Five Views Of Rapture (1)
by Samson Hutagalung
Introduction
The word “Rapture” is not found in the Holy Scripture. It actually comes from the Latin translation of rapturo, which means “to be caught up.”[1] The idea of rapture is traced from the situation in the
A careful study of the above passage shows that when the rapture occurs, those who had died in the Lord Jesus Christ will be raised up from the dead, and they will precede to meet Christ than those who are still alive at the time of the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15). Those who hold to Dispensational premillennium view of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ believe that the rapture will take place before the setting of His millennium kingdom on this earth.
The doctrine of the rapture is part of the doctrine of Dispensational Premillennium.[2] However the question is asked, when will the rapture or the snatching up of the believers occur? So far as the dispensational premillennium is concerned, there are five views about the rapture. First, the Pretribulation Rapture that teaches the rapture will take place before the seven years of Great Tribulation. Second, the Midtribulation Rapture that teaches the rapture will occur in the middle of the seven years of Great Tribulation. Thirdly, the Posttribulation Rapture that teaches the rapture will take place at the end of the seven years of Great Tribulation. Fourthly, Pre-Wrath Rapture that teaches the rapture will take place just before the wrath of God occurs during the Great Tribulation. And lastly, the Partial Rapture that believes the rapture will occur several times, beginning before the Great Tribulation as Premillennialists believe till the end of the Great Tribulation even at the end of millennium kingdom.
The writer’s thesis on this paper is to present a brief study on the above five views of rapture and show how each view differ from one another in each rendering the biblical passage pertaining to the time of the rapture. Because the writer’s theological persuasion is the Pretribulation Rapture, therefore this will be used as a standard view to comment the other views. This is to say that the writer will give a greater emphasis on the Pretribulation Rapture view, though it is not undermining the rest of the view.
The Time of the Great Tribulation
The premillennialists believe that the Lord has given to Daniel the future plan for
Based on Daniel 9:25 is clear that from the beginning of rebuilding of the
However the most important fact that the period of the church was not mentioned in prophecy of Daniel.[3] The Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry spoke in Matthew 16:18 “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” It is understood that the period of the church was begun at the day of Pentecost.[4] Thus the focus on this period is the church and not the Jews.[5] The Jews or
Although God has put
When will be the end of Church period? The end of the church period will be marked by the snatching of the church of this earth. Paul said to the Corinthians, “Behold, I show you a mystery, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). To the Thessalonians Paul said, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The fulfilment of these two passages will be the end of the church era.
When the time of the church has been accomplished the seventieth week of Daniel will begin. This period will begin with the making of the covenant treaty with the
Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Definition
The Pretribulation Rapture teaches that the Rapture of the Church will take place before the seven years of Great Tribulation.[8] The result of a pretribulation rapture is that no Christians will exist on the earth at the beginning of the Tribulation.
Biblical Supports
The dispensational premillennialists have no doubt that the Rapture of church will surely take place. A passage such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 gives the description of things that will happen at the time of the Rapture. Whereas 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 gives a brief hint that the rapture will occur at the last trump. However the above passages are not sufficient proofs to ascertain the time of the Rapture. Interestingly the five groups of dispensational premillennialists believe that the above passages are truly proof texts for the doctrine of the Rapture of the church. But they differ in the time of the rapture because the above passages do not solve their divergence. The question still remains, when will the rapture take place?
The Pretribulation Rapture is based on its doctrine on what the apostle John wrote to the church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:10, “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.” This verse indicates the Great Tribulation in view. The plain reading of this verse shows that the church will be kept from the hour of temptation or the time of the Tribulation period. However this verse does not say that the church will be kept from trials[10] for trials are part of the life of the church during the church age. But the Apostle John makes clear the purpose of this temptation that it is to try those who dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10b).
Based on this promise, the Pretribulation Rapture believes that the church will not face this kind of temptation. Thus before this great tribulation occurs the church will be caught up to heaven to meet the Christ on the air. Those who were dead will be resurrected[11] and those who are still alive during that great event will be changed in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). The church as the bride of Christ will have the marriage supper in heaven in the house of God the father[12] and the church will be in heaven for seven years. This is the time of the receiving of reward from the Lord Jesus Christ for those who serve Him faithful according to the spiritual gifts that have been given to each person as Paul said, “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 Corinthians 5:10).
