END TIMES

Rapture: When?

Shofar The Rapture, the supernatural transfer of believers to heaven, is anticipated among evangelical Christians. It is described in scripture, paticularly in Paul's espistles, and is generally accepted by believing Christians to be a future event. What is not universally accepted is the actual timing of the event. Overlooking the disagreements on the timing of the tribulation itself, does the rapture take place before the tribulation, at some point during the tribulation, or at the conclusion of the tribulation at Christ's return to earth?

Three very strong reasons lead me to believe that the rapture will take place before the tribulation. Those reasons are Grace, Hope, and Apostasy.

GRACE HOPE APOSTASY FINAL THOUGHTS LINKS

GRACE
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Resurrection is referred to in the Old Testament and the Gospels, but a separate gathering, where believers who were alive would be caught up with resurrected believers, was not known. As part of the Dispensation of Grace (Eph 3:2-6) given to Paul, the rapture is revealed to him (and us) as a Mystery —

1Co 15:51-52 : 51 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.

The Dispensation of Grace is also known as the Church Age, where believers, both Jews and Gentiles, become one new man and gain equal access to God (Eph 2:11-22). And when does the Age of Grace end? At the beginning of the tribulation, when God's focus returns again to Israel and the relation of the Gentiles (the Nations) to Israel.

HOPE
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Hope is a dominant theme of the New Testament. Hope is part of the Mystery (Col 1:25-27). Hope is coupled with salvation (1Th 5:8), the return of Christ (1Th 2:19, Tit 2:13, 1Pe 1:13), and eternal life (Tit 1:2, Tit 3:7). Hope is also one of the central features of the rapture —

1Th 4:13-18 : 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 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. 16 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: 17 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

What comfort would it be to say that, after a seven-year period of tribulation, of intense persecution and martyrdom of Christian believers, of both Jews and Gentiles (Rev 6:9-11, Rev 12:17, Rev 14:12-13, Rev 20:4), you might be alive to be translated directly to heaven? This also contradicts the promise given a little earlier in I Thessalonians, that believers have been delivered from the wrath to come (1Th 1:10).

APOSTASY
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Apostasia is the Greek word that is translated falling away in 2Th 2:3. The word is a feminine noun and is used in one other place in the New Testament, translated forsake in Act 21:21. The masculine form of the noun, apostasion, appears three times in the New Testament and is always translated as divorcement (in Mat 5:31, Mat 19:7, Mar 10:4). The verb form of the word, aphistemi, is translated as departed (in Luk 2:37, Luk 4:13, Act 12:10, Act 15:38, Act 19:9, Act 22:29), depart (in Luk 13:27, 2Co 12:8, 1Ti 4:1, 2Ti 2:19), departing (in Heb 3:12), drew away (in Act 5:37), fall away (in Luk 8:13), refrain (in Act 5:38), and withdraw (in 1Ti 6:5). Although a few times the word does mean depart from the faith, in most cases it simply means depart. In 2Th 2:3, apostasia has a definite article and should have been translated the departure.

Here is the full passage in question —

2Th 2:1-8 : 1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [the departure] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Ironically, the English word apostasy comes directly from apostasia, and its meaning, departure from the faith, is the result of this mistranslation and misunderstanding of the word. There is nothing else in the verse or surrounding verses to suggest that this is a fall from faith. Instead there are clear indications that this indeed points to the rapture. First there is our gathering together unto him in verse 1 (2Th 2:1). Then, in verse 6, we are told that now we know what withholdeth (Greek word is katecho) until the Man of Sin is revealed (2Th 2:6). It is the presence of the Church, the presence of the Holy Spirit. And finally, in verse 7, we are told that he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way (2Th 2:7). Letteth is the same Greek word katecho, the word for restrain or hold back. The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, will not be revealed and the tribulation will not begin until the Church is raptured and the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way.

FINAL THOUGHTS
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Again, although there is not universal agreement among believing evangelical Christians, I think that most, that is to say, a majority, hold a pre-tribulational view of the rapture. The rapture will come before the last seven years leading up to Christ's return. And I think that scripture backs up this view.

The rapture is the next event in God's prophetic program. Nothing else has to happen before it can take place, no temple needs to be rebuilt, no beast needs to be revealed. Of course, if I do see these things and I'm still around, I may need to go in and revise this opinion piece. But I “hope” not!

LINKS
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Rapture Poems — A group of poems, all about the rapture.

The Apostasy As It Relates To The Lord's Return — An article at the Pre-Trib Research Center.

Article Archive — The Pre-Trib Research Center's extensive collection of articles by author.