Disproving The Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Published August 5, 2024 at 4:51 PM

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The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a doctrine that has Christians woefully unprepared for the end times. A large number of Christians believe that we will get raptured out of here before the Antichrist comes. Instead of preparing for what is to come, too many Christians have a business-as-usual mindset about the end times, and it is because of this doctrine.

Another doctrine that is adjacent to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is the doctrine that Jesus could come at any moment. While it is true that we don’t know the day or hour, we do know the times and seasons (Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2). So for anyone who doesn’t believe in the Great Tribulation, or believes Jesus will come back before things get worse, I strongly recommend reading Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, and the Book of Revelation.

Returning to discussing the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, this doctrine is problematic and needs to be addressed. We will analyze the Bible verses that talk about the Rapture, and I pray that it becomes clear that a Post-Tribulation Rapture is being described. To be specific, The Second Coming of Jesus, Rapture, and Day of the LORD/Great Day of God’s Wrath all happen on the same day.

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Analyzing 1 Thessalonians 4-5

The basis for the Rapture comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, which says:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

To understand this verse, Paul is affirming that there will be a resurrection of the dead (the Sadducees taught that there was no resurrection). This resurrection will occur when Jesus descends from heaven and steps into the clouds, which the Bible says happens at His Second Coming (Mark 13:26-27, Acts 1:9-11, Revelation 1:7). The dead in Christ will rise first, and then we who are alive and remain will be caught up to meet them in the air. We will forever be Jesus, and are encouraged to comfort each other with these words.

To suggest that the Rapture is separate from the Second Coming is to suggest that Jesus has to come three times. The Rapture is synonymous with Jesus coming in the clouds, which only happens at the Second Coming.

But continuing with 1 Thessalonians, Ch 5 is a continuation of his thoughts in Ch 4. When he wrote this, there were no chapter breaks, so we should treat it as such. Paul not only ties in the Rapture and Second Coming together, but he says that it happens on the Day of the LORD.

“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2)

If you have never heard of the Day of the LORD, I recommend that you go and read your Old Testament prophets. They repeatedly talk about a day when God will pour his wrath out and judge all flesh (Isaiah 2, Isaiah 13, Joel 2, Zephaniah 1, Zechariah 14, Malachi 4). And for those who try to dismiss these prophecies as being about the Exile, Zechariah and Malachi were writing post-exile and still warned of the Day of the LORD. Furthermore, the pre-exilic prophets talk about when Israel will be judged, while ALSO talking about a future day of God’s judgment on all flesh (Isaiah 13 and Joel 2 are examples of this). Common themes of the Day of the LORD include the sun going dark, the moon turning red, the stars falling, the sky receding like a scroll, the islands being moved, and the nations of the earth mourning (Revelation 6:12-17).

Returning to Paul, he makes it clear that we are not appointed to this wrath that happens on the Day of the LORD. This explains 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, which is often taken out of context, as it says:

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

It is true that we are not appointed to God’s wrath. That is why God’s wrath is poured out on those who take the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 14:9-11). And when the Day of the LORD comes, we are raptured and are with Jesus in the air while the earth is being judged. We are NOT spared from the Great Tribulation, but we ARE spared from the Day of the LORD/The Great Day of God’s Wrath.

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Analyzing 2 Thessalonians 2

There was confusion concerning what Paul was talking about in 1 Thessalonians, so he wrote 2 Thessalonians as a follow-up letter. He clarifies that there are things that must happen before Jesus comes back, so that people are not deceived into believing that Jesus came back already.

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4)

Once again, Paul characterized the Second Coming (the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ) and Rapture (our gathering together to Him) as ONE EVENT. He then says not to be deceived by those who said it has come already, as the Great Apostasy must happen first, and the Antichrist (man of sin) must be revealed and worshiped. Jesus will then destroy him with the brightness of His coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8), which is part of the judgment of the world on the Day of the LORD.

