The rapture is the event described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: "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 [harpazo] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." Every orthodox Christian affirms this event will happen. The disagreement is over when. Four main views: (1) Pretribulational — the rapture happens before a seven-year tribulation period; the church is removed before God's wrath is poured out. The dominant dispensational view, popularized by the Left Behind series. (2) Midtribulational — the rapture happens at the midpoint of the tribulation, before the Great Tribulation. (3) Posttribulational — the rapture happens at the end of the tribulation, merged with the second coming. The historic view of most pre-19th-century Christians. (4) Prewrath — the rapture happens late in the tribulation, before the final outpouring of God's wrath. The rapture is a comfort, not a curiosity: "Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:18). Whatever the timing, Christ is coming, and those who belong to Him will meet Him in the air.