Pretribulation Rapture – Revelation – Understanding the End Times (click title below for mobile/Menu)

What is the Pretribulation Rapture?

The pre-tribulation rapture doctrine holds that Jesus Christ returns to take believers, both living and the dead, to heaven just preceding the period known as The Great Tribulation. This event, known as the rapture, is the at beginning of a period of time consisting of seven years preceded by several months of astronomic disaster and world-wide trauma.[1] The English word rapture was originally a translation by St. Jerome of the Greek word harpazo into the Latin word rapiemur which in its verb form, rapio, means caught up or taken. [2]

Absence of the church during the seals of Revelation

Often, the first line of reasoning in the pre-tribulation argument is that the church is not mentioned in Revelation after chapter 3 nor is there any mention of the church in any other New Testament prophecy about the tribulation. [3]

God has delivered the church from the wrath to come. The verse in Revelation 12:17 that mentions the persecution of believers is considered by those of the pretribulation position to be speaking of the population of those who come to believe in Jesus after the rapture of the church through previous exposure to the gospel, the witness of the 144,000 of Revelation 7, or the two witnesses of Revelation 11. [4]

Imminence of the rapture

The imminent nature of the rapture is put forth as further support for the position. Matthew 25:13, Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Matthew 24:36, But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:42, Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Luke 12:40, You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. The reasoning continues that Revelation gives a time frame of 1260 days for each of the two halves of the tribulation week [5]

with events marking their beginning and end points. This would allow for a simple calculation by the church for the return of Christ if it were to remain through the tribulation period. The coming of Christ would be exactly 1260 days after the antichrist breaks the peace treaty with Israel. [6]

Therefore, if the rapture was at the end of the tribulation, the surprise of an imminent appearance of Christ would be lost.

Three comings of Christ?

Due to the inclusion of the rapture event, issue has been made of Christ coming three times to earth. [7] Opponents note that there is no mention of three comings of Christ in scripture. Quoting Hebrews 9:28, “… so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” The response typically is that, during the rapture, Christ never comes down to Earth as he will at the end when he touches down on the Mount of Olives, [8] and therefore the second coming remains with the Battle of Armageddon when Christ defeats the forces of the antichrist on the earth. [9]

Matthew 24 and the Revelation 6 connection

This is an often-quoted passage of scripture in Matthew that is interpreted from both pre and post-tribulation viewpoints.

Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (NASB).

Verse 29 begins, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Based on the word “after” opponents of the pre-tribulation view claim this clearly indicates the rapture is a post-tribulation event. This statement also appears after a short description of the coming antichrist adding weight to their claim. Pre-tribulation proponents may note the specific context of the verse and apply this reference to the events of Revelation 6 which are catastrophic events throughout history causing a period of tribulation on earth that precede the Great Tribulation. Stedman sums up the point:

Notice that the Lord Jesus distinctly separates this event from the Great Tribulation. The tribulation will be essentially the manifestation of the naked brutality of man, the exhibition of the cruelty and unbelievable violence of the human heart unrestrained by grace. It is described for us in detail in the book of the Revelation, especially in the judgments of the seals and the trumpets. It will be a time when the horrors of Nazi persecution, reflected in the gas chambers of Buchenwald and Dachau, will be repeated all over the earth; a time when violence stalks the streets, and the nuclear witches of terror scream through the skies. As Jesus said, it will be a day of unprecedented human evil, of terrible slaughter and human suffering. [10]

Revelation 6:12-17, I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

The description is almost identical to the rapture scenario in Matthew 24. Elliott, in his commentary on Revelation 6:12 notes the connection to the coming of Christ. [11]

The poetic nature of these verses in Revelation 6 almost hide the distress this must cause the entire planet. In the context of this one event alone, we have what could be referred to as “the tribulation of those days,” similar to Matthew or that disastrous portion of time that introduces the Great Tribulation. In Revelation 6 it is termed, by those experiencing it, “the great day of their wrath,” v. 17. This appears to be synonymous with the intent of “Day of the Lord.” The world is in chaos and great civilizations are in shambles. Immediately after this event, in Matthew 24:30-31, the Sign of the Lord appears in the heavens, and the angels of God collect his elect from the planet. From the description of the rapture, it appears not to be a secret event,[12] but the disastrous seismic events of these times would likely result in a partial distraction from the event by the world at large.

