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by Thomas Ice
When considering the issue of the rapture of the Church, especially the timing, it is
essential that one observe the differences between these two events. I strongly believe
the New Testament indicates the Church will be raptured before the seventieth week of
Daniel. A key reason is because the Bible teaches that the rapture is a distinct event
from Christs second coming to the earth. In any consideration of the truthfulness of the
timing of the rapture this issue is of crucial importance.
IMPORTANCE OF DISTINCTIONS
Dr. John Feinberg notes that distinguishing between Christs rapture and His return
is of foundational importance in establishing pretribulationism against the non-pre-trib
claim that Scripture does not teach such a view.
A key factor in understanding the New Testaments teaching of the pre-trib rapture
revolves around the fact that two future comings of Christ are presented. The first
coming is the catching up into the clouds of the church before the seven-year tribulation
and the second coming that occurs at the end of the tribulation when Christ returns to
the earth to begin His thousand-year kingdom. Anyone desirous of insight into the
biblical teaching of the rapture and second advent must study and decide whether
Scripture speaks of one or two future events. Yet, many non-pretribulationists never
deal with this issue.
Seven-Year
Tribulation Period
Rapture Passages 2nd Coming Passages
John 14:1-3 2 Thess 2:3 (?) Daniel 2:44-45 Acts 1:9-11
Rom 8:19 1 Tim 6:14 Daniel 7:9-14 Acts 3:19-21
1 Cor 1:7-8 2 Tim 4:1 Daniel 12:1-3 1 Thess 3:13
1 Cor 15:51-53 2 Tim 4:8 Zech 12:10 2 Thess 1:6-10
1 Cor 16:22 Titus 2:13 Zech 14:1-15 2 Thess 2:8
Phil 3:20-21 Heb 9:28 Matt 13:41 1 Peter 4:12-13
Phil 4:5 James 5:7-9 Matt 24:15-31 2 Peter 3:1-14
Col 3:4 1 Peter 1:7, 13 Matt 26:64 Jude 14-15
1 Thess 1:10 1 Peter 5:4 Mark 13:14-27 Rev 1:7
1 Thess 2:19 1 John 2:28-3:2 Mark 14:62 Rev 19:11-20:6
1 Thess 4:13-18 Jude 21 Luke 21:25-28 Rev 22:7, 12, 20
1 Thess 5:9 Rev 2:25
1 Thess 5:23 Rev 3:10
2 Thess 2:1
Based upon the references above, we can see a vast difference between the character
of passages referencing the rapture when compared to those of the second advent as
summarized in the following chart:
ADDITIONAL DIFFERENCES
Paul speaks of the rapture as a mystery (1 Cor. 15:5154), that is a truth not
revealed until its disclosure for the Church (Col. 1:26), making it a separate event. On
the other hand, the second coming was predicted in the Old Testament (Dan. 12:13;
Zech. 12:10; 14:4).
The movement for the believer at the rapture is from earth to heaven, while it is
from heaven to earth at the second advent. At the rapture, the Lord comes for His saints
(1 Thess. 4:16), while at the second coming He comes with His saints (1 Thess. 3:13). At
the rapture, Christ comes only for believers, but His return to earth will impact all
people. The rapture is a translation/resurrection event where the Lord takes believers
to the Fathers house in heaven (John 14:3), while at the second advent believers
return from heaven to earth (Matt. 24:30). Ed Hindson says, The different aspects of
our Lords return are clearly delineated in the scriptures themselves. The only real
issue in the eschatological debate is the time interval between them. 2
POST-TRIB PROBLEMS
One of the strengths of the pre-trib position is that it is best able to harmonize the
many events of end-time prophecy because of its distinction between the rapture and
the second coming. Posttribulationists rarely attempt to answer such objections and the
few who try struggle with the biblical text resulting in strained interpretations.
Pretribulationists do not struggle to provide answers. What are some post-trib
problems?
First, posttribulationism requires that the church will be present during the
seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 9:2427) even though it was absent from the first sixty-
nine. Daniel 9:24 says, all seventy weeks are for Israel. Pretribulationism is not in
conflict with this passage, as is posttribulationism, since the church departs before the
beginning of the seven-year period.
Second, posttribbers must deny the New Testament teaching of imminencythat
Christ could come at any-moment. Pretribulationism has no problem since it holds that
no signs or events must precede the rapture.
Third, premillennial posttribulationism has no answer to the problem of who will
populate the millennium if the rapture and second coming occur together. Since all
believers will be translated at the rapture and all unbelievers judged, because no
unrighteous shall be allowed to enter Christs kingdom, then no one would be left in
mortal bodies to populate the millennium.
Fourth, posttribulationism is not able to satisfactorily explain the sheep and goat
judgment after the second coming (Matt. 25:3146). The rapture would have removed
believers from unbelievers at Christs return rendering the sheep/goat judgment a non-
necessity. On the other hand, it is necessary if pretribulationism is true.
Fifth, Revelation 19:78 identifies the church as the Bride of Christ who has made
herself ready and accompanies Christ from heaven to earth at the second coming (Rev.
19:14). How could this happen if the church is still on earth awaiting Christs
deliverance while at the same time returning with Him? Once again, posttribulationism
requires an impossible scenario, while the clear statements of the biblical text fit nicely
into pretribulationism.
CONCLUSION
The clear differences between Christs coming in the air to rapture His church and
His return to planet earth with the church are too great to be seen as a single event.
These biblical distinctions provide a strong basis for pretribulationism. When one
considers that the church is promised exemption from Israels tribulation (Rom. 5:9; 1
Thess. 1:10; 5:1:9; Rev. 3:10), then it only follows that the church will be raptured before
the tribulation. Such a hope is indeed a Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13). Even so, come
Lord Jesus? Maranatha!
ENDNOTES
1
John S. Feinberg, Arguing for the Rapture: Who Must Prove What and How in Thomas Ice and
Timothy Demy, editors, When The Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1995), p. 195.
2
(emphasis original) Edward E. Hindson, The Rapture and the Return: Two Aspects of Christs Coming
in Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, editors, When The Trumpet Sounds (Eugene, OR: Harvest House
Publishers, 1995), p. 157.