Some Rapture Background/History

Critics of the Pretribulation rapture view often refer to its lack of historical support. These critic types have argued that it was invented by John Darby in the mid-1800s and was never mentioned before that. These arguments generally reason that because this teaching is less than 100 years old, it cannot be biblical, or Christians would have held to this view many years earlier. What this reasoning fails to completely understand is that biblical truth must be determined by the clear teaching of Scripture, not how that teaching has been perceived throughout history. This reasoning seems to completely ignore the way Scripture is determined to be in the Bible. However, a substantial amount of Scripture evidence reveals a belief in a Pretribulational rapture long before John Darby. The earliest documents of the ancient church (including the New Testament cannon) reflect a clear premillennialism. Pretribulationists point to the early church’s clear belief in imminence as evidence that Pretribulationism was held by at least a few from the earliest times.

Clearly early views of the church’s theology were underdeveloped and sometimes contradictory, containing a base out of which would develop various and diverse theological viewpoints. Finding clear Pretribulationism spelled out in the early church fathers is difficult, but some Pretribulational elements are clear. When systematized with their other prophetic views, these elements contradict posttribulationism , and support Pretribulationism. For an example, the apostolic fathers clearly taught the Pretribulational features of imminence. So an examination of the early church fathers reveals that they were predominantly Premillennialists or chiliasts. I found at least eight listed writings from 100 AD to 330 AD. That supported these views. While the early church fathers expected the church to be suffering and persecuted when the Lord returns, they also believed in the imminent return of Christ, which is a central feature of Pretribulational thought.

Expressions of imminence abound in the apostolic fathers. Clement of Rome (90-100 AD), Ignatius of Antioch (98-117), The Didache (100-160), The Epistle of Barnabas (117-138), and The Shepherd of Hermas (96-150) all speak of imminence. In fact, The Shepherd of Hermas speaks of escaping the Tribulation. So in the end, one cannot find a clear statement of patristic eachatology in the early church regarding the rapture. However, the argument that Pretribulation is not valid only because of the lack of historical support in the early church is certainly NOT true. What we can conclude from the early church fathers is:

1. They expected a literal coming of Christ followed by a literal 1000-year kingdom.
2. They believed in the imminent coming of Christ with occasional Pretribulational inferences.
3. They were being persecuted by the Roman government but did not equate this with the future Tribulation wrath.

The Events of the Rapture

1. The Lord Himself will descend for His Father’s house, where He is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)- to take us to heaven.
2. He will come again to receive us to Himself (John 14:1-3)
3. He will resurrect those who have fallen asleep in Him (deceased) believers whom we will not precede- 1 Thessalonians 4:14-15.
4. The Lord will shout as He descends (“loud command”, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 NIV). All this takes place in the “twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52).
5. We will hear the voice of the archangel (perhaps to lead Israel during the seven year of Tribulation as He did in the Old Testament- 1 Thessalonians 4:16).
   6. We will also hear the trumpet call of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16), the last trumpet for the church. (This not to be confused with the seventh trumpet of judgment upon the world during the Tribulation in Revelation 11:15).
6. The dead in Christ will rise first (the corruptible ashes of their dead bodies are made incorruptible and joined together with their spirits, which Jesus brings with Him 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
7. Then we who are alive and remain will be changed (or made incorruptible by having our bodies made “immortal” -1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
8. We will be caught up (raptured) together (1Thessalonians 4:17).
9. We will be caught up in the clouds (where dead and living believers will have a monumental reunion- 1Thessalonians 4:17.
10. We will meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
11. Christ will receive us to Himself and take us to the Father’s house “that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).
12. “And so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
13. At the call of Christ for believers, He will judge all things. Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 5:10, described in detail in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. This judgment prepares Christians for…
14. The marriage of the Lamb. Before Christ returns to earth in power and great glory, He will meet His bride, the church, and the marriage supper will take place. In the meantime, after the church is raptured, the world will suffer the unprecedented out-pouring of God’s wrath (which the Bible says in many places that believers will be spared God’s wrath, which our Lord called “the great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21).)

Summary in Support of a Pretribulation Position

The Rapture is real and will happen. There too many passages of Scripture to support that – not to believe that Rapture will occur. A list will conclude this study. So if the interpretation is of God preserving the church through the Tribulation, or in any part of it, -why is there going to be a Rapture? Rapture will be to remove the church, as stated in Revelation 3:10, to keep them from the wrath. Therefore there will be Rapture and it will occur prior to the beginning of the Tribulation. This seems to be one of those promises from God on which we can count.

Please check out all of the following Scripture for all support needed for a Pretribulation Rapture:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12

Matthew 24:29-31

Revelation chapter 21

Revelation 3:10

2 Thessalonians 2:7

Revelation 3:22

Revelation 19: 11-18

1 Thessalonians 5:9

Philippians 3:20-21

Colossians 3:4

1 Peter 1:3-7

Titus 2: 11-13

1 Corinthians 15: 51-53

John 14: 1-3

 

The following Scriptures were used in the document to show context, comparison, and support for the Pretribulation Rapture:

2 Corinthians 5:8-10

Matthew 11:12; 12:29; 13:19; 13:41-42; 25:31-46; 25:41

John 10:12, 28-29

John 6:35

Acts 8:39; 23:10

Jude 23

Revelation 12:5; 20:7-10; 22:16

2 Corinthians 12:2-4; 5:10

Ex. 8:22; 9:4, 26; 10:23; 11:7

Isa. 65:20

1 Corinthians 3:1-15