Not destined for wrath

Another basic claim for the absence of the church during the tribulation has it that the church was not appointed to suffer wrath, 1 Thessalonians 5:9. The promise to the church of Philadelphia 3:10 reads, Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. The seven churches of Asia are considered models of the end time church, and therefore, the promise to these churches is considered to extend to the church of the present day. [13]The promise of deliverance from wrath is countered by the pre-wrath (mid-trib) argument of Strongtower that the wrath of God doesn’t begin until the bowls of God’s wrath in Revelation 16. [14] As a counter to this view, the pre-tribulation position notes that wrath begins early in the tribulation.[15] Revelation 6 presents the topic of wrath early in the unfolding of events.

Revelation 6:16-17, they called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

The differentiation Strongtower makes between the wrath of Revelation 6 and the significance of the wrath of the bowls in Revelation 16 is thought provoking but not necessarily convincing.

Dr. Robert Gundry, a well-respected scholar of the post-tribulation position also counters the pre-tribulation rapture logic. He argues, why would saints that come to Christ during the tribulation need suffer this wrath any more than those who would supposedly be caught up in advance of the event? In addition, if God allows them divine protection during this period as some might argue, then why would he not do the same for those saved before the tribulation? [16] He makes logical sense, yet the bulk of pre-tribulation argument need not be based on who does or does not endure the time of wrath. There have been countless saints in history, many who have been allowed to endure forms of wrath whether by man or natural phenomenon, who were not caught up from their situation. Somehow, God’s hands in the bowls gives some pause as to whether he would allow the church to suffer them. Gundry makes a strong argument at this point.

Two views of 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4 contains another verse that often receives differing interpretation as to its order of occurrence in the second coming chronology. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 the Apostle Paul states,

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

The appearance of the dead in Christ signals to some holding a post-tribulation position that the resurrection has just occurred. [17] The reasoning goes that the living are taken up at the same time as the dead rise at the resurrection. The two resurrections spoken of in Revelation 20 are after the Great Tribulation. Therefore, their position is the correct interpretation of the events. There is some variation in the pre-tribulation positions on the resurrection. They seem to agree the rapture of the living and the dead is some form of resurrection. Stewart avoids the conflict by countering that the first resurrection to life comes in four phases: Christ’s resurrection, the rapture, the tribulation and Old Testament saints at the Second Coming, and millennial saints at the Great White Throne judgement. In other words, the first resurrection includes all resurrections of the righteous. The second resurrection is to eternal death for the unrighteous, occurring at the Great White Throne judgement. [18]

Complications of the resurrection

Many build their end time chronology on verses such as those from Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4, 2 Thessalonians 2, as well as the apocalyptic verses from Daniel and occasionally other prophets. Though useful in part, the events related in these must be harmonized with an underlying plan to arrive at the chronological sequence for the events concerning the end time. Part of the confusion in the issue comes with the definition of the resurrections and when they occur. The resurrection of the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:51-2 may apply to either side of the debate as pre-tribulation adherents see some sort of a resurrection at the rapture. The resurrection is also described in Revelation 20 at the end of the tribulation as well as at the Great Throne judgement after the millennium. In Corinthians 15, the sounding of the last trumpet is sometimes assumed to be the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15. This timing fits more of a mid-tribulation position occurring at the end of the first period of 1260 days. There seem to be numerous pros and cons for each side of the debate, all complicated by defining the timing of the resurrections.

