Max Lucado - Believers Will Be Leaving
Summary:
In this message centered on 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, the preacher teaches that the next major prophetic event is the pre-tribulation Rapture, where Christ will suddenly catch up living and resurrected believers to meet Him in the air, ushering them into eternal life. He supports this view with the church’s absence in Revelation’s tribulation chapters, parallels to Noah and Lot being rescued before judgment, God’s promise to deliver believers from wrath, and the comforting purpose of the doctrine. The sudden removal of the church will clear the way for the Antichrist to rise amid global chaos, offering false solutions—but believers can live in hope and readiness today.
Greeting and the Promise of Eternal Life
I started recording this in another room, and then I heard the washing machine. Oh, the joy of working at home surprises—you never know what noises are going to appear. So, from my noisy home to yours, God bless you. God bless you. May the promise of John 3:16 be yours: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The Bible urges us to set our hope on eternal life. The Bible is a future-facing book. Through the Bible, God instructs us to have confidence about the end times. He equips us to face the future, and one way He does this is by telling us what is going to happen. He tells us about the Antichrist; He tells us about the Rapture.
The Description of the Rapture
I believe that the next major event in history is the Rapture. It’s described in 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 16 through 17. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, that scripture says, and He will come with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. The dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up—that’s the word Rapture—caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17)
You see, Christians will, upon the signal of Christ, be transported into the presence of Christ. This Rapture includes the resurrection of dead believers as well as the transformation of living believers. We will all be together in the glorious presence of Jesus Christ, and He will escort us into our heavenly home to inaugurate the eternal life that He promises. Now, the word Rapture does not appear in the Bible, but the phrase «caught up» does. That scripture I just read uses it. The Latin translation of this Greek term «caught up» is rapere, R-A-P-T-U-R-E, and that’s why Christians speak of the Rapture of the saints. I believe this Rapture is going to take place prior to the severe seven-year tribulation that will come, in which the Antichrist will wreak his horrors on the earth.
Reasons for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Several reasons confirm my belief. One is the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the most detailed description of the tribulation. This description is in chapters 4 through 18. In those chapters, the word «church» doesn’t appear. The word «church» appears 19 times in the first four chapters, but not once in the following 14. It’s as if the church is absent from the tribulation.
Another reason is that Jesus compared the tribulation to the days of Noah, as well as the days of Lot. In both cases, the righteous were rescued prior to the calamity. Noah and his family were rescued; they were placed in the ark before the flood came. Lot was rescued from Sodom and Gomorrah. Noah never felt a raindrop; Lot never felt a flash of brimstone. In the same manner, I believe that Jesus will rescue His church, and we will not feel the evil of the Antichrist in the tribulation.
Number three, He has promised to do so. He has promised to rescue us! You know, Jesus is described as the one who delivers us from the wrath that is to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Paul clearly stated, «For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ» (1 Thessalonians 5:9). So we who have been praying «deliver us from evil, » that prayer will be answered.
Lastly, the message of the Rapture is intended to comfort and bless God’s people. After describing the resurrection of the righteous, the Apostle Paul tells us to encourage one another—encourage each other with these words—again back in 1 Thessalonians 4:18. If Christians are going to endure the tribulation, how could we encourage one another? How could we encourage each other with those words? But if we are going to be transported into the glorious presence of Christ, being prepared as a bride to return with Christ, now that’s encouraging!
The Suddenness of the Rapture
Now, this resurrection, this resurrection of the righteous, is going to occur in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as scripture says (1 Corinthians 15:52). The word used for «moment» is atomos, a Greek word from which we get our English word «atom.» To the degree that the atom is small, this event will be quick—it will happen in the twinkling of an eye. I don’t know how you measure the twinkling of an eye—how long is the twinkle of an eye? I think it’s too quick to be measured, but that’s how long Jesus will need to resurrect His church.
The Global Impact of the Rapture
Now consider the impact, the implications of this sudden resurrection. Churches will close; God-fearing teachers will vanish; every faith-based NGO will be vacated; Christian schools will be empty. Christian doctors, lawyers, researchers, and professors—all gone in an instant! The salt and light of society around the world will be withdrawn.
The Restrainer and the Rise of the Antichrist
The Apostle Paul explained the Rapture in this fascinating way: he said the secret power of evil is already working in the world, but there is one who is stopping that power, and He will continue to stop it until He is taken out of the way (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Now, who is the secret power of evil? That’s the devil, and he’s working through the Antichrist. Who is stopping that power, keeping him at bay? The Holy Spirit is, through the church. Remove the church; remove this restraining power of the Holy Spirit from our already fragile world, and the stage is set for a false messiah to appear.
Think about it. What happens when millions—no, billions—of tax-paying, hard-working, God-fearing, God-seeking people suddenly, mysteriously vanish? Who’s going to take up the slack? Who’s going to step into the vacuum? Who’s going to come up with an explanation? Who’s going to stem the sudden tidal wave of fear that is certain to flow all over and sweep the globe? Who’s going to do this? Well, the Antichrist will. The stage will be set for the master of deceit to work his evil, and he’ll do so with flowing oratory. He’ll do so with satanic power.
He’s going to offer easy solutions; he’s going to make exorbitant promises, and he is going to convince the world to believe in him. He will emerge after the Rapture, probably to calm, no doubt, the chaotic waters troubled by the unexplained departure of so many Christians. He is going to be primed and ready to speak. He’s going to stand before not only a nation but the whole world, and he’s going to win their approval.
He will be like Hitler, who emerged on a scene of such political and economic chaos that people were willing to believe him. Everyone will see the Antichrist as a man of vision, with pragmatic answers and the power to unite a world in such disruption.
Now, is the Antichrist alive today? We have no way of knowing. I think Satan probably has one in each generation ready to use, but he will not appear until after the Holy Spirit has lifted His restraining power from the earth. Please hear this: Satan does nothing on his own volition. He does nothing on his own volition; he’s waiting on God’s timing. He’s waiting for the Shepherd to lead His flock to safe pasture, and once He and they are gone, the wolf will appear at the gate.
Call to Readiness and Closing Prayer
My dear friend, these are crazy, chaotic times unlike any that our world has ever seen. And all of a sudden, it seems to me like more than ever we need to be ready. May you be prepared. Lord, receive today anybody who calls out to You in the name of Jesus Christ. Through Christ we pray, amen. Amen.