It is widely known that the rapture will be a sudden event— in the twinkling of an eye, millions of people will disappear, panic will spread across the earth, planes will crash, accidents will happen everywhere, and peace will vanish instantly. People will wail and mourn as the Antichrist rises from the abyss to bring destruction across the world.
But is this truly how the rapture will happen according to Scripture?
Let us read:
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 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.”
Examining this passage, we see that the coming of the Lord Jesus for His Church involves three distinct stages:
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The Lord will descend with a SHOUT
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The Lord will descend with the VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL
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The Lord will descend with the TRUMPET OF GOD
This indicates that the rapture is not simply an instantaneous, chaotic event as commonly imagined. Instead, Scripture presents a sequence of stages that will unfold as the time approaches. Let us examine these three stages in detail.
Stage One: The SHOUT
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout.”
The word “shout” here does not refer to an invitation to a social gathering, but rather a powerful commanding cry—a jubilant proclamation announcing the arrival of someone of great importance, such as a king or a bridegroom. It serves to awaken and prepare those who are waiting so that the event does not catch them unaware.
In the King James Version, it reads:
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT…”
The term “shout” here implies a commanding call, awakening and alerting the intended hearers to prepare for the imminent event.
Jesus illustrated this in the parable of the ten virgins:
Matthew 25:1–6 – “At midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’”
At midnight all the virgins were asleep, their strength waning as they waited for the bridegroom. Suddenly, there was a loud cry awakening them: “Behold! The bridegroom is coming!” This cry parallels the “shout” of 1 Thessalonians 4:16—a spiritual awakening that rouses the Bride of Christ to prepare her lamp (symbolizing her life) and ensure she has oil (the Holy Spirit, along with spiritual revelation) in readiness.
The Historical Fulfillment of the Shout
Historically, the Church endured a long period of spiritual darkness—the so-called “Dark Ages”—as false doctrines and compromise infiltrated Christianity. The Bride was asleep. But as the time for Christ’s return drew nearer, God sent a series of revivals to awaken the Church:
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Martin Luther (the fifth church age messenger, Revelation 3:1–6) brought the message of justification by faith, calling believers out of the false traditions of the medieval church.
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John Wesley (the sixth church age messenger, Revelation 3:7–13) followed with the message of sanctification and holiness, further restoring the Bride’s readiness.
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Finally, in the Laodicean age (Revelation 3:14–22), the seventh church age messenger, William Branham, sounded the final, loudest call, proclaiming, “Behold, the Bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet Him!”
This “shout” represents the end-time awakening—a call to holiness and separation from religious systems (Revelation 18:4: “Come out of her, my people…”), urging believers to trim their lamps and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus warned in Luke 12:35–37:
“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.”
Those who heed the shout will progress to the next stage. Those who ignore it—remaining content in religious forms without the Spirit—will find themselves unprepared, like the foolish virgins whose lamps went out.
Stage Two: The VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL
The second phase, mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, says: “the Lord will descend with the voice of the archangel.”
Who is this Archangel? Scripture identifies this mighty messenger as none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In Revelation 10:1–7, John saw:
“…another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud… He had in his hand a little book open… and he cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices… In the days of the sounding of the seventh angel… the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.”
The “mighty angel” holds the little book open, which represents the Book of Redemption—sealed with seven seals in Revelation 5, now fully opened. His roaring voice, like a lion’s, releases seven thunders, mysteries that John was forbidden to write (Revelation 10:4). These are end-time revelations given exclusively to the Bride, imparting the perfect faith needed to be translated.
Jesus is called the “Messenger of the Covenant” in Malachi 3:1:
“…the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant…”
This voice will not be heard by the entire world—only by the wise virgins who responded to the first stage (the Shout) and have prepared their lamps with oil.
The “voice of the Archangel” thus represents the final unveiling of divine mysteries, equipping the Bride with the rapturing faith needed for her transformation (Romans 10:17: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”).
Stage Three: The TRUMPET OF GOD
Finally, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 declares that the Lord will descend with the “trumpet of God.”
In Scripture, a trumpet signifies a summons to gather—for Israel, it was a call to assembly, warfare, or a holy convocation (Numbers 10:1–4).
At this last trumpet, “the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is the final stage of the rapture, when mortality is “swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4).
The trumpet signals the resurrection and translation of the saints—the completion of the redemption purchased by Christ.
A Final Warning
We are living in the separation hour:
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The wise virgins are trimming their lamps, filled with oil and extra oil (the Spirit and fresh revelation).
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The foolish virgins continue with empty lamps, distracted by traditions and worldliness.
Jesus warned:
Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
Those who reject the Shout will miss the Voice, and without the Voice, they will never hear the Trumpet. Today is the time to respond—by receiving the Holy Spirit, walking in holiness, and living according to the revealed Word of God.
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