The Three Raptures, Jn 11:43

The Three Raptures John 11:43 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.” – John 11:43 

Three times in the Bible there is a phrase similar to the phrase come forth found in John 11:43. The phrase which we will be examining is used exactly the same way each of the three times that it occurs. That phrase is come up hither.

Even though the phrase is used similarly all three times, each occurrence (Prov. 25:7, Rev. 4:1, 11:12) refers to a separate event, a different group, and a different time, as well.  Every one of these refers to a rapture, for in the Bible there are three raptures.

These three prophesied raptures are as follows:

The first rapture is the rapture of the Old Testament Saints who were carried up (their souls only) from Abraham’s Bosom to Heaven by Jesus Christ right after his resurrection. (Psalms 16:10, Acts 2:27, 68:18, Eph. 4:8-9, Matt. 27:50-51, Luke 16:22, John 20:16-17, Matt. 28:9, Acts 2:29, Ezek. 37).

The second rapture is the rapture of the New Testament Saints (Song of Sol. 2:10, 1 Cor. 15:50, 1 Thess. 4, Eph. 2:6, 2 Cor. 5:6, 5:8, Rev. 4:1).

The third rapture is the rapture of the Tribulation Saints (Psalm 50:4, Rev. 6:9-10, Rev. 11:12, Matt. 24:13, 24:31, Rev. 7:9, 7:14).