Revelation 13

1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty andtwo months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

4 Things Every Christian Should Know about the Rapture

We cannot understand where we are now if we don’t understand where we are going. To help you, I have compiled biblical answers to four of the most frequently asked questions about the Rapture.

Dr. David Jeremiah

Updated Aug 29, 2024

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Studying the End Times and the rapture can cause questions, apprehension, and fear. “Why do I need to study prophecy?” “It is too complicated, and I don’t understand what it means.” “It makes me anxious and nervous.” I will not argue with the fact that studying prophecy can be complex and overwhelming. It isn’t easy to see how these obscure passages can have any significance for us today. They appear to lack relevance to what we are going through right now. If we continue with this mindset, we will miss the rich truth God has provided for us. We cannot understand where we are now if we don’t understand where we are going.

To help you begin developing an understanding and appreciation for this challenging topic, I have compiled biblical answers to four of the most frequently asked questions about the Rapture.

1. Signs that the Rapture and End Times are Near

The Rapture—the raising of the Church into heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17)—is the next event on the prophetic calendar. The following signs indicate that the End Times are near.

The Sign of Deception

Many people will claim to be the Messiah and claim to have the answers for a troubled world. Jesus says to “take heed”—literally to keep our eyes open so we are not fooled. In the End Times, people will be crying desperately for leaders to deliver them, and they will seek mystics and religious leaders who claim to have deeper knowledge.

The Sign of Disputes Among Nations

As wars and dissension among groups of people begin to escalate, we know it is a sign of Christ’s return. The book of Revelation tells us that the Tribulation Period is filled with war—ceaseless, unending, terrible war—that will escalate until the world is involved. The Bible says that as we move toward the End Times, there will be constant talk of conflicts, border skirmishes, race wars, and national battles.

The Sign of Devastation

Today, as you read this, millions of people in the world are going hungry, even though God has blessed us with a fruitful, abundant planet. As we get closer to the End Times, there will be more and more famine. There will also be earthquakes, something that science has said will happen. Christ also spoke of pestilence: the spread of new diseases. Our world is experiencing a spate of tragic new diseases that we are unable to control.

The Sign of Deliverance Into the Tribulation

Just before Jesus returns, there will be an explosion of antagonism toward God’s people. Christians will be persecuted. We are seeing this happen today with the rise of ISIS and their horrific attacks on Christians in the Middle East. As we grow closer to the end, many will pay a high price for living out their faith in our world.

2. Avoid Seeking a Date and Time for the Rapture

The fact is, we cannot calculate the day Christ will return for His Church because God specifically chose not to reveal it to us.

When the apostles asked Jesus about the apocalyptic time, He replied gently but firmly, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:7-8).

Only God knows what time it is, and only God knows when time will run out.

Future truth impacts present responsibility. It is the knowledge that His coming is soon that puts a little bit of urgency into our step and determination into our service.

3. Will I be a part of the Rapture if my body is cremated?

When the Scripture says, “The dead in Christ will rise,” it is speaking of the bodily resurrection of believers. At this time, the spirits of believers will be united with their perfect and complete resurrection bodies. “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 [no exceptions!]. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

If God can do the hard part of calling creation into existence through His spoken words, then it will be no problem for Him to call back the bodies of those who have been swept into the sea, or consumed by fire, or tragically maimed and murdered by vicious and murderous attacks of an enemy.

4. What will happen in Heaven after the Rapture?

After the Rapture, Christians will come before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). The Judgment Seat is not about whether we will enter heaven—we’ll already be there because our sins have been atoned for in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It will, however, be a time to give an account of the works we have done on earth, and we will be rewarded accordingly. We’ll be assigned places of authority in the coming Millennium based upon our faithfulness to God when we were on earth, as well as the influence we left behind.

There is so much relevant truth to be discovered in the Bible’s prophetic passages! I encourage you to continue to study God’s plan for the future. What you believe about many of these issues can determine what side you are on when God decides to draw the final curtain on the drama of history. I am confident you will find, as I have, that studying and understanding rapture and the events of tomorrow will change your view of today!

Frequently Asked Questions on the Rapture

What is the biblical definition of rapture?

The biblical definition of the rapture refers to the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, where believers in Christ will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This signifies the gathering of the Church to Heaven prior to the events of the End Times.

What is the meaning of rapture in one word?

In one word, the meaning of rapture can be summarized as “ascension.” It encapsulates the idea of believers being lifted up to join Christ in Heaven.

What is the closest meaning to rapture?

The closest meaning to rapture is “transportation.” This term reflects the concept of being taken from one place to another, specifically from Earth to Heaven, in the context of God’s promise to His followers.

To find more answers on the Rapture and End Times, check out a free download of David Jeremiah’s booklet, Answers to the Unsolved Mysteries of Prophecy.