Again, we must acknowledge God’s Two divinely blessed eternal people groups destined to become God’s agents to rule in their assigned realms; 1) one is to serve the Lord eternally on earth, and 2) the other “in the heavenly places.” One will be divinely raptured into Jesus’ Millennial kingdom ON EARTH, while the other will have been divinely manifested to “appear with Christ the heaven’s glory.”

The so-called rapture is the most heard hope of the dispensation of “promise” concerning the faithful earth people of Abraham’s lineal seed. Thus, they look for the Messiah’s return, His COMING DOWN from heaven at His 2^nd coming to restore Davidic throne in setting up His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

• So, the rapture concerns an Earthly People, who here on the earth expect the coming of the King. Among those who go out to meet Him at His coming are the five wise virgins; the foolish ones not being ready, will miss out.
• But the blessed hope of ‘the heavenly people’ of today’s “dispensation of the grace of God” is to GO UP to “the heavenly places” and “appear with Christ in heaven’s glory.”

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Col. 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also [simultaneously] appear with him in glory.”

This ‘appearing’ (or manifestation) concerns those whose “citizenship is in heaven” (cf. Phili. 3:20). As “faithful” believers in Paul’s Post-Acts gospel of “the Mystery.” They are already positionally “seated” with Christ at the right hand of God.

The coming manifestation or appearing of the members of Christ’s “One” spiritual “Body” is to occur in the heavens, appearing to the angelic “principalities and powers” (cf. Eph. 3:10). Those who take part in it are those who whose “life is hid with Christ in God.”

Col. 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Eph. 1:3-4 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath [already] blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ephesians 3:9-10 ⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery [secret], which from the beginning of the world hath been HID in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the [angelic] principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

So, the so-called Rapture is for the ultimate Earth-Dwellers; and the manifestation is for the ultimate Heaven-Dwellers.

The Rapture was not a secret hid in God from ages and generations. This resurrection and the change that is a part of it are revealed in John 11:24-26. In the last day, when the Lord comes, the believing dead will be resurrected and the believing ones who are alive will live forever, that is, be changed.

But the people having the resurrection to “heavenly places in Christ,” are “the church, which is His body” being manifested with Christ “the Head.” This was the “Great mystery [secret]” (Eph. 5:32). It was not known to ages and generations until it was revealed to and revealed by the Apostle Paul after Acts 28:28, as the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3:1-2 ¹ For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

In the rapture, the believers are “caught up to meet the Lord in the air [Grk, aer, atmosphere, not heaven]” as He comes to take over the kingdoms of this earth and rule on the throne of David. All the guests and the virgins will return with Him to the earth where a marriage supper will be observed and the King will take over His rule on the earth.

At one time the people of the Nation Israel were invited to this marriage, but they refused the invitation and even killed some of the servants who gave it. But a day is coming when other servants (angels) will come and gather the scattered of Israel from the highways (from among the nations) and bring them to the supper. These will make up the “nation born in a day,” who will bring forth the fruits of the kingdom, taking the place of those rejected. These are the eternal Earth-Dwellers.

The manifestation of the Heaven-Dwellers does not pertain to the earth and those that dwell in it. When Satan is cast out of the heavens, and his angels with him, then Christ will be manifested (seen) in the heavens. It is promised that when He is manifested, then His “church, which is His Body” will be manifested there with Him. The members of “His body,” both living and dead, are in heaven now (at least in potential). Their lives are “hid with Christ in God” and will continue as such until their resurrection and manifestation in the “far above” “heaven above all heavens.”  

We find no record of “His body” being resurrected to the earth and then having to be transported to heaven. This resurrection to ‘appear with Him’ is to occur secretly and silently, without mention of any shouts, or trumpets.

At the pronouncement at Acts 28:28, the rapture ceased to be a hope for Israel or anyone, being delayed during today’s Gentile age. The kingdom was set aside for the time being, while another program set in motion concerning the spiritual Gentile “body of Christ.”

But all through both of these dispensational times there has been multitudes of believers who were not sons of God or firstborn, who could take part in neither of these hopes. Yet, they will be resurrected to be on the new earth when the heavens are no more.

Job 4:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

2 Pet. 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Rev. 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

• Portions Adapted from Oscar M. Baker