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Analyzing Matthew 24

Alongside Paul’s writings, Jesus told us about the Rapture and His Second Coming in Matthew 24. When asked about the signs of His coming, this is what Jesus had to say:

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’ And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.‘” (Matthew 24:3-8)

Jesus starts by telling us to let nobody deceive us, as many false teachers will arise. Calamity is also coming upon the earth, and there will be wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. We currently are living in this period, and people think that Jesus is coming back before it gets really bad. However, Jesus tells us not to be troubled, for these things must come to pass. This calamity is not the end, rather it is just the beginning of the things that must happen before Jesus comes back.

Moving on, Jesus makes it clear that bad things will happen to the church during these days. We won’t be raptured out of here, rather we will face persecution for Jesus’ sake.

“’Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.'” (Matthew 24:9-14)

Christians will be delivered up to tribulation and killed. Lawlessness will abound and the love of many will grow cold. However, we are compelled to endure to the end. The end will eventually come, but not before tribulation. Jesus says that this tribulation will be greater than any tribulation ever seen. If those days weren’t cut short, no flesh would survive (Matthew 24:21-22). After the tribulation, then the Second Coming and Rapture happens.

“’Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.‘” (Matthew 24:29-31)

The sun goes dark, moon turns red and stars fall to heaven, as the Day of the LORD is at hand. Jesus appears in the clouds, which is the Second Coming. He then sends his angels to gather his elect; this is the Rapture. I encourage you to go read Matthew 24 on your own, as these are the words of Jesus, not mine.

Jesus himself taught a Post-Tribulation Rapture, so why are believers holding on to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

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Circumstantial Evidence Against The Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Alongside Jesus and Paul teaching a Post-Tribulation Rapture, there is a bunch of circumstantial evidence against the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. These pieces of evidence are often short verses and/or observations from the Bible that point to the church going through the tribulation.

• Daniel says that the Antichrist will make war with the saints and prevail (Daniel 7:21).
• Jesus tells us to endure to the end (Matthew 24:13).
  • Matthew 24 serves as preparation for us to deal with the Antichrist, as opposed to simply telling us that Christians would be raptured before he appeared.
  • Jesus makes it clear that Christians would be persecuted for His sake.
• One of Jesus’ prayers was for God not to take his people out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one (John 15:17).
• Jesus promises to keep the Church of Philadelphia safe during the Tribulation, but not to rapture them (Revelation 3:7-13).
  • This is consistent with how God kept Israel safe when he judged Egypt.
  • God can keep some believers safe, while allowing others to face persecution.
    • He kept Jeremiah from Exile, but let Daniel and Ezekiel go to Babylon.
    • He kept John safe during Nero and Domitian’s persecution, but let Paul and Peter be martyred.
• The Marriage Supper of the Lamb, which is used to argue for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, takes place at the end of the Tribulation (Revelation 9:1-10).
  • The Marriage Supper of the Lamb happens when Babylon is judged, which would theoretically be over 3.5 years after the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.
  • The event takes place in heaven, whereas the Rapture is a gathering in the clouds.
  • Moreover, the Bible doesn’t mention the Rapture when talking about the event, and people are adding to scripture when they try to use this verse in the context of the Rapture.
    • The Bible makes it clear when it is referring to the Rapture/Resurrection of the Dead.
    • There is no need to apply the Rapture to an event that has nothing to do with it, nor makes any mention of it.
• John says that because Satan can’t hurt the remnant of Israel, he goes after the Church (Revelation 12:17).
• John says that the Antichrist will make war with the saints and overcome them (Revelation 13:7).
• John makes no mention of the Rapture in Revelation until the very end, in which he talks about the First Ressurection (Revelation 20:4-6).
  • This is a resurrection of dead saints beheaded for their witness of Jesus and for refusing the Mark of the Beast.
  • The Pre-Tribulation Rapture would assert that there is a resurrection before the First Resurrection, which isn’t possible. The Post-Tribulation Rapture asserts that the Rapture is part of the First Ressurection.

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CONCLUSION

I pray that this article helped you see that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is not backed by scripture. The words of Jesus and Paul, alongside extra circumstantial evidence, point to the Rapture happening at the Second Coming of Jesus. And if this article was not enough to convince you that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is a false doctrine, I pray that you make sure you are prepared to endure tribulation, incase you are wrong. Don’t put all your faith in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and be ready, if necessary, to endure to the end.

Thank you for reading, and always remember to stay vigilant!