Reminder of the Supporting Arguments For a Pre-Trib Rapture

At the obvious risk of preaching to the proverbial choir, I thought I would review some of the primary reasons why I believe that the harpazo of the Church will happen before Daniel’s 70th Week begins (aka the 7-year tribulation period). I have been feeling the desire to do this for myself just to strengthen my faith as we head into what feels like the home stretch leading to the finish line. I thought perhaps others might benefit from it as well, whether it be those who are already convinced of the pre-tribulation timing or those who are still wrestling with the issue.

So, here we go. Here are my top 7 reasons for believing that the Bible teaches a pre-tribulation rapture:

1. The Dispensational Imperative: the 70th week of Daniel referenced in Daniel 9 is for the nation of Israel, not the Church. It is the time of Jacob’s trouble, not the Bride of Christ’s trouble. The Church must be gone before the current pause between the 69th and 70th weeks is released. There was no Church in the first 69 weeks of years, and there will be no Church in the final 70th week of years. As I have heard JD say many times, the purpose of the tribulation is for the salvation of the Jewish nation.

2. The Wrath Factor: the Word of God clearly tells us that the Bride of Christ, the Church, is not destined for the wrath of God (1 Thes 1:10, 1 Thes 5:9). It is Jesus Himself who unleashes all of the horrors of the 70th week upon the earth. From the first seal to the last bowl, it is the Lamb of God who is releasing it upon the earth. In the first four seals alone, a quarter of the earth’s population is killed. And Jesus is the one who is opening the seals to release that judgment upon the earth. We can agree to disagree agreeably if you don’t think that qualifies as wrath.

3. The Difference Between the Rapture and the 2nd Coming: much could be set about this to establish the difference. Let’s keep it simple. One has believers going up to meet the Lord in the air, the other has believers coming back down to earth from heaven with the Lord. These are two entirely different events that happen at two entirely different times. If we are with the Lord in Revelation 19 when He returns to earth, we obviously have to arrive there before the 2nd Coming. There is no such recorded event in Revelation from the start of the 70th week with the first seal opened in Chapter 6, so one can logically infer we are there prior to that first seal being opened, a position which is supported by other verses in Revelation 4 & 5.

4. The Jewish Wedding Tradition: this tradition mirrors the relationship of Jesus to the Church in every facet. Most notably, the departure of the Bridegroom back to his father’s house to prepare a place for his betrothed bride, with the intention of then coming back at an unknown day and hour to snatch her away and take her back into the bridal chamber for a period of 7 to consummate the marriage. We, too, will be caught up at an unknown moment by our Jesus and then taken back to the Father’s house, to be hidden away in the bridal chamber for a period of seven (years), while God’s wrath is poured out on a God-hating, Christ-rejecting world.

5. The Apostasia of 2 Thessalonians: I believe there is a far more compelling argument that the word apostasia in 2 Thes 2:3 should be translated departure (as in physical departure, as in rapture), as opposed to the traditionally understood translation of a spiritual falling away. If it should be translated as a physical departure, as the context tends to support, then more than one well-known biblical prophecy scholar has said that would end all arguments about the timing of the rapture as being pre-tribulation. I would not want to base my entire argument for a pre-trib rapture on this point alone, but it is definitely an arrow in the quiver for defending our blessed hope as a pre-trib harpazo.

6. The Content & Structure of Revelation: there are many aspects to the book of Revelation that support a pre-trib rapture. Here are some of them:
a. Church is mentioned around 19 times in Chapters 1-3, but from 6:1 on does not appear again until we are coming back with Jesus in Rev 19. No reference to the Church is made from the start of Daniel’s 70th week until Jesus comes back to earth.
b. Rev 3:10 “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Somebody is going to be kept from a trial that is going to come upon the whole earth. Any guesses who that is?
c. Rev 4:1 Picture of the rapture when John is called up through a door into heaven by a voice that sounds like a trumpet. “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’”
d. Rev 4:4 “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.” In this throne room scene, the Church is represented by the 24 elders, as the royal priesthood (24 priestly divisions in the OT, with crowns on their head for royalty). We are called a royal priesthood in 1 Peter 2:9. That’s us in the throne room.
e. Rev 5:9-10 The song being sung has lyrics that could only be sung by the Church because they could only apply to the Church. “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” Those words are only true of the Church and they are being sung by people already in heaven before the first seal is even opened.
f. No specific instruction in the Book of Revelation, or anywhere else in the Bible for that matter, on how we are to prepare to survive the seven-year tribulation period. You would think the Lord would have given His Bride a few specific survival tips if we were going to have to go through the horrors of Daniel’s 70th week. Just sayin’.

7. Preppers vs. Watchers: those who believe in any timing of the rapture other than pre-tribulation must be, of necessity, be preppers looking for the Antichrist. They have to be getting prepared to deal with the Tribulation period and have no reason to be watching for Jesus, because the AC must arrive first. Yet, no where in God’s Word are we instructed to be looking for the Antichrist or preparing to survive through the 70th week. We are, however, encouraged frequently to be watchers looking for the real Jesus Christ. Preppers look for AC and try to survive, watchers look for JC and trust He’ll arrive.

I always have to chuckle when I hear people, both merely professing believers and actual true followers, attempt to argue that the Bible provides no evidence or support of a pre-tribulation rapture. It makes me think of how Jesus spoke in parables. Only certain people were able to understand what He was actually saying. Seems like it is that way with the rapture as well. Let him who has an ear to hear, hear.

Thank God Almighty for His promise to come rescue us and take us to Abba’s house before all hell breaks loose on this earth during Daniel’s 70th Week. The Spirit and the Bride say Come!! Maranatha!!!