Two views of 1 Thessalonians 5

One post-tribulationist, Douglas Moo, points out that the destruction of unbelievers during the Day of the Lord is revealed in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 in the same context as 1 Thessalonians 4 that describes the rapture of the church. This, in his interpretation, is the judgement and is therefore clearly post-tribulational.[19]

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The pre-tribulation interpretation of this event would reply that this event is only referring to the physical death and destruction revealed in the seals of Revelation 6 and events following, and that the Day of the Lord refers to the entire duration of the Great Tribulation. [20]

Use of the term “Day of the Lord” is not as precise a term as Moo would like to make it. [21]

The term is also used in 1 Peter 3:10 of the end of the world preceding the new heaven and new earth of Revelation 21:1.

History of the pre-tribulation rapture

Another point of debate refers to the position of the church in history as regards the catching up of the saints. Post-tribulation writers often claim there is no mention of a pre-tribulation rapture until the writings of John Darby of the Plymouth Brethren in the 1830s. [22] There is, however, a reference found in the volumes of the Ante-Nicene Fathers which may indicate such a belief was not unknown in history. Irenaeus, in Against Heresies, states,

“And therefore, when in the end the Church shall suddenly be caught up from this, it is said, ‘There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be. For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when the overcome, they are crowned with incorruption.’” [23]

In a later document, with an uncertain dating of the 4th through 8th centuries, The Apocalypse of Pseudo-Ephraim, originally attributed to Ephraim the Syrian, presents a very clear pretribulation statement. In this Latin version we read:

See to it that this sentence be not fulfilled among you of the prophet who declares: “Woe to those who desire to see the day of the Lord!” For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins. And so, brothers most dear to me, it is the eleventh hour, and the end of the world comes to the harvest, and angels, armed and prepared, hold sickles in their hands, awaiting the empire of the Lord. [24]

The evidence, meager as it is, shows the lack of development of a doctrine of the rapture in early times. The simple fact of a second advent of Christ was sufficient for the early church. As Larry Crutchfield notes, “If anyone searches the fathers for a fully detailed, systematic presentation about the doctrine of last things, he searches in vain…” [25] In addition, the argument that the pre-tribulation rapture is of recent formation is not in disagreement with the direction of scripture. In Daniel 12:4 we read:

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

The direction given to Daniel by the angel of the Lord was that the revelation concerning the end time was to be hidden or shut up until those end times. The Book of Revelation continues to expound on the theme of Daniel’s 70th week, yet much of its meaning has baffled interpreters through the ages. These modern times have seen the proliferation of knowledge in general and specifically knowledge of the Bible. Its availability with accompanying commentaries and various resources have reached millions of readers on the planet. It is not unexpected that this might lead to furthering interpretation of the Bible as a whole and especially eschatology leading to a natural fulfillment of the charge to Daniel to “seal the book, even to the time of the end,” Daniel 12:4. This increase in understanding due to the modern expansion of Bible research should divert some of the post-tribulation criticism that a pre-tribulation position was not sufficiently found in early church history.

Bible interpretation has received some revision over the ages and especially in recent times. It would follow that eschatology too has received some added attention and been refined in this age. There is still much that is left unsettled in this doctrinal area. Those matters that can be settled should receive open debate and scriptural scrutiny by scholars of all views. It seems logical to allow end time doctrines to stand or fall on the scriptures alone and not on traditions of the past.

Problems with chronology in the gospels

There is an inherent problem in making use of statements from the four gospels and the letters concerning the end times to develop chronological order. The letters may present events tied to the end time scenario but give limited context to make chronological conclusions. The collection and combining of materials in the texts of the gospels came years after the events themselves. There are numerous events in them that appear in a different chronological order than in the other gospels. Those who hold to extreme inerrancy need to come up with convoluted explanations to harmonize these. The general chronologies of the gospels have order. It is the numerous recollections of the isolated events and quotations by the Lord that, over time, as they were developed into the four gospel accounts, took on somewhat different orders of presentation within the books. One author put it this way:

