Three Powerful Reasons to Believe In the Pre-Tribulational Rapture
Matt Recker
The rapture is the catching away of believing saints from the earth to meet Jesus Christ in the air. The English word “rapture” is not in the Bible but derives from the Latin word raptura, which means, “to carry away.” We translate the Greek word that relates to the word rapture with “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. This colorful word, harpazo reminds us of the word “harpoon” or, “to snatch away suddenly.” Two classic New Testament passages that deal with the rapture are 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. At the rapture of the church, Christians will be with Jesus forever!
1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:17, 18: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
While God’s people have honest differences on the timing of the rapture, whether it is before, in the middle of, or at the end of the Tribulation time, there are good reasons to believe from Scripture that the rapture occurs before the tribulation. Here are three powerful reasons to maintain the pre-tribulational rapture view.
1. The rapture happens imminently.
The New Testament breathes that Jesus Christ is coming again and that He can come again at any moment (1 Thess.1:10; 1 Cor.1:7). God’s people from the days of the apostles to this present moment have had the clear sense that Jesus can come back during our lifetime. The imminent return of Jesus Christ is only possible with a pre-tribulational catching away of believers. “The Lord is at hand” (Phil.4:5) and “the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:8). Many verses speak of the believer living today as Jesus can come at any moment (John 14:2, 3; Titus 2:13; Phil.3:20; 1 Tim.6:14).
2. The Tribulation is God’s dealing with National Israel and not the church.
Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most important prophetic passages in Scripture. This section begins: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city.” While these verses are very complex, many believe that the 70 weeks are 70 x 7 years, or a 490-year period of God’s dealing with National Israel, His “people.” The last seven-year period, or the last week, is the seven-year tribulation. What is important to grasp is that these years are God’s dealing with national Israel. The church did not exist during any part of the first 69 weeks, or 483 years, and there is no Biblical reason to believe that the church is present for the final week, or the seven-year tribulation time. We must always keep the distinction of difference between Israel and the Church, and the tribulation is the time of “Jacob’s trouble” (Jer.30:7). In fact, during the Tribulation time in Revelation 6-18, the church receives no mentions but Israel is prominent in God’s dealing. Why? Because the Lord raptured the church prior to the beginning of the tribulation.
3. The church is not called to wrath, and the seven-year tribulation is a time of God’s wrath.
Revelation 6-18 describes in detail the wrath of God upon the earth and unbelieving nations in order to bring Israel to salvation. Thankfully, God has delivered us from this wrath that is to come upon the earth. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess.5:9). God promised the church in Revelation 3:10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” The purpose of the 70th week is to bring tribulation upon all the earth and God promises the church deliverance from this coming time of judgment from God.
Let us ever continue to live holy lives for Christ, looking for the blessed hope of Christ’s imminent coming in the clouds! There are many other Biblical reasons to believe in a pre-tribulational rapture, but these are three of the best.
Matt Recker is the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in New York City.
Only yesterday Pete Garcia (the Omega Letter) came out with this same information, he said that “proper eschatology(Pre-Mill/Pre-Trib) then is the flashlight by which makes what was unseen or hidden, easier to see and understand”. Many of us are watching daily on Rapture websites due to so many convergence of signs – awesome days! Thank you for listing these points!
Thank you for your comment. Just remember, the New Testament gives no signs for the Church Age believer. All signs are for Tribulation saints. So current events are interesting, but they may or may not mean anything. We are looking for Christ, not for signs!
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
Jesus had a lot to say about the signs of his return:
Matthew 24; 5-14, 22-25, 29-33
Many are lining up. Just be ready, and your brothers and sisters etc. Do not stop telling others. Remember, Whosoever Will.
John 3:16 whosoever will.
With respect, Stephen, the signs that Jesus mentions in Mt 24 are for the Jews of the Tribulation period, after the Rapture has already occurred. No signs are predicted prior to the Rapture.
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
Back at you my brother. God’s prophetic word is a marvelous thing, and all scripture is God breathed and good for instruction. So we can use Matthew chapter 24, as a true prophecy from God specifically Jesus who spoke it. If that is the case then we can use examples of other prophecy like Daniel 9:27 where it says “he” (The Anti-christ) will confirm a covenant with many for one week. How did the system get set up that he, the antichrist, could step into? You think that happened in 3 1/2 years? Or is it happening now. Examples, Pope (apostate) says all religions go to heaven, ever closer to cashless society (just ask a young person how much cash they use) not. All plastic cards. What about the apostate Evangelical church with mystic new age, center prayer, yoga, contemplative spirituality, purpose driven nonsense and new spirituality. What about the Tribulation temple in Daniel 9:27 that will be set up for anti christ to defile. Can we see movement in any of these areas. My Jewish friends of many years said it will never happen, A new Temple be built, are now wondering.
