Matthew 24:30-31 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (NIV).
Jesus continues with His answer to the second question asked by His disciples as recorded in Matthew 24:3. That second question was: "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
Now, Jesus reveals a phenomenal event which is the genuine “Rapture.”
In my previous piece, I explained this “loud trumpet call” will represent a wealth of meanings, and celebration will be a key one. Celebration will be certain for believers in Jesus as they will be ushered by angels into the full presence of our loving Lord God Almighty!
Those angels will gather the “elect.” Who are the “elect?”
This single word in no way leads us to adhering to a doctrine of “predestination.” As the apostle Peter stated, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (I Peter 3:18).
The bottom line: No human was completely righteous, yet Christ died for us all; the atonement was unlimited.
Peter did speak of election: “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). In the next verse, 2 Peter 1:11, Peter refers to Jesus as “our Lord and Savior.” Anyone who receives Jesus as her or his Savior is elected to Christ’s kingdom, and is called to grow in the holiness of God. God enables, since the moment a person believes in Jesus, she or he is baptized with the Holy Spirit.
When the rapture comes, how will the elect be gathered?
It will be an utterly supernatural matter.
I simply offer one exclamation mark to the entire event: Our all-powerful Father, who can do anything good, “raptured” Jesus when Jesus ascended into heaven as recorded in Acts 1:9-11.
Just as Jesus ascended into heaven, there will be the ascension of every single true believer in Jesus on that glorious day, and that ascension will involve angels. All believers will be with Jesus in full for evermore!!!
You can join that celebration, whether you are on earth or in heaven when the rapture takes place, a future time which only the Father knows. You need to truly believe in Jesus.
Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone. He was the substitutional atonement for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death. Then Jesus was resurrected. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then you will have eternal life.
Hunter Irvine
