The Pre-Trib Rapture Heresy

Many if not most American theologians and preachers have now accepted the new doctrine of the secret pre-tribulation rapture of the church. It preaches well, and it’s what most people want to hear, anyway. Nobody wants to be told they might have to go through the great tribulation of Revelation 6 through 11. And there are even a few Scriptures which seem to back it up.

Unfortunately, it also introduces some major contradictions in Scripture, not the least of which is Jesus’ own words. “…then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor indeed ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short… But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky. And the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet [the Last Trump of Rev 10 & 11 – see 1 Cor 15:52], and they will gather together His elect [the first resurrection - Rev 20:4-6] from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” (Matt 24:21-31, excerpts)

That Jesus is talking about the rapture of the church (rather than some later coming for the Jews) is confirmed by that “great trumpet.” “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. [This is clearly the rapture of the church.] For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Cor 15:51-52) Under no conceivable stretch can you have two “last” trumpets, unless you have a god who gets easily confused.

Further, note the wording here in verse 51: “Behold, I tell you [reveal to you] a mystery…” Where is the mystery of God revealed? “…there shall be delay no longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound [his trumpet], then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets… and the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.’ And the 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give Thee thanks, O Lord God the Almighty, who art and who wast and who is coming, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged [the first resurrection], and the time to give their rewards to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great [this is the true rapture, right at the last trumpet where it belongs], and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Rev 10:6,7 and 11:15-18)

The seventh trumpet of Revelation is not quite the end of the great tribulation. Remember Jesus’ promise that, “…for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.” (