The Great Tribulation period is also the day of God’s wrath for the earth, the wicked people. This is clearly seen as Apostle John wrote in Revelation 11:18 says, “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” However the Scriptures state that the church will never come under God’s wrath (John 5:24; Romans 5:9, 8:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9). The church will be saved from the wrath of God.[13] The church will not go thorough the Great Tribulation period but rather the church will be raptured before the Great Tribulation takes place.
One of the characteristic of the Great Tribulation period is begun with the absent of the Holy Spirit’s work of restraining evil. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 says “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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.” It will be hard to conceive of that time period when the Sprit’s restraining work is taken from the world while the church is still present. This is only reasonable if the church is already caught up from this earth and for the first time at the beginning of the Great Tribulation the world will be 100 % unbelievers.
It is commonly understood that Revelation 4-19 are events that will take place during the Great Tribulation Period. It is important to take note that there is no mention of the Church in these chapters. This proves that the church is already raptured to heaven and the church is in heaven which is called “tabernacle of God” (Revelation 13:6), and which is also called as the Bride (Revelation 19:1,7-8) that is ready to return to the earth at Christ’s Second Coming to commence His millennium kingdom.
Another argument of the Pretribulation Rapture that absolutely biblical is that the Rapture is imminent, which means it can happen at any moment. Christians are not to wait for signs of Christ’s return but for His coming itself. The demand for every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is that everyone must be ready for His coming. The immanency of Christ’s return or rapture is proved from the following arguments. Firstly, Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” The word “to wait” is written in present tense as if this great event could occur at any time. Secondly, in 1 Corinthians 15:52 Paul explains that our mortal bodies will all be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet . . . .” This shows that this event will be unexpected and happen at any time is supported by the apostle’s concluding exhortation to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Thirdly, at Christ’s second coming in the clouds (Revelation 19:11-21), his angels will gather all believers living on earth (Matt 24:30-31). Fourthly, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, . . . that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. . . . 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess 4:13-18). This clearly indicates that Paul fully expected to be alive at Christ’s coming since he included himself (“we which are alive and remain”) among those that would be alive at the time of the Rapture.
Fifth, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. . . . Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. . . . and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thess 5:3-11). This maintains that the day of the Lord (which begins after the Rapture and continues through the Millennium) was imminent so that it would take people by surprise. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to fight “sleep” (spiritual lethargy) to prepare for Christ’s unexpected arrival. Sixth, when Jesus told the disciples, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). He actually used the present tense (“I am coming”) with a sense of the immediate future without any intervening signs.[14]
[1]Ryrie said, “The word “rapture” comes from the Latin translation of the Greek for “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.” Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (USA: Victor Books, 1982), 478.
[2]Amillennium and Post-Millennium teach that there is no such thing as rapture for believers. If there is such teaching only to the extent that the believers will be caught up to heaven to usher the Lord Jesus Christ in the cloud and Jesus together with believers will come back to the earth. This is they called as the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[3]Thiessen said, “The church fills the parenthesis between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth weeks, and is no part of either period.” Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 369.
[4]Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, 368.
[5]Ryrie understood that the period of the church as an interval period. He said, “We are living in that interval. It is the time in which God is forming the church, the body of Christ, by saving Jews and Gentiles alike. Since God has not yet finished this present program, the last week of the seventy has not yet begun. Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology, 465.
[6]“There is an interval of undermined length between the first sixty-nine weeks of seven years each and the last or seventieth week of seven years.” Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology, 465.
[7]Ryrie said, “The Tribulation actually begins with the signing of a covenant between the leader of the “
[8] Strandberg Said, “The word “rapture” comes from Paul's "caught up" remark in verse 17. The words “caught up” are translated from the Greek word harpazo, which means "to carry off," "snatch up," or "grasp hastily." The translation from harpazo to “rapture” involved two steps: first, harpazo became the Latin word raptus; second, raptus became the English word “rapture.” Todd Standberg, “The Pretribulataion Rapture” available from http://www.raptureready.com/rr-pretribulation-rapture.html accessed on 12 April 2007. Internet.
