PRE-TRIBULATION OR POST-TRIBULATION RAPTURE ?
There are lots of theories out there about 'pre-tribulation or post-tribulation rapture', but this should not be a basis for dividing true believers; as ultimately, the most important thing is that we are in a relationship with God, that we are walking closely with God and that we are ready for whatever comes in the end times.Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 THESALONIANS 4：13－18.
Early in the nineteenth century, a new understanding of the Lord’s Second Coming appeared, which argued that the return of Christ to earth was divided into two comings, the so called “Rapture” and “Second Coming”. The former, “the Rapture” would be invisible to the world, which is a private event only for the faithful believers in the Lord. It would be a fleeting visit to take all true believers to heaven before the “Great Tribulation” of the last few years when Satan, antichrist and the false prophet would dominate the world. Such sudden worldwide disappearance of a certain proportion of the population would take the rest of the world by surprise and cause chaos. This theory emphatically teaches that for believers it will occur without any preceding signs, that is, it could occur at any moment. Such lack of any warning prior to the “Rapture” provides a powerful motive for Christians being constantly ready for Christ’s imminent appearance.
On the other hand, according to this theory, the so-called Second Coming of the Lord is very public and corresponds to the church’s traditional expectation, where Christ will descend from the clouds in the same way as He ascended into them. He will be accompanied by His angels and His church which He will have already taken to heaven some years earlier. Therefore, His divided comings are commonly mentioned by the phrase: the former as ‘for His saints’ and the latter as ‘with His saints’. This view is so far known as “the pre-tribulation rapture” in that all true believers in Christ will be removed from the scene before the worst troubles on earth, thereby escaping the great tribulation.
Interestingly, this pre-tribulation view of the end times has dominated the film market, as if it were the only view of the pre-millennium theory. So it is very welcome to hear of a recent release of a new DVD, representing a pre-millennium and post-tribulational view of the end times. Although this new film seems a bit extreme, I believe that this view is the most natural interpretation of the whole Bible and the Book of Revelation, against the current favour of “the pre-tribulation rapture” supported by the majority. The following article is a point-by-point rebuttal of the statements made in this DVD “Left Behind or Led Astray?” by Paul Wilkinson who is an international conference speaker and writer in England, which was released on 1st Nov.’15 by The Berean Call.
A new DVD documentary has been released by Good Fight Ministries entitled, Left Behind or Led Astray? Examining the Origins of the Secret Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Good Fight Ministries is run by post-tribulationist Joe Schimmel, the senior pastor at Blessed Hope Chapel in Simi Valley, California. Schimmel’s documentary is endorsed by evangelist Ray Comfort and by Kirk Cameron, star of the original Left Behind movies. The following write-up appears on the back cover: “Take a fascinating journey with us as we examine the shocking origins of the secret, pre-tribulation rapture doctrine…. Featuring expert commentary from David M. Bennett, Dr. Mark Patterson, Jacob Prasch, Joel Richardson …”As quoted above, Joe Schimmel whose Good Fight Ministries has released the new DVD documentary specifically refers to Dave Hunt as one of pre-tribulationist. Hunt argued his view concerning “Pre- or Post-Trib Rapture” in the following way, by depicting eleven points. Although I myself do not support the pre-tribulation theory, I would like to put his arguments below.
The truth of the matter is that the four and one-half-hour film seriously distorts the historical evidence and is full of false accusations, unsubstantiated myths, and lies. These include the following:
1. That a pre-tribulational Rapture cannot be proved from the Bible.
2. That pastors who are preparing their flock to meet Jesus Christ, rather than the Antichrist, are “failing in their role as a shepherd and a pastor” and leading millions of believers into apostasy.
3. That if the Apostles had taught a pre-trib Rapture, “we would see it in the writings of the early Church writers,” i.e., those commonly referred to as the Church Fathers, who were prominent theologians and bishops in the Church after the Apostles.
4. That the history of belief in the pre-trib Rapture is “sordid” and “scandalous.”
5. That the origins of the doctrine of the pre-trib Rapture are “occultic” and “demonic,” having been inspired by “the spirit of Antichrist”.
6. That the doctrine of an any-moment, pre-trib Rapture can be traced back, in some form, to the Jesuits, notably to a “deceitful Jesuit” by the name of Manuel Lacunza.
7. That Scottish Presbyterian minister Edward Irving and his circle, known as “the Irvingites,” are the real progenitors of the pre-trib Rapture, having been fully persuaded by Lacunza’s writings, and that they were “prone to dabble a little bit with the occult” and were “notorious for their channelling of lying spirits.”
8. That the founder of the Plymouth Brethren, John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), who is widely credited with having revived and popularised the doctrine of the pre-trib Rapture in the nineteenth century, was “an opportunist” who effectively stole and developed the notion of a secret pre-trib Rapture after hearing a fifteen-year-old Scottish girl called Margaret MacDonald give a “prophetic utterance” in Scotland in 1830. The documentary further claims that MacDonald “engaged in occult activity.”
9. That Darby and many of the Brethren were greatly influenced by Irving and the Irvingites, borrowing from and proliferating their pre-trib teaching.
