Bad Eschatology, Part 3 - The Pretribulation Rapture
11 Reasons Why The Pretrib Theory Is Wrong
My favorite pastors believe in a pretribulation rapture. I currently attend a church that holds to a pretrib eschatology. So, my disagreement with this view is no reflection upon anyone's faithfulness to God. In fact, I normally like pretribbers more than post-tribbers.
However, as your brother in Christ, I am required to point out where you get things wrong, especially if such errors put you in harm's way.
Just remember what I wrote last week about our tendency to blindness. We are all vulnerable to error, and it's hard to undo the mistakes that we were taught.
Note: This is a truncated version of the original post, which you can find, here:
https://revelationsix.com/2023/01/21/bad-eschatology-part-3-the-pretribulation-rapture/
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Bad Eschatology, Part 3 - The Pretribulation Rapture
11 Reasons Why The Pretrib Theory Is Wrong
We all get things wrong. We all take verses out of context and make mountains out of molehills. It's how heresies get started. The difference lies in our willingness to be corrected by other verses and passages in the Bible.
Are you willing to submit to what the Bible says?
If so, then you will be safe from the heresies that Satan has been cultivating around the world. If not, there's a big target on your back.
Reason #1 - No Verse Describes the Rapture as Pretrib
Our first and most powerful reason for why the Pretribulation Rapture Theory is incorrect, is simply this:
There is no verse or passage that describes the Rapture as coming before the Great Triblulation.
That realization should surprise you as much as it shocked me. When I first crossed swords with proponents of this theory, I had thought that there would be at least one verse that described what they said. But, there wasn't. I was dumbfounded.
How can you build such a colossal theory, without a single verse that describes it to be true?
What's more, Dispensationalist theologians admit that this is true. Unfortunately, many are not willing to be so honest, and will either deny that they know this or will change the subject by claiming that there is no proof of a post-tribulation rapture. And, my response is always...
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Reason #2 - 1 Thessalonians 4 and Daniel 12
In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul says this:
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.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV)
Paul is saying that the First Resurrection happens BEFORE the Rapture. There is only one First Resurrection, and the Rapture cannot come before it. This begs the question:
When does the First Resurrection occur?
Well, Daniel 12 says this:
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
- Daniel 12:1-2 (KJV)
THAT is the First Resurrection, and it is AFTER the Great Tribulation.
Just those two passages are absolute proof that the Pretribulation Rapture cannot be true. There are other, more complex proofs ahead. But, that is the second most clear description of why the Rapture cannot be pretrib.
To summarize:
Paul said that the Rapture is AFTER the Resurrection.
Daniel said that the Resurrection is AFTER the Great Tribulation.
However, the clearest explanation comes from the words of Jesus Himself:
Reason #3 - Matthew 24
I have stopped using the Olivet Discourse as my number one proof because Dispensationalists are already primed to twist this scripture. I am horrified at their willingness to do this, so I make Matthew 24 the third proof, instead of the first.
Here is firm evidence that Jesus is talking about a Post Tribulation Rapture:
29 “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. 30 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. 31 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 (NKJV)
That is the Resurrection and the Rapture AFTER THE GREAT TRIBULATION. The idea that Dispensationalists would twist the words of Jesus, to try and make His words say the opposite is mind-boggling.
NOTE: Because substack requires that I keep posts under 1600 words, you will need to go to the original post to see the other eight reasons:
Bad Eschatology, Part 3 – The Pretribulation Rapture
https://revelationsix.com/2023/01/21/bad-eschatology-part-3-the-pretribulation-rapture/But, you can see the titles of each reason below, followed by the conclusion.
Reason #4 - Gog Cannot Be The Antichrist
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #5 - The Fourth Angel of Revelation 16
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #6 - Israel Must Be Saved BEFORE The Great Tribulation
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #7 - Revelation 19 and 20
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #8 - Zechariah 14
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #9 - The Resurrection At The Last Day
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #10 - 2nd Thessalonians 2
[See original post to see this proof]
Reason #11 - Daniel's 70 Weeks
[See original post to see this proof]
Conclusion
So, there you have it. The Pretribulation Rapture Theory is just not possible. It's a fable created by a Jesuit fabulist, expanded upon by an Anglican fabulist and emphasized by a Congregationalist fabulist who made a ton of money selling millions of copies of his Scofield Reference Bible.
If we believe that the Bible is the Truth, then it's time to submit to what the Bible actually says. You cannot believe in a Pretribulation Rapture and claim Sola Scriptura. You just can't.
How can you claim to love and fear God, while twisting the words He gave us?
That is probably the most upsetting thing about this discussion. The pretribulation rapture theory is so clearly corrupt, that I find it hard to understand why any Bible believing Christian would accept it as true. But, I also know how willing we are to believe the lies that people tell us. We've all made mistakes, so I understand why pretribbers cling so hard to theirs.
I talked about that, last week. And, what I wrote should make you think carefully about why you believe what you believe.
It is time to submit to what the Bible actually says, instead of what we want it to say.
Lord willing, I will talk about the history of the pretrib theory next week.
I truly hope that you’ll be ready for this
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. – Proverbs 22:3
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Keep this ministry alive with a donation.
Subscribe for free to Revelation Six and receive my articles in your inbox:
And, read my two books:
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Thanks for your response. By your response I think it best to refer you to an article... https://majorwithers.blogspot.com/2009/06/first-things-first.html
God Bless.
Peter was commissioned with the Evangel of the Circumcision, while Paul was commissioned with "my evangel" to the Gentiles. Were they identical? Was Peter a called "remnant?" Or, was Peter, et. al., called to be part of Paul's evangel and the church which is the Body? When one figures out that we have two incompatible evangels and two different callings...one evangel and calling must step aside for the other. Peter's fades into oblivion...Paul's must also fade into oblivion (fulness of the Gentiles)...so that Peter's evangel heralding the king can be proclaimed. God Bless.