The “catching up” or rapture of the church, as it is commonly called, has long been associated with a chariot. The prophet, Elijah, was caught up alive into heaven by a chariot of fire and serves as the spiritual precedent for those of us who believe in these words from 1 Thess 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”.

Christian and non-Christian alike are familiar with the old spiritual, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, (“comin’ for to carry me home”), as a desperate, but beautiful plea for deliverance from this world through the hope of the resurrection, for those who “sleep” in Christ, but mainly for those who remain alive at the time of the Lord’s appearing. Paul made this reference to it also when he declared the prize that awaited him, and many ‘other righteous ones’, who after finishing their course, fighting the good fight of faith and being vigilant and victorious in the spirit will get their reward: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”  2 Timothy 4:8

But there is another chariot, one which also speaks of the Rapture, a chariot sitting in a hidden showroom, parked quietly among the verses of the greatest love song ever written, The Song of Songs, which we call The Song of Solomon. Amid the verses of hope for the appearing of our beloved and the outcry of a betrothed lover waiting for her bridegroom and champion to come and sweep her away, our chariot, called Solomon’s chariot, has been carefully and painstakingly built from the frame up with the finest materials expressly fitted for the great moment of the “catching up”.

But instead of the chariot of Elijah, one of fire dressed and fitted out in the glory and majesty from which it came – God’s holy heaven; our chariot has been furnished and built on this earth in the Spirit by the Spirit, for those who walk in discipleship of Truth, so they may be raised up to “meet the Lord in the air” and be with Him forevermore. The chariot for Elijah (because Jesus had not yet died and been resurrected) had to travel the distance through the heavens to earth to escort him home. Solomon’s chariot, our chariot, the chariot of the virgin, undefiled bride, (figuratively and spiritually speaking, of course) will be activated in the “twinkling of an eye” 1 Cor 15:52, and will dart instantly out of that heavenly ‘garage’ of faith so we can fly away to meet the Lord, our beloved, in the air. We will be transformed instantly and this, Solomon’s chariot, is symbolic of the preparation God wants of His people as they by way of installment of faith and obedience to the Spirit put all their life’s hope in that promised moment which God has called the “firstfruits resurrection”. This is not the only resurrection of the dead, but the first delicious and long awaited fruits of His burgeoning kingdom in His Son.

With great hope and expression of undying and unequivocal love, Solomon’s great love song holds out this promise to a forlorn lover. In chapter three Christ’s beloved searches desperately for her ‘one and only’. For a brief moment, she meets Him and He takes her to her mother’s house. (We have been born-again, gone back to our original birthing place and now testify to a new found life and an undying love.) But suddenly the mood of life changes – there are warriors, fear in the dark, a chariot, an instrument of war, and King Solomon is seen riding in it with a crown which he wore in “the day of his espousals, and the day of the gladness of his heart” Song 3:11. How apropos. He is decked out to win his espoused. In verse eight Solomon tells of a vision of mighty men of valor with their swords drawn because of fear in the night. Such a scene sets the stage for the atmosphere that will prevail during the construction of Solomon’s chariot. Is it not like the hour in which we live? Is it not an expression of the perilous times that have defined the Church Age? The world is a dark place and the darkness grows with every tick of the prophetic clock. Men and women of God must be armed with God’s word to fend off the darkness. At times they must be on the offensive, all the time they must be armed with the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) and dressed for battle with the armor of God against the forces of evil and wickedness in high places.

“In the last days perilous times shall come.
     For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
     without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
     traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God: having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” 2 Tim 3:1-5 

In the shadow of this darkness, people are building personal, spiritual, Solomon’s chariots. The frame is of precious wood, the pillars are silver, the bottom is gold, the covering of purple and the middle is paved with love.

THE FRAME OF WOOD: “OUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST”
The frame of wood as described in verse nine, “King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon”, is equivalent to our new life in Christ. All believers get this frame of beautiful wood when they become born-again. On this frame we can begin to build our vehicle, our passage to the resurrection, and if we remain alive at the time of its happening, God will spare his beloved from the terrible trials to come with catching them away in a rapturous moment like a champion snatching away his betrothed in the face of mortal danger.

THE PILLARS OF SILVER “KNOWLEDGE AND DOCTRINE”
The pillars holding up our frame are built from the silver of truth in God’s Word. Verse ten says, “He made the pillars thereof of silver”. These silver pillars are representative of the foundational knowledge we are given from the Scriptures. The understanding and wisdom of the gospel revealed in the New Testament, revealed after the first coming of Jesus through His life, death and resurrection is basic to the strength and integrity of our vehicle which we must have prepared and ready to go when the trumpet blast is given from heaven.

In seven places of the New Testament, God exhorts the church “not be ignorant” of certain fundamental truths. As Proverbs 9:1 prophecies, “Wisdom hath builded her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars” Each one of the pillars in the Tabernacle of the Congregation was overlaid with silver. And it is true. For the last two and a half decades, while the darkness and blindness of the world has increased, the sight and enlightenment of God’s Church, His household of faith, has also increased with much silver in the knowledge of the living God. Once ignorant on all seven counts, the Church is no longer ignorant but has been given wisdom and understanding in these crucial areas of knowledge. Without going into detail, the seven areas of understanding are:

1.) Israel, God’s chosen people
2.) Dying to self
3.) The gifts of the Spirit
4.) Fellowship and fruits
5.) The true nature of salvation
6.) Eternal judgment, and finally
7.) The Rapture.

