He by Himself hath sworn; I on His oath depend;

I shall, on eagles’ wings upborne to heaven ascend. 

A day is coming, a day like no other in human history, a day known only to God, when, without any warning at all, millions of people who love the Lord Jesus will suddenly disappear from this earth. 

Christians have come to call this miraculous event  “the rapture of the saints.”  It is the moment when the bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, comes for His bride, the church, and every single one of His people will hear His call and rise to meet Him in the air, just as the Bible predicts. 

All those alive at the time will be gone “in the twinkling of an eye” without ever dying.  Just before we meet the Lord in the air, believers who have already died will rise from their graves in glorified bodies, and we will at last all be together with our Savior in the air.

I know what some of you are thinking: “Pat, this sounds insane.  How can you believe such a thing?  Some of what you write is OK, but this is just crazy!”

But if the Lord comes soon, the rapture may already be history by the time you read this. You might know all about it, and the subsequent horrors which will come upon the world in its wake.

Dear reader, if it has not happened yet, do not put this book down without getting on your knees and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Savior. 

Jesus is God; He alone knows the end from the beginning; He alone knows the future and He has adequately warned us of the things which are to come and what we should each do that we might be saved from hell and also from the terrible time which is going to come on the earth, a time so dreadful that Jesus said if those days were not shortened, no flesh would survive.

A great decision faces us.  We have free will.  God does not force us to listen to Him or  to accept His invitation to believe in His Son.  It is up to you.  Are you too busy?  Whatever you are busy with is going to pass away; it won’t have any importance at all, because this whole earth is going to be destroyed when God creates His new heavens and earth.

Do you think people will sneer at you?  They sneered at Him; what a privilege to share in His sufferings in this way. 

Are you afraid it will cost you too much?  Your soul is in the balance and it is worth more than the entire wealth of this planet.  Are you afraid of one particular person who will disapprove of your becoming a Christian?  Swat that evil thought aside.  Better to suffer some disapproval now than to suffer the flames of hell.  If you give your heart to Jesus, you might even be the means of that person being saved! 

But the rapture?  Millions of people disappearing?  Can it really be true?  Yes, dear reader, and it could be the very day you read these words.  How can we be so sure that it is a literal, future event which is predicted in the Bible?  Read it for yourself. 

'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  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.'  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

'Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.'  1 Corinthians 15: 51-52 

Christians are divided on when the rapture will occur. Most of the Christians I know believe that this stupendous event will take place before the time which the Bible calls “the Day of the Lord” or the Great Tribulation, that terrible period at the end of our era, when the forces of evil will be allowed to run amok and rule the earth.  Evil will seem to triumph. 

Why will murderous rulers then have a free hand?  Because the true church, the Christians indwelt by the Holy Spirit, will no longer be here to restrain evil.   Much of the organised church, and many entire denominations, will still be here, because they have not believed the simple gospel, but have added something to it or subtracted from it.  But all those who have come like little children and put their trust in the Lord Jesus to forgive their sins – each and every one will be “caught up” to be with the Lord in the air.

Some Bible teachers believe the rapture will happen in the middle of the seven year period.  Some believe it will happen at the very end.  You should research this and make up your own mind on what you think the Bible teaches.  I agree with the teachers who give many detailed scriptural reasons as to why the rapture will precede the Great Tribulation.

But the timing of the rapture is secondary.  Of primary importance is – are you ready?  Do you belong to the Savior?  Is there anything that is blocking you from getting on your knees right now and opening the door of your heart to Jesus?  Knock that block away, metaphorically speaking. 

Maybe you can’t get down on your knees.  Maybe you are in a line at the supermarket, or lying in a hospital bed.  It doesn’t matter; just tell the Lord Jesus you believe in Him, the wonderful Son of God, both God and man, and ask Him to forgive your sins and be your Savior.  Maybe you can’t even speak out loud.  It doesn’t matter.  He will hear your thoughts.  Pray right now, today.  Don’t leave it another minute. 

Be ready when that shout comes, when that trumpet blows, when we rise in the twinkling of an eye to meet our glorious Lord Jesus in the air.  Don’t be left down here in this world of trouble and shame.  Don’t miss our great day, the day He comes to call us to His side.  Come with me!  Make Him your Lord today; you will be my sister or my brother.  We will have all of eternity to enjoy the marvels the Lord has been preparing for us.  Come with me, dear friend!

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Our King is coming!

And the time will not be long,

Until we hail the radiant dawning,

And lift up the glad new song.

Oh wondrous day!  Oh, glorious morning,

When the Son of God shall come:

May we with lamps all trimmed and burning

Gladly welcome His return.

He is most assuredly coming, dear people.  It is all true.  Are you coming with me to meet Him?