[10]Trials and Great Tribulation are not the same. Trials are part of Christians living on this earth but Great Tribulation is a particular time set by God for a special purpose to save
[11]The resurrection of the dead here is the resurrection of those who died in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is also called the first resurrection (Rev. 20:6). The second resurrection will occur at the end of the millennium kingdom and it is for those who died without Christ. They will be resurrected for judgment.
[12]Strandberg said, “In Luke 12:36, the Word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Revelation 19:7-8, we read about the marriage itself. The marriage supper takes place before the marriage. According to Jewish custom, the marriage contract, which often includes a dowry, is drawn up first. The contract parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our Savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When it’s time for the wedding, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced. She comes out to meet him, and then he takes her to his father's house. This precisely correlates with the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus, the Groom, comes down from heaven and calls up the Church, His Bride. After meeting in the air, He and His Bride return to His Father's house, heaven. The marriage supper itself will take place there, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation will be playing out. After the marriage supper of Jewish tradition, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This corresponds to the time when Jesus returns to earth accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev 19:14).” Todd Strandberg, “The Pretribulation Rapture” available from: http://www.raptureready.com/rr-pretribulation-rapture.html accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[13]Although the church has been promised persecution and tribulation (John 16:33; Acts 5:41; Philippians 1:29), but this is different from the wrath that describes the Tribulation (Rev. 6:15-17; 11:18; 14:10, 19). Wrath and persecution are not the same.
[14]Herman A. Hoyt, The End Times (Chicago: Moody, 1969), 96.
[15] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1955), 179.
[17]One of the greatest sign for the beginning of the seven years Great Tribulation period is the making of the treaty with the
[18]Standberg said, “Note that some people only see a three-and-a-half-year tribulation. In a way, they are correct because the first half of the tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a seven-year period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1,260 days (Mat 24:16). There is no way to apply the phrase "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true is to separate the two distinct events transpiring here: 1) the rapture of the Church, which comes before the tribulation; and 2) the return of Jesus to the earth, which takes place roughly seven years later. Todd Strandberg, “The Pretribulation Rapture” available from: http://www.raptureready.com/rr-pretribulation-rapture.html accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[19]To Pretribulation rapture, though the seven years of Great Tribulation will be marked by the making of the covenant treaty with Israel by the Antichrist, yet when the rapture takes place there will be chaos on this earth because all in a sudden those believers will be caught up to heaven. Those Christians who are drivers, pilots, etc will suddenly disappear and the only thing that comes to our minds is chaos.
[20]Pentecost explained, that the “two witnesses are treated as two individuals in the passage . . . [and] the voice of authority is referred to a number of times in the Revelation and it can not be substantiated that it is the same ‘shout’ of which Paul spoke.” J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to come: A Study in Biblical Esc, 188-91.
[21]J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, 186.
[22] Hodge quoted the writing of Norman B. Harrison and said, “To substantiate this view, midtribulation rapturists try to deny the belief in an imminent return of [Jesus]. Norman B. Harrison writes, We see from the Scriptures that [Jesus] could not have returned in the lifetime of Peter; nor yet in the days of the apostles; nor yet before the reformation; nor yet before the missionary program is completed; nor yet before the apostasy has overtaken us; nor yet before the last days in which we seem to be living.” Jim Hodge, “Three Views of the Raptures” available from: http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/rapt00.htm accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[24]“A passage quoted often by pre-tribulationalists is Revelation 3:10 which speaks of the Philadelphian church being "kept from the hour of trial which is about to come upon the whole earth." The debate centers around the phrase "kept from" which many scholars say could be taken to mean "physical removal from" (Pre-trib) or "preservation from or in the midst of" (Post-trib). It is not conclusive. However it is interesting to note that later in Revelation, on at least 3 occasions, saints are "sealed" and kept out of harms way when God pours out judgment on the earth or specific judgments from God only affect His unbelieving enemies. See Revelation 6:4,8,15,17;9:4; and 12:6,14 for examples.” “Posttribulation Rapture” Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Tribulation_Rapture, accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[25]The Posttribulationists fail to understand that the word “tribulation” in the Bible does not always mean or refer to the Great Tribulation. The term is also used in a non-technical, non-eschatological sense (e.g., John 15:18-19; 16:1-2, 33; Matthew 13:21; 2 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; Revelation 1:9) for the age-long opposition from Satan which has existed since the founding of the church.
