Some False Views of the Rapture

 

I. That the rapture will not occur until the  middle of the tribulation

  

   A. This would force the church

      1. To go through 3 1/2 years

      2. Of God's wrath

   B. This position agrees

      1. To a seven-year tribulation

      2. But distinguishes between

         a. The first 3 1/2 years

         b. As the "beginning of sorrows"

            in Matt 24:8

         c. As opposed to

             the "great distress"

              in Matt 24:21

         d. Which discribes the

               last 3 1/2 years

   C. They believe

      1. The rapture will take place in

           the middle of the tribulation

        

      2. They use Rev 11

         a. When the two witnesses

         b. Are taken into heaven

         c. They say that this is when the

              church will be taken up also

           

   D. Their main argument

      1. God has not removed the

           church from sorrow

           and judgement up to this time

      2. They quote instances

         a. Spanish Inquisiion

         b. Chinese believers died

              at the hand of

              Japanese during WWII

         c. The Russian believers

              slaughtered at the

              hands of the communists

   E. The shallowness of their

       argument in clear

      1. They do not separate

         a. Satanic wrath

         b. And Divine wrath

      2. Nowhere are we promised

          that we will escape

         a. Suffering

         b. Or even martydom

      3. But we are assured we

           will escape divine wrath

        

         a. This is the very essence

               of the great  tribulation

          

         b. When God will punish the world

         c. Compare

            (1) Isa 24:1

            (2) Isa 63:3-6

            (3) Rev 6:17

         d. With

            (1) 1 Thess 1:10

            (2) 1 Thess 5:9

   F. The New Testament pictures the church

      1. As the body of Christ

      2. As the Bride of Christ

      3. If Mid-trib or Post-trib view is correct

         a. Then a part of his body would suffer

            amputation

         b. And a section of the bride would be left

            behind

      4. If Mid-trib or Post-trib view is correct

         a. Then one would be forced to conclude

            that the bodies of carnal departed

            christians

         b. Would likewise be left in the grave

      5. This is not the teaching of the Word of God

   G. The Bible teaches clearly

      1. That the rapture is

         a. Pretribulation in nature

         b. And includes all believers

      2. Scripture

         a. 1 Thess 1:10

         b. Romans 5:9

      3. One of the strongest proof of this statement

         a. Up to Rev 6

            (1) The church is mentioned

            (2) Many times on the earth

         b. From Rev 6 to Rev 19

            (1) This the period of the tribulation

            (2) The church is never mentioned as

                being on the earth

            (3) The church is only mention as being

                in heaven

            (4) In fact, the only Godly group

               (a) Which Satan can find to persecute

                   during this period

               (b) Is the nation of Israel

               (c) Rev 12

      4. In Rev 4:1

         a. Door open

         b. Trumpet sound

         c. Command "Come up hither"

      5. In 2 Cor 5:20

         a. Christians are God's ambassadors on earth

         b. What happens during wartime

            (1) War is declared

            (2) Ambassadors taken out

         c. God's will declare war on this earth

   H. Two serious problems connected with mid-trib view

      1. It destroys the imminence of Christ's return

         a. Christ could not return

         b. Until 3 1/2 years after this writing

      2. It sets a date-setting chronology

         a. When the tribulation begins

            (1) When the Anti-christ

            (2) Makes his peace pact with Israel

         b. Than add 3 1/2 years to this for the rapture

         c. Christ said

            (1) This would not be revealed

            (2) Matt 24:36