They say that anything can be described or explained with the five W’s, or, “Who, What, Where, When, and Why”. I will start with What. Simply put, the Rapture is a gathering of Christian Believers by Christ to His presence for His purposes. This group of Christians will not experience physical death but will be brought directly from a mortal shell to an immortal being. It is extremely important to understand the Rapture especially with regard to When. Most Christians have heard of this “blessed hope”, but there are a myriad of teachings on the subject, and the conflicting opinions are not without a measure of acrimony. It is not prudent to think or say, “It is not my concern – God will reveal His will in His time”, or “No need to be concerned – I will not be here”, or as a pastor recently told me, “I am not concerned with that – I will find out what He meant when I get to heaven”. This subject is of the utmost, contemporaneous importance to all Christians. In this short paper, I will present the dangers of dogmatic pre-tribulation thinking and attempt to prepare the reader with some facts and insight. Although this work is constructive criticism of the pre-tribulation position, it is done with respect for differing opinions. I have been forced to change my mind several times when presented with facts and new information. For example, I was once an atheist, and I once held the pre-tribulation Rapture view. Please keep an open mind, and at the very least, search out the evidence for yourself.
One of the best apologies for the pre-tribulation Rapture position is a book 1 by Tim LaHaye and by Jerry B. Jenkins. These learned gentlemen are also the authors of the “Left Behind” series, (a series that I highly recommend). Tim LaHaye is also a founder of the Pre-tribulation Institute. In “Are We Living in the End Times?” these authors lay out four main, ‘compelling’ reasons that support the pre-tribulation position or doctrine. I will approach these points in turn.
First let me quickly address the other four of the five W’s. The Who should be obvious. Christians who are on good terms with their Lord will be taken. I will not even attempt to define “good terms”, but I think it is prudent to find out for yourself. Further to What, the manifestation of the Rapture is more difficult to explain 2. Please watch my website for a paper on the subject of “What”. Where is easy; everyWhere. Why is also easy. As explained in His word, there will be a Rapture because God does not wish us to be here during His wrath 3. Again, (and the subject of this paper), When is the issue.
And finally, I present one last item of introduction. The Rapture will happen, and it will happen soon. Do not get bogged down in dogma, and if you are to err, it is best to err on the safe-side. Get your ministers and pastors involved. If they are not preaching this stuff, they are not serving one of the most important needs of their congregations. There is no more important message today than that of preparation for the End Times.
Now, let us take a look at the four main LaHaye/Jenkins, (L/J), reasons supporting a pre-tribulation doctrine. First, “The Lord Himself promised to deliver us” 4. Second, “The church is to be delivered from the wrath to come” 5. Third, “Christians are not appointed to wrath” 6. And fourth, “The church is absent in Revelation 4 through 18”. Upon closer examination, only two reasons are given. The first three all say the same thing or essentially, “The Lord promises to deliver the church because Christians are not appointed to wrath”. Let us look at the now two arguments in detail.
The Tribulation is a seven-year period that will literally take place some time before the generation that saw Israel reborn as a nation passes away from this earth 7. That is my generation folks. The Tribulation has two 3½ year parts that are called by many names. Both contain “wrath” and both contain tribulation. During the first half or 3½ year period, the antichrist and his government dole out wrath. The tribulations during these first 42 months are really signs and warnings. During the last half, known as the Great Tribulation, wrath is by God although the antichrist does continue his wrath against remaining Christians and Jews. Both halves contain tribulations imposed by God, but only the second half includes wrath imposed by God. Quite simply, God never promised to keep His people from the wrath of antichrist or from His signs and warnings in the form of tribulation. To the contrary, He states through His word that we will be tested and tried during this time. This testing and trying is by tribulation because many of us respond to no other discipline. Additionally, many of us will be deceived 8. But, as with Noah and Lott, His people will be delivered from His wrath. Considering the above, the Rapture can therefore not take place before the Tribulation begins. It most likely will occur near the halfway point when God’s Witnesses are withdrawn and the final warnings to earthly inhabitants are given.
Let us examine this in more detail. The very scripture quoted by L/J, Revelation 3:10, backs up the alternate view for timing. “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial 9 which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth”. Examine this carefully. For the most part, what have today’s Christians persevered, prosperity? Plain sense tells us they persevere the wrath of antichrist and part of the Tribulation 10. And, why would God remove witnesses early, before the signs? We will however be delivered from the hour of testing for all remaining people; those who do not heed the witnessing, the signs, and the warnings. To repeat a L/J referenced quote, “When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense, but take every word at its primary, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context clearly indicate otherwise.” 11 And yes, there will be more converts in the second half of the Tribulation. 'Luke warm' Christians may be left behind and many will convert based on the witness of this miracle. Their numbers may be fewer, but all are important, and what Saints they will be! In summary, this is really a simple argument that involves semantics. A mid-tribulation Rapture position makes more sense.
The second main L/J argument sound good on the surface but does not hold up to scrutiny. The fact that the Church is not mentioned in Revelation Chapters 4 through 18 is simply just a fact without connotation. The Bible is good literature. It is well written. The Church is not mentioned in Chapter 4 because Chapter 4 is about the Throne in Heaven. The Church is not mentioned in Chapter 5 because Chapter 5 is about the scroll and the Lamb. The Church is not mentioned in Chapter 6 because Chapter 6 is about the Seals. Need I continue? The Church is simply not the subject of these Chapters.
Can I be wrong about this? Yes. The Rapture can take place at any time. There is nothing in the prophetic sequence of events lacking for this whole thing to kick-off, and only the Father knows the exact time. Be ready and be prepared for we are certainly in the season. The dangers here are dogma and indifference. Many people are so convinced that they will not be here that, if this Week starts and they have not seen a Rapture, the door will be wide open to false teaching and deception.
It is an important consideration that the lack of a pre-tribulation Rapture may even trigger the deception for many Christians.
For an alternate view on the timing of the Rapture, I recommend “The Sign” 12. It is difficult but important reading. For that matter, read everything you can find on the subject and tell your friends the good news. There is a happy ending.
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This document was revised slightly by the author on 10 October 2004.
1 Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, Are We Living in the End Times?, (Tyndale House, Wheaton, IL, 1999)
2 I will address that issue in a separate paper. Please watch my website for a paper titled “The Physical Manifestation of the Rapture”. It will be shocking, and it will not be in line with current thinking.
3 The Great Tribulation, the second 3½ years
4 Revelation 3:10
5 1 Thessalonians 1:10
6 1 Thessalonians 5:9
7 Matthew 24:34
8 Mark 13:22, Matthew 24:11 and 24:24
9 God’s wrath
10 Luke 21:12
11 Dr. David L. Cooper
12 Robert Van Kampen, The Sign, (Crossway Books, 1993)