The mystery of the Rapture is Paul's revelation of a secret never before disclosed: living believers will not all die, but will be instantly changed and caught up together with the resurrected dead to meet the Lord in the air.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51 Paul writes, 'Behold, I shew you a mystery,' and then unpacks it as a truth hidden in the mind of God until his day. Les Feldick explains this mystery is that a group of believers will not die physically; they will be changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, and together with the dead in Christ will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The Rapture is a Church Age doctrine revealed only through Paul, with no hint of it in the Old Testament, the Gospels, or Acts.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52 — Paul directly calls the Rapture a mystery and describes how living believers will be changed in a moment at the last trump when the dead are raised incorruptible.
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 — Paul describes the order of the Rapture: the Lord descends, the dead in Christ rise first, then living believers are caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 Paul writes, 'Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' Scripture here reveals that not every believer will die, but all will be changed at the last trump. The apostle further explains the event in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17: 'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: 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: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.'
Les Feldick emphasizes that the Rapture is the mystery revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:51 — a secret that had never been revealed anywhere in Scripture before Paul wrote it (Clip 2, Clip 3). He stresses that there is not even 'the foggiest hint' of believers being suddenly taken off the scene anywhere from the Old Testament through the Gospels and Acts, since the Rapture is a Church Age phenomenon and Paul is the only writer who writes concerning the Church (Clip 5). Les explains the content of the mystery: there is going to be a group of believers who will not die physically; they will be changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, as the dead in Christ are raised incorruptible (Clip 1, Clip 3, Clip 4). He also clarifies the order of events: the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel, the dead in Christ will rise first, then living believers will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (Clip 7). Les also teaches that the Rapture has always been an imminent event — Paul admonished believers to be prepared, and it could happen at any time (Clip 1). He contrasts the Rapture with the Second Coming, noting there is nothing of Christ coming to the Mount of Olives and no cataclysmic judgment in these verses (Clip 7). He attributes the revelation of all mysteries to Paul, the 'renegade' Saul of Tarsus, to whom God gave the authority to reveal secrets hidden from ages and generations (Clip 0).
Les Feldick explains that the word mystery as Paul uses it means something never revealed before — a secret kept in the mind of God until He chose to reveal it (Clip 2). Paul introduces the Rapture with the words, 'Behold, I shew you a mystery' (1 Corinthians 15:51), and Les emphasizes God has the prerogative to keep things secret until it is time to reveal them (Clip 2). He adds that it was 'a truth that has never been revealed in Scripture,' with no hint in the Old Testament and no reference from Jesus (Clip 3).
Les Feldick states plainly that there is 'not a hint, not even the foggiest hint' anywhere from the Old Testament through the Gospels and the Book of Acts of a group of people who will be alive and suddenly taken off the scene — which we call the Rapture (Clip 5). The reason, he says, is that the Rapture is a Church Age doctrine, and the Church Age is strictly a Pauline revelation found only in Paul's letters (Clip 4, Clip 5).
According to 1 Corinthians 15:51–52, believers will not all sleep, but all will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, when the dead are raised incorruptible. Les emphasizes that those alive will not die physically, and believers will not go up to heaven in this old body — 'we shall all be changed' (Clip 1, Clip 3). Paul further describes the order: the Lord descends from heaven with a shout and the trump of God, the dead in Christ rise first, then living believers are caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (Clip 7, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
Les teaches that Israel never had a concept of these mysteries, and the Twelve had no concept either; but God saved Saul of Tarsus by grace and to him revealed the secrets and mysteries (Clip 0). Paul, then, is the one given authority to write the epistles that become the central part of our Scriptures (Clip 0). Since the Body of Christ is strictly a Pauline revelation, the Rapture is found only in the letters of Paul (Clip 4).
Les points to Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 4 and notes that in the Rapture there is 'nothing of Him coming to Mount Olives and standing there,' and 'nothing of cataclysmic judgment' in the description (Clip 7). The Rapture is the church being caught up to meet the Lord in the air, not Christ returning to the earth in judgment.
No. Les teaches the Rapture 'has always been an imminent event' — even in Paul's day believers were admonished to be prepared for the Lord's suddenly coming (Clip 1). We do not know when it will happen; Les shares his personal hope that it could be soon, but he gives no date (Clip 1).
Paul Reveals Mysteries Hidden From Ages
Les begins with the background that God revealed secrets and mysteries only to Paul, the one given authority to write the epistles that are central to our Scriptures.
The Twinkling of an Eye at the Last Trump
Les explains that believers alive at the Rapture will be changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, and that the Rapture has always been an imminent event.
A Secret Never Revealed Before
Les stresses that when Paul reveals a 'secret' or 'mystery,' it means God kept it hidden in His mind until the time to reveal it to the apostle.
No Hint of the Rapture in Scripture Until Paul
Les identifies the secret of 1 Corinthians 15:51 as the Rapture: a group of believers will not die physically, and all will be changed.
The Church Age Is Strictly Pauline
Les ties the Rapture to the Church Age, a Pauline revelation kept secret in the mind of God until revealed to Paul.
A Church Age Doctrine
Les says there is no hint of believers being suddenly taken off the scene anywhere before Paul — the Rapture is a Church Age doctrine revealed by the one writer who writes about the Church.
Another Mystery Only Paul Writes About
Les notes that 1 Corinthians 15:51 is the only place in Scripture where it is hinted that living people will suddenly be translated.
Caught Up to Meet the Lord in the Air
Les quotes Paul's order of Rapture events — the Lord descends, the dead in Christ rise first, then living believers are caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, with no Mount of Olives landing or cataclysmic judgment.
1 Corinthians 15:51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
This is the exact verse where Paul introduces the Rapture as a mystery.
1 Corinthians 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Paul explains how the change happens — instantly at the last trump when the dead are raised.
1 Thessalonians 4:16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Paul lays out the order of events as the Lord descends for His church.
1 Thessalonians 4:17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Paul describes living believers being caught up with the resurrected dead to meet the Lord in the air.
Colossians 1:26: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Les cites this verse to show that mysteries like the Rapture were hidden from earlier ages and only now revealed (Clip 0).
Colossians 2:2: That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Les reads this in the context of mysteries hidden in God and revealed through Paul (Clip 0).
The mystery is that a generation of believers will not die physically. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:51–52, 'We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.' Les Feldick explains this was a secret kept in the mind of God until revealed through Paul.
Les Feldick teaches the Rapture is a Church Age doctrine, and the Church Age is strictly a Pauline revelation. There is no hint of believers being suddenly taken off the scene in the Old Testament, the Gospels, or Acts; it was kept secret until God revealed it to the Apostle Paul.
The Lord descends from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. The dead in Christ rise first, then living believers are caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Les Feldick emphasizes the change happens in an instant.
No. Les Feldick points out that Paul's description of the Rapture involves meeting the Lord in the air, with no mention of Christ landing on the Mount of Olives or cataclysmic judgment — those belong to the Second Coming.
Watch the Teaching: The Rapture Is a Mystery — What Paul Revealed That No One Else Did