Q&A: Did Jesus Ever Preach About the Rapture?

Question: I heard one preacher talking about the rapture and only quoting Paul. Then I heard another preacher talking about the rapture and quoting Jesus. Did they both talk about the rapture? I thought only Paul talked about the rapture?

Only Paul taught about the rapture and he was given this prophecy directly from Jesus, or by way of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Some scholars are confused on this issue and mistakenly think that Jesus, at times, talked about the rapture when in fact He is clearly talking about His Second Coming. The rapture and the Second Coming of Christ are two completely different events at two completely different times. The rapture of believers starts the seven year tribulation period in earth. The Second Coming of Christ ends the tribulation period. At the rapture, believers are taken up into heaven to be with Christ. At the Second Coming, the believers return with Christ to help Him rule the earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 19:11-16).

Jesus tells us that when he returns, the unrighteous of the earth are immediately destroyed. He cites this event when He states that two people will be together when one is taken (Matthew 24:21; Luke 17:35). This verse has been occasionally misconstrued by some that think this is a reference to the rapture. But Jesus only prophesied about His Second Coming. He is not using the word taken as in raptured. These are two completely different words in the Greek. The word He uses is taken as in one unrighteous person will have their physical life taken from them leaving the other righteous person alive and a participant in His Millennial Reign.