10. That Darby taught “another Gospel and two ways of salvation.”
11. That “John Nelson Darby was…a confused extremist...a cult leader…a dangerous despot…a crazy man who hurt people.”
Chapter 9 of the documentary is entitled “Demon Deception” and Chapter 11, “Pre-Trib, the Occult, and the 20 th –21 st Centuries.” The accusation is made that Darby “espoused a socially cultic mentality that was similar to that of Charles Taze Russell, who founded the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Joseph Smith, the prophet of Mormonism in the same century.” To give weight to the lie, Darby’s photograph is positioned between those of Russell and Smith. Schimmel cites Dave Hunt, the late founder of The Berean Call ministry, who, he states, “has done a great job exposing cults and aberrations within the church through the years, [but] missed the occult history of the secret Rapture that he himself vigorously promoted.”
(http://www.thebereancall.org/content/november-2015-extra-left-behind-led-astray-exposed)
The Rapture of the church involves all believers being caught up to heaven—those just resurrected together with those alive at the time (1 Thes:4:13-18). If it occurs at the beginning of the tribulation period, then clearly Christ’s Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation to rescue Israel in the midst of Armageddon is a separate event. According to Zechariah:14:3-5, “all the saints” must accompany Christ back to earth. But if the Rapture occurs at the end of the Tribulation, it must be simultaneous with the Second Coming, making them one event. Which is it: two events separated by seven years, or one event with two diverse purposes?Indeed, there are lots of theories out there, but this should not be a basis for dividing true believers; as ultimately, the most important thing is that we are in a relationship with God, that we are walking closely with God and that we are ready for whatever comes in the end times.
This question, although it has nothing to do with the gospel of salvation, divides much of the evangelical church. Happily, it can be settled rather easily. The descriptions in Scripture of the Rapture and Second Coming respectively are so different in so many details that they could not possibly be describing the same occurrence. We can’t cover all of these distinctions, but here are a few:
1) At the Rapture Christ does not return to earth but catches believers up to meet Him above the earth, taking them directly to heaven: “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn:14:3); “caught up...to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thes:4:17) …
2) At the Rapture there is a resurrection of all believers who have died up to that time: “The dead shall be raised incorruptible” (1 Cor:15:52-53); “the dead in Christ shall rise first....” (1 Thes:4:16) …
3) At the Rapture , the bodies of living believers (like those who are resurrected) will be changed to become immortal: “We shall not all sleep [i.e., die], but we shall all be changed...the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [who are living] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor:15:51-53); “We which are alive...shall be caught up together with them [the resurrected saints]...to meet the Lord in the air [clearly requiring immortal bodies].” (1 Thes:4:17) …
4) The Rapture occurs during relative peace and prosperity when the world does not expect judgment from God: “And as it was in the days of Noah [the last thing they expected was God’s judgment]...they did eat, they drank...married wives...were given in marriage [and as in] the days of Lot...they bought, they sold...planted....Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” (Lk 17:26-30) …
5) The Rapture occurs when conditions in the world seem to indicate that all is well—when very few expect Christ to return, and He catches even the church by surprise: “Of that day and hour knoweth no man...in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Mt 24:36, 44) …
6) The Rapture occurs when the church is sleeping, with little expectation of the Lord’s return: “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept” (Mt 25:5); “Watch ye therefore...lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.” (Mk 13:35-36) …
7) Since the Rapture instantly takes us, without dying, out of this world of sin, pain, and sorrow to be forever with Christ and like Him, never more to grieve Him, it is called the “blessed hope”: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Ti 2:13); “every man that hath this hope.” (1 Jn:3:3) …
8) As for the Rapture , unquestionably, the early church was taught to expect it at any moment and to eagerly watch, wait, and look for Christ’s return, when He will catch all believers up into His Father’s house to be with Him eternally: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord...” (Lk 12:35-36); “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Phil:3:20-21); “Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven...even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thes:1:9-10); “ looking for that blessed hope” (Ti 2:13); “unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb:9:28). One does not watch, wait, and look each day for something that cannot happen until Antichrist’s advent or the end of a seven-year tribulation. Thus, there must be a coming of Christ that could happen at any moment. …
9) The pre-trib Rapture has a powerful, purifying effect upon those who have this hope in Him. The fact that it is to be expected at any moment can only mean that it must come before Antichrist is revealed and before the Tribulation. If Christ could come at any moment, there is no time to waste, no time to delay witnessing, no time to indulge in sin with the idea of repenting and changing one’s ways later: “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 Jn:2:28); “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (3:3) …
10) The Rapture is not only an event that we are to expect momentarily and to eagerly anticipate, but we are to ask our Lord to come immediately. Here is how the Bible ends: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come....Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rv 22:17,20) …
11) There are at least two events that occur in heaven for which the church must be present and that therefore cannot take place until the Rapture occurs: the judgment seat of Christ, and the marriage of the Lamb to His bride: “for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Rom:14:10); “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor:5:10); “The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted [to] be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white [as a result of her cleansing at the judgment seat of Christ]” (Rv 19:7-8). Both these events occur prior to Christ’s return to earth and thus demand a prior rapture. …
(http://www.thebereancall.org/content/pre-or-post-trib-rapture)