The Rapture - Core Argument Against Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Core Argument Against Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Before proceeding, note that I believe a pre-tribulation rapture is completely un-Scriptural. However, if I’m wrong (which I'm not), I would be pleasantly shocked!

If “pre-tribbers” are wrong they’ve got a terrible surprise coming to them and will be ill-prepared for what lies ahead of us. You will have to read through the Scriptures below and take His Word for what it says.

Personally, the argument (against a pre-trib rapture) ends with these verses alone:

Revelation 20:4-7 (LITV) "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them. And judgment was given to them, and the souls of the ones having been beheaded because of the witness of Yeshua, and because of the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast nor its image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [5] But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. [6] Blessed and holy is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years. [7] And whenever the thousand years are ended, Satan will be set loose out of his prison."

The passage above is significant to the timing of the rapture because the above mentions the martyrs... they didn't worship the beast, they didn't accept the mark... which means, they were present during the tribulation period in order to be able to make those decisions. If they pre-trib raptured, those decisions would not have been a concern for them.

Also note that this is the "first resurrection." There will only be two coming resurrections:

John 5:28-29 (LITV): "Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear His voice. [29] And they will come out, [1] the ones having done good into a resurrection of life; and [2] the ones having practiced evil into a resurrection of judgment."

The first resurrection, in which the righteous dead shall rise first, and then those still living (at His return), righteously, will be caught up to meet Yeshua in the air. The wicked dead are not resurrected at this time—the second resurrection occurs towards the end of the Millennial Reign.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (KJV) "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Changed in what manner? Philippians 3:21 (LITV) "who will transform our body of humiliation, for it to be conformed to His body of glory, according to the working of Him to be able even to subject all things under Himself."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (LITV) "Because the Lord Himself shall come down from Heaven with a commanding shout of an archangel's voice, and with God's trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who remain alive will be caught up [harpazo] together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. [18] So, then, comfort each other with these words."

Who is included in this first resurrection according to Revelation 20:4? "...the souls of the ones having been beheaded because of the witness of Yeshua, and because of the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast nor its image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand."

These are those who went through the Great Tribulation and are said to be a part of the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5). If Christians were raptured out of this world pre-tribulation then this would not be the first resurrection. These martyrs went through the tribulation and were part of the FIRST resurrection. For me, this is case closed on the pre-trib beliefs.

The second resurrection, “…the ones having practiced evil…” (John 5:29), will occur at the end of the Millennial Reign prior to the Great White Throne Judgment:

Revelation 20:11-15 (LITV) "And I saw a Great White Throne, and the One sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled; and a place was not found for them. [12] And I saw the dead, the small and the great, standing before God. And books were opened. And another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works. [13] And the sea gave up the dead in it. And death and hell [G86 – hades] gave up the dead in them. And they were each judged according to their works. [14] And death and hell [G86 – hades] were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. [15] And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire."

There is a resurrection order given to us in Scripture. Paul spells it out:

1 Corinthians 15:22-26 (LITV) "for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. [23] But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruit; afterward those of Christ at His coming. [24] Then is the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God, even the Father, when He makes to cease all rule and all authority and power. [25] For it is right for Him to reign until He puts all the hostile ones under His feet; Psa. 110:1 [26] the last hostile thing made to cease is death."

[1] Christ was first… then [2] those who are His (at His coming – first resurrection), then [3] is the end, the “consummation” (second resurrection) – the resurrection of those who were not His – prior to the Great White Throne Judgment.

All of mankind are a result of Adam – the first man. All are born through Adam, and all die. In Christ, the second, more perfect Adam, all will be made alive. Note that the word used is “all”. It doesn’t say “all Christians”, or “all wicked”. All of mankind, whether Christian or not, are a result of the first Adam. Therefore, in Christ – all will be made alive.

In Christianity, a rapture refers to a future event where all true believers in Christ, both dead and alive, will be instantly transformed and "caught up" to meet Yeshua in the air. It should be noted that the word “rapture” does not occur anywhere in Scripture. The Latin translators of the Bible used the Latin word rapere or raperio, the root of the English term rapture. Rapere means “to seize, snatch, or carry away by force”. The Greek word harpazo, or caught up, is equivalent to rapere.

The debate lies in “when” this will occur. There are four main thoughts concerning the timing of this event:

[1] Pre-Tribulation, [2] Mid-Tribulation, [3] Pre-Wrath, and [4] Post-Tribulation.

All four of these timeframes relate to the tribulation period known as Daniel’s 70th Week or the seven year tribulation period.

The Disciples asked Yeshua the same question:

Matthew 24:3 (LITV) "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And, What is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?"

Yeshua said: Matthew 24:36 (LITV) "But as to that day and that hour, no one knows, neither the angels of Heaven, except My Father only."

While there is no conclusive historical proof, a strong case suggests that "no one knows the day or the hour" in Matthew 24:36 is a Jewish idiom referring to the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah). There is no doubt that Yeshua precisely fulfilled the first four Jewish feasts to the day. He has not fulfilled the final three fall feasts as of yet. You can find more information on this in my Jewish Feasts blogs.

During Yeshua's time, the start of this feast was determined by the sighting of the new moon, which the Sanhedrin would then officially declare, making the precise date unknown to anyone but the Father until the proclamation. This cultural context provides a linguistic layer of meaning to Yeshua's statement, which would have been understood by his Jewish audience.

For reference, see: Talmud Bavli, Rosh Hashanah 25a: Describes the procedure for the Sanhedrin to receive testimony of the new moon sighting by two witnesses. Illustrates why the Feast of Trumpets was called ‘the day and hour no man knows.’

Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah 2:7: If witnesses failed to report the new moon, the festival would be postponed by a day. Explains the uncertainty in determining the exact start of Yom Teruah.

It’s also significant, that in the context of Jewish weddings of the time period, the Jewish bridegroom would not know the exact day or hour he would return for his bride, because it was the Father who determined the timing. This perfectly parallels Yeshua’s statement “but My Father only” — reinforcing the idea that His coming for His bride (the Church) mirrors the Jewish wedding custom of that day. See Historical Jewish Weddings.

Matthew 24:42 (LITV) "Watch, then, for you do not know in what hour your Lord comes."

We, as Christians, should always be watching while we wait for His return. That is the ultimate goal for all of us… all of creation is crying out for Him to return and restore all things (Romans 8:19-22)!

Let's move on to the next section by following this link: Events During and After the Millennial Reign