Subject: Pre-Wrath Rapture? |
Bible Note: Parousia: In my early Christian life, the Pre-trib rapture position was drummed into my noggin by preachers, radio programs, and books, and Sunday school teachers. The more I studied God's word the more things I saw that made me begin questioning the Pre-trib position. For instance God's word says Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1:10 and 1 Thess. 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, I began seeing that there is a difference between tribulation and wrath It appears to me that tribulation is Satan's wrath against God's people And the wrath of God is that which will come upon the ungodly and those who do not obey the gospel. 2 Thess. 1:7-9 I believe the timing of the rapture is clearly mentioned in Matthew 24 Mt 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. In verse 29 we see that it says "Immediately AFTER the tribulation," what would take place is as follows: 1.all the tribes of the earth shall see the Son of man coming - again notice it says immediately AFTER the tribulation, not before, or in the middle of it.(verses - 29-30 refer to His second coming) 2. And then shall the gathering of the elect take place. verse 31 (we see that the elect are still here after the tribulation) Even in the parable of the wheat and the tares we see that the tares are gathered before the wheat - not vice versa. "Gather ye together first the tares," Matthew 13:30 These reasons and others which I have not mentioned are Bibical proof to me that the Pre-tribulation rapture theory was not the teaching of the early church, but is a more recent theological invention. Just thought I'd share a few thoughts on this topic with you and others who may be interested. May God bless you New Creature |