humble and yielded to the Lord. We must receive His grace, develop our ministry, be diligent and seek to glorify Him. Gifts are not for show but for the benefit of of God’s Kingdom.

TODAY’S STUDY: LESSON 702: THE RAPTURE MEMORY VERSE: “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” (I Thessalonians 4:17). TEXT: I Corinthians 15:51-55; I Thessalonians 4:13-18.

SUMMARY The certainty of the Rapture (I Thes. 4:15-17; John 14:1-3; Dan. 7:13-14) The Rapture is the catching away of believers to meet the Lord in the air. It has been illustrated by the catching away of Enoch, Elijah and Jesus. Signs heralding the Rapture (Luke 21:24-36; Mat. 24;3-14 ;2 Tim. 3:1-5) The end-time will feature deceiving false Christs, wars, rumours of war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes and increased backsliding from the faith. The suddenness of the Rapture (Matthew 24:27,36; Luke 12:40) The day and the time of the Rapture are known only to God. Readiness for the Rapture (I Thessalonians 5:4-8; Luke19:13;1 John 3:3) To be prepared; be saved from sin and live right. Be sober and vigilant. Watch and pray. Consecrate your life in service to God.

DISCUSSION

QUESTION 1 What do you understand by the term ‘Rapture’? I Thessalonians 4:16-17 I Corinthians 15:51,52

QUESTION 2 What are scriptural proofs of the certainty of the rapture? Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11,12 Acts 1:9-11

QUESTION 3 How do we know the coming of the Lord is at hand? Matthew 24:4-6; 10-12 2 Timothy 3:1-5

QUESTION 4 Knowing that the coming of the Lord shall be sudden, what should be our attitude as believers? Matthew 24:36,42 Luke 12:40 I Peter 4:7

CONCLUSION At the rapture, Christ will appear in the air to resurrect the dead saints along with the living believers. Sinners are to make haste to repent and embrace Christ as their Saviour while the saints of God are to watch and pray ‘lest that day come upon them unprepared’.