Is the Rapture and second coming the same event?
English: An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Luke 17:34 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is Paul's teaching about what is popularly called the rapture . The rapture is the miraculous transportation of all living Christians to heaven at the return of Jesus . There is a lot of misinformation about this event, but this passage gives us some definite truths about it. Paul made it clear that Jesus' return will not be secret but will be visible; it will be a bodily return; and it will be a triumphant return, for He will not come in lowliness and meekness as He did at His first advent, but in power and glory. The angels told the disciples, "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). Just as He left visibly on the shekinah cloud, so He will come again visibly on this cloud of glory. There is a view, one that is very widesp