However, most Evangelical scholars have taken a different approach. While they still believe the accounts to be historically accurate and, in their general outline, chronologically accurate, the events and teaching of Jesus’ life are not necessarily arranged chronologically but along topical or thematic lines. Today, this has become the accepted definition of a Gospel – that it is more than a sequential arrangement of data, more than a biography.[26]

In addition to the limited chronological value in the accounts of the gospel, the end time sections tend to telescope events. [27] The account in Luke 21, for example, relates the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem, Luke 21:20-23. Then comes Luke 21:24 which appears to be a gap filler for the span of history until the actual end time events occur. Next, Luke 21:25-27 relates events very reminiscent of Revelation 6:12-17 which occurs at the end time, early in the sequence of Revelation.

Two chronologies of Revelation

Robert Gundry presents two competing chronologies of the events of the seals, trumpets and bowls of Revelation 6-16. It should also be noted that Gundry’s overlapping chronology goes into great length about the Semitic style of Revelation and the concurrent fulfillment of the various seals, bowls, and trumpets. If a comparison is done between these events, you will note some similarities but just as many differences in these multiple disasters. The significance of the sevens comes across as Semitic influence, but the overlapping of events is hardly conclusive. [28]

Gundry’s Order Seals 1——2——3——-4—–5——-6———7

Trumpets———————————————1–2–3–4—5—6—-7

Bowls————————————————————1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Chronological Order Seals 1—2—3—-4—5—6—–7

Trumpets—————————————————-1–2–3–4–5–6–7

Bowls——————————————————————————-1234567

Semitic style does not necessarily require overlap or parallelism. Symbolic numbering and occasional chiasms in Hebrew literature are noted. Elements of Hebrew style [29] are also present far more in the Old Testament than in the New Testament.

Brighton, of Concordia Seminary, makes an argument for special ordering of the contents of the three Semitic gospels versus the linear approach of Luke the only Greek writer. [30] Regardless of the approach, the gospel accounts were recorded years after the events, and piecing them together as chronological events was only as accurate as the memories of disciples or those Luke interviewed. It seems likely some of Christ’s sermons were repeated on more than one occasion, and any recollection is a composite of these. [31]

The majority of scriptural events are related in chronological fashion. Daniel’s prophecy of the four kingdoms was related in the order of their appearance in history. His separate visions were dated by the year and the kingdom he served under. His prophecies concerning the first advent of Christ and the end of time seem quite chronological down to the very math involved in the seventy weeks with the start of the elusive seventieth week sealed up until the end of time as the angel in Daniel 12 required. It seems Revelation, so in tune with the theme of Daniel, should follow suit. If the Revelation to John were given and recorded as received and not reworked by John at a later date for stylistic purposes, then readers should assume it was given in the order intended. If the revelation to John was intended by style to have overlapping story portions, these portions could have been a little more precise in the retellings which do no match as convincingly as might be desired. In the current form, what some interpreters call overlap leads only to a somewhat jumbled story that does not improve its comprehension. Whitefield presents an outline of Revelation as a sequential chronological structure. Concerning the future prophetic events of Revelation 6-22 he states, “His plan is seen in 5 chronological sections describing the main story line of the 21 judgment events (7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls) that are released on the Antichrist’s empire in sequential order.” [32]

