The rapture is an often preached-on topic in pulpits (and radios/televisions) across the United States today and also appears as a topic in articles in Christian magazines. Unfortunately, a number of positions on the rapture have no support in the Bible. Although there are three primary positions on the rapture (pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post-tribulation), the most common and least Biblical position is pre-tribulation.
Pre-tribulation rapture supposes that there will be an event before the tribulation spoken of by Christ in Matthew (and elsewhere) and by John in Revelation, during which believers will be “caught-up” (definition of rapture) and transported into the heavenly realm. This is often referred to simply as “the rapture,” and this is what I will mean when referring to the rapture in this article.
Primary support for the rapture is placed on 1 Thessalonians 4:17. At first glance, this is but one verse in the entire Bible. I would not go so far as to say this verse is taken out of context, however, I would be so bold as to say that reliance on this verse to support a pre-tribulation rapture is an error. Paul does not at all indicate that our being “caught up” together is separate and distinct from the Second Coming. Instead, I would argue that Paul is generally describing the Second Coming which shall include believers being “caught up” with Jesus Christ into the heavenly realm. Indeed, in this section of 1 Thessalonians 4 (verses 13-18), there is no mention of when this event is to occur. Therefore, to say that our being “caught up” is to occur before or after the tribulation cannot be determined based on 1 Thessalonians 4 alone.
If I were, however, to make my entire argument against the rapture based on this one verse alone, I would be making a mistake of similar proportions as the proponents of the rapture. Scripture is replete with examples and direct teachings of Jesus Christ that should form our expectations relating to the tribulation and the Second Coming. Let me stop here and suggest that you read these Scriptures and formulate your own opinion, don’t just take my word for it. The Scriptures I am referring to include (but are not limited to):
Matthew 24:21-31 where Jesus described the tribulation in detail, confirmed that believers will not be harmed, and that He will come again at the conclusion of the tribulation, at which time the believers shall be gathered together. Verse 31 is in direct contradiction with the rapture.
In Exodus 12:1-13, God was angry with Pharaoh for the way he was treating the people of Israel and for the hardness of his heart. God pronounced a series of plagues on Egypt where the people of Israel were being held captive. But God spared His people in spite of the “tribulation” and fierce judgment levied against Egypt. Specifically, in one plague God promised that anyone who painted the blood of a spotless lamb on their doorpost would be spared when His angel was sent to kill the first born of the Egyptians. (We should take careful note of this passage of Scripture because it lays the foundation for the blood of Christ being shed on the cross and our being washed in His blood (figuratively) to receive our salvation.)
In Genesis chapters 6 and 7, God levied “tribulation” and fierce judgment against the whole world. Moses wrote of the people at that time saying that “every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” In the midst of this judgment, God promised to spare Noah and his family and gave Noah specific instructions to follow to ensure his safety and salvation. (Once again, we should take note that following specific instructions is often required on our part even today to ensure our ultimate safety in spite of tribulation in the world around us.)
In Revelation 7:13-14, we are informed that many souls will come through the tribulation. How can this be if all of the believers have already been taken from the earth? At this point, we should stop and consider that the idea of the rapture is incongruent with what we know to be true of God. Assuming that a rapture occurs before the tribulation as some today suggest, this would seal the fate of all who remain, which would mean that the promise of salvation would at that point be revoked, leaving no chance for those who remain to receive salvation. This is an inconsistent position when reading this portion of Revelation.
A question comes to my mind when attempting to listen objectively to proponents of the rapture, which is, where in the Bible does it say Jesus is coming again twice? If we are to believe in the rapture, then we must necessarily also believe that Jesus will come again once to “catch us up” into the heavenly realm and again at the conclusion of the tribulation. Jesus does not speak of coming again twice, nor does any other area of Scripture.
One final question is this: So what? Why does it matter? If you knew that you were about to go through a period of testing and difficulty that was of a greater magnitude than anything you have experienced thus far in your life, you would probably prepare for it by strengthening your faith, spending time in prayer, and learning everything the Bible has to say about suffering and promise. This is what appears to have happened in this day and age to me. The general populous in the church in the United States believes they are not going to experience significant tribulation. The effect has been a slow drifting away from their faith, from a strong relationship with Christ and from learning everything they can about the Bible. This has to be a contributing factor to the decline of the church in the United States, and strengthening our faith, increasing our understanding of the Bible and deepening our relationship with Christ for the difficulty we will experience in life will most certainly be the instigator of revival and renewal.
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