J Vernon McGee: The Rapture Comes Next

Why the Rapture Comes Next — and How It Differs from the Second Coming

In this message, we explore why the church’s blessed hope (Titus 2:13) is the next event on God’s prophetic calendar and how the rapture differs from the revelation/Second Coming. We unpack Scripture to show: Christ gathers His bride to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; John 14:2–3), while at the end of the Tribulation He returns to the earth and His feet stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). No signs precede the rapture; many signs precede the revelation (Matthew 24).

What you’ll learn

• Rapture vs. Revelation (Second Coming):
  • Location: In the air vs. to the earth
  • Who’s removed: Believers taken vs. unbelievers judged
  • Signs: None vs. many (Olivet Discourse)
  • Ministry: The Lord Himself calls His church vs. angels gather Israel’s elect
  • Resurrections: Church at the rapture; OT & Tribulation saints at the revelation (Revelation 20:4–6)
  • Titles: Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16) vs. Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)
• Why “rapture” is biblical (the Greek harpazō—“caught up,” 1 Thessalonians 4:17)
• How the church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 5:9)
• The believer’s posture: waiting with comfort and joy vs. the world’s mourning at His revelation (Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30)

Key Scriptures

John 14:2–3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10; Titus 2:13; Romans 5:9; Matthew 24; Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 20:4–6; Revelation 22:16; Malachi 4:2; Daniel 12:1; 1 Corinthians 10:32; Jude 21

Chapters (add timestamps)

0:00 Why the rapture is next
— Definition & order in God’s program
— The action: Rapture vs. Revelation
— The attitude: Comfort vs. mourning
— The anticipation: No signs vs. many signs
— Resurrection order & kingdom entry
— Living in hope of the Blessed Hope

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#Rapture #BibleProphecy #EndTimes #SecondComing #Revelation #BlessedHope #PreTribulation #Eschatology #1Thessalonians #John14 #Zechariah14

The Rapture Comes Next

Why we believe the rapture comes next.

In other words, if you are a believer today, trusting Christ and in the church, you’re next on God’s prophetic program. Now, this does not mean we know when He’s coming, because that is absolutely concealed in Scripture so we cannot know the day, the hour, or the “twinkling of an eye” moment when this event will take place. But our attitude today should be “looking for that blessed hope.” The word “looking for” in the Greek carries the idea of welcoming or entertaining—something glorious and delightful to anticipate.

We believe that, timewise, nothing stands between where we are today and the rapture of the church. There are no signs, no tribulation, nothing that must be fulfilled before Jesus takes the church out of the world.

First, let’s define our terms. What do we mean by “rapture”? We won’t resort to a dictionary here. Briefly and tersely: it’s the moment Christ takes the church out of the world. That fits into a time program God has laid out. God moves in a very orderly way, and this will likewise be orderly. Next on God’s program is the rapture—He takes the church out of the world. After that will come a time of great tribulation, concluded by the return of Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom—what we label “the revelation.” That label is accurate, for the book of Revelation deals with the great tribulation and the coming of Christ at its end to establish His kingdom. It’s a very orderly program.

Some today deny the rapture because, they say, the term isn’t in the Bible; therefore, the Bible does not teach the rapture. I categorically deny that. In 1 Thessalonians the 4th chapter in verse 17 we read, “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.” The phrase “caught up” translates harpazō—“to snatch up, to lift, to draw up.” One of its meanings is “rapture.” You could substitute “raptured” for “caught up” here and have an equally accurate translation. The word-concept is in the Bible; to deny that is to argue semantics, not eschatology.

Another fallacy: some say that if Christ takes the church out of the world before the great tribulation, and then returns at the end of it, you’re teaching a second and third coming. That begs the question. At the rapture He does not return to the earth, as we’ll see. He takes His own out; He does not come to the earth. At the revelation He does return to the earth—that is the second coming, when He establishes His kingdom.

At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation (a baby); at Easter, redemption (the cross and resurrection). Those are vastly different scenes, yet we package them as the first coming. Likewise, when He comes for the church and later to set up the kingdom, we may speak of one “second coming,” while recognizing clear distinctions between the rapture and the revelation—not only in time, but in nature. At the revelation He comes as King to the earth. At the rapture He comes as Bridegroom to take His church out of the world, without coming to the earth.

I want to consider three aspects as we compare the rapture and the revelation: (1) the action (physical factors), (2) the attitude (psychological factors), and (3) the anticipation (spiritual factors). In each, they differ.

1) The Action Is Different

At the rapture, Christ does not come to the earth. He does not touch the Mount of Olives. In fact, He does not come to the earth proper. The Lord Jesus first mentions the rapture in John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you.” The Father’s house is this vast universe with many “abiding places” (monai). He says, “I go to prepare a place for you”—not on earth, for He left the earth.

Paul amplifies this in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God… Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up… to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” We meet Him in the air. That’s explicit.

At the revelation, He comes to the earth. Zechariah 14:4 states, “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives…”—so specific and definite that we understand it literally. When He comes the second time, His feet touch the Mount of Olives.

We’ve even seen an illustration in our day: in the first moon missions, Borman went around the moon but didn’t touch down; later, Neil Armstrong touched down. Similarly, at the rapture, Jesus does not touch down; we’re caught up to meet Him. Later, at the revelation, “His feet shall stand” on the Mount of Olives—a greater touchdown than man on the moon.

