Christ in the Old Testament

Isaiah 26:20

Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath has passed by. (NIV)

Isaiah 26:16-21 and John 16:16-24

Let’s dive into some End Times language today and in particular the Rapture. The Rapture is the removal of believers from the earth to meet Jesus in the air to deliver us from the Tribulation. At least that’s the predominant interpretation of the Scriptures.

I generally shy away from discussing anything to do with the Rapture because I don’t have an opinion anymore. I’ve studied the second coming of Jesus extensively over the last 30 years and I have no clue when the Rapture will occur. I don’t take an opinion on it and don’t ever plan to take an opinion on it. I figure if the entire world missed the first coming of Jesus in the Scriptures, it’s entirely possible we are missing the real meaning of the Scriptures regarding the End Times.

Nevertheless, Jesus and many prophets spoke about the End Times in great detail and I will give you the interpretation that seems to make the most sense to me. But my mind is easily changed so feel free to dive into the Scriptures on your own and share your thoughts with me. Here we go.

Isaiah gives an analogy in Isaiah 26:17 to a place in time being like a pregnant woman about to give birth crying out in pain. We find this same analogy in other places in Scripture:

“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:21-22).

“While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thes 5:3).

In both of these Scriptures, Jesus and Paul refer to the time right before Jesus returns like a woman getting ready to give birth. The labor is painful and she knows a baby is coming soon. But the exact time is unknown. The baby could be born in 5 minutes or 5 hours, but it’s coming out soon.

Jesus and Paul are telling us that the earth will be in pain and we will know that Jesus is coming back soon. It could be today or it could be ten years from now or even longer. But it’s going to be soon. And just like the woman giving birth, it happens fast once the baby makes up its mind to come out. When Jesus decides to come back, it will happen in an instant.

“ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Matt 24:38-41).

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be 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 Thes 4:16-17).

So these two Scriptures seem to clearly point to a Rapture. People will simply disappear and meet Jesus in the clouds to live with him forever. There is no uncertainty around this happening. Jesus was very clear in Matthew 24 that the hour is unknown, but he is coming back again for his followers.

Now back to Isaiah. Isaiah 26:19 speaks of God’s people rising from the dead. Just as Paul spoke about it in 1 Thessalonians 4, those who are saved by the blood of Jesus will rise from their graves and meet Jesus in the air. So where is the Tribulation? It’s hidden in the next verse.

“Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath has passed by” (vs. 20).

One common interpretation of this verse is that this is pointing to a pre-Tribulation Rapture as follows:

• My people – those who are saved in Christ
• Your rooms – in heaven
• Hide yourselves for a little while – safe in heaven
• Until his wrath has passed by – until the Tribulation has ended

We will dissect this verse tomorrow. But for today, know for certain that Jesus is coming back for us. Jesus told us in no uncertain terms that he will return. And he said to be ready:

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come… So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matt 24:42).

What does it look like to be ready? Jesus said that doing what God put us here to do is how we are to be ready for him. He said, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant?… It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” When Jesus returns, he wants to find us being faithful to him and making wise decisions.

If Jesus returns today, will he find you faithful?

Today’s Prayer: Thank you Jesus that this earth is not my home. I thank you for your promise to return to meet us in the air to live with you forever. Give me the wisdom to be your faithful servant today.