Ahoana no hiomanana amin'ny fampakarana

Though the word “rapture” is not used in Scripture, it is widely used among believers to denote the Glorious Event of the believers being supernaturally taken up to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air at His Second Coming. Instead of “Rapture”, the Scripture uses such phrases and words as “Blessed Hope”, “Caught Up” and “Translation”. Here are some of the Scripture references that either implicitly or explicitly describe the Rapture: Revelation 4:1-2; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Corinthians 15:51-52; Titus 2:13 Many Scriptures give the believer hints on how to prepare and be ready for the Rapture.

The Lord spoke about readiness in His parable of the ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom – Matthew 25:1-13 Five of them were foolish, for they took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But five were wise, for they took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. When all those virgins arose to trim their lamps, the lamps of those foolish virgins went out for lack of oil and were compelled to go and buy. We are told that while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut. There we learn that the distinguishing factor is that the wise virgins, together with their lamps, have oil in their vessels; while the foolish virgins took their lamps but had no oil with them. Lamp in scriptural symbology is the Word of God (Psalms 119:105).

Oil in scriptural symbology is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a Gift of God though (Acts 2:38) and cannot be purchased with money (Act 8:20); but will be given to those who ask (Luke 11:13). The vessel is a type of the believer’s body – the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). In preparation for the Rapture, receive the full, pure Word of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Realize that there is a prize to be won.

Do not have an attitude of merely holding out to the end or to escape hell, but have the vision or understanding of the prize to be won, or the glories that are to be revealed; then plunge into the race. You can become the first part of the harvest by putting all you have into the battle and to winning the contest. The First-fruits are the part of the harvest that ripen first. They learnt their lessons much earlier. Apostle Paul said in: Philippians 3:13-14 Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The prize is to be in the first-fruit rapture of the New Testament saints – the Rapture.

Learn from Enoch – the first raptured saint.

Hebrews 11:5-6 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him. That means that the prize of the rapture is to be attained through faith, in the way other blessings come. All is by faith. We can never be ready for the rapture by mere human effort. It is a faith experience. Before our translation, we must have the testimony that Enoch had i.e., please God; And even for this, we depend on our Lord Jesus Christ – Hebrews 13:20-21 The God of peace…Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ…

Make prayer a business in your life

Elijah, who was also translated, was above all a man of prayer (James 5:17-18) The Lord said: Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and stand before the Son of Man. A prayerless life is not going to be ready when the “Voice as a trumpet” of Revelation 4:1 speaks and says, “Come up hither”.

Let there be no guile found in your mouth

The Firstfruits mentioned in Revelation 14 also pertains to the Rapture. Of them it is said “in their mouth was found no guile.” ( Revelation 14:5). Guile speaks of cunning, deviousness, trickiness, or subtility. Sadly enough, there is a great deal of this among professing Christians. There is no concealment in heaven, and the sooner we learn this lesson, the sooner. we will be ready for the Rapture. Many Scriptures tell us of the potential of the tongue for good or evil (James 3:2, 6), (Matthew 5:32). The one disciple that the Lord commended was Nathaniel, as we read in: John 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Having nothing to do with Mystery Babylon, the harlot church and follow the Lord in His footsteps

Another thing said of the Firstfruits is found in Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. That they are virgins does not pertain to marriage (read II Corinthians 11:2). It simply means that they are not involved with Mystery, Babylon, the harlot church of Revelation 17. To follow the Lord wherever He goes in heaven, it is obvious that we learned to follow Him in His footsteps here on earth. Those who would be of the Bride of Christ, the First-fruits unto God, will follow Christ in His sufferings, His temptations, His labor of love for the lost, His prayer life, and in His consecration to the will of the Father. As the Lord came down from heaven only to do the will of the Father, so we should be willing to forsake all, that we might win Christ. As Christ came to this world to be a missionary to redeem lost humanity, so we too, must consider the supreme work of our life as helping to get the gospel out to the nations (Matthew 24:14). World evangelism then is necessary to bring back the King. We, therefore, must have this vision to be a member of His Bride when He comes.

Separation from the World

We must be separated from the world and never violate the vow of that separation. The Christian who enters into an affinity with the world commits spiritual adultery: James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Worldliness has sapped the power of many a Christian. It is the prevalent sin of the lukewarm Laodicean Church (Revelation 3:17-19). The love of the world produces lukewarmness to Christ. The Scripture warns us against the flood of worldliness that is seeking admission into the Church today, and it is little by little gaining entrance and undermining the spiritual foundations of the Church: I John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Most of today’s public places of amusement in general are of the spirit of the world. These will include the theater, the movie house, and the dance hall. Those who are among the First-fruit rapture will not be found in these places when the Lord comes.

Matthew 24:44 Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

Revelation 22:20 …Even so, come, Lord Jesus. AMEN

163 – How to prepare for the rapture