We will start our consideration of this matter by looking at Old Testament allusions to the Rapture. Augustine, the bishop of Hippo from 396 to 430, said: “The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” We read: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”[1] He is also referred to in Hebrews 11:5, where it is explained that Enoch was taken owing to his testimony that he pleased God. Enoch was snatched away (or raptured) because of the quality of his walk with the Lord. The other Old Testament character who was taken up without dying was the giant of faith, Elijah, who went up by a whirlwind into heaven.[2]
Then, we move on to Daniel, who describes a great divide among the dead. “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”[3] The first part of the verse refers to the Rapture, when the dead in Christ rise. Then there will be a long gap before the fulfilment of the second part of the verse. This will take place after the millennial reign of Jesus, when the remainder of the dead will be awakened in preparation for the Great White Throne Judgement.
Next, we come to more subtle references to the Rapture in the Old Testament. The Song of Solomon presents the king bridegroom escorted by 60 warriors, and perfumed with myrrh and frankincense.[4] His delight in his beautiful bride is described in great detail, even after she had expressed reservations about being too dark:[5] “You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you.”[6] Notice how the bride is spotless and how besotted the king is with her. “Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon... you have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace. How fair is your love, my sister, my spouse!”[7] The bridegroom describes her as “the fairest among women.”[8] King Solomon represents the Lord Jesus, our heavenly Bridegroom. This king is single-minded in being united in intimacy with his beloved bride (a type of the church). He yearns for them to be together, and he urges her to come away with him, prefiguring the Rapture. “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land...O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”[9]
There are two contrasting responses in Song of Solomon from the bride, which may have something to teach us about our attitude to the Rapture. At the start of the book, she is longing to be taken away by the bridegroom: “Draw [or take] me away!”[10] The bride-to-be has been working in the vineyard. We too work in the vineyard of the Lord and we also must share the concern for fruitfulness, for removal of the little foxes which spoil the vines.[11] We have to deal with sin and oppression as soon as we are aware of it, not forgetting that neglected little foxes in our lives grow into big foxes, the classic example being the root of bitterness by which many will be defiled.[12] There is a positive and eager response from her, described in passages like, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you. Draw me away!”[13] Her mind was controlled by the Spirit, which is life and peace.[14] On the other hand, we see the opposite and indifferent reaction to the bridegroom’s wooing: “I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?”[15] The bride took her time in chapter 5 before she decided to open the door, and sadly by the time she opened for her beloved, he had turned away and was gone. She searched for him but could not find him.[16] The bride took too long to respond to the call of her bridegroom. She subsequently regretted being left behind on her own. She allowed herself to be distracted by earthly concerns, for her mind to be set on the flesh, which is hostility (or enmity) towards God.[17] Those in authority, whom she may have expected to protect her, treated her badly: “The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me.”[18] This may well reflect how authorities will treat Christians during the Tribulation period.
Understandably, this picture of us being the bride of Christ is a challenge for many men. Conversely, some women may struggle with apparently bloodthirsty verses about Jesus defeating His foes as part of His return at the end of the age. One such example is the Lord’s coming from Edom, His garments red and stained with the blood of His enemies.[19] He is not merely the Bridegroom awaiting His Bride. He has another side to His end-times role. He is also Ish Milkhamah (Hebrew for Man of war).[20] Another of His names is Jehovah Tsva’ot, meaning Lord of the armies of heaven. The juxtaposition of our Saviour being both the coming Bridegroom and the One who punishes His enemies is best summed up in the title of a beautiful song available on YouTube, “Romanced by a Warrior.”[21] Whether we are male or female, we need to think in terms of a romantic everlasting relationship with the divine Son of God. He endured the cross and despised its shame for the joy set before Him.[22] We are a part of that joy. He is also soon returning to take revenge on His enemies. This is who we need to focus upon, rather than exhaust our personal supply of the oil of the Holy Spirit upon a never-ending list of religious Christian duties. “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you...did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”[23]
[1] Genesis 5:24
[2] 2 Kings 2:11
[3] Daniel 12:2
[4] Song of Solomon 3:7
[5] Song of Solomon 1:6
[6] Song of Solomon 4:7
[7] Song of Solomon 4:7-10
[8] Song of Solomon 1:8
[9] Song of Solomon 2: 10-14
[10] Song of Solomon 1:4
[11] Song of Solomon 1:6, 2:15
[12] Hebrews 12:15
[13] Song of Solomon 1:2-4
[14] Romans 8:6
[15] Song of Solomon 5:3
[16] Song of Solomon 5:6
[17] Romans 8:7
[18] Song of Solomon 5:7
[19] Isaiah 63:1-3
[20] Exodus 15:3
[21] First Love - Romanced by a Warrior (extended + spontaneous worship) Jesus Communion
[22] Hebrews 12:2
[23] Galatians 3:1-3
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.