Quote:
|
Originally Posted by
by Kent Crockett
Evidence For A
PreTribulation Rapture
Let me first say that our
fellowship as Christians is
not based upon the timing of
the rapture, but upon the
finished work of Jesus on
the cross. Some have accused
those who believe in a
pre-tribulation rapture as
"escapists," trying to avoid
all trouble or persecution.
On the contrary, the Church
always has been and always
will be persecuted as long
as we are in the world, but
this is not the same as the
wrath of God poured out
during the Tribulation. We
believe the rapture occurs
before the Tribulation
because scriptures
overwhelmingly support a
pre-tribulation rapture, as
opposed to the a-millennial,
post-millennial, and
post-tribulation theories.
|
I believe you are wrong because the Bible
does not support this view at all. In fact,
the negative consequence of your view is
that when you are in the Tribulation, you
won't realize it, because you assumed you
would have been raptured if it was. And, you
will even accuse the brethren raptured at
the first rapture who were received first
according to readiness. Fellowship therefore
is not only based on the finished work of
the cross but the timing of rapture as well,
for the finished work of the cross leads us
to believe there are advanced parties and
harbingers in every sphere. The parousia of
Christ is no exception.
Quote:
The following is a look at 16
scriptural evidence that
indicate the rapture will be
Pre-Tribulation.
("Pre-tribulation" rapture means
Jesus will gather those who
believe in Him together in
heaven before the Seven Year
Tribulation starts.)
Evidence #1: Revelation 19:11-21
doesn't mention a resurrection
The rapture is a resurrection of
those "in Christ" (1 Thess.
4:13-18). Isn't it a little bit
odd that in Rev. 19:11-21, which
is the clearest picture of the
second coming of Christ, there
is no mention of a resurrection?
The rapture will be the biggest
event since the resurrection of
Jesus where hundreds of millions
of Christians will be
resurrected and translated, yet
there isn't any mention here.
Don't you think it deserves at
least one verse? The rapture
isn't mentioned because it
doesn't happen at the second
coming.
|
The reason there is no rapture or
resurrection mentioned at Rev. 19.11-21 is
because Christ has returned, whence the
saints at the first rapture and the last
trumpet have already been raptured. That is
why we read, "And the armies which are in
heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white [and] pure"
(Rev. 19.14). Jesus returns with His saints
in Rev. 19, because they had already been
raptured.
Evidence #1 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #2: Zechariah 14:1-15
doesn't mention a resurrection
This is an Old Testament picture
of Jesus returning to earth at
the second coming. Again, no
mention of a resurrection. |
Why does the resurrection have to be
mentioned at the split second of Christ
stepping down on the mount of olives? It
would not make sense for the resurrections
and raptures to happen at this point but
some point before, both at first rapture and
the harvest rapture (Rev. 14.14-16). Note
that the final harvest rapture happens at
the start of the last trumpet, but before
the bowls commence. The bowls are poured in
the last trumpet which takes 24 months. If
you don't know how the 24 is derived please
ask.
Evidence #2 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #3: Two different
pictures are painted
In the Old Testament, there were
two different pictures painted
of the Messiah—one suffering
(Isa. 53:2-10, Ps. 22:6-8,
11-18) and one reigning as King
(Ps. 2:6-12, Zech. 14:9,16). As
we look back on these
scriptures, we see they
predicted two separate comings
of the Messiah—the 1st coming as
a suffering Messiah and the 2nd
coming (still future) as a
reigning King.
In the New Testament, we have
another picture added. Again, we
have two pictures painted which
don’t look the same. These two
different descriptions of Jesus’
coming point to two separate
events we call "the rapture" and
"the second coming." |
Wouldn't it be more accurately stated the
two different events towards the second
coming of Christ (parousia) over the 7 years
are the first rapture and the last trumpet
rapture? Those who overcometh, like Christ,
who suffered, are ready to be received at
the first rapture, whereas not all those
raptured at the last trumpet will receive
the reward of reigning in the 1000 years.