Another contrast: At the rapture, believers are removed from the earth; at the revelation, unbelievers are removed. In John 14:2–3 Jesus says, “I… will come again, and receive you unto myself.” Believers are taken out.

In Matthew 24 37 and 41 (the Olivet Discourse—addressed to Israel, not the church) Jesus likens His coming to the days of Noah: “the flood came, and took them all away.” Who was taken away? Not Noah—he remained to continue human life on earth. The unbelievers were removed in judgment. “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left….” In context, “taken” is taken in judgment; those left enter the kingdom. Thus, rapture: believers removed. Revelation: unbelievers removed.

Signs: At the rapture there are no signs. At the revelation there are many. Matthew 24 answers, “What is the sign…?” e.g., “the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.” I’m not looking for that—I’m looking for Him.

Revelation provides an orderly division—past, present, future—showing the steps by which Christ becomes ruler of the earth. Paul also notes the human family’s threefold division (1 Corinthians 10:32): Jew, Gentile, church of God. In Revelation, before the great day of wrath, two groups are sealed: 144,000 Israelites and a great company of Gentiles. But the church is not sealed; the church is with Him in the New Jerusalem. If the church were on earth in the tribulation, unsealed, it would be tragic indeed, for during that period Christ is not interceding as High Priest but judging as King.

Angel ministry: At the rapture there is no angelic gathering. “The Lord himself shall descend…” His voice is like an archangel’s, like a trumpet (cf. Revelation 1:10). He needs no angel to help raise the dead or call His bride.

At the revelation there is angel ministry. Matthew 24:30 and 31: “…they shall see the Son of man coming… And he shall send his angels… and they shall gather together his elect….”

Who is raised when: At the rapture, those “in Christ” (living and dead) are changed and associated with the New Jerusalem. At the revelation, Old Testament saints and tribulation saints are raised to enter the kingdom (Matthew 25:34; Revelation 20 4 and 6). That concludes the “first resurrection” (of the saved). The unsaved are raised after the millennium at the great white throne.

Symbolic titles: For the church He is the “bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16). For Israel and the nations in the tribulation He is “the Sun of righteousness” (Malachi the 4th chapter verse 2). In nature, the morning star appears before the sun—the star may appear at any time; when it does, signs unfold that lead to sunrise. So with the rapture and the revelation.

2) The Attitude Is Different

Rapture—deliverance and joy. Revelation 4:1 pictures a door opened in heaven and a voice “as… a trumpet” saying, “Come up hither.” Jude 21: “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” I was saved by mercy, kept by mercy, and at the rapture I’ll go out by mercy. 1 Thessalonians the first chapter verse 9 and 10: “…to wait for his Son from heaven… even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” The “wrath to come” is the great tribulation.

Some say the church needs the tribulation to purify it. The church does need purifying—but only “the blood of Jesus Christ” can cleanse us sufficiently to enter His presence. Others accuse us of seeking an “escape mechanism.” That’s true—and wise. Airplanes have oxygen masks and life vests; I’m grateful for escape provisions. God has provided an escape from the wrath to come. Titus calls it “that blessed hope” (looking for it). Romans the 5th chapter verse 9: “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Revelation—mourning and judgment. Psalm 2:9: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron….” Revelation 1:7: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him… and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him….” Matthew 24:30: “…all the tribes of the earth mourn….” This is not the Bridegroom coming for His bride with joy; this is the King coming in judgment. Daniel 12:1 speaks of “a time of trouble such as never was…,” followed by deliverance for those “found written in the book.” In connection with the revelation, the watchword is “watch”; with the rapture, “wait.” Both English words differ in nuance—like a hunter watching for deer, a husband waiting for a late wife, or parents watching through a midnight crisis. The attitudes are different: the believer’s waiting is joyful anticipation; the world’s watching is dread of judgment.

3) The Anticipation Is Different

Revelation: Israel is back in the land for the tribulation, not yet the millennium. The focus is on signs, which are not pleasant—events to pass through and get past.

Rapture: There are no signs required. Yes, Scripture foretells apostasy: John says many antichrists will precede “the” Antichrist; Paul tells Timothy there will be a falling away (1 Timothy 4:1–3). We’re living in such days, but our hope is not in the church—it is fixed on the person of Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonians thought some loved ones had missed the rapture by dying. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 to assure them: the dead in Christ rise first; then the living are caught up; together we meet the Lord in the air, and “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Early Christians even called burial grounds the “koimeterion”—an inn for the night. They were “putting loved ones up” until morning. Most of the church has already missed the tribulation entirely by going through the doorway of death; those alive at the rapture simply bring up the end of the parade.

Death for a believer means the body sleeps, temporarily placed in that “inn,” awaiting resurrection. I recall a dear couple celebrating their 50th anniversary; not long after, the husband died. At the casket, his wife patted his hand, kissed his forehead, and said, “John, I’ll see you in the morning.” She will—some bright morning—because the rapture means Christ, and seeing Him; He will take us to the place He has prepared.

What is your hope for the future? If you have none, look back to the cross—Christ died for sinners. Trust Him as your Savior, and then turn your face toward the sunrise, for the Bright Morning Star will appear one of these days. Until then, may God richly bless.