Caught Up....

The term "caught up" depicts a powerful event. The Greek word "harpazo" (Strongs 726) conveys the idea of force suddenly exercised (Vines) and is used to describe a powerful release of God's energy. It means to be taken hold of, to be seized by a power beyond our own. For those who would say “caught up” means to be removed from the earth let us consider the following. Paul was “caught up” to the third heaven and whether in or out of his body but he did not leave the earth; he had access to spiritual realms and heard words which could not be expressed in human language. Philip was “caught away” by the Lord from one place to another but neither did he leave the earth. It seems Ezekiel also had a similar experience. Each received a powerful intervention of God's power which released them from the restrictions of this physical dimension but they were not taken away. (2 Cor 12:2-4, Acts 8:39, Ezk 8:3, 11:24)
The use of this word by the Lord himself reveals its meaning. Jesus used the same word but never said that people are taken out of the world. He said that "harpazo" empowers “men of force” to enter the Kingdom of God. (Matt 11:12) The NIV says, "the Kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it". Men enter into it by the “harpazo” power of God. It conveys the idea of pressing into and possessing the Kingdom. (Luke 16:16) Every time Christ did a miracle he reached into a “future age”, the Kingdom age, took hold of it and released its power into the present situation. Through "harpazo" believers were able to take hold of and enter into the Kingdom. Jesus did not use the word to mean being taken to heaven but to mean entering the Kingdom of God here on earth. They were not taken out of the world but experienced the power of God coming in to them to change them in the world. “Harpazo” is the forceful dynamics of God to catch someone into His power. It is God seizing control.
Paul experienced “harpazo” and used the same word to describe what will happen to living believers at the parousia. It is the release of God's power into believers, not to take them away but to enter His Presence when He comes. It is not a removal from a place but a transformation from a state. The "harpazo" is the dynamic power of God to catch believers out of their fallen condition of corruption and transform them into the incorruptible life of Christ. It means first and foremost a catching out of a state, that of carnality and death, into that of spiritual power. (See page 28, Romans 8) The “harpazo” releases one from the restrictions of this present mortal life to fully transform one into the freedom of Christ's life right here and now. The “harpazo” will happen as it did with Jesus. The “man child” was “caught up” to God. (Rev. 12:5) In the same way he had come and gone during the 40 days he just stepped through the veil into the cloud. When He returns the “harpazo” will happen in the same way. He will step out and they will meet him not up in the stratosphere but right here in the Cloud of his Presence. But some may say “The Lord must first descend”. To descend (Strongs 2597) means to “step down”. (Jn5:7) He will just step down from the cloud.