Are you looking forward to the Rapture / Resurrection with joy, with a living hope, and overwhelming gladness? Are you expecting a glorious, noisy, stupendous party? Or are you simply expecting to be taken up with nary a whimper, leaving your clothes behind in a crumpled heap? The image of an instantaneous rapture has been popularized in our minds for quite some time, but this is not the pattern that scripture leads me to expect.
Yahweh's Parties
Yahweh's parties, the moedim, are the best parties in town. Nobody does them better! Enough meat to feed an army – lamb, beef – roasted, boiled, barbequed, as it were. Loaf upon loaf of breads, some baked with leaven, some without. And the wine – gallons and gallons of wine – the best wine in the world. Yahweh brings the best of the best to his parties, never second rate. And they hardly sound like quiet, unnoticed affairs.
Take Shavuot for instance. When Shavuot occurred in Jerusalem, instituting the Age of Grace and the Church Age, the people hearing of this accused the disciples of being "full of sweet wine" (Acts 2-13). Peter quickly corrects them saying "It is only nine a.m. in the morning!" Wouldn't you be joyful if you had just been indwelt by the Ruach Ha'Kodesh? I would. Sounds like a noisy, joyous, glorious occasion to me!
And how about Yom Teruah. Trumpets and shofars blaring, wedding day of the Messiah, coronation of Messiah as King, resurrection of the righteous dead and the taking up of the living righteous. Sounds like a noisy, joyous glorious occasion to me!
Other Parties
Weddings
In a Jewish wedding, the groom's party arrives at the bride's house with loud shouts, often accompanied by the blowing of a shofar or trumpet. The bride would first hear of her bridegrooms presence outside her home through the loud, noisy calling of the bridegroom's friends – "Your groom is on his way to lift you up and carry you to the new home; come out and join him so we can start the ceremony!" This sounds like a noisy, joyous, glorious occasion to me!
Parades
Paul tells us that armies would make a public display of captives, weaponry, and trophies that were seized during war on foreign soil (Colossians 2:15). Every item displayed was exposed to all to view and enjoy in an openly, blatantly, publicly performed parade. It was a momentous, loud, full on celebration that was celebrated by both emperor and subjects. When Yeshua triumphed over Satan, he also held a parade (Ephesians 4:8). In these two verses Paul uses four Greek words: Apekduomai (ἀπεκδύομαι) means a complete spoiling, stripping, or disarming of an enemy. Deigmatizō (δειγματίζω) denotes the display of captives, weaponry, and trophies that were seized during war. Parrēsia (παρρησία) means an openly, blatantly, publicly performed parade. Thriambeuō (θριαμβεύω) specifically means a triumphal parade. These were no quiet celebrations, attended by just a couple of the emperor's closest friends! Once again a noisy, loud, full on, joyous, heart warming, momentous, glorious occasion.
Repentant Sinners
Heaven celebrates every single time a sinner repents (Luke 15:4-7). When the prodigal son returns home, the father sees him from afar, runs to meet him, then commands his servants to bring out the best robe, sandals, and his ring, to kill a fattened calf, roast it, and then celebrate. (Luke 15:20-24). The celebration was so loud, in fact, that the older son could hear its noise even out in the fields, and came to investigate (Luke 15:25). This sounds like noisy, joyous, glorious occasions to me!
Other Celebrations
Scripture tells us of many other celebrations. Celebrations are held for: the feasts, for being chosen, for dedications, for reading of Torah, for giving thanksgiving and praise, for victory in Yeshua, for the captives having been brought to a better, more wonderful captivity. We escape floods, famine, walls falling down, the tribulation. We are kept from the wrath about to engulf the Earth. We are invited to a wedding and hidden away when the door is shut. We are given festal clothing. Angels celebrating, fathers holding parties, and a lot of feasting, thanking and praising. This sounds like a lot of joyous, noisy, exuberant celebrating to me, not at all like a lot of private, quiet affairs!
The Blessed Hope Called The Rapture
Titus 2:13 – "We look forward with hope to that wonderful day."
1 Peter 1:6-7 – "In this you greatly rejoice, despite immediate trials, for there is wonderful joy ahead."
Throughout the Newer Covenant, we see an image of the meeting with Yeshua Ha'Mashiach upon resurrection as a blessed, joyful, wonderful event. At the resurrection, we receive our immortal, incorruptible bodies in which we will spend eternity. When Yeshua returns, he will shout, the archangel will shout, and Yahweh's voice will sound like a trumpet. Yeshua will not come all the way to the Earth, but will wait for us to join him in the clouds.
All of Heaven was involved, giving praise for Yeshua's victory over Ha'Satan, fully, openly, and loudly celebrating. This was no quiet, private celebration between Yahweh, Yeshua, and the Ruach Ha'Kodesh. Just imagine how great the parade and celebration will be when Yeshua raptures his entire Bride and brings them home to his Father's house in Heaven!! This sounds like a noisy, joyous, glorious, happy, cheerful, festive, and singing our hearts out occasion to me!
Conclusions
The Rapture, the gathering together in the clouds, is accompanied by Yeshua shouting, an Angel speaking in a loud voice, and the trump (voice) of Yahweh. When the Rapture occurs it may be that some of you will be simply caught up and some will have to be yanked out of here! Which person will you be? It is my prayer that you will accept Yeshua as your Lord and savior, and be one who goes willingly when He calls out: "Come up here."
The Church/Bride of Yeshua will be given its Sabbath rest as a result of Yeshua's shed blood, and sings new songs to confirm this fact while enjoying being in Heaven (Revelation 15:3). And I highly doubt that these songs will be sung quietly and slowly like some funeral dirge. Does this sound like a quiet celebration to you? Not likely – I don't think so! Undoubtedly the rapture will be a very noisy, joyous, glorious, happy, cheerful, heart warming, festive, and singing our hearts out stupendous occasion!
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