In a Moment
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
05/16/2022
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:50–52)
One day I was sitting in my car waiting to place a drive-thru order at McDonald’s, when a voice came over the intercom and said, “I’ll be with you in just a moment.” Over the next several minutes as I continued to wait not-so-patiently, it occurred to me that a “moment” is a relative amount of time. How long is a “moment,” anyway?
To the attendant at McDonald’s, a “moment” is apparently four and a half minutes. When you are engaged in a conversation with another adult, and your six-year-old daughter interrupts the conversation by politely tapping on your arm, you might say something like, “Not now sweetheart. It will be your turn in a moment.” Apparently, to a six-year-old with earth-shattering news to tell her parent, a “moment” lasts about five seconds until she interrupts again. When someone says to you, “Give me a moment,” how long are you supposed to give them? As a pastor, sometimes I open a time of worship by offering a “moment” of silent prayer. How long should I wait before I break the silence? How long is a moment?
Paul uses the term “moment” to describe that period of time during which Christ will return in the sky to take His church to heaven. This event, described in detail in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, is called the rapture. The Greek term is harpadzo. It refers to the sudden catching-up of believers to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word Paul uses for “moment” is atomos. It refers to a period of time that is “uncut” or “indivisible.” It is a measure of time that cannot be divided into any smaller parts. Some translators call it the “atom of time.”
Unlike my experience at McDonald’s, the rapture will not be a time of brief delay. It will be a moment of instantaneous transformation. The Bible says this great transformation will occur in the twinkling of an eye; that is, the blink of an eye. The question is, are you ready for that moment? When it happens, Christ will not tap us on the arm and politely ask if He can interrupt. He will sound a glorious trumpet and just that fast, it will all be over. We will meet Jesus face face-to-face.
Are you ready? One of the last sayings of Jesus recorded in Scripture is “Behold, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:12). The Bible says, “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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Are you ready for that moment?
If you are a believer, if you have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation, you are ready. What a glorious day it will be when our faith becomes sight and we see our Savior! If you have not placed your faith in the Son of God, who died and rose again for your sins, let me implore you to trust Him today. All who come to Him in simple faith, trusting in Him and Him alone as their Savior, will receive the free gift of eternal life. Trust Him today. Any moment, it may be too late.
05/16/2022
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:50–52)
One day I was sitting in my car waiting to place a drive-thru order at McDonald’s, when a voice came over the intercom and said, “I’ll be with you in just a moment.” Over the next several minutes as I continued to wait not-so-patiently, it occurred to me that a “moment” is a relative amount of time. How long is a “moment,” anyway?
To the attendant at McDonald’s, a “moment” is apparently four and a half minutes. When you are engaged in a conversation with another adult, and your six-year-old daughter interrupts the conversation by politely tapping on your arm, you might say something like, “Not now sweetheart. It will be your turn in a moment.” Apparently, to a six-year-old with earth-shattering news to tell her parent, a “moment” lasts about five seconds until she interrupts again. When someone says to you, “Give me a moment,” how long are you supposed to give them? As a pastor, sometimes I open a time of worship by offering a “moment” of silent prayer. How long should I wait before I break the silence? How long is a moment?
Paul uses the term “moment” to describe that period of time during which Christ will return in the sky to take His church to heaven. This event, described in detail in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, is called the rapture. The Greek term is harpadzo. It refers to the sudden catching-up of believers to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word Paul uses for “moment” is atomos. It refers to a period of time that is “uncut” or “indivisible.” It is a measure of time that cannot be divided into any smaller parts. Some translators call it the “atom of time.”
Unlike my experience at McDonald’s, the rapture will not be a time of brief delay. It will be a moment of instantaneous transformation. The Bible says this great transformation will occur in the twinkling of an eye; that is, the blink of an eye. The question is, are you ready for that moment? When it happens, Christ will not tap us on the arm and politely ask if He can interrupt. He will sound a glorious trumpet and just that fast, it will all be over. We will meet Jesus face face-to-face.
Are you ready? One of the last sayings of Jesus recorded in Scripture is “Behold, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:12). The Bible says, “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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Are you ready for that moment?
If you are a believer, if you have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation, you are ready. What a glorious day it will be when our faith becomes sight and we see our Savior! If you have not placed your faith in the Son of God, who died and rose again for your sins, let me implore you to trust Him today. All who come to Him in simple faith, trusting in Him and Him alone as their Savior, will receive the free gift of eternal life. Trust Him today. Any moment, it may be too late.
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