Linear chronology of Revelation

The preferred method for determining chronological order of end time events would be to use a continuous narrative. Unless otherwise persuaded, there is such a continuous account provided in the Book of Revelation. The events of Revelation were revealed to John who was told, “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later,” Revelation 1:19. Order seems implied. This was not a recollection of years past as were the gospels. In addition to being fresh in the mind of John, the revelation was presented to him in an outline ordered not with Roman numerals but seals, trumpets, and bowls. Except for several parenthetical passages relating to activities from the heavenly view, earthly events are all executed within the order of the seals, trumpets, and bowls. These provide a clear outline of end time events. This general outline of order in Revelation 11-19 follows the order set beginning with Daniel 9:27. Here the prince who is to come, after three and a half years of a covenant of peace, puts a stop to the Hebrew sacrifices in the middle of the 70th week (a sabbath of 7 years). Daniel 12:7-11 continues the description of second half of the week with the shattering of the power of the holy people and the setting up of the abomination of desolation in the temple. In Revelation 11, the first half of the Great Tribulation, 1260 days begins. This is the peaceful portion of the covenant when the two witnesses have opportunity to prophesy in Jerusalem. At the end of this portion of the week, the antichrist begins his rampage with the execution of the two witnesses. He then wages war upon the Jews and those who have become believers in Jesus during this period detailed in Revelation 13-19.

Ern Baxter attempts to discredit the chronological order of Revelation with a comparison of the sixth seal of Revelation 6, the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11, and the seventh vial or bowl of Revelation 16. [33] A simple comparison is supposed to reveal these three events are one in the same. It is left to the reader to make the comparisons. To begin, the seventh trumpet at the end of Revelation 11 is accompanied by an earthquake and a hailstorm. Other than the similarity of an earthquake in Revelation 6 and material falling from heaven, there is little else to make a convincing comparison. The book of Revelation contains five earthquakes (Revelation 6, 8, two in 11, and 16). To claim that three of these are the same event needs more support. The material falling from the heavens in Revelation 6 is identified as falling stars that darken the skies which we may associate with meteoric devastation. The material falling from the skies in Revelation 16 is described as hundred-pound hailstones, hardly a solid connection. The comparison in Revelation 16 to the hail and earthquake at the final verse of Revelation 11 does have similarity, but the conclusion that they are the same event is not beyond dispute. This event happens at the end of Revelation 11 and leads directly into the parenthesis of Revelation 12 and the heavenly viewpoint which occurs at several locations in the book. The position that multiple devastating events in the Book of Revelation are recaps of each other remains a debatable issue.

Finding the rapture in Revelation

About 90 A.D., John wrote the Revelation. It opens with the words, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him to show His bondservants, the things which must shortly take place.” The Greek is genesthai en tachei. This literally translates, “to be coming in swiftness.” Following this line of thought, these predicted events begin with Revelation 6. The first four seals are known as the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They bring conquest, war, famine, and disease. This was a perfect prediction of the events of the next two millennia beginning with the continued conquests of Rome and its eventual fall, subsequently continuing as the Holy Roman Empire. After this comes the rise of Islam, the Crusades, and numerous other conquests and war throughout this period up to world wars of our present age. During this time the black plague, smallpox, and other diseases ravage Europe and Asia. Famines were frequent. These events all precede Revelation 11 where the seven-year period, known as The Great Tribulation, begins. Ladd, in his commentary on Revelation, after discussing the end of Pax Romana as the beginning of seal two puts it this way,” The first four seals have pictured in vivid symbolic terms the forces by which God will prosecute his redemptive and judicial purposes throughout the course of the age.” [34]

Seal five seems to be a lull in the action with the souls under the altar in heaven crying out, “How much longer?” These, though in heaven, do not seem know the whole plan of the revelation to John. A pre-tribulation rapture interpretation fits well with a sequential chronological approach. Details in the gospels and letters relate the earthly events and conditions at the time of the rapture but do not sufficiently narrow down the time of its occurrence, but an important clue is again found in verses from the Gospel of Matthew 24 as compared to Revelation 6:

Matthew 24:29-31, Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

With the signs in the heavens for Matthew 24 in mind, we now refer once more to the chronology of the Book of Revelation.