[26]Hodge writes, “Mr. McKeever argues that the word "last" is significant in 1 Cor. 15:52. He points out that this last trumpet is synonymous with the last trumpet in Rev. 11:15. He states that because there are no other trumpets recorded in Scripture after this one, this must refer to the rapture at the end of the tribulation. Also, since 1 Thess. 4:16 makes mention of a shout accompanying the trumpet, he feels it is significant to find loud voices (or shouts) at the seventh trumpet in Rev. 11:15. While this may appear to be a valid argument, a closer look will indicate that this line of reasoning is faulty. First of all, the word "last" may signify that which concludes a program, but is not necessarily the last that will ever exist. Secondly, the trumpet that summons the church is called the trump of God, while the seventh trump is an angel's trumpet. Also we notice that the trumpet in 1 Thessalonians issues in blessing in life, in glory, while the trumpet in Revelation issues in judgement upon the enemies of God. Jim Hodge, “Three Views of Rapture” available from http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/rapt00.htm accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[27]“The Post-tribulationalist usually sees the Rapture and The Second Coming of Christ as one event (see 2 Thessalonians 2:1 for the fact that there is only one article "the" for the two events ("the coming...gathering") described in that verse thus making it one event). I believe this is known as Granville Sharpe's rule in Greek and it is an unchangeable one.” “Post Tribulation Rapture” Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_Tribulation_Rapture, accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[28]Charles C. Ryrie, What You should Know about the Rapture (Chicago: Moody, 1981), 44-45.
[30]This view was first introduced by Marvin Rosenthal in 1990 through his book entitled “The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church.” His view was fallowed by Robert Van Kampen and perhaps others as well.
[31]George W. Zeller, “Pre-Wrath Confusion” available from: http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/prewrath.htm accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[32]This view does not believe that the rapture will take place in the middle of the seven years of Great Tribulation but rather about 24 months after the middle of the Great Tribulation or 18 months before the end of the Great Tribulation.
[33]The assumption here is that the beginning of the Great Tribulation is also considered as part of the tribulation the world must face though it is relatively “peace” in comparison to the second part of the Great Tribulation.
[34]George W. Zeller, “The Pre-Wrath Confusion” Available from: http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/prewrath.htm accessed on 12 April 2007 Internet.
[36]“Partial rapture is for all believers to seek after the "prize" (1 Cor. 9.24, Phil. 3.14) of the hidden treasure and to be received according to readiness (Rev. 3.10, 12.5, 14.1-5; Luke 21.36, Matt. 24.40-41,42) at the first rapture "before the throne" (7.9) "to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21.36c). The decision of who is to be raptured at first rapture is left up to God, and we as believers await that decision. Those included in the first rapture are necessarily included in the kingdom rewards, but not all those who shall reign in the millennium are necessarily in the first rapture since not everyone is alive at first rapture and some will overcome in the Tribulation after the first rapture. Those who "keep the word of My patience" (Rev. 3.10a) who are "watchful and prayerful" (Luke 21.36a) shall "be accounted worthy escape all these things that shall come to pass" (Luke 21.36) "upon the whole world" (Rev. 3.10c) in the "hour of trial" (v.10b) of the Tribulation (emphasis on the time of the last week of Daniel's prophecy). This is a definite condition that not all believers maintain.” “Partial Rapture” available from: http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/Nee_on_rapture.htm. Accessed on 12 April 2007. Internet.
[37]The reference to being taken away (Matt. 24:41-42) refers to being taken away to judgment at the close of the tribulation, not being taken away to blessing at the Rapture.
[38]Pentecost said, “These who look for Him are not contrasted with those who do not look for Him . . . . The inference is that the same group to whom He appeared (v. 26), and for whom He now appears (v. 24), will be the one to whom He will appear (v. 28). Pentecost, Things to Come, 162.