What is the Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

Pray for Wisdom and Discernment

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach.” (James 1:5)

Discernment is a spiritual gift, and we can ask God for it.

The pre-tribulation rapture is the belief that Christians will be taken up (raptured) to meet Jesus in the air before a seven-year period of tribulation begins. During this tribulation, it is believed that God will pour out His wrath on the earth, and only after this period will Jesus return visibly to establish His millennial kingdom.

Separation of Events: Dividing Christ’s return into two phases—first, a secret rapture, and later, the visible Second Coming.

The Rapture: A sudden, secret removal of believers from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52).
The Second Coming: Jesus’ visible return to earth to establish His kingdom (Revelation 19:11–16).

The pre-tribulation rapture is a relatively modern concept, popularized in the 19th century by John Nelson Darby and the dispensationalist movement. Early Christian writers such as Irenaeus, Hippolytus, and Augustine did not teach a pre-tribulation rapture. Instead, the early church fathers expected to endure persecution and suffering before Christ’s return.

The pre-tribulation view is largely based on a dispensationalist interpretation of Scripture, distinguishing between God’s plan for Israel and the Church, and interpreting the rapture and the Second Coming as two separate events.

The earliest known reference to a pretribulation rapture can be traced back to the 7th century in a sermon by Pseudo-Ephraem. However, the meaning of this passage is disputed because it doesn’t fit with the rest of the text which shows Christians alive and dealing with the events of the tribulation.

John Darby is credited with popularizing the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine in the 19th century. While there were earlier mentions of a pre-tribulation rapture event, Darby’s teaching and the Brethren movement significantly contributed to its widespread acceptance. Today the teaching continues to be popularized through various means, books, movies, and sermons.

The Traditional View

For thousands of years, most Christians held to a unified understanding of Christ’s return:

A Single Return: Jesus would return at the end of the age to judge the living and the dead, as affirmed in the Nicene Creed (“He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end”).
Resurrection and Rapture Together: The dead in Christ and living believers would both be caught up to meet the Lord as He descends to establish His eternal kingdom.
Visible and Public: Christ’s return would be unmistakable, with signs in the heavens and a loud trumpet call, as described in Matthew 24 and Revelation 1:7 (“every eye will see Him”).

For thousands of years, biblical prophets have spoken about the day Jesus returns, describing it as a day of judgment and when the dead in Christ would rise. The prophets’ teaching remained consistent until John Darby began omitting references to what the prophets called “the Day of the Lord.”

A great example of this is in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 The Church might read the whole scripture however, they completely skip over mentioning the phrase “day of the lord” and its significance.

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4)

Paul had already taught the Thessalonians about the return of Jesus. However, it didn’t take long for some among them to be misled by false teachings. This prompted Paul to write a second letter, 2 Thessalonians, to clarify the events surrounding Jesus’ return and to reassure the believers.

He reassured them that the Day of the Lord had not yet come. Paul explained that before Jesus’ return, a great rebellion or falling away would take place, and the Antichrist would be revealed—a figure who would exalt himself and even proclaim himself to be God

The Truth Does Matter

Nearly 2,000 years later, the same deception from Satan has taken root once again. This time, it has spread globally, leading many Christians to misunderstand how Jesus will truly return. This deception fulfills the warning that all but the elect will stray from sound doctrine, following the Antichrist and believing, through his false miracles, that he is the Messiah.

His lies and signs will lead many to abandon their faith and follow him, turning away from the truth to embrace his falsehoods. This deception will play a central role in the falling away that precedes the return of Jesus

The phrase “the Day of the Lord” is mentioned approximately 25 times in the Bible by various prophets. They describe this day as a time of divine intervention, judgment, and reckoning. It is portrayed as both a day of darkness and wrath for the wicked and a day of deliverance and restoration for the faithful.

The prophets in the Bible were divinely inspired to speak of the coming events, including the rise of false Christ and the ultimate triumph of Jesus over all evil. Their messages, recorded in Scripture, serve as a foundation for understanding the end times. They reveal the patterns of how God deals with sin and rebellion, and how His people should prepare for the challenges ahead.

