When it comes to the matter of the Rapture, differing ideas abound. The most popular viewpoints deny there is such a thing in Scripture. Another widespread belief combines it with the Second Coming.
There’s also a wide variety of opinions regarding the timing of the Rapture among those who believe in a literal seven-year Tribulation and Jesus’ thousand-year rule over all the nations. Most who hold to these premillennial beliefs place our homegoing before the Tribulation period while others place it a various points during this time of “Jacob’s trouble,” or at its end.
There’s also another category that I refer to as the “Rapture agnostics.” When we think of an agnostic, the first thing that comes to our minds is someone who does not know if God exists or not. According to Dictionary.com, however, there’s a secondary meaning that describes this perspective as that of “a person who denies or doubts the possibility of ultimate knowledge in some area of study.”
Rapture agnostics deny that “the possibility of ultimate knowledge” regarding the placement of the Rapture either before or during the Tribulation.
Many in this camp say that all the beliefs in regard to the positioning of the Rapture are just the “best guesses.” Others remain uncommitted to any position by repeating the popular phrase, “It will all pan out in the end.”
But is it possible to know for sure that the Rapture will happen before the start of the seven-year Tribulation? Yes, and as I explain below, the viewpoint that says we cannot know whether or not we will experience the Day of the Lord wrath confirms our belief that we will miss all of it.
Why Would the Lord allow His Bride to experience His wrath?
Let’s start with something upon which all premillennialists agree; the Tribulation period will be a time of widespread death and devastation upon planet earth. The horrific depictions of the Day of the Lord wrath in the Old Testament track closely with the judgment we read about in the book of Revelation.
The Lord described this future time in Matthew 24:21-22:
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
The event that cuts this time short is Jesus’ Second Coming, which He describes in glorious detail in verses 29-31. According to Jesus, a very small percentage of people alive at the start of this time will remain breathing at its end, which aligns with God’s warning in Isaiah 13:6-13 and what we read about the Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgments in Revelation.
Premillennialists agree that this will be a horrific time of death near total destruction. But why would the Lord allow His Redeemed to experience His judgments, i.e., the Day of the Lord wrath? And this begs another question.
Why Would the Lord Leave Us Without a Definitive Word?
The extreme nature of the Day of the Lord leads me to another question: “Is it reasonable to assume that the Lord would not give His Church, His Bride, any clear direction as to whether or not they will experience this horrific time on the earth?” The answer must be a definitive “NO!”
If we believe the Tribulation will be as bad as the Bible says it will be, are we really to believe that the matter of whether or not we will experience this horrific time is just our best guess? What does that say about our Savior if He indeed has left us with no clear indication of whether or not to expect deliverance or a need to prepare for this time of devastation?
If the Church is destined to go through this deadly time on the earth, we would expect to read something about our preparation for it. Of course, two millennia of prepping for it would be out of the question. Yet, we would expect to find something written among all the prophetic passages of the New Testament about preparing for it once the signs of the end appear, but there is nothing about this matter. Nothing!
Yes, the Lord told His disciples to expect tribulation (John 16:33) and the Apostle Paul warned that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). However, the Day of the Lord wrath targets those who reject Jesus and refuse to turn to Him even in the midst of severe judgments. It’s also a last call to repentance for those who reject the Savior as well as a time of suffering for the Jewish people so they will turn to their Messiah at its end. Where exactly do the redeemed fit into these purposes?
Is it realistic to assume that the Lord would leave us with no definitive word as to whether or not we would go through this horrific time of judgment on the nations? No, absolutely not. Jesus has provided us with a certain hope that will miss all off this horrific time on the earth.
Is There a Clear Biblical Path to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture?
Yes, a decisive biblical path exists to our belief in the pre-Tribulation Rapture. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Paul talks about the Day of the Lord wrath warning that it will begin with “sudden destruction” during the time when “people are saying, ‘There is peace and security’” (verse 3). In verse 9-10, we have the promise of deliverance from this time:
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
For us as believers, the Rapture signifies our deliverance from this time. If we were destined to endure this time, why would the apostle conclude with these words, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing”? Would this really apply if most believers were to suffer and die because of the Lord’s wrath against the wicked and ungodly? Where’s the comfort in certain suffering and death?
In my book, Invitation to a Lavish Feast, I include a lengthy section describing step by step how the words of the New Testament lead us to a definitive belief in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Such a path exists. It’s beyond the scope of this article to lay out all the biblical evidence for this conclusion.
Yes, many Christians disagree with my conclusion. But is this not the case with the other beliefs we hold dear? Differing opinions exist on almost every doctrine listed in any church statement of faith, which is why we depend exclusively on the words of Scripture for the basis of all that we believe.
The matter of settling most of our cherished beliefs often rests upon more than just one verse or single passage from Scripture. It happens by comparing Scripture with Scripture, allowing clear passages to interpret those that are not so clear on the topic, and accepting God’s Word as the only authority over human wisdom and experience.
The Rapture agnostics tell us we cannot determine whether or not we will go through all of the Tribulation or perhaps a part of it. This is not true.
The Bible provides us with a clear path leading to the certainty that Jesus is coming to take us home before the start of the Tribulation period or what the Old Testament describes as the Day of the Lord. The absence of nary a hint that we must prepare for this time adds confirmation to this trek through Scripture.
Maranatha! Come soon, Lord Jesus!
My book, Invitation to a Lavish Feast – Wisdom’s Path to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, is available on Amazon or on SkyWatchTV. In this book, I demonstrate how the words of Scripture not only verify our beliefs in not only the restoration of Israel, but also our hope in Jesus’ soon appearing to take us home to glory. In each section, I show how our beliefs regarding Bible prophecy intersect with our lives on a daily basis.
Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/. It will greatly help me in reaching more people. Thanks!