Just wondering if there are any on here who hold to the pre-wrath rapture model, and what pieces of evidence you think best signify this being accurate? I am coming from a mid-post tribulation position, and am hoping to get some insight on this topic to hopefully expand my knowledge a bit. Care to share anyone?
Hi QP,
Yes, I hold to the pre-wrath understanding of the timing of the rapture. I find the most convincing argument in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ itself.
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-39like a son of man,
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-40with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-41came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud,
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-42"Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-43the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar,
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-44the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth,
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-45for its grapes are ripe." So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-46winepress of the wrath of God. And
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-47the winepress was trodden
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-48outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-49a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/revelation/14.html#fn-descriptionAnchor-c
Here, the Lord seems to lay out a chronology for us. First comes Jesus and he harvests from the earth all that are his. Then, seemingly immediately following, comes the second angel and he harvests all those left behind by Jesus and throws them into the winepress of God's wrath.
The tribulation is just exactly what the name defines. A time of trouble for the believer. It is a time when believers will be tested and tried by the wicked of the world and we will be here, those who are alive in that day, to endure through it. God, however, cuts short those days and sends His Son to call all who are his to safety as God unleashes His pent up wrath against those who remain upon the earth.
Immediately after this Jesus will return with his and establish the millennial reign. Only those who were raptured will be alive during this reign as the Scriptures clearly tell us that the wicked will remain in their graves at this time. After Jesus' millennial reign, the rest of the dead are resurrected and we come to God's final judgment. This is when we will find out whether anyone's name is written in the Lamb's Book of life. For those whose names are so contained, we will then enter the eternal existence spoken of in the last chapters of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We will live in a protected city where God will be our God and we will be His people forever and ever and ever more.
That's how I understand the timing of the rapture and what immediately precedes it and what follows.
God bless you.
In Christ, Ted
