The Pre-tribulation Rapture Reasons

“Pretribulation rapturism, rests essentially on one major premise- the literal interpretation method of the Scriptures. As a necessary adjunct to this, the pretribultionalist believes in a dispensational interpretation of the Word of God. The church and Israel are two distinct groups with whom God has a divine plan. The church is a mystery, unreve in the Old Testament. The present mystery age intervenes within the program of God for Israel because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah at His first advent. This mystery program must be completed before God can resume His program with Israel and bring it to completion. These considerations all rise from the literal method of interpretation.”

Pentecost, Dwight. Things to come, Pg. 193

It is freely admitted by others who hold a midtribulation and postribulation view that if a literal interpretation method is used for God’s Word, then the only logical outcome is a pretribulation rapture.

Oswald T. Allis admits in his theological studies entitled Prophecy and the church that if the literal method of interpretation of the scriptures is correct then premillennialism is the correct interpretation. Therefore if this is the correct interpretation of Old Testament prophecies and promises related to Israel and a literal kingdom, we must apply the same interpretation method concerning the questions of the rapture.

Reasons

The nature of the tribulation

(The Seventieth Week Prophecy of Daniel)

The seventieth week prophesied by Daniel is the tribulation period of seven years.

What is the character of that 70th week? The Bible describes it for us:

Wrath (Revelation 6:16-17, 11:18, 14:19, 15:1, 16:1, 19; I Thessalonians 1:9-10, 5:9; Zephaniah 1:15, 18)

Judgment (Revelation 14:7, 15:4, 16:5-7, 19:2)

Indignation (Isaiah 26:20-21, 34:1-3)

Punishment (Isaiah 24:20-21)

Hour of Trial (Revelation 3:10)

Hour of Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)

Destruction (Joel 1:15)

Darkness (Joel 2:2, Zephaniah 1:14-18)

This apply to the entire period. Not just a portion of those seven years. Although it is certainly seen that the last 3 1/2 years will be especially terrible.

I believe it is safe to conclude just from a cursory look at the Word of God that this is a period of divine wrath, executed by none other than the seal-opener. Who is the seal-opener? The Lord Jesus Christ. (Revelation 5:2-5)

We know that Jesus Christ bore God’s wrath for us on the cross of Calvary. Those who are saved cannot come into the condemnation of God. If we are to experience the character of the tribulation, it would seem that the Lord Jesus Christ did not bare the wrath of God for some.

I Thessalonians 5:9-10 “9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”

2. The Scope of the Tribulation and the Prophecy of the Old Testament (Who does the tribulation deal with?---The lost and The nation of Israel)

Romans 9-11 make clear that in the end— God will deal with the world once again through the nation of Israel. This is seen in the 144,000 Jewish witnesses. This is further seen in the two special witnesses that more than likely are Jews. (If you find a Gentile witness theory--- I would be surprised--- other than the admittance by some that the two witnesses are not named and therefore cannot be dogmatically declared.)

Jeremiah 30:7 references this time as the time of Jacobs Trouble. Who is this in reference to? God’s people, the nation of Israel.

As this is also referred to as the Day of the LORD (or Jehovah) we would understand that this has particular reference to God’s people. This was God’s defining name in the Old Testament to Jews.

Daniel 9:24 “24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”

To what people group again does this refer? The nation of Israel.

I say all of that to say this, the church is a mystery--- this is clear from many passages in the New Testament. This is clear from all of the prophecies of the Old Testament. This is clear further from the question of the Jewish disciples repeatedly concerning the immediate establishment of the King and His Kingdom. (Earthly rule and reign).

Why were these Jews so confused…because the church was a mystery which became evident only after the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore we cannot read into the prophecies of the Old Testament but very veiled indirect references to the ‘church’ (which is both Jews and Gentiles of this time period----but those OT references deal with the salvation of Gentiles).

If this is true, then we conclude that 69 weeks of Daniels prophecy deal with the Jews. And because of this—we cannot include the church in the 70th week.

The intermediary period in which we live today has to do with the church.

The tribulation has to do with lost man and God’s people.

3. The divine purpose of the seventieth week.

Two manifest purposes are spoken about in Scripture.

This first has to do with judgment of the lost.

Revelation 3:10 “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.”

Make note that we the Lord Jesus Christ in speaking to the church states, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.

Notice also that the Lord states, He will “try them that dwell upon the earth.”

