If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably wondering about all of those persuasive arguments for other positions concerning when the Rapture will occur. Proverbs 18:17 tells us that: “He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.” In this section we’ll take a look at a few of the arguments which are commonly brought up for other positions and see if we can provide an adequate rebuttal to them.
Isn’t the Church removed before the Tribulation?
One argument for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture based on a Greek word study goes something like this. The Greek word for the church, ekklasia, occurs many times in the first three chapters of Revelation and then is never used again in the rest of the book. Therefore showing that the church is not on the earth during the tribulation since it was so prominent before the tribulation, but isn’t mentioned in it.
This is a very scholarly sounding argument since it is based on a linguistic study of the text. Since very few people are students of New Testament Greek and can’t study it for themselves, they of necessity must take the scholar’s word for it. However, when we take a critical look at this argument, we find that it contains a fatal flaw of logic. Refer back to my outline of Revelation. The first three chapters contain the revelation of the risen Christ and his letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Since He is addressing specific historical churches of the day, it is not surprising that the Lord uses the word translated “church” quite often in this section. From chapter four on, however, the subject changes to the redemption of the earth, the millennial reign of Christ and the new heavens and the new earth. It should not be surprising that when the church is no longer the subject, that the word for it is no longer used.
To draw an analogy, let’s say that when my daughter was in college she wrote me a letter. On page one she wrote about all of the plans she had for school until the end of the term. It’s probable that she would mention the college several times. If on page two she changed the subject to her plans for summer vacation, she probably wouldn’t mention the school at all. Now I doubt that anyone would consider me a great scholar if I jumped to the conclusion that at the end of May my daughter’s college would cease to exist. But, that is exactly what this argument does to the church in Revelation. The analysis needs to go a step deeper to determine whether or not the subject has changed. We know that it has.
Taking a different tact into the study of the Greek word ekklasia, it has been transliterated into our language as ecclesia. In its many forms it refers to church things, especially the organization with its principles, practices and activities. In our common usage, when we speak about the church our usual reference is to the buildings we meet in. I will guarantee that our church buildings, organizations, principles, practices and activities will not be raptured. God has no use for them in heaven.
Ecclesia’s literal meaning is “called out ones.” Its technical meaning
in the Christian context is a gathering of the saints, especially for worship.
If believers can be found in the Tribulation, then the church, the ecclesia,
is there by definition. Can we find these people in Revelation in the chapters
dealing with the tribulation? Yes!
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17).12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:12).
Who are those who obey God’s commandments? They are the Jews. Who
are those who hold to the testimony of Jesus and remain faithful to Him?
They are Christians!
The inclusive term saints is used throughout the Bible for all of God’s
elect. Specifically in Revelation we find them in the following verses.
7(a) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them (Rev. 13:7a).10(b) Here is the patience and the faith of the saints (Rev. 13:10b).
6(a) And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (Rev. 17:6a).
So, we see that God’s elect people, both Christians and Jews are
in the tribulation. When the Rapture occurs, it is believers, saints, all
of God’s elect who will be taken to heaven.
Doesn’t the Holy Spirit leave to make way for the Antichrist?
This is not really an argument for a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. It is
rather a logical result of Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine. A logical
deduction cannot be used as a proof for the premise it is derived from.
The logic goes something like this. Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine states
that the Church is removed prior to the Tribulation. The coming of the
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost initiated the Church. Therefore, logically,
if the Church is removed, it can be deduced that the Holy Spirit will also
be removed. This logical deduction is then applied to the following verses
we already looked at in 2 Thessalonians.
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way (2 Thess. 2:6,7).
And the assumption is made that the Holy Spirit is the one who is
restraining the lawless one.
We have already shown that the Rapture occurs at the end of the Tribulation while the armies are gathering for the battle of Armageddon. We have also shown that there are Christians in the Tribulation. Having negated both the primary and the secondary premises for this argument, the deduction is also shown to be false. The assumption that follows the deduction is seen then as no more than an unsupported speculation of man.
The Thessalonians were told who was restraining the lawless one. However, this scripture does not reveal his identity to us. I believe that the Holy Spirit will continue His ministry of convicting the world of sin and empowering the saints to live for the Lord Jesus Christ until the Lord returns.
Isn’t the Church seen in heaven dressed in white robes in Rev. 7:9-17?
Many have taught that the Church is seen in heaven with the Lord during
the Tribulation based on the following passage in Revelation.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes (Rev. 7:9-17).
It can be noted here that in verse 14 we are told that these have
come out of the great tribulation, not that they came out before the Tribulation.
We don’t however need to depend just on the wording to understand who these
are. We were told specifically who they are when they were given their
white robes in Rev. 6:9-11.
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (Rev. 6:9-11).
These are certainly God’s saints in heaven, but we see that they
are in heaven by means of martyrdom and not by means of the Rapture. They
are given the white robes of Christ’s righteousness to cover them because
they have not yet received their resurrected bodies.
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