Evidence #3 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #4: The Known Day and
the Unknown Day
Concerning the return of Jesus,
the Bible presents a day we
can't know and a day we can
know. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus
will return at an unknown time,
while Revelation 12:6 says the
Jews will have to wait 1,260
days for the Lord to return. The
1,260 days begins when the
Antichrist stands in the Temple
and declares himself to be God
(Matt. 24:15-21, 2 Thess. 2:4)
This event will take place at
the mid-point of the seven year
Tribulation (Dan 9:27). The
Antichrist has authority to rule
for 42 months, which is 1,260
days (Rev. 13:4) and will be
destroyed by Jesus at His second
coming (Rev. 19:20, 2 Thess.
2:8). The known and unknown days
must happen at different times,
meaning they are two separate
events.
|
That we do not know when the first rapture
will occur because Jesus comes like a thief
in the night is certainly true, but why does
knowing the day of Christ's return once the
Great Tribulation has started prevent a last
trumpet harvest resurrection and rapture of
the saints?
Evidence #4 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #5: A door open in
heaven (Revelation 4:1)
The door in heaven is opened to
let John into heaven. We believe
John's call into heaven is
prophetic of the church being
caught up at the rapture (see
proof #6). In Revelation 19:11,
heaven is opened again, this
time to let the armies which are
already in heaven out. This is
the Church, which has been
raptured at a previous time,
following Jesus out of heaven at
the second coming.
|
Rapture cannot take place at Rev. 4.1 (see
my response to Evidence #6). That the saints
return with Christ in Rev. 19 does not
prevent a rapture at the last trumpet which
commences 24 months before Christ appears in
Person.
Evidence #5 is overassuming and a misreading
of God's Word and cannot be admitted as a
worthy consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #6: "Come up here."
(Revelation 4:1)
A voice called for the apostle
John to "Come up here," and
immediately he was in heaven.
This could be a prophetic
reference to the rapture of the
Church. The words "Come up here"
are spoken to the two witnesses
who are killed in the middle of
the Tribulation, who are
resurrected and ascend into
heaven (Rev. 11:12). Therefore,
the phrase "Come up here" could
mean the church is raptured in
Rev. 4:1. The word "church" is
mentioned 22 times in Rev. 1-3,
but is not mentioned again until
Rev. 22:17.
|
This is called the argument from silence.
However we cannot say there is no mention of
the saints until Rev. 22: "didst purchase
unto God with thy blood men of every tribe,
and tongue, and people, and nation" (5.10),
“the saints” (17.6), and "the armies which
are in heaven" (19.14). Unquestionably the
word “church” is not used, but who can say
that those in view in the above examples do
not belong to the church? Furthermore, “the
things which must shortly come to pass”
(including the Great Tribulation) are shown
to “his servants” (22.6), and “these things”
(including the Great Tribulation) are
testified “for the churches” (22.16). These
things will not be written if they are not
relevant to the church and to the believers.
There is some problems with saying chapters
4 & 5 are yet to be fulfilled if the church
is raptured at 4.1.
1) 4.1 speaks of being raptured in the
Spirit, not a bodily rapture: "Straightway I
was in the Spirit" (v.2). How can chapters 2
& 3 speak of the church and there not be a
clear word given of her rapture afterward?
2) Should not the church be seen in chapters
4 & 5 if it was raptured before the
Tribulation? Since the elders in 4.4,10 and
5.8 cannot represent the church (see my
response to Evidence #7). How can the
elders, if they were the church, not be
mentioned from 19.5 through to chapters 22?
Is it possible the members of the church
will not exist in the new heavens and new
earth? How can she just disappear in the
end?
3) Since chapter 5 shows the glory which the
Lamb receives in heaven, can we say He must
wait 2000 years before He will receive His
glory?
4) The praise which He receives in 5.13
agrees with Phil. 2.10. He receives the name
which is above all names due to His
resurrection and ascension as described in
Phil. 2.9. How can Rev. 5.13 describe a
scene 2000 years later?
5) Why should the new song in 5.9 be sung
2000 years later? Has not the work of
redemption already been done? Why cannot the
new song be sung at once?
6) "As though it had been slain" (5.6) is,
in the original, rendered "as though it had
been newly slain". This clearly proves that
this scene is the ascension of the Lord. The
death of the Lord is forever fresh so as to
be newly slain.
