The Rapture Debate

Some believe Jesus could rapture the Church at any moment; others say He won't until the middle of Tribulation; still others place the Rapture at the end of a seven year Tribulation period.  Are any of them right, or does the Bible teach something else?

Pretribulation rapturism teaches that Christ will rapture true believers before the seven year Tribulation period, or what is called the seventieth week of Daniel (derived from Daniel 9:24-27), thereby saving the church from end-time persecution and martyrdom.  

The "day for a year" concept, taken from the books of Ezekiel and Numbers and forced upon the literal language of Daniel, was first considered an option during the Dark Ages as an answer to the long delay; thus, the seven year tribulation period was born and gained in popularity through the centuries.  Now Bible prophecy is often studied, challenged and charted in light of the seven years of tribulation belief, when the seven years of tribulation should be studied and challenged in light of the prophecies.  

A seven year tribulation teaching is the underlying foundation for most evangelical views of prophecy, yet one discovers that this teaching is contrary to very precise statements in Bible prophecy.

For instance, Antichrist is unquestionably said to rule just three and one-half years, and no longer--Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5; nonetheless, we arbitrarily hand over an addition three and one-half years and give him seven.  The only reference in prophecy which could hypothesize "seven years" of tribulation is Daniel 9:24, but a literal reading speaks of "one week" of days--just "seven days."  

When the question of the taking of the saints is studied in God's Word we discover both good news and bad news.  The good news is that the tribulation will last just about three and one-half years--Daniel 12:7 (not seven).  However, the bad news is that God's people will go through this time of trial until God's wrath is about to be poured out--then deliverance will come.

From pulpits and classrooms around the globe, pastors and teachers could be warning that just beyond the horizon looms great turmoil, along with the deceptions of Satan and his false prophets with "all power and signs and lying wonders," 2 Thessalonians 2:9 which will take many captive in the church.  However, God's people slumber on in apathy and worldliness (Romans 13:11-14), and the church will doubtless enter the appointed time of the end unprepared and confused by unexpected calamities.  In light of the times we live in, the study of Daniel and Revelation should be the focus of the great body of believers.  In these books are found insights specific for our day.

History of Pretribulational View

The pretribulational view had early advocates when introduced such as Arno Gabelein, Harry Ironside, James Gray, Ruben Tory, and Lewis Sperry. The Scofield Reference Bible of 1909 and the revised edition of 1917, which included pretribulation rapturism as a major part of its prophetic teaching, more than any other force popularized the pretribulation view of the rapture.  Most Bible conferences, Bible colleges, and seminaries, under the influence of these men adopted this view.  

Marvin Rosenthal writes in his book, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church, concerning the historical starting point of pretribulation rapturism which most evangelical Christians are unaware of:

 "This position, widely held by conservative premillenarians, is relatively new in origin.  As an established view, it can be traced back to John Darby and the Plymouth Brethren in the year 1830.  Some scholars, seeking to prove error by association, have attempted (perhaps unfairly) to trace its origin back two years earlier to a charismatic, visionary woman named Margaret MacDonald.  In any case, neither its recent origin nor its source proves nor disproves its correctness.  But if pertribulationism is used as a badge for orthodoxy, one is faced with the perplexing question of what to do with the millions of godly believers who, for almost eighteen hundred years, did not hold to pretribulation rapturism.  Among them are men like John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, John Knox, John Hus, William Carey, John Calvin, Isaac Newton, George Whitfield, A.B. Simpson, George Mueller, John Newton, Jonathan Edwards, John Wycliffe, John Bunyan, and many others."

The Weaknesses of the Pretribulational View

Of all the writings on the matter, no book comes closer to finding the truth on the subject than Marvin Rosenthal's book.  Marvin is the executive director of Zion's Hope (a faith mission), and for sixteen years he was the editor of one of evangelicalism's leading magazines, Israel My Glory.  

His book examines the weaknesses of pretribulation rapturism.  Throughout the book he presents sparing insights into how Jewish Holy Days may fit into the final events, which closely parallel the Appointed Times & Seasons Calendar (although to my knowledge he has neither seen or endorsed the chart).  Rosenthal documents show how that God's wrath is not only to be poured out against the Gentile nations (Romans 2:3, 5-6, 8-9; Obadiah 15-16), but also against Israel when she is brought into account for her sins (Isaiah 40:2; cf. Isaiah 17:4-8; 33:10-14; Zechariah 13:8-9; Malachi 3:2-5; 4:1).

The Bible teaches that the taking of the saints occur on the very day the Day of the Lord begins (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-4; Revelation 11:15-19); and therefore, many pretribulation rapturists believe (such as Scofield), out of necessity, that the Day of the Lord must begin and continue for seven years through Daniel's seventieth week.  Nonetheless, several problems emerge from the teaching that the Day of the Lord starts at the commencement of the seven years and at the secret rapture of the church.

First, the Bible teaches there must be "cosmic disturbance" before the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 13:9-11; Ezekiel 32:7-10; Joel 2:10-11; 30-31; Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-26; Luke 21:25-28; Acts 2:17-20; Revelation 6:12-17), not after it has started.  This would necessitate the darkening of the sun, moon and stars before the secret rapture. 

Second, the Word of God teaches that the Day of the Lord wrath will commence immediately after the saints are taken.  In other words, there can be no delay between the beginning of the Day of the Lord and God's judgment.  The Day of the Lord is always associated with the immediate and decisive wrath of God against the wicked (Joel 1:15; 2:1-2, 10-11, 30-31; 3:14-16; Amos 5:18-20; Isaiah 2:12-21; Isaiah 13:6-13; Ezekiel 13:3-8; 30:2-3; Zephaniah 1:14-2:3; Zechariah 14:1-4; 2 Peter 3:7-10).  However, pretribulation rapturists teach that Antichrist is given control of Planet Earth during the Day of the Lord and that God's wrath is delayed by several years.