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’( Isaiah 46:10)

The Prophets had this to say about the Day of the Lord

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible Day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:31)

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision:
for the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision(Joel 3:14)

Woe unto you that desire the Day of the Lord!
To what end is it for you?
The Day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. (Amos 5:18)

Shall not the Day of the Lord be darkness, and not light?
Even very dark, and no brightness in it?(Amos 5:20)

For the Day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen:
as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee:
thy reward shall return upon thine own head. ( Obadiah 1:15)

Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God:
for the Day of the Lord is at hand:
for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice,
he hath bid his guests. (Zephaniah 1:7)

And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice,
that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children,
and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. (Zephaniah 1:8)

The great Day of the Lord is near, it is near,
and hasteth greatly,
even the voice of the Day of the Lord:
the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.(Zephaniah 1:14)

Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath;
but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy:
for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. (Zephaniah 1:18)

Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff,
before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. (Zephaniah 2:2)

Seek you the Lord, all you meek of the earth,
which have wrought his judgment;
seek righteousness, seek meekness:
it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. (Zephaniah 2:3)

Behold, the Day of the Lord cometh,
and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. ( Zechariah 14:1)

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord: ( Malachi 4:5)

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before that great and notable Day of the Lord come: (Acts 2:20)

For yourselves know perfectly
that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. ( 1 Thessalonians (5:2)

Now we beseech you, brethren,
by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,
That you 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.
Let no man deceive you by any means:
for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who opposes and exalted himself above all that is called God,
or that is worshipped;
so that he as God sits in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4)

And this I pray, that your love may abound
yet more and more in love and in judgment;
That you may approve things that are excellent;
that you may be sincere and without offence
till the day of Christ ; ( Philippians 1:9,10)

Holding forth the word of life;
that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain (Philippians 2:16)

But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;
in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.(2 Peter 3:10)

The return of Jesus is described in the Bible as a public and awe-inspiring event, not a secret. Here’s how Scripture emphasizes the nature of His return and its implications for the wicked:

Visible to All
Jesus’ return will be unmistakable and witnessed by everyone. Matthew 24:27 says, “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Revelation 1:7 reinforces this: “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.”
A Day of Judgment
For the wicked, this will be a terrifying day of reckoning. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 describes it as a day when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire, dealing out punishment to those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel.
Cosmic Signs and Power
The Bible speaks of dramatic signs in the heavens accompanying Jesus’ return. In Matthew 24:30, Jesus says, “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.”
The Wicked Will Mourn
The return of Christ is a day of triumph for believers but a day of terror for the wicked. Malachi 4:1 warns: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire.”
Deliverance for the Faithful
While it is a dreadful day for the wicked, it is also a day of deliverance for God’s people. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes the joyful gathering of believers to meet the Lord in the air.

In essence, Jesus’ return will be a climactic, undeniable event that brings justice and reveals God’s glory. For those who reject Him, it will indeed be a day of terror, but for the faithful, it will mark the ultimate fulfillment

God’s Wrath

Pre-tribulation teachers often stress that Christians are not appointed to God’s wrath, which is biblically accurate. However, it’s important to understand when God’s wrath begins. According to Scripture, God’s wrath takes place after the Day of the Lord, following the resurrection of the dead in Christ. This is the time when the seven vials of God’s wrath are poured out upon the earth, as described in Revelation 16:1:

The Great Tribulation and the pouring out of God’s wrath (commonly associated with the “vials” or “bowls” in Revelation) are two different events

1. The Great Tribulation

Time of Persecution: The Great Tribulation is described as a period of intense suffering, persecution, and distress, primarily targeting believers. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 24:21-22: “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.”
Satan’s Work: This period is often understood to involve the rise of the Antichrist and his dominion over the earth. Revelation 13:7 says, “It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them.” This shows that much of the tribulation comes from Satan’s actions rather than God’s direct intervention.
Preceding God’s Wrath: The Great Tribulation precedes the outpouring of God’s wrath. It is a testing and purification time for believers and a manifestation of Satan’s fury (Revelation 12:12).

2. God’s Wrath (The Vials/Bowls)

A Distinct Phase: The bowls of wrath, described in Revelation 16, represent God’s judgment poured out upon a rebellious world. This period is characterized by plagues, destruction, and final judgment on the wicked.
Timing: God’s wrath follows the Tribulation. Revelation 15:1 introduces the bowl judgments by saying, “I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.”
Targeted at the Wicked: Unlike the Tribulation, which affects both believers and unbelievers, the bowls of wrath specifically target those who have rejected God and taken the mark of the beast (Revelation 16:2).