If we have received instruction from the Word, as we ought, then these pillars of pure silver have been placed securely in our Solomon’s chariot. The Bride has made sure of it and has incorporated silver knowledge into the integral structure of her vehicle.

THE BOTTOM OF GOLD “BEING COMPLETE IN CHRIST”
The bottom of our chariot is gilded with our experience in Christ. If it is perfectly covered then we are standing on the solid Rock, which is Jesus and His fullness. As Colossians  2:9 puts it, “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power…”

Our chariot foundation will be cast totally in pure gold if we have received Christ in complete obedience. When we have done so we will have been baptized into repentance (been born-again), been baptized into the Holy Ghost (no doubt, with evidence of speaking in tongues), and been immersed in water to, as Jesus said, “fulfill all obedience”, to show our willingness to die with Christ and be resurrected into newness of life in the faith of the operation of God.

This is the foundation of gold on which the Scriptures and the Spirit have shown the Church that they can ride. It is important to be complete in Christ so we can move on to perfection. Heb 6:1-6 ( See article entitled: The Three Baptisms) The Bride says, little sisters, if you have not experienced these things please, by all means seek the Lord for their meaning and value in your walk with God. Let no man rip you off, or talk you into selling God short for all He has for you.

COVERING OF PURPLE “A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD”
Once we have constructed Solomon’s chariot by yielding, patience, experience and devotion to faith and studying dutifully God’s Word, Christ will call us to His service and bring us into a deeper appreciation of His royal priesthood. The covering over our Solomon’s chariot is purple because it signifies royalty and majesty in Christ. Revelation 1:6 notes that Christ “hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father …”

A basic commission and duty of the priesthood is to teach, comfort and exhort the people of God in the ways of God and to offer spiritual sacrifices, such as alms, good works, praise, the burnt offering of our flesh and prayer, which are acceptable to Him. Once we are strong and sturdy in faith Christ will call those who wait on His return to be in His service. As His servants, one of our great commissions is to invite others first to come to Jesus and second, to set the table and make ready the marriage supper of the Lamb. Until His return we serve our betrothed in the power of the Holy Ghost. Our Solomon’s chariot is covered in purple because we can say, and live, these two scriptures from 1 Peter 2:5,9  “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” And, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” We are royalty because we are the king’s espoused wife.

MIDDLE PAVED WITH LOVE “LOVE BINDS IT ALL TOGETHER”
Our chariot will be of no use if it is not bound together with the love that Christ has loved us with. All our experience, understanding, faith and spiritual work, all sacrifices will be useless if it is not paved with love. Paul puts it, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” 1 Cor 13:1

But we will also have a special love for the “daughters of Jerusalem”, or as Paul suggests, “As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Gal 6:10. If we will learn obedience and exercise our spirit so that we can hear the Master’s voice and do it then we will abide in His love and against such there is no law. What Jesus will require of us and ask us to do will always be the loving thing. Our battle is to hear and obey and not presume to know what is needed in situations, but rely on the leading of the Holy Ghost. As 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers a multitude of sins.”

SOLOMON HAS HIS CROWN: “THE BETROTHED”
Now that the chariot is built and ready there is but one thing missing: the passenger. That person, dear saint, should be and can be, you. Solomon represents the diligent believer who has carefully prepared for that special and historic day of his Betrothed Lord’s return. Solomon is seen with a crown on his head and the daughters of Jerusalem go out to see him in the moment of his great triumph and immense gladness; the moment of the Rapture. As Roman generals and emperors once strode streets of gold in magnificent ‘victory’ celebrations, this is the real ‘victory’ scene of all time and forever. Those who have been accounted worthy to escape all the tribulations that will come upon all the earth and stand before the Son of Man, their espoused Lord and husband are the victors. It will likely seem to be a procession into heaven of all the victorious believers in Christ who have readied themselves for the great Marriage supper of the Lamb.

How ‘bout it saints? Is your chariot ready to meet the Lord in the air? Have you done all, so you can be ready for that moment when we shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye? The Lord may instruct His angel to sound the call at any time. Be ready. As you read this right now, if you listen carefully, the sound of rumbling wheels can be heard; clouds of dust can be seen on the spiritual horizon; saints around the world are sewing their purple covering together, fitting the silver pillars, lining it with gold, making the most beautiful tile work in the middle upon which to stand as they wait. They wait and watch and listen and look up. As Elijah they may travel about waiting for the day, going to one mountain top, looking, listening, going to another mountain top, waiting, watching, listening, their chariot polished and being made ready. Always they work on the chariot like an obsessed mechanic works on a race car. It is never perfect, but always ready as possibly can be done. Still, it is a beautifully constructed chariot. Each one has the frame of salvation, the silver of wisdom and knowledge, the gold of the fullness of Christ, the purple covering of priesthood and kingship, and the love wherewith Christ has loved us upon which we stand. All we await now is the crown we will be given in the day of our espousal, the day of His appearing.