The term ‘rapture’ does not occur in the Bible, but it is used to refer to a time when, so it is suggested, the faithful will be taken from their normal environment and drawn up into the clouds to meet the Lord, leaving behind a trail of confusion. Some suggest that they will be suspended in space between the earth and clouds for a thousand years. The ideas are based on the words of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, although a careful reading of the passage and the rest of scripture suggests a different scenario.

Jesus Christ will certainly return to the earth and institute a new world order, in which he will reign as King over the whole earth and the word of God will go out from Zion (Isaiah 2:2-4). After he returns to the earth Jesus will gather the true believers together (Matthew 30-31), raise the dead to life, and all the faithful — whether they are alive or dead at the time of his return — will be transformed from mortality to immortality at the same instant (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). They will help Jesus to rule the earth for the next thousand years (Revelation 20:6).

So, the return of Christ and the blessing of the faithful with eternal life will introduce the new world order. But they will reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10), not be suspended in space.