The Rapture Description - 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18

Re-edit: 18-01-2026

The Rapture is most vividly described in the apostle Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians in the New Testament. Here it says:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-14

Notice first in this text that "fallen asleep" in Christ means people that have passed-on earlier in time and are in peace at their place of rest. It implicates that no one really dies. You are taken from your body and brought to the appropriate place. Notice also that this means that there are two categories here. Those that have fallen asleep in Christ, and those that have not fallen asleep in Christ. In other parts of the Bible, especially the story about the poor man Lazarus, those who do not fall asleep in Christ will not end up in a place of rest. See Luke 16:19-26.

1st Thessalonians 4:15-16

The reference to "we" is not really referred to the apostles themselves. The reference "we" points to those who are alive on this planet by the time our Lord returns. Thus this means the Church of Christ. Very distinct sequence of things are to happen and that those who have fallen asleep in Christ will rise first. 

1st Thessalonians 4:15-16

Chronologically those who are alive and remain (conscience) will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The alive and remain - just means in this context that they don't fall asleep. Those who are alive at the time of the Lord's return will be awake and experience the Rapture.

Notice that God will descend from heaven but not to set foot on the ground of Earth, He remains in the clouds. If God sets foot on Earth we are at Armageddon. And that is not what is going on in this text. Further more, this text is the real deal, nothing here has any figurative meaning.

The Rapture Event List (v1.0)

Throughout the articles this list will be adapted. This is to be an chronological event list, we just do not know the time spaces and when it begins/

1. God will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel.
2. God will descend from heaven with the Trumpet of God.
3. Those who are asleep in Christ will be resurrected, and go to meet the Lord in the air.
4. Those who are alive and remain, will go to meet the Lord in the air.