That great old hymn we sing often states earth is not my home, I am just a passing through....

The child of God has His home in the heavenlies.

To this I quote from head of the New Testament Greek department at Wheaton College:

“Now the word “dwell” used here (katoikeo) is a strong word. It is used to describe the fulness of the Godhead that dwelt in Christ (Col. 2:9); it is used of Christ’s taking up a permanent abode in the believer’s heart (Eph. 3:17), and of demons returning to take absolute possession of a man (Matt. 12:45; Luke 11:26). It is distinguished from the word oikeo, which is the general term for “dwell,” and paroikeo, which has the idea of transitoriness, “to sojourn.” Thayer remarks that the term katoikeo has the idea of permanence in it. Thus the judgment referred to in Revelation 3:10 is directed against earth-dwellers of that day, against those who have settled down in the earth as their real home, who have identified themselves with earth’s commerce and religion.” Henry C. Theissen, Will the church pass though the tribulation? pg. 28-29.

Thus we see that this makes a distinction from “earth-dwellers” to those who are Christians and those comprise the church.

As we noted before the Tribulation cannot be viewed in whole a positive time, but rather a time of wrath and judgment. It is certainly true that in God’s wrath He has not forgotten mercy. And it is true that some will be saved. But the character and nature of this time period has to do with God as Judge.

The second as stated before has to do with Israel.

Malachi 4:5-6 “5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, And the heart of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Elijah was to prepare the way of the Lord for the nation of Israel. To present to her their King.

The Lord Jesus stated this to confirm this truth. Mark 9:12-13 “12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.”

As noted before the “dreadful day of the Lord…” is not a singular day but refers to God’s end time judgment. This has to do with Israel and her King. This has nothing to do with the church, because the church knows who Jesus Christ is and does not need the presentation of the King which is “Elias”s ministry.

4. The true church is in unity and oneness with Christ.

The ‘professing’ church is not the same as the true church. Professing Christ does not make one a child of God. Possessing Christ, regeneration, being born-again does. Understanding this is important. Because there will be professors that are not possessors.

The possessors of Christ are born again by the operation of the Holy Ghost.

They are described in the NT as the Body of Christ of which He is the Head. (Ephesians 1:22, 5:23; Colossians 1:18). They are the bride of Christ, of which He is the bridegroom. (I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23) They are building of which He is the Foundation and Cornerstone.

There is a oneness with Christ that exists between the church and the Lord.

If that be so, and it is, are we to suppose the Christ and His body should go through God’s judgment again?

I John 4:17 “17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

John 5:24 “24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Revelation 13:7 further makes clear that those who are in the Seventieth Week are put into subjection of the Beast and His power.

Are we to suppose that Christ is will lose His headship of His body?

5. The facet of doctrine concerning the Lord’s imminent return

The nation of Israel was given many signs concerning the Lord’s return.

The church however was given no such signs, and commanded to live in light of His imminent return.

I Thessalonians 5:6 “6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

Titus 2:13 “13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

Philippians 3:20 “20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Colossians 3:4 “4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Dwight Pentecost stated this, “The doctrine of imminence forbids the participation of the church in any part of the seventieth week. The multitude of signs given to Israel to stir them to expectancy would then also be for the church, and the church could not be looking for Christ until these signs had been fulfilled. The fact that no signs are given to the church, but she, rather, is commanded to watch for Christ, precludes her participation in the seventieth week.”

6. The work of the restrainer.

II Thessalonians 2 makes clear that someOne is restraining the work of Satan and iniquity.

This Someone is none other than the Holy Spirit and His current operation from His Temple--- the church.

When the church is removed, the restraining work that is present will cease. When the restraining work ceases, the man of Sin shall be revealed. Everything about the order of Scripture emphasizes God’s coherent, orderly, wonderful, and perfect plan unfolding.

7. The probability of the 24 Elders representing the church.

I tread lightly because of the wide difference of opinion concerning this passage. But I can say that we can speak confidently that these are not angels.

How do we know this?

Because they are seated on thrones. And also because they have received rewards (stephanos) ---Victors Crowns.

The church and the church alone is said to be co-enthroned with our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Revelation 3:21 “21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Understanding again the order of scripture. Christ is not seated physically on his earthly throne at this time. But these are seated and presented faultless before the Lord.

Their number also seems to represent elders.