Many Christians today believe that Christians will be raptured before the great tribulation.
This is what is commonly referred to as the ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ and you'd be surprised just how widespread this view is among Christians today.
This view basically holds that Jesus is coming back in two phases or twice.
First, secretly for believers, what is commonly referred to as the ‘secret rapture’, and then publicly with believers, with a 7-year break in between.
I bet you’ve probably watched a rapture movie that alludes to this.
Infact there is a popular film called 'Left behind' which is based on a series of religious novels that basically holds this idea.
Now, it’s worth noting that this viewpoint is quite recent.
The early church did not hold this view.
It's actually thought to have originated around 1830 and it was popularized by a guy by the name John Nelson Darby who is also believed to be its originator.
An American theologian by the name Dr. C.I. Scofield later picked up on it and added this idea in the notes of his annotated Bible, which sold a ton of copies worldwide, spreading this idea like wildfire.
It was not long before many Christians believed they’d read in the Bible that we’d be whisked away in a 'secret rapture' before the ‘Big Trouble’.
I encourage you to never buy or read a Bible with print notes or commentaries in it because inevitably you will get to a point where you will not be able to tell whether what you read was from the Bible (the word of God) or from the notes/commentaries (the word of man) and you will just say,“I read it in the Bible".
Now, proponents of this ‘escape theology’ basically argue God will not allow Christians to suffer under the great tribulation (the Antichrist’s 7-year rule) and will rapture them away to heaven before all hell breaks loose so they don't need to worry about it.
But is this what the Bible teaches or what has been hammered into our heads all our lives?
Does the Bible speak of a ‘secret rapture’?
Well, the ‘secret rapture’ as it has come to be taught and understood today is not in the Bible.
I’ve personally read the Bible right through and there is no such event scheduled on God’s calendar.
Infact the word ‘rapture’ or ‘raptured’ is not in the Bible.
Paul however speaks of the believer being ‘caught up’ in the clouds but very publicly and after the great tribulation.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, he says:
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Now please note Paul speaks of 'we who are alive and remain' speaking of believers.
This means believers will be around when Jesus returns, not during phase two or for the second time, but for the first and only time, which means they will have gone through the great tribulation.
The book of Revelation refers to the saints who have 'come out of great tribulation’, so they must have been in it! (see Revelation 7:14)
Believers should be prepared to go through this dreadful experience because they will.
Jesus says the wheat (believers) and the tares (unbelievers) must grow together until the harvest. (see Matthew 13:24–43)
And when He returns, the Bible says He and his angel will each have a sharp sickle in hand which they will both thrust and reap the earth's harvest. (see Revelation 14:14-20)
The good news however is the great tribulation will only be for a short time otherwise Jesus says no one would survive.
In Matthew 24: 21-22, He says:
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
Notice it's for the elect’s sake (referring to believers) that those days will be shortened, meaning they’ll be right in the mix.
Now shortened days here does not mean shortened hours even though this is how it’s commonly understood but that the great tribulation will last for only a short while.
The NLT translation of the same portion of Scripture reads:
“For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.”
So we can see the time of calamity will be shortened.
Infact, it will just be 3 and half years. (see Revelation 13:5)
In the first 3 and half years the world will basically see the Antichrist as a savior and worship him. (see Revelation 13:3-4;8)
He will do a lot of good, bringing nations together, fostering peace etc. but his nice guy act will only last for the first half of his 7-year rule before he shows his true colours and rains havoc on the entire world, especially the people of God (see Revelation 13:7), on his second half.
So again, Revelation 13:7 is clear that the Antichrist will be waging war against the saints so much so that many will lose their heads for standing up for Jesus. (see Revelation 20:4)
Now how would the Antichrist fight and kill the saints if all of them will have been snatched away to heaven before he rears his ugly head, which is the popular consensus today?
It is important to note that the book of Revelation is written to believers and not to unbelievers.
Now, why on earth would Jesus give believers the revelation of the ‘Big Trouble’ in such vivid details if they're not going to be here for it?
It defeats the purpose, right?
“Oh! This will happen and this and that but don’t worry about it I’ll have taken you out before any of it happens!”
“Oh! The rest will really go through it! But not you. You’ll be off!”
Sounds weird, right?
The truth is Jesus reveals this to believers not so they can rub it in the faces of those who will be ‘left behind’, but because they are going to be around too and He wants them to be ready for it!
I believe it is better to prepare believers to go through this difficult time even if they will escape it, than commit the mistake of leading them into a false sense of security and it finds them unprepared to face it!
This is what this 'escape theology', which is not in the Bible, gives.
Jesus would not call for endurance on the part of the saints in the book of Revelation if none of them will be around. (see Revelation 3:21,14:12)
He would not speak of those who overcome inheriting all things if there was nothing to overcome in the first place. (see Revelation 21:7)
Now you might be thinking, “Why on earth would God let His children go through such a dreadful experience?”
Well, we must not forget that God does not promise a world without problems.
Infact, He promises the opposite.
In the first part of John 16:33, Jesus says:
“You will face many problems in this world..”
So problems are a given but.....so is help.
In the second part of the verse Jesus says:
“…but take heart. I’m on top of it."
Just like God didn’t take the Israelites out of Egypt before He rained plague after plague on the Egyptians but rather preserved them, I believe He is able to preserve the saints during the great tribulation as well.
But for the believer, whether you live or die, you win. (see Philippians 1:21)
That said, our blessed hope should not be that we will escape the great tribulation, but that Jesus is coming back.
“…we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,” (Titus 2:13)
And God is willing and more than capable to preserve our spirits, souls and bodies blameless until then. (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23)
God bless you.
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