THE RAPTURE

INTRODUCTION.

The word "rapture" does not occur in the Scriptures. It has been applied to the doctrine that the believers in Christ will be "catch away" or tranported from earth to heaven by the Lord Jesus Christ at His second coming. The word is derived from the Latin verb rapio which means "to seize," hence, "to transport," and is found in the Latin Bible in I Thess. 4:17 to translate the Greek verb that is translated in our English versions as "caught up". The doctrine is based on I Thess. 4:13-17.

"4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethern,
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not,
even as others which have no hope.
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him.
4:15 For this we say by the word of the Lord,
that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep.
4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
(I Thess. 4:13-17 KJV)

THE TIME OF RAPTURE.

The doctrine of the rapture is almost universally held by believers. However, there are varying views as to the time when this event will take place. These views are usually divided into three groups:

  1. The Pre-tribulation Rapture.
    This is the view that the rapture will take place before the time of the great tribulation on earth, which is usually believed to be seven years.
  2. The Mid-tribulation Rapture.
    This is the view that the rapture will take place at the middle of or sometime during the tribulation period. This view distinguishes itself from the first view in that the last half of the tribulation is held to be extremely severe and intense that the believers will be rapture before the last half, but not during the first half of the tribulation. The last half is usually spoken of as "the great tribulation."
  3. The Post-tribulation Rapture.
    This is the view that the rapture will take place after the tribulation period.

  1. PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. [1]

    Those who hold this view usually divide the second coming of Christ into two phases. In the first phase, Christ will come for His saints (the rapture, the parousia, or presence); then afterwards, in the second phase, Christ will come with His Saints (the revelation, the epiphany, or the appearing of Christ). The passage I Thess. 4:13-17 describes the first phase or the rapture, and the passages Jude 14 and Rev. 19:11 and 14 describes the second phase or the ephiphany.

    "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints." (Jude 14 KJV)

    "19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse;
    and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True,
    and in righteousness he doth judge and make war....
    19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
    clothed in finen linen, white and clean."
    (Rev. 19:11, 14 KJV)

    Pre-tribulationists usually hold that the Church or those believers that are living on earth immediately before the tribulation along with those dead in Christ are raptured before the tribulation period. They hold that the Church will not be on earth during the tribulation. Thirty-two arguments are usually given for the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church, and these arguments are cummulative rather than dependent on any one argument. These arguments are divided into three major categories:
    (A) The great tribulation is the punishment of the Christ-rejecting nation of Israel, but not of the Christian Church;
    (B) The nature of the Christian Church forbids it going through the great tribulation; and
    (C) An interval of time is necessary between Christ's coming for and with His Saints - the Christian Church.

    1. The great tribulation is the punishment of the Christ-rejecting nation of Israel, but not of the Christian Church.
      1. The great tribulation is a visitation of the wrath of God upon those who dwell on earth and on Israel who have rejected Christ. It is the time of "Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:6-7). And as such, it does not concern the Church (Zech. 13:8-9; Rev. 3:10).