As mentioned earlier in this debate, the two passages relate almost identical shared events expressed in different words by two different authors. Noticed, though often ignored, in Revelation 6 is the appearing of Christ. The heavens roll back like a scroll, as a curtain opening. Then, the face of Him who sits on the throne is seen by those attempting to hide from wrath of the Lamb. This appearance may be interpreted as the beginning of what pre-tribulationists call the rapture. The event is almost simultaneous with the start of the Great Tribulation. Then, following Christ’s appearance a few verses later, comes a very important connection that has gone largely unnoticed by interpreters. In Revelation 7:9, we read of a countless multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language appearing in heaven. The elder guiding John asks him, “Who are these?”

Revelation 7:14, I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the Great Tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

It does not specifically illustrate the church being caught up to meet the Lord in the air as in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The event is not retold. The result appears as strong evidence for a pre-tribulation interpretation. In Revelation 7:14, Saints from the entire world are revealed in heaven. The inference seems obvious though still debated by post-tribulationists. Matthew 24:30-31 presents us with the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven to gather his elect. Between the face of Christ, the Lamb, appearing in Revelation 6:16 and the appearance of those who have just come out of the Great Tribulation immediately following in Revelation 7:14, we have the perfect match to the event in Matthew 24. To Ladd though, Revelation 7:14 is a vision of the church post-tribulation. [35] In rebuttal, the pre-tribulation argument can claim visions are convenient excuses to rearrange numerous events to fit a particular preferred chronology. The entire Book of Revelation is a vision. Visions should not be a license to rearrange events at will. The group identified in the vision just before these, in Revelation 7:4, were 144,000 Jews sealed for protection during the first portion of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 9:4). It could be reasoned that this timing could also be attributed to this second group in Revelation 7:14. Post-tribulationists must rely on claimed rhetorical devices to arrive at an alternate conclusion.

Referring back to the chronology of events beginning in Revelation 6, pre-tribulationists hold these are just the introduction of the end time events. The actual seven-year period, which is the traditional focus of the event, does not begin until Revelation 11 when the two witnesses prophesy for 42 months, the first half of the seven-year period. Pre-tribulationist proponents contend that the pre-tribulation rapture has been found in Revelation.

Final thoughts

Accepting the idea that the Book of Revelation is in chronological order presents those believing Christ appears at the beginning and end of the Great Tribulation with a strong argument for this pre-tribulation view of the end times. Choosing a post-tribulation view most likely rejects the idea that Revelation is revealed in complete chronological order and relies on statements in the letters and gospels to reason out a chronology. The stand that church history supports a post-tribulation position is based more on the lack of development of the doctrine in history than as a matter of opposing views. The writings of the church fathers nowhere explore the subtleties of the arguments that we have seen in the last two centuries. Both sides have developed arguments and counters to the opposing position. The majority of the church do not see the doctrine as central to the faith, yet it remains highly popular with members of the evangelical community. The pre-tribulation view is in the majority view at 36% while 18% support a post-tribulation view. Smaller percentages of other views are held by a number of mainline denominations. [36] With variations on apocalyptic themes highly popular in print and film media, the emphasis and debate on the topic are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

References

1. Revelation 6, 8, and 9

2. The Rapture, https://doctrine.org/the-rapture. Accessed 28 April 2019.

3. Rhodes, Ron, The End Times in Chronological Order. Harvest House Pub., 2012, p. 43.

4. Rhodes, Ron, 40 Days Through Revelation, Uncovering the Mystery of the End Times. Harvest House Publishers, 2013, p.154.

5. Daniel 9:27, He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

6. Goodwin, Daniel k., God’s Final Jubilee. FBC Publications and Printing, 2014, p. 13.

7. Lee-Warner, Bill Rev., Will there be a second and a third coming of Christ?, Will there be a second and third coming of Christ?. Acessed 01 May 2019.

8. Jeremiah, David, What Is the Difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?, What Is the Difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?, Accessed 02 May 2019.

9. Revelation 19

10. Stedman, Ray, The Power and the Glory, Message: The Power and the Glory (Matthew 24:29-31). Accessed 06 April 2019.

11. Elliott’s Commentary for English Readers,Revelation 6:12 Commentaries: I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;. Accessed 01 May 2019.

