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"...and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air..." (1Thes.4:16,17) Paul, in his first letter to the Thessalonians in response to their questions is telling them that he would not have them ignorant concerning those who have already passed away. He tells them that the dead in Christ will rise first, and then those that are alive and remain will be 'caught up' together to meet the Lord in the Air. This is the Rapture of the Church both the living and the dead. "...every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming"... (ICor.15:23) Here, Paul is explaining three things: That Christ is the firstfruits of resurrection; That the they that are Christ's, are the dead in Christ of I Thessalonians 4:16, who, at the Rapture will rise first. And finally, the at His coming is in reference to Christ's coming at the Rapture of the Church, not His coming at the end. "...Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye..." (ICor.15:51,52) Here Paul addresses the 'living' of IThes.4:17 at the time of the Rapture, and tells us of a mystery of the dead and living being changed when we meet Jesus in the air. Directing attention to the reason for Paul's 2nd letter to the Thessalonians, you find that it was to refocus them on the teaching that they (the Church) were the restraining force keeping back both the man of sin as well as the return of our Lord, at His second coming. When you examine the content of the first eight verses of the 2nd Chapter you understand that Paul is addressing three separate issues; The second coming of Christ (v.1), The Rapture of the Church (v1), and the revealing of that man of sin (the son of perdition) (v.8). He's reminding them that their concerns about being in the Great Tribulation are premature (v.5), because they are forgetting his teaching on the Rapture. As long as they remained they would be the restraining force and would remain so until they be taken out of the way (v.7). In Revelation 3:8&10 God clearly identifies the body that will be Raptured. Speaking to the Church of Philadelphia He says: "...I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." (Rev.3:8) And verse 10 continues: "Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth..." (Rev.3:10) This is the promise to the true believers, represented as the Church of Philadelphia, that they will not go through the Great Tribulation, but will be Raptured. "...because God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ". (IThes.5:9) It is only the Raptured that are not appointed to wrath, confirming Rev.3:10. Then Revelation Chapter 4 opens with John saying: "...After these things, I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come Up Here", and I will show you things which must take place after this". (Rev.4:1) John now is shown the same open door of Rev.3:8 and when he hears the call to "Come Up Here" he experiences God's promise of Rev.3:10 to Rapture true believers. These are some of the scriptural references that clearly demonstrate the Rapture of the Church as an 'Event'. We have addressed the Timing of the Rapture (40 days after Firstfruits), and next we will consider the significance of the Rapture to "End Times". 
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