      2. The Scriptures that deal with the tribulation have particular reference to the Jews. The section of Matthew 24 and Mark 13, which are related to the tribulation and Christ's second coming, were spoken to the disciples not as representatives of the Church but as representatives of the Jewish nation. (Matt. 24:1-31; Mark 13:14).
        1. The setting is in Judea.
        2. They were to pray that their flight be not on the Sabbath. Christians do not celebrate the Sabbath.
        3. the abomination that is to be set up, which was prophesied by Daniel, is concerning the Jews.
        4. The appearance of the word "elect" must, therefore, refer to the Jews here, and not to the Church which is also sometimes called "the elect."
        Luke 21:36 is interpeted also as referring to the disciples as representatives of the Jews.
        1. That the section is Jewish is evident from the following exprssions:
          "this generation" (v. 32)
          "great distress in the land" (v. 23)
          "Jerusalem trodden down" (v. 24)
          "your redemption" (v. 28)
          "kingdom of God nigh at hand" (v. 31)
        2. The Church is not mentioned in that section of Luke 21.
        3. Christ is never called the Son of man in relation to the Church and His coming again.
        4. The believers do not stand before Him; they sit on thrones with Him.
      3. The tribulation is characterized by gross darkness when there will not be one who has faith. This situation is not true of the faithful Church. (Isa. 60:2; cf Jer. 13:16; Luke 18:8; Col. 1:13; cf. I Peter 2:9; Zech. 12:10-13:1; Eph. 5:8).
      4. Satan persecutes the woman (Israel) during the tribulation (Rev. 12). The Church must be removed, otherwise, the Church, being the very body of Christ, would be more likely to be persecuted than Israel.
    2. The nature of the Christian Church forbids it going through the great tribulation.
      1. Since tribulation is a day of judgment upon the Christ-rejecting world, both Jewish and Gentile, but more particularly a day of judgment on Israel, the Church will not go through the tribulation. Israel is an earthly people, with the promise of an earthly destiny and inheritance (Deut. 28:1-14). The Church is a heavenly people with heavenly calling and destiny.
        1. The Church was chosen before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).
        2. The Church is not of the world (John 17:14; Phil. 3:20).
        3. The Church is raised with Christ to set in the heavenlies (Eph. 1:3; 2:6).
        4. The Church is foreordained to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).
      2. Those who hold to the pre-tribulation view also distinguish between the coming of Christ for His Church (John 14:1-2) and the coming of the Son of man with the angels in glory (Matt. 25:31). The passage in John says that Christ will come in person to receive the Church to Himself, and the passage in Matthew indicates that He will commission angels to escort the Church. When Christ comes for His Church, He will come alone, just as He ascended alone to heaven. That Christ comes alone for His Church is evident also from I Thess. 4:16-17: "The Lord Himself shall descend...."
      3. The glorification of the Church requires a resurrection previous to the manifestation of the wrath of the Lamb in Rev. 6:17:
        "For the great day of his wrath is come;
        and who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:17).

        "And that he might make known the riches of his glory
        on the vessels of mercy,
        which he had afore prepared unto glory." (Rom. 9:23).

      4. The Church is promised deliverance from wrath. Believers have no part in the day of judgment.
        "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." (Rev. 3:10).
        The phrase "from the hour of temptation" (The Greek word ek "out of" is translated "from") may be understood to mean complete excemption from the tribulation according to the context and other references requiring this meaning. The word "hour" means not merely from temptation as such, but from the hour itself, the period of time in which the temptation takes place.
        "Watch ye therefore, and pray always,
        that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things
        that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
        (Luke 21:36; cf. 21:25-35).

        "Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
        we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Rom. 5:9).

