“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thess. 4:16-17)
Many use this passage to teach that there will be a secret rapture – that suddenly Christians will secretly disappear and those left behind will wonder where the Christians went. Is that what this passage really teaches? How can this be a secret rapture if it begins with a shout, with the voice of an archangel? How can this be a secret rapture if it begins with the trumpet of God? If Jesus was seen by His apostles as He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11), is it possible those left behind will see Christians ascend into heaven? How will millions of dead in Christ rising from the dead be a secret (see Matt. 27:50-54)?