3. Key Distinctions

Tribulation = Persecution; Wrath = Judgment: The Tribulation is a time of intense persecution and suffering orchestrated by the forces of evil, while God’s wrath is His righteous judgment upon those who reject Him.
Believers in the Tribulation: Many interpretations suggest that faithful believers will endure the Tribulation but will not be subject to God’s wrath. This is supported by verses like 1 Thessalonians 5:9: “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Sequential Events: The Tribulation sets the stage for God’s ultimate intervention, culminating in the Second Coming of Christ and the execution of divine judgment.

Understanding this distinction helps clarify God’s plan for the end times and offers hope for believers, as it underscores that God’s wrath is reserved for His enemies, not His children

There will indeed be a rapture, but it will occur after the great tribulation and before the pouring out of God’s vials of wrath.

Supporting Scriptures:

Matthew 24:29-31
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days… they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds.”

This passage places the gathering of the elect (rapture) after the tribulation.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

This describes the rapture at Jesus’ return, not before tribulation.

Revelation 16:1
“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.’”

God’s wrath is distinct from the tribulation period and begins after the rapture.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
“That day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.”

Paul emphasizes that the rapture and return of Christ won’t happen until the Antichrist has been revealed, which occurs during the tribulation.

Why would God allow the church to go through the Great Tribulation?

Social Justice Over Salvation: Some worry that churches have shifted their focus from the core message of salvation through Christ to a broader social justice agenda. For example, an emphasis on political or cultural issues like racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmentalism may overshadow key biblical doctrines like repentance, salvation, and the gospel of grace.
Redefinition of Biblical Morality: Another concern is the redefinition of traditional biblical teachings about marriage, sexuality, and the sanctity of life. Some churches have embraced more progressive stances on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, which many traditionalist Christians view as contrary to the clear teachings of Scripture.
Emphasis on Cultural Relevance: Some churches may be attempting to make Christianity more culturally relevant or attractive to younger generations by incorporating progressive social values into their teaching. This, in the eyes of critics, may lead to a dilution of core doctrinal truths in favor of cultural accommodation.
Theological Shifts: The rise of progressive theology in some churches often involves the reinterpretation of core biblical doctrines, such as the nature of sin, salvation, and the authority of Scripture. Critics argue that this is a form of “theological liberalism” or even “apostasy,” where biblical truths are adjusted to fit modern cultural norms

Christians Refined During the Tribulation

Scripture teaches that trials and persecution serve to refine believers and strengthen their faith:

1 Peter 1:6-7: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Daniel 12:10: “Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”

Tribulation: A Time of Suffering and Redemption

The Great Tribulation is not just a period of suffering but also one of growth, repentance, and spiritual refinement. God will use this time to save countless souls and purify His Church, preparing His people for the glorious return of Jesus Christ.

However, Satan’s agenda during the end times is to deceive as many as possible, including Christians. His goal is to lead them away from the truth, distorting Scripture and promoting false doctrines. This deception plays a central role in the great rebellion and the rise of the Antichrist. As Jesus warned in Matthew 24:24, “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Stay vigilant and grounded in the truth of God’s Word, for it is the anchor that will guide believers through the trials to come.

The Need for Discernment and Study

To guard against deception, it is essential for Christians to study the Scriptures diligently, especially the teachings of the prophets. The prophets foretold the events leading up to the end times and provided guidance for understanding what is to come. Their warnings and prophecies help us recognize the signs and discern truth from error.

Matthew 24:4-5: “Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.’”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.”

The deceptive tactics of Satan are subtle, and false teachings can often appear righteous or scriptural. This is why Christians are urged to be rooted in the truth of God’s Word.

Pre-tribulation verses many churches use to support their teaching of a pre-tribulation Rapture

God’s wrath begins after the conclusion of the Great Tribulation. It is represented by the seven vials of His wrath, which are poured out on the unsaved following the Day of the Lord.

And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to test them that dwell upon the earth.(Revelation 3:10)

The hour of temptation occurs when the Antichrist executes the strong delusion, appearing in a way that leads many Christians to stray from the truth. However, the elect will not be deceived, as they understand how the true Jesus will return.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.(Romans 5:9)

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. (Matthew 24:38-40)

But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.(Luke 17:29-30)

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,(1 Thessalonians 5:9)

There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.(Daniel 12:1)

In the end, knowing the truth about the timing of the rapture and God’s plan for His people offers an anchor of hope in turbulent times. It shields us from the great deception, ensuring that we remain steadfast in our faith and unwavering in our devotion. The knowledge that the rapture will come as the culmination of tribulation should not fill us with fear but with strength, as it is a testament to God’s sovereignty and justice.