I couldn’t agree more with Nathan Jones’ (of Lamb & Lion Ministries) assessment of why the Church can not be on the earth during the tribulation period. In his article, he gives 10 reasons as to why this must be the case, a few being points (differences in the rapture and second coming, the “Jewishness” of the tribulation, and the millennium needing to be repopulated) that I’ve detailed in my articles Rapture vs Second Coming and Rapture vs Second Coming II as well. I encourage you to read the full article to get a thorough breakdown of his thoughts on the matter.
Harbingers Daily: Have you ever noticed how many teachings there are out there concerning the Rapture of the Church?
Sure, the Bible makes it crystal clear that one day Jesus will return and gather up all those who are saved and take them to Heaven to live with Him forever. But, the when and the where and how’s of it all… so many different and even conflicting views. Which are facts and which are merely opinions?
During these times of confusion and indecision, sometimes you just have to get away, take a walk, and spend some time thinking it through.
For me, after long study, I have come to believe in what is called the Pre-Tribulation Rapture view. This “gathering up” of Christians will occur before God’s judgment falls upon the world in a seven-year time period foretold by Daniel and known as the Tribulation.
But, why exactly do I believe in a Pre-Trib Rapture? I have my reasons, ten to be exact. All are founded on the conviction that the Bible is the very Word of God, that it should always be interpreted literally, and that it is firmly rooted in Jesus’ ironclad promise that He will indeed return. All preclude a spiritualized interpretation of the Scriptures. Doing so merely results in imaginative nonsense. Let’s walk through these reasons and see if they help provide clarity.
1. The Rapture and Second Coming are different events.
Some claim that the Rapture and Second Coming are the exact same event occurring at the very end of the Tribulation — the Post-Tribulation Rapture view. And yet, read all the verses which cover Christ’s return and you’ll encounter two very different scenarios. These verses actually describe Christ’s return happening in two stages — the Rapture (Jn. 14:1-14; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; 1 Thes. 4:13-18) and later the Second Coming (Zech. 14:1-21; Mk. 13:24-27; Lk. 21:25-27; Rev. 19) — separated by a period of time.
2. The Rapture can occur at any time without warning.
Jesus stated in Matthew 24 to “keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come,” indicating Jesus will arrive at a time when nobody is expecting. Not expecting? How can that be when the Second Coming is preceded by exactly seven years (to the day) of events — such as the rise of the Antichrist, plagues, wars, and earthquakes which destroy most of the world? The Rapture happens imminently and without warning, while the Second Coming has to be preceded by many years’ worth of signs. The two then cannot possibly be the same event.
3. The Rapture removes the Restrainer.
Second Thessalonians teaches that God’s restraining influence will be taken away when the Antichrist rises to power. Christ restrains the evil of this world today through the Church. Therefore, the Church will need to be removed — raptured — before the Antichrist’s seven-year reign can even begin. Read More
Sources
- Why The ‘Gathering Up’ Of Christians Must Occur Before God’s Tribulation Judgment (June 13th, 2023) – Harbingers Daily