12. What is the Rapture?, What is the rapture?. Accessed 02 May 2019.

13. LaHaye, Tim and Jenkins, Jerry B., Are We Living in the End Times?. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1999, p. 17-108.

14. Does God’s Wrath Begin with the Trumpets?, Does God’s Wrath Begin with the Trumpets? 1. Accessed 26 April 2019.

15. Stallard, Mike, An Analysis of the Use of Cosmic-Sign Passages by Proponents of the Pre-Wrath Rapture Theory, https://www.pre-trib.org/pretribfiles/pdfs/Stallard-AnAnalysisoftheUseofCosmicSignPassages.pdf. Accessed 01 May 2019.

16. Gundry, Robert H., The Church and the Tribulation. The Zondervan Corporation, 1973, p. 44-48. Truth or Tradition, The Dead Are Dead Until the Rapture or Resurrection, The Dead Are Dead Until the Rapture or Resurrection. Accessed 26 April, 2019.

17. Stewart, Don, How Many Resurrections Will There Be?, How Many Resurrections Will There Be?. Accessed 06 May 2019.

19. Archer, Gleason L. Jr., Feinberg, Paul D., Moo, Douglas J., and Reiter, Richard R., Three Views on the Rapture. Zondervan Publishing House, 1996, p. 182.

20. Guzik, David, 1 Thessalonians 5 – Ready for the Day of the Lord, 2018, Enduring Word Bible Commentary 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5. Accessed 07 May 2019.

21. Archer, Gleason L. Jr., Feinberg, Paul D., Moo, Douglas J., and Reiter, Richard R., Three Views on the Rapture. Zondervan Publishing House, 1996, p. 182.

22. Gundry, Robert H., The Church and the Tribulation. The Zondervan Corporation, 1973, p. 186-7.

23. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V chapter 29.

24. Ice, Thomas, The Rapture in Pseudo-Ephraem, https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/58821974.pdf. Accessed 29 April 2019.

25. Hauser, Charles A., “The Eschatology of the Early Church Fathers” [unpublished Th.D.dissertation; Winona Lake, Ind.: Grace Theological Seminary, 1961].

26. The Problem of Apparent Chronological Contradictions in the Synoptics, Botti, Joe, Dixon, Tom, and Steinmann, Alex, The Problem of Apparent Chronological Contradictions in the Synoptics. Accessed 28 April 2019.

27. Culbertson, Howard, Modern missions: an eschatological sign?,An eschatological sign?. Accessed 06 May 2019.

28. Gundry, Robert H., The Church and the Tribulation. The Zondervan Corporation, 1973, p. 75.

29. Benner, Jeff A., Poetry in the Hebrew Bible, http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/language_poetry.html. Accessed 06 May 2019.

30. Brighton, Louis, Revelation, How to Interpret, 003b. How to Interpret. Accessed 28 April 2019.

31. Lyons, Eric, M.Min., Jesus’s Sermon on…the Mount or the Plain?, Jesus’ Sermon on…the Mount or the Plain?. Accessed 28 April 2019.

32. Whitefield, Samuel, The Chronological Structure of the Book of Revelation, https://samuelwhitefield.com/2397/the-chronological-structure-of-the-book-of-revelation. Accessed 06 May 2019.

33. Baxter, Irvin, Why We Believe in a Post-Tribulation Rapture, Why We Believe in a Post-Tribulation Rapture | Endtime Ministries with Irvin Baxter. Accessed 28 April 2019.

34. Ladd, George Eldon, A Commentary on the Revelation to John. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972, p. 100.

35. Ladd, George Eldon, A Commentary on the Revelation to John. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972, p. 117-18.

36. Candel, Joseph, Endtime Survey: Post or Pre -Tribulation Rapture?, Endtime Survey: Post or Pre -Tribulation Rapture?. 8 June 2016. Accessed 28 April 2019.

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