The secret rapture truth

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

1Th 4:15  For^G1063 this^G5124 we say^G3004 unto you^G5213 by^G1722 the word^G3056 of the Lord,^G2962 that^G3754 we^G2249 which are alive^G2198 and remain^G4035 unto^G1519 the^G3588 coming^G3952 of the^G3588 Lord^G2962 shall not^G3364 prevent^G5348 them which are asleep.^G2837 

1Th 4:16  For^G3754 the^G3588 Lord^G2962 himself^G846 shall descend^G2597 from^G575 heaven^G3772 with^G1722 a shout,^G2752 with^G1722 the voice^G5456 of the archangel,^G743 and^G2532 with^G1722 the trump^G4536 of God:^G2316 and^G2532 the^G3588 dead^G3498 in^G1722 Christ^G5547 shall rise^G450 first:^G4412 

1Th 4:17  Then^G1899 we^G2249 which are alive^G2198 and remain^G4035 shall be caught up^G726 together^G260 with^G4862 them^G846 in^G1722 the clouds,^G3507 to meet^{G1519 G529} the^G3588 Lord^G2962 in^G1519 the air:^G109 and^G2532 so^G3779 shall we ever^G3842 be^G2071 with^G4862 the Lord.^G2962 

descend^G2597 means to “to walk down”

G2597

καταβαίνω

katabainō

kat-ab-ah'ee-no

From G2596 and the base of G939; to descend (literally or figuratively): - come (get, go, step) down, descend, fall (down).

caught up^G726 means to “seize”, to “take for oneself”

G726

ἁρπάζω

harpazō

har-pad'-zo

From a derivative of G138; to seize (in various applications): - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).

Total KJV occurrences: 13

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 

Rev 12:5  And^G2532 she brought forth^G5088 a man^G730 child,^G5207 who^G3739 was^G3195 to rule^G4165 all^G3956 nations^G1484 with^G1722 a rod^G4464 of iron:^G4603 and^G2532 her^G848 child^G5043 was caught up^G726 unto^G4314 God,^G2316 and^G2532 to his^G848 throne.^G2362 

caught up^G726 means to “seize”, to “take for oneself”

G726

ἁρπάζω

harpazō

har-pad'-zo

From a derivative of G138; to seize (in various applications): - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).

Total KJV occurrences: 13

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 

Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

Act 1:9  And^G2532 when he had spoken^G2036 these things,^G5023 while they^G846 beheld,^G991 he was taken up;^G1869 and^G2532 a cloud^G3507 received^G5274 him^G846 out of^G575 their^G846 sight.^G3788 

Act 1:10  And^G2532 while^G5613 they looked stedfastly^{G2258 G816} toward^G1519 heaven^G3772 as he^G846 went up,^G4198 behold,^G2400 two^G1417 men^{G435 (G2532)} stood by^G3936 them^G846 in^G1722 white^G3022 apparel;^G2066 

Act 1:11  Which^G3739 also^G2532 said,^G2036 Ye men^G435 of Galilee,^G1057 why^G5101 stand^G2476 ye gazing up^G1689 into^G1519 heaven?^G3772 this same^G3778 Jesus,^G2424 which is taken up^G353 from^G575 you^G5216 into^G1519 heaven,^G3772 shall so^G3779 come^G2064 in like manner^{G3739 G5158} as ye have seen^G2300 him^G846 go^G4198 into^G1519 heaven.^G3772

taken up;^G1869 means to raise up, lift

^G1869

ἐπαίρω

epairō

ep-ahee'-ro

From G1909 and G142; to raise up (literally or figuratively): - exalt self, poise (lift, take) up.

Total KJV occurrences: 19

G142

αἴρω

airō

ah'ee-ro

A primary verb; to lift; by implication to take up or away; figuratively to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind); specifically to sail away (that is, weigh anchor); by Hebraism (compare [H5375]) to expiate sin: - away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).

Total KJV occurrences: 102

received^G5274

^G5274

ὑπολαμβάνω

hupolambanō

hoop-ol-am-ban'-o

From G5259 and G2983; to take from below, that is, carry upward; figuratively to take up, that is, continue a discourse or topic; mentally to assume (presume): - answer, receive, suppose.

Total KJV occurrences: 4

received^G5274 means to carry upward

looked stedfastly^{G2258 G816}

^{means to be stretching, straining the eyes to gaze intently}

G2258

ἦν

ēn

ane

Imperfect of G1510; I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were): - + agree, be, X have (+ charge of), hold, use, was (-t), were.

Total KJV occurrences: 451

G816

ἀτενίζω

atenizō

at-en-id'-zo

From a compound of G1 (as a particle of union) and τείνω teinō (to stretch); to gaze intently: - behold earnestly (stedfastly), fasten (eyes), look (earnestly, stedfastly, up stedfastly), set eyes.

Total KJV occurrences: 14

G4198

πορεύομαι

poreuomai

por-yoo'-om-ahee

Middle voice from a derivative of the same as G3984; to traverse, that is, travel (literally or figuratively; especially to remove [figuratively die], live, etc.): - depart, go (away, forth, one’s way, up), (make a, take a) journey, walk.

Total KJV occurrences: 154

went up^G4198 means to travel, traverse

G1689

ἐμβλέπω

emblepō

em-blep'-o

From G1722 and G991; to look on, that is, (relatively) to observe fixedly, or (absolutely) to discern clearly: - behold, gaze up, look upon, (could) see.

Total KJV occurrences: 12

gazing up^G1689 means for eyes to remain “fixed” to the very last moment. Being fixed assumes a time period.

taken up^G353 means to take up. G303 means “up” and G2983 means to take. But, if Christ’s ascension had been instantaneous then Luke would not have used G2983 lambano , he would have used the more violent word, G138

G353

ἀναλαμβάνω

analambanō

an-al-am-ban'-o

From G303 and G2983; to take up: - receive up, take (in, unto, up).

Total KJV occurrences: 13

G2983

λαμβάνω

lambanō

lam-ban'-o

A prolonged form of a primary verb, which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively [probably objective or active, to get hold of; whereas G1209 is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while G138 is more violent, to seize or remove]): - accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).

Total KJV occurrences: 263

G183

ἀκατάσχετος

akataschetos

ak-at-as'-khet-os

From G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G2722; unrestrainable: - unruly.

Total KJV occurrences: 1

like manner^{G3739 G5158} means same style, character, mode

G5158

τρόπος

tropos

trop'-os

From the same as G5157; a turn, that is, (by implication) mode or style (especially with preposition or relatively prefixed as adverb like); figuratively deportment or character: - (even) as, conversation, [+ like] manner (+ by any) means, way.

Total KJV occurrences: 13

In conclusion, Gr. harpadzo doesn’t have to mean instantaneous seizure. And when taking all biblical evidence into account, Jesus did not leave violently or rapidly. Therefore He will not return rapidly or instanteously, in the blink of an eye. He was seized by His Father because His Father couldn't wait any longer to again have His Son in His embrace. The blink of an eye that Paul wrote about concerned the change of sinful to sinless natures that will occur when “we see Him as He is” (1Jn. 3:2).

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ” (1Cor. 15:51-53)

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1Jn. 3:2).

The change of nature was Paul constant yearning.

“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Rom. 8:19-23).