Now with all this whether it matters or not, the point is that a system needs to be constructed for someone or thing steps in. It took Noah 100 years to build an ark probably preaching all the time. Many missed out. We have ha about 2000 years to preach to the unbelieving. Again the point is 2 Thess 2: 9-11 there are opinions about can those who did not choose Jesus still have a chance after the Rapture of the church? Some say yea some say no. But if YES then we sure can see as a previous poster said a convergence of many things that make up a System for something (anti-christ) to step into..
Does scripture say so, all scripture is God breathed for our instruction and application. Let us use it to our best abilities for those looking for a second chance. God gives second chances. Let us not split hairs over scripture let us BE BOLD IN SHOUTING so other may hear and be saved.
Whosoever will…..
God Bless and to him and his son Jesus the Christ all glory. Forever and ever.
Well, brother, I don’t intend to have an ongoing debate. Just want to caution you. The passages you mention certainly are for our use, but usually an overweening interest in prophecy, signs, and so on, is not the path of spiritual health. We should be informed, yes, but obsessed? No.
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Don, I find it incredulous, that the answer of Jesus to the disciples questions, is excluded from application to the church. Within a couple days of when Jesus was asked “…what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt 24:3), He promise these very same disciples that he would come again, and receive them unto himself (John 14:3). To claim John 14:3 for the church and exclude the divine eschatological truth of the other is to mishandle the Word of God. These apostles are representatives of the church, they are part of its foundation (Eph 2:20).
Jesus says that before His coming (parousia, His return and continuing presence) the defiling of the rebuilt temple will take place, initiating the great tribulation (Matt 24:15, 21). When that period of the severe persecution of the elect and Israel is cut short (Matt 24:22) the cosmic sign spoken of by Joel appears. “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” (Joe 2:31, Matt 24:29; Rev 6:12-17; Isa 2:19-21; Isa 13:6-11)
Then Jesus appears to resurrect the dead in Christ (Dan 12:1-2; Rev 20:4-6), gather us to himself (Matt 24:31; 1Thes 4:15-17), and take us to the Fathers house (John 14:3; Rev 7:9-17).
Hallelujah
Brother Don,
I agree with you that Prophecy is an important subject and should be studied. Also agree with the inspired book of the “Revelation of Jesus Christ” which is the fulfillment of all Prophecy, where in chapter 1 vs 3 it says” Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this Prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Blessings to you brother and all who read and hear thisProphesy.
Whosoever will believe on the Son of man Jesus the Christ and that he was our propitiation and has rescued us from certain dearth. Believe on him and follow him
Blessed be God the Father and our Lord Jesus. amen…
Brother Don,
Would like to think that all of us in Christ are passionately engaged.
Revelation gives a great example in chapter 1 verse 3. A blessing to those who would be engaged. It is a free blessing from God.
Whosoever will….will…
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Mr. Recker, I don’t doubt that you mean well, but there are serious problems with each of your points. I’m the Pastor of an Independent Baptist Church, and have known Christ as my Lord and Saviour for 40 years. So that you don’t prejudge me, let me state the beliefs that I think we have in common. I believe in the literal interpretation of Scripture, I believe there is a difference between the Church and Israel, and that God has a future plan for that nation. I am premillennial when it comes to Christ’s return. Also, I believe that the Church is not appointed unto God’s wrath and therefore, will be removed from the earth before His wrath is poured out.
These statements are typically the position of those holding the pre-trib rapture model for the catching up of the saints. I held this model for 40 years, and taught it for 30 years, becoming an expert in the defense of it. However, I now find many flaws in the model as a whole. Below, I will respond with Scripture to each of your points.
“1. The rapture happens imminently”
[snip – redacted by editor]
“2. The Tribulation is God’s dealing with National Israel and not the church.”
[snip – redacted by editor]
“3. The church is not called to wrath, and the seven-year tribulation is a time of God’s wrath.”
[snip – redacted by editor]
There is ten times more that we could look at concerning the proper eschatological model. Every question and objection by pretribulationists and posttribulationists can be answered. In fact, I have presented the historic model for the rapture, held by the church throughout the centuries, from Justin Martyr to Charles Spurgeon. They all believed that they would see the Antichrist, suffer great tribulation, and then at any moment be raptured before God’s wrath was poured out without mixture upon the unbelieving world.
All praise, honour, and glory be unto Jesus Christ our Lord.