Adventures in Revelation

Chapter 6 A Fast Trip to Heaven: AKA The Rapture
(Based on 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess.4:13-18)


Those of us who believe in Jesus Christ and love Him can hardly wait for Him to return. The Christians in the Bible days expected Jesus to come back also. They believed His promises, but false teachers came and told lies to them. Some of the Christians worried that they had already missed His return. Others feared that their loved ones who had died earlier would miss the rapture. They were very concerned. The Apostle Paul was a true man of God and he calmed the people and told them not to worry because not one of them (or us) would miss the rapture.
He told the Christians that when Jesus returns there will be a “shout with the voice of the archangel, the trumpet of God will sound” and then a phenomenal miracle would take place. “The dead in Christ will rise first.” (I Thessalonians 4:13-18) You see, to God, when a person dies, it’s just like they are asleep. He can wake them in a moment. Every person who has received Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, and loves Him with all their heart will instantly get a brand new body! Imagine that, a new body quicker than you can blink an eye! We will be just like the Angels with a body that can never die or have pain or hurt again. How awesome is that? (1Cor. 15:51-53).
We will be miraculously transformed (changed) and all go up together to meet the Lord in the air. What a wonderful reunion that is going to be! It’s called the Rapture! The Lord told the Apostle Paul to encourage the new believers and comfort one another with these words. They bring the Blessed Hope of seeing our loved ones again and living forever with the Lord. (1Thess. 4:13-18)
As soon as all the people who love Jesus are safely taken to heaven, things on earth are going to get out of control very quickly. Billions of Christians will be “missing” from all over the world because Jesus will have taken them all to heaven. Imagine what that will be like! All of us in Heaven together, observing the spectacular beauty of a new creation fresh from the hands of God. Picture meeting your favorite bible characters who lived for centuries before us. Imagine touring Heaven and knowing that this new life in a new body will never, ever end.
According to the World Population Clock, in 2010 there were more than 7.6 billion people on planet Earth.2 Of that number, approximately 2.2 billion are Christian believers. 3 That leaves almost 5.4 billion non-Christians who will be left behind after the Rapture. They will continue living on earth without the Christians. Two billion Christians raptured! Wow! That’s an enormous number of people who will suddenly vanish from around the world in the twinkling of an eye. Many of those left behind will have no idea what happened to all the people who are missing. Others will know exactly what happened because they will remember what the bible said about Jesus coming back to take his people to heaven. They will know that they didn’t believe it at the time they heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They will remember what God said about the fate of Satan, his Fallen Angels and all who reject Christ as Savior.

Chapter 11
The Adventure Begins: A Personal Big Screen in the Sky
A Peek Into the Throne Room of Heaven
(Based on Revelation Chapters 4-5)
John was out on the Island of Patmos, in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, in an area called the Aegean Sea. One day, he was enjoying quiet time fellowship with the Lord. John looks up, and there on his own, private, big screen in the sky, a door opens and there’s an Angel. The angel says to him, “Come up here!” He is immediately transported into Heaven. John looks through the door and sees the most magnificent throne ever! It’s huge, and beautiful, with an emerald green rainbow encircling it.
But wait. I thought all rainbows had seven different colors, and were shaped like an arch. But this one is emerald green and goes all the way around the entire throne. I wonder if the rainbows we see here, on earth are just half of the full rainbow? Hmmm. It’s just a thought. Remember, we are actively using our imagination as we follow John on this incredible adventure.
As John stared into the sky, observing a scene like nothing he had ever seen before, he saw someone sitting on the throne. I wonder who that could be! John didn’t see his hair, his eyes, his nose or any of the facial features we might use to describe people. Instead, John describes Him as, “One” having a face that glows like a diamond and a ruby red stone. It was amazing! It’s God sitting on the throne and He has a scroll (book) in His right hand!
The book has writing on the inside and the outside. We can’t see what the words say because it is sealed with seven seals. Look! There’s someone standing on the right beside the throne of God. Who could that be? It’s Jesus!
The details on the scroll represent the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. It has to be kept secret until the time comes for it to be opened. The Book also contains the specifics of God’s judgments against the wicked and His plan for those that are left behind and for the end of the world. We will also get to see the blessings He has in store for those of us who love him.