Scriptural Warning to be Prepared for the Rapture

The Bible narrative most important to understanding the end-times before the rapture is Matthew chapters 24 and 25.   These important narrative portains and parables describe the end-times conditions both before and after the rapture for followers of Jesus.   The chapter divisions and verse numbering (and paragraph decisions) in the Bible are not part of the original Greek manuscripts.   Chapter division and verse numbering only became standard around 1511.   It is unfortunate that the chapter division was made at the end of verse 51.   It would have been far better to start chapter 25 at verse 32.   However this would have made chapter 25 especially long.

The important information to understand about Matthew chapter 24 and 25 is that verses 24:4-31 and verses 24:32 - 25:31 cover the same period of time.   This period of time is from the start of the end-times until the second coming.   (The rest of chapter 25 verses 32-46 describe conditions after the second coming of Jesus.)

Parable of the Fig Tree

32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree.   When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.
33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.
34 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.
35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.   Only the Father knows .

The plain teaching of this parable is that Christians will not know the day or hour of Jesus coming for the rapture, but we will know that it is near.   This time period of knowing that Jesus return for the rapture is near will not extend longer than 20 years.   (I speculate that it will be around three or four years.)

Narrative: Rapture conditions will be similar to Noah's Day

37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.
38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat.
39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away.    That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

The plain teaching in this section is that the broader culture will not be aware of Jesus coming for the rapture.   Noah (and his family) were certainly aware of the coming flood.   They knew that it wouldn't come until the ark was finished.   They also knew that the flood wouldn't occur until the animals came and were stored in the ark with provisions.   As more and more of these signs or events occurred, they understood the time was becoming shorter and shorter before the flood occurred.

Narrative: Rapture

40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.
42 “So you, too, must keep watch!   For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.

This the clearest description of the rapture outside of Paul's letters.   Paul's description of the rapture in I Corinthians 15 gives a fuller explanation of what it means to be "taken".   (The author believes there is a highly likelihood that the rapture will leave corpses, but the text is not clear about this.)

Parable of the Burglar

43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.
44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

This parable has two characters, a homeowner and a burglar.   The burgler represents Jesus coming for the rapture.   The identification of the homeowner is speculative.   My understanding is that the homeowner represents the visible church which consists of both saved and unsaved individuals.   The broader culture will be unaware of Jesus return and the church will experience a great apostasy.   Most churches and church goers will also be taken by surprise by the rapture.

Parable of the Sensible Servant

45 “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
48 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’
49 and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?
50 The master will return unannounced and unexpected,
51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites.   In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Rewards will be given Christians after the rapture.   Those who are responsible with their spiritual gifts and calling will recieve some type of reward for their behavior.   Those who ignored or disregarded their gifts and calling will lose their salvation.   It may be that the rapture will include those who were saved on earth, but later lost their salvation (as taught in the book of Hebrews).   If you believe that a person cannot lose their salvation, then you have to believe that God will rapture both those who are saved and not saved at the rapture.

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps,
4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.
5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.
8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us.   Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came.   Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.
11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
13 “So you, too, must keep watch!   For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

This parable is a strong warning to those Christians who claim to believe in Jesus, but are not paying attention to his near return.   The purpose of this website and the book is wake up Christians to pay attention to the signs and events to occur before the coming of Jesus to rapture his church.

In this parable, the five wise bridesmaids represent those Christians who are aware they are in the end-times before the rapture.   The five foolish bridesmaids are Christians who realize too late that the time of the rapture is very near.   This realization will come probably with the cosmic disturbance described in Revelation 6:12-17.   These late "believers" will be shut out of the marriage feast of the lamb, and probably experience loss of salvation.   (But the parable is not explicit about loss of salvation.)

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