      5. There will be some who are "alive and remain" at the coming of the Lord, according to I Thess. 4:15. Since all those who do not worship the Antichrist during the tribulation are slain (Rev. 13:7-8, 14-15; 16:2; 19:20-21; 20:4), no believer would be "alive and remain" if the Church should go through the great tribulation.
      6. The Scriptures urge an attitude of constant expectation of Christ's second coming. If the Church goes through the tribulation, then believers would be looking for tribulation signs and events rather than Christ's return.
        (Rom. 8:23; I Cor. 1:7; Gal. 5:5)
      7. God has always protected His people before judgment fell. By analogy, illustration, and type, the Church also will be delivered before the final judgment.
        1. Enoch was translated before the judgment of the Flood.
        2. Lot was taken out of Sodom before the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot is a type of Church (II Pet. 2:6-8).
        3. Noah was in the ark before the judgment of the Flood. Noah is a type of the nation Israel, as not being kept from it, but saved while going through it (Jer. 30:7).
        4. The firstborn among the Hebrews in Egypt were sheltered by the blood of the Pascal lamb before the tenth plague.
        5. Spies were safely out of Jericho and Rahab was secured before the judgment on Jericho.
        6. The Man-Child (Christ) in Rev. 12, who is caught up, is a symbol of the mystical Christ, the Church, being raptured.
      8. Those of Paul's letters written primarily for the instruction of the Church contains no warning to the Church that she must go through the great tribulation.
      9. If the Church goes through the tribulation, then the Jews as well as the Gentiles of the tribulation period would become part of the Church. After the tribulation the Jewish remnant would go on into their earthly millennial glory, whereas the Gentile element of the Church, having no expectation of earthly glory, would be caught up to be with Christ. That would dismember the body of Christ, which is inconceivable. (Eph. 5:27).
      10. Why would the Thessalonians be concerned that those who died would be at disadvantage, if those who were alive had to go through a time of wrath? Better would it be that they had died also.
      11. The seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 represent in some respects the seven periods of Church history from Pentecost until the end of the age. The Laodicean church, being last, could never go through the tribulation and still be "lukewarm." For the tribulation, as history has shown, has generally resulted in an ice-cold or red-hot church.
      12. The message of the Church is a Gospel of Grace. During the Tribulation period two witnesses, not of the Church, but of the Jews (as indicated by the sackcloth they wear), take up a message of judgment. Two different messages, one of grace and another of judgment cannot exist side by side. Some say that the gospel of the kingdom (millennial) and judgment is also preached by the 144,000 Jewish remnant (Rev. 11:3; 7:4-8; 12:17; 19:10; Matt. 24:14).
      13. Iniquity or lawlessness cannot begin in fullest measure until that which restrains it is removed. The restrainer is the Holy Spirit who manifests Himself to the World in and through the Church. Hence, before the revelation of the Antichrist, who is the "lawless one," the Holy Spirit and the Church must be removed.
      14. The Church cannot possibly be on earth during the tribulation and be slain for its testimony since the Church is instructed to pray for God's blessing on those in authority (I Tim. 2:2). Those who were slain during the tribulation pray for the destruction of those in authority (Rev. 6:10). These, then, are Jews praying vengeance on their enemies, as David prayed in the imprecatory Psalms (Psa. 31:17-18).
      15. Christ's coming for the Church is unconditional. But His coming to earth is conditioned by the sign of the setting up of the abomination of desolation three and a half years before His coming. The Church will be raptured before any definite sign.
        "I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
        that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3 KJV)
        This text does not say, "where you are, down on earth," but "where I am, up in heaven," there "ye may be also."
        "24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation
        spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,
        (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
        24:16 Then let them which be in Judea flee unto the mountains."
        (Matt. 24:15-16 KJV)
      16. The inspired division of Revelation indicates the removal of the Church.
        Rev. 1:9 divides the book into
        (1) things which John has seen: chapter 1;
        (2) things which are at present: chapters 2 and 3;
        (3) things which shall be "after these things": chapters 4 to 22.
        The expression "after these things" (4:1) means after the things of the Church in chapters 2 and 3 are historically past. There is no mention of the Church after chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation.
      17. The multitude in Revelation 7 cannot be the Church because the previous reason above and also because Revelation 7:15 states concerning this multitude that "He that sitteth on the throne shall tabernacle (literally) over them" whereas the place of the Church is on the throne.
      18. The Church is seen in Revelation 4 as already in heaven, as represented by the twenty-four elders. Their rapture to heaven was prefigured by John's transportation there. That the Church is represented by the twenty-four elders is supported by the following facts:
        1. They wear crowns, which speak of victory in conflict. Cornation time is at the resurrection. The redeemed alone are promised crowns (I Cor. 9:25; I Thess. 2:19; II Tim. 2:12).
        2. They are clothed in white raiment: "fine linen is the righteousness of the saints" (Rev. 19:8). White garments are promised to the redeemed (Rev. 2:10; 3:11; Isa. 61:10).
        3. They sing a redemption song (Rev. 5:9-10): "Thou hast redeemed us...." This text is supported by the Textus Receptus, Codex Sinaitus (fourth century), Codex Basilianus (eigth century), Minuscle 1 (of uncertain date), and several other minuscles of late date, the Coptic, Latin, and Armenian (fifth century) versions, quoted by Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (A.D. 248), and by Primasius (sixth century).

          "And hast made us.... (Rev. 5:9). This text is supported by Textus Receptus, Codex Fuldensis (sixth century Latin version), Codex Coislinianus (tenth century), and quoted by Arethas, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (tenth century).

          "And we shall reign on earth...." (Rev. 5:10). This text is supported by Textus Receptus, Mss. Demidovianus (twelfth century), Mss. Lipsienes (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries), and quoted by Arethas (tenth century), Primasius (sixth century), Julus Firmicus (A.D. 345), Idacius (the name under which Vigilius of Thapsis, A.D. 484, published his work).

