The Truth of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Why this subject continues to be disputed among the brothers and sisters is incomprehensible.
The Word of God plainly states that the Church, the bride of Jesus Christ, will not suffer God’s wrath (1Thessalonians 5:9).
We see this early in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (found in both Gospels at chapter 3, verse 7) with John the Baptist’s ministry. John addresses the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” If the wrath could not be avoided by placing faith in the Messiah, for whom John was preparing the way, why would John make such a statement?
Here’s a quick list of New Testament verses confirming that the true believer will be spared the wrath of God:
John 3:36
Romans 1:18, 2:5, 2:8, 4:15, 5:9, 13:5
Ephesians 5:6
1Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9
All of these verses, read in context, state that only those in rebellion against God, the unbelieving, the unregenerate, the unrighteous will suffer the wrath of God; the wrath of God that is dispensed during the seven years of the Tribulation at the end of this age. The true believer has been made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ and is no longer under God’s wrath.
The End of the Church Age
The Church Age (the 2,000 years between the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven and the snatching away of the Church) ends with the removal of the Bride of Christ from the Earth prior to God pouring out His judgements upon the unbelievers and rebellious allies of Satan. With the Church Age concluded God returns his focus to his covenant with Israel.
Two-thirds of the covenant people who are alive at the time the Tribulation begins will be dead at the end of those seven years. The remaining remnant will call out to Jesus to return and believe in him as their promised Messiah. Jesus will then return to Earth and rescue Israel from all of their enemies, destroying all who gather to oppose him at the valley of Megiddo (Armageddon).
Bible scholars find a correlation between the seven days of creation and the seven ages, or times, of the human race. An age is one thousand years and we see these through the historic timeline as 6 days (6,000 years of man’s dominion on Earth) plus one day (1,000 Years of Sabbath Rest):
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2Peter 3:8). [emphasis mine]
Thus:
Days One and Two: Adam to Abraham
Days Three and Four: Abraham to Jesus
Days Five and Six: Jesus 1st Coming to Jesus’ 2nd Coming
Day Seven: One thousand year reign of Christ on this old Earth; the Golden Jubilee
This, of course is followed by the renovation of the old Earth with fire, the descent of the New Jerusalem to the newly renovated Earth, and the Eternal State where God lives visibly with redeemed mankind.
Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Rev 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Rev 21:5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Rev 21:6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
Rev 21:7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Rev 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
The false views of the post-tribulation rapture and mid-tribulation rapture have no leg to stand on if one takes into account the whole of Scripture. Those who hold such an erroneous view have even gone as far as to perpetuate a lie (the rapture was invented in the 18th century by Darby) that has been disproven over and over again by the writing of the early Church fathers.
Are You Ready to Meet Jesus?
We are literally nearing the end of this last 2,000 year age. We cannot know the exact date because of the differences between the ancient calendars of the Jews and the Julian calendar that we follow today. But there is no doubt that we are extremely close to the end.
If you are a born-again Christian this is good news! If not, then it is the worse news if you continue to remain in your unbelief. God does not grade on a curve. You cannot qualify yourself for Heaven by measuring your good deeds against your bad deeds. God says that all have sinned and fallen short, that the result of having sinned is death, and that there is not one person who is righteous in His eyes. There is only one way to Heaven and that is by placing your faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement for your sins on the cross where he paid the penalty for everyone’s sins who will believe in Him.
Like it or not, that’s the truth; the reality we all face. And what’s not to like? Forgiveness, the love of God, and an eternity on the New Earth with the visible God as a free gift that cannot be earned by good works? It’s a gift–take it! If you die in unbelief your eternity will be eternal misery without parole. It’s a no-brainer. Don’t wait.
God bless.