Yes, the pre-trib rapture doctrine is very popular, but it is a dangerous heresy. It has encouraged millions of true Christians to sit around fat, dumb, and happy, awaiting the rapture to zap them into instant holiness and make them ready for their wedding with Jesus at His return for His Bride.

The Feasts of Israel tell the story of redemption, from beginning to end. It’s a beautiful story, weaving together much of the Bible into one grand and glorious theme describing why we are in the pickle we’re in, and how God gets us out of it. Most Christians don’t know this story, which is why I wrote a book on it. A big part of the story involves the Feast of Tabernacles, God dwelling with His people, which everyone agrees is prophetic of “heaven.”

But what many people miss is that Tabernacles is actually a three part feast, together known as the “Fall Feasts.” The first two parts are the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement, separated by the ten Days of Awe. These symbolize the trumpet call to “purify ourselves as He is pure” (1 Jn 3:3) and then (on the Day of Atonement) stand before the judgment (“Bema”) seat of Christ and be judged/rewarded according to our deeds in the flesh, whether good or evil. (2 Cor 5:10) Only after we have gone through these first two do we get to “Tabernacle” (dwell) with a holy God. The powerful implication here is that we really must “…cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor 7:1) in order to be a member of the Bride of Christ at the rapture. “…His Bride has made herself ready… the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev 19:7-8)

Of course preachers don’t want to preach on that! That smacks of a “works salvation!” Don’t touch that with a ten foot pole! Thus their ignorance of the Feasts of Israel is evident. Salvation is portrayed in the first feast: Passover. It comes at the very beginning of our Christian life, opening the door for us to walk with God. Later comes Pentecost, portraying our filling by the Holy Spirit, actually enabling us to walk with God. Finally, at the end of the year (symbolizing the end of the Christian life), come the Fall Feasts, which are intended to bring us right into the eternal Father’s holy presence, “holy as He is holy.” (1 Pet 1:15) (You may recognize these three phase in life when you read my essay, Completing the Reformation.)

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