        4. Even if the elders did sing, "Thou hast redeemed them," as some manuscripts read, the elders could sing of themselves objectively in the third person as the Israelites sang of themselves in their redemption from Egypt (Exod. 15:13, 16-17).
        5. They were from "every tribe, and tongue, and people and nation" (Rev. 5:9).
        6. They are already in heaven when heaven received the multitude out of the great tribulation (Rev. 7:14).
        7. They are distinguished from the angels and from the four living creatures
          (Rev. 5:11; 7:11).
        8. The word "elders" is used in a representative sense in the New Testament with respect to the Church (Titus 1:5).
        9. The number twenty-four would indicate their representing both Old and New Testament believers: twelve for the twelve tribes of Israel and twelve of the number of Apostles. This interpretation is suggested by the analogy with Revelation 21 where names of the twelve tribes are written on the gates of the New Jerusalem; and the names of the twelve Apostles, on the twelve foundations.
        10. John, as a symbol of the raptured Church, was only an onlooker of the events transpiring during the tribulation. He did not participate in the events, which followed his being raptured to heaven.
      19. Christ's relationship to the Church is as the "bright and shining star" (Rev. 22:16). His relationship to Israel is as the "Sun of righteousness" (Mal. 4:2). Christ's coming for His saints is like the morning star, which is seen by few, whereas His revelation to the Jews is like the sun, which is evident to all.
      20. The last trump, mentioned by Paul (I Cor. 15:52), refers to the rapture of the believers. The last of the seven trumps in Revelation introduces the last half of Daniel's week. The two are not identical because:
        1. Paul speaks to the Church, not to Israel, in the Corinthian letter.
        2. The seventh trump in Revelation is last only in its relationship to the series.
        3. Paul speaks of "last" in Corinthians as the trump which brings to a close the Church age.
        4. Paul's trump is "the trump of God"; the trump in Revelation is sounded by an angel.
      21. The entire Church, and not only a more faithful and vigilant part, will be raptured before the tribulation because:
        1. The Church is Christ's Body which cannot be dismembered.
        2. The Church is Christ's Bride. Will any part of His Bride be left?
        3. There will be some who are ashamed of His coming. This indicates that even faithless and carnal believers will be raptured, along with the faithful ones (I Cor. 3:15; 9:27; I John 2:28).
        4. If only the faithful, vigilant believers are taken, then those asleep in Christ who wre faithful and vigilant have no advantage, for all the dead in Christ without discrimination are caught up (I Thess. 4:14).
      22. The Lord does not come to earth, but meets the saints in the air (I Thess. 4:16). His coming for Israel at the end of the tribulation will be to the earth to set up His kingdom.
        "14:4 And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives....
        14:9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth:
        in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one."
        (Zech. 14:4, 9 KJV).
      23. The coming of the Lord is at a time of "peace and safety" (I Thess. 5:3). In Revelation 5 at the opening of the first seal, the day of the Lord, the day of wrath, begins, and the day of grace ends. Therefore, the Church was raptured in Revelation 4 at the beginning of the day of the Lord when there was "peace and safety."
      24. The rapture will be secret. The manifestation or public showing of His parousia (presence) takes place after the tribulation when the Antichrist is destroyed.
        "And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
        whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
        and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
        (II Thess. 2:8 KJV).
      25. The rapture symbolized in the parable of the wheat and tares (Matt. 13) does not apply to the Church, but to Israel. The parable concerns the tribulation period. The good seed of the parable are the 144,000 Israelites, the children of the kingdom, who are sown by God at that time. The harvest will be the ingathering of Israel.
        1. The Church is never called children of the kingdom. The parable of the Sower represents the Church age with God sowing His Word; the parable of the wheat and tares represent the tribulation period with God sowing the 144,000 Israelites as the good seed.
        2. Angels do not gather the Church at the rapture; Christ comes alone.
      26. The character of God as a God of grace demands that the Church escape the tribulation. The great majority of the Church have already escaped by dying and going to heaven. Why then should a small group left at the end times be subjected to the awful tribulation?
      27. The Church age must be ended and the Church raptured before God begins to deal with the Jews. In Daniel's seventieth week, which records the history of God's dealings with Israel, there is no mention of the Church.
    3. An interval of time is necessary between Christ's coming for and His coming with His Saints is required for the judgment of the saints and the marriage feast of the Lamb to take place. Since these two events take time, the rapture of the Church must occur before the tribulation so that these two events can occur before Christ comes with His saints at the end of the tribulation.
    Conclusion:
    Pre-tribulationism teaches that the second coming of Christ is to be divided into two events which, it is assumed, are separated by the Great Tribulation. These two events are called the Rapture and the Revelation. The Rapture, or the catching up of the Church to meet the Lord in the air, is a different event from the Revelation when Christ will appear to manifest His glory. The Rapture occurs before the Tribulation, while the Revelation occurs when Christ comes at the end of the Tribulation and to execute righteous judgment upon the earth. At the Rapture, Christ comes in the air for His saints (John 14:3). During the interval of seven year Tribulation, the saints are with the Lord in the air receiving their rewards at the bema of Christ. At the Revelation, Christ will come to earth with His saints (I Thess. 3:13). As someone has said, "He certainly must come for them before he can come with them."