7) 4.8 records the four living creatures as
saying: "The Lord God, the Almighty, who was
and who is and who is to come"-Compare this
with 11.17, where the 24 elders are found
worshiping God and saying: "O Lord God, the
Almighty, who art and who wast"; in the
latter instance the words "who was to come"
are not said, thus intimating that he return
of the Lord cannot be before 4.8 but after
4.8.
8. In 5.6 the seven Spirits of God are "sent
forth into all the earth"-Many we not ask,
then, what the Holy Spirit will be doing in
the Great Tribulation as He is sent out into
all the earth? We know that the Holy Spirit
comes down after the ascension of the Lord
Jesus. It is during the dispensation of the
church that He is sent out by the Lord.
In view of these eight points we may
conclude that chapter 4 depicts the scene of
the daily presence of God, which is the
natural situation in heaven; while chapter 5
speaks of the Lord's ascension, for in it we
are told of "a Lamb standing, as though it
had been newly slain" (5.6). This is
repeated for John's benefit-"After these
things [of being shown the church age in
Rev. 2 & 3 and the call to overcometh]...a
door opened in heaven" (4.1). This,
therefore, is not a continuation of the
seven church periods, but a sequel to the
vision given in chapter 1-3.
"Come up hither" is spoken to John
personally; it should not be interpreted as
a type of the rapture of the church.
Evidence #6 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #7: The 24 elders have
their crowns
After John is called up into
heaven, he sees the 24 elders
with their crowns (Rev. 4:4-10).
We know that Christians will
receive their rewards (crowns)
at the rapture (2 Tim. 4:8, 1
Pet. 5:4). We will be repaid at
the resurrection of the
righteous (Luke 14:14). The
elders couldn't receive their
crowns unless the resurrection
(rapture) has taken place.
|
Rev. 3.10 needs to be explained for a
condition is given for the first rapture. As
well, there are ten other reasons why the 24
elders do not represent the glorious church.
1) Elder is never the name of the church. It
would be like saying the whole church is
made up of elders.
2) The number of the elders is not the
number of the church. The church number is
seven or multiples of seven, but 24 is not a
multiple.
3) The church cannot have the throne and the
crown before Jesus has His. The one who sits
on the throne in 4.2 is God the Father (the
Lamb is still standing, according to 5.6).
The 24 elders are sitting on the thrones,
and they all wear crowns of gold as
described in 4.4. How can the church be
sitting when the Lord Jesus is still
standing? Jesus will not be King in the
millennium till chapter 20. After 19.4 there
is no more trace of the elders. What
happened to this glorious church afterward
and why would they still be mentioned at
19.4 if the church does not pass through the
Tribulation?
(Please ask for the other 7 reasons-I assure
you they are most wonderful reasons).
Evidence #7 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #8 Holy ones are
already with Jesus in heaven
(Zech. 14:5, Rev. 19:14)
The armies in heaven, clothed in
fine linen, follow Jesus out of
heaven at His second coming
(Rev. 19:14, Zech. 14:5, Col.
3:4). These are not angels
because Rev. 19:8 tells us the
fine linen is the righteousness
of the saints. In order to come
out of heaven we first have to
go in, indicating a previous
rapture. |
Yes, Christ returns with His saints. How
does this prevent a rapture at the last
trumpet? (This point has been repeated
several times).
Evidence #8 is an overassuming of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #9: Kept from the hour
of testing (Rev. 3:10)
Revelation 3:10 says we will be
kept out of the hour of testing
which will come upon the whole
earth (the Tribulation). Some
have wrongly believed "keep"
means to keep through, or
protect through the Tribulation.
Suppose you approach a high
voltage area with a sign that
says, "Keep Out." Does that mean
you can enter and be protected?
No, it means you are forbidden
from entering the area. But this
verse also says He will keep us
from the hour of testing. It is
not just the testing, but the
time period. If a student is
excused from a test, he still
may have to sit in the class
while others take the test. But
if he is excused from the hour
of testing, he can go home. The
Church will be called home
before the hour of testing.
|
Yes, everything said here is true, but you
fail to read the whole verse which indicates
a condition for first rapture.
"Because thou didst keep the word of my
patience, I also will keep thee from the
hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come
upon the whole world, to try them that dwell
upon the earth" (Rev. 3.10).
What is the condition? To "keep the word of
my patience". Do all Christians do this? No.
Therefore, first rapture is for the church,
but according to readiness, so that not all
believers who are saved at the time of first
rapture will be kept out.
What is meant by “the word of my patience”?
Today people revile Him and curse Him, but
the Lord neither punishes them nor smites
them with lightning and thunder. Such is the
patience of Christ in this age. Today we are
patient together with Christ. We do not
resist. But does every Christian keep the
word of His patience in this manner? If so,
the whole church would indeed be raptured.
If this verse can be used indiscriminately
to prove the rapture of the whole church
before the Great Tribulation, then people
can with equal justification forget the
condition “whosoever believeth on him” and
erroneously claim that all men are saved.
Furthermore, the promise of the Lord here is
addressed to the church in Philadelphia, not
to the whole church. If the church in
Philadelphia can represent the whole church,
then we may surmise that the entire church
will be raptured before the Great
Tribulation. Yet at that time there were
actually these seven churches in Asia Minor,
and the promise of the Lord was given to but
one of these seven. Accordingly, the church
in Philadelphia cannot represent the
complete church; or else the overcomers in
the other six churches mentioned will not be
raptured.
Evidence #9 is an overlooking of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #10: Angels don't
resurrect people when they
gather them for judgment
When the angels are sent forth
to gather the elect at the
second coming (Matt. 24:29-31),
some have wrongly interpreted
this as the rapture. There is
one huge problem with this
interpretation. If we are
resurrected at this time, why
would we need angels to gather
us? In the resurrection, we will
be like the angels (Matt.
22:30), able to travel in the
air at will. Obviously, these
people who are gathered are not
resurrected, therefore it can't
be the rapture. No one would
claim the wicked are raptured at
this time, yet Matthew 13:39-41)
says the angels will not only
gather the elect, but also the
wicked. This gathering is not a
resurrection. |
Yes, this is not a resurrection, but a
gathering of the Israelites back to Israel;
but that being the case, how does this
disallow a rapture at the last trumpet, for
does not Matt. 24.40-41 says there are those
taken at the first rapture and other
Christians left to be raptured later (at the
last trumpet)? Since both the taken and the
left are Christians, then there would be two
raptures of the church. So like Rev. 3.10,
one would need to be watchful and prayerful
to be received at the first rapture,
otherwise shall be raptured at the last
trumpet.
Evidence #10 is arguing a point that does
not help itself to misread God's Word and
cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #11: Both wicked and
righteous both can't be taken
first
First Thessalonians 4:13-17 says
the righteous are taken and the
wicked are left behind. Matthew
13:30, 49 says the wicked are
taken first and righteous are
left behind. This points to two
separate events, the rapture and
the second coming.
|
The "left" are those who are saved, because
they were not first "taken" (Matt. 24.40-41)
at the first rapture. The left are raptured
at the last harvest because they are still
"alive" from the martyrdom of the
Tribulation. Their rapture will precede the
rapture of the unsaved by a thousand years.
This points to three separate events: first
rapture, harvest rapture and the second
coming or appearing of the Lord in Person on
the mount of olives (Zech. 14.4).
Evidence #11 is an argument that does not
help its view and cannot be admitted as a
worthy consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #12: Jesus returns from
the wedding
When Jesus returns to earth at
the second coming, He will
return from a wedding (Luke
12:36). At the rapture, Jesus is
married to His bride, the
Church. After the wedding, He
will return to earth.
|
Why can't Jesus be married to His bride at
the first rapture and last trumpet rapture
which the latter precedes the return of
Christ by 24 months?
Evidence #12 is an argument that does not
help its view and cannot be admitted as a
worthy consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #13: Jesus will receive
us to Himself, not us to receive
Him (John 14:2-3)
Jesus said He would prepare a
place for the Church in heaven,
then He would come again to
receive us to Himself. Why would
Jesus prepare a place for us in
heaven and then not take us
there? At the rapture, He will
come to receive us to Himself,
"that where I am (heaven), there
you may be also." If the rapture
occurred at the same time as the
second coming, we would go up to
the clouds and then immediately
come back to earth. That would
contradict John 14:2-3. |
Since this is not the case and will not
happen since the first trumpet rapture takes
places 42 months before Christ appears and
the last trumpet resurrection and rapture
takes place 24 months before Christ appears,
then there is no problem.
Evidence #13 is an overlooking of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #14: The one who
restrains is taken out of the
way
In 2 Thess. 2:6-7, Paul says
"the one who restrains will be
taken out of the way" before the
Antichrist can be revealed. We
believe this refers to the
rapture because the Holy Spirit
who lives within the Church is
clearly the biggest obstacle to
the Antichrist becoming a world
ruler. |
One who restraineth is no proper terminology
for the Holy Spirit. The Third Person of the
Trinity has many different names, such as
the Spirit, the Spirit of glory, the Spirit
of revelation, etc; and the word “Spirit” is
usually present - and even though in one
instance the word “Comforter” is used alone,
yet from the next clause which follows
(“even the Spirit of truth”) it is evident
that this has clear reference to the Holy
Spirit (John 14.16-17). Never do the
Scriptures say the Holy Spirit is “he that
restrains”; moreover, how can the Holy
Spirit be said to “be taken out of the way”?
The Spirit still works in the spirit of
believers in the Tribulation.
Furthermore, where does the Bible announce
that the Holy Spirit is absent during the
Great Tribulation? And how can there be the
so-called believers of the Great Tribulation
if the Holy Spirit is not present? For no
one is saved without the Holy Spirit, He who
is born of the Spirit is spirit. Moreover,
this matter of the Holy Spirit’s presence
during the Great Tribulation is clearly
shown in Revelation 5: “and seven eyes,
which are the seven Spirits of God, sent
forth into all the earth” (v.6). The time of
the Great Tribulation is the time of the
latter rain (see Acts 2.15-21, Joel
2.28-31). The prophecy of Joel was not
completely fulfilled on the day of
Pentecost. For on that day there were no
“wonders in the heaven and in the earth:
blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke”; nor
was “the sun . . . turned into darkness, and
the moon into blood” (Joel 2.30-31). All of
these five wonders will be fulfilled around
and in the time of the Great Tribulation:
blood (first trumpet), fire (first and
second trumpets), smoke (fifth trumpet), sun
and moon (sixth seal). Pentecost is only a
miniature, a foretaste. Peter does not say:
“It is fulfilled”; he merely says that “this
is that” (Acts 2.16). As a matter of fact,
the Holy Spirit is going to do greater work
during the time of the Great Tribulation.
If there will not be the Holy Spirit
present, how can the saints ever endure
during the Great Tribulation?
Evidence #14 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #15: The separation of
the sheep and goats (Matt.
25:31-46)
If the rapture occurred at the
second coming, why would the
sheep and the goats need to be
separated immediately after the
second coming? With a
Pre-Tribulation rapture, the
people saved after the rapture
will need to be separated after
the second coming. |
The sheep here refers to the good nations
and the goats to the evil nations and
peoples. It is not referring to the saved
and unsaved. Don't the nations have to be
resolved when Christ returns?
Who
in this parable are the ones to be judged?
It tells us that it is to be “all the
nations” (v.32). This word “nations” is the
same as is translated “the Gentiles” in
Matthew 4.15; 6.32; 10.5,18; 12.18;
and 20.19,25. It is a Greek word which in
its meaning includes all the Gentiles.
If you can't see this, please ask for the
proof, and I can supply you with seven other
reasons why this is the case.
Evidence #15 is a misreading of God's Word
and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.
Quote:
Evidence #16: Who will populate
the Millennium?
If the rapture occurs at the
second coming and the wicked are
cast into hell at that time, who
will be left to populate the
millennium? Only people in their
natural (non-resurrected) bodies
will be able to have children
(Matt. 22:30). With a
Pre-Tribulation rapture, the
people saved after the rapture
who are alive at the second
coming will populate the earth
during the Millennium.
|
Yet, this is not a valid argument for
pretribulation rapture onlyism, since those
populating earth when Christ returns can
still include the nations that remain after
the last harvest rapture.
Evidence #16 is an overlooking of some key
facts and cannot be admitted as a worthy
consideration.