The Sky Shall Unfold

The Sky Shall Unfold

    I love the song, "We Shall Behold Him," which begins with the lyrics, "The sky shall unfold, preparing His entrance.  The stars shall applaud Him with thunders of praise!  The sweet light in His eyes shall enhance those awaiting, and we shall behold Him, then face to face."

    When I saw the way the light shone from this vast cloud formation, offering just a glimpse of beautiful blue high above, it made me think about the coming day when, indeed, the sky will unfold and the long-awaited Rapture will take place.

   The Latin word rapturo, meaning "caught up," is where we get the word "rapture," which describes what will happen when Christ returns in the clouds to gather up all the Christians on earth, just before the 7-year tribulation begins.  At that time, all Christians and very young children will be whisked up to the loving arms of Jesus in heaven.

    Paul wrote two lovely letters to the young Christian church in Thessalonica while he was in Ephesus during his second missionary journey - around 52 A.D.  He was working as a tent maker, staying with Aquila and Priscilla, two Jewish tent makers who were also Christians.  God revealed truths about the future to Paul and the Holy Spirit lead him to write a wonderful comforting passage, not only to those Christians whom he loved, but also to you and me nearly 2000 years later.  Here is an excerpt from that letter, taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:

    "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."

    Sometimes when I hear a sudden loud sound, I'll look up and wonder if that is going to be the moment.  One of these days, it will signal the sound of His coming and I, along with millions of others, will zip upwards and finally meet Jesus face to face.  We will be welcomed into Paradise and begin a wonderful eternal Adventure that will bring us delight each and every day.  As an old hymn says, "Oh, what a day that will be!"  

    I sure hope I'll see you up there too (:

--Photo:  I took the picture above when we were sailing through Glacier Bay in Alaska in 2014.