    Since the Rapture precedes the Tribulation, it is supposed that the Rapture may occur at any moment; but the Revelation cannot occur until after the appearance of the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation. The coming of Christ for the Rapture of the Church will be a secret coming and will be invisible to any except the Church; while the Revelation will be a glorious outshining which will be public, evident to all the world.

    Such is the outline of prophetic events taught by pre-tribulationists.

  2. MID-TRIBULATION RAPTURE. [2]

    Those who affirm this view of the time of the rapture hold essentially to the same reasons for the rapture as the pre-tribulatists, with exception that the time interval between the Lord's coming for the saints and His coming with the saints is shortened. Instead of placing the rapture in Revelation 4, the mid-tribulationists place the rapture between the second and third woes in Revelation. Their reasons are as follows:

    1. The last trumpet of Paul and the seventh trumpet of Revelation are identical. They sound in the middle of the tribulation period (the seventieth week of Daniel) since both announce a resurrection. Therefore, the rapture must be at the same time (I Cor. 15:52; Rev. 11:15; I Thess. 4:16-17).
    2. The great tribulation is only the last half of Daniel's seventieth week (Rev. 11:2-3; 12:6, 14).
    3. "A little book" in the hand of the coming Lord in Rev. 10:1-2 is the introduction of these events which close the Jewish age. The seven seals and trumpets fulfilled the Church age before the rapture. At this point, John is no longer an onlooker, but participates in the coming scenes; he is required to eat the little book; his eating symbolizes what Israel is to experience.
    4. The seals are not direct judgments, but according to Matt. 24:3-12, indicate simply the "beginning of sorrows" which precede the great tribulation.
    5. To the pre-tribulationists John's rapture to heaven is symbolic of the Church's rapture (Rev. 4). To the mid-tribulationists the resurrection of the two witnesses is symbolic of the rapture of the Church (Rev. 11:3-13).
      1. The two witnesses are called two olive trees (Rev. 11:4).
      2. The olive trees represent Old and New Testament saints (Rev. 11:13-25).
      3. All witnessing, the distinctive mission of the Church, ceases with the rapture of the two witnesses.
    6. The Day of Wrath is mentioned as at hand in Rev. 11:18; therefore, the preceding seals and trumpets were not events of wrath.
    Some mid-tribulationists hold that the time of the rapture is revealed in Rev. 14:14-16 because:
    1. this passage is similar to the promise of I Thess. 4:16-17 which definitely refers to the rapture; and
    2. the Church, according to the promise of Rev. 3:10, will escape, not the "day" but the "hour" of judgment which arrives in Rev. 14:7 prior to the outpouring of the wrath of God in the seven bowls of Rev. 15 and 16.

To continue press here

ENDNOTES

[1] In writing this part of the paper, I have relied very heavily upon R. Ludwigson's book,
A Survey of Bible Prophecy, pp. 133-147
[Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973, 1975]
so that maybe I should put quotation marks around this part of the paper.
Thank you, Dr. Ludwigson.

[2] In writing this part of the paper, I have relied very heavily upon R. Ludwigson's book,
A Survey of Bible Prophecy, pp. 148-149
[Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973, 1975]
so that maybe I should put quotation marks around this part of the paper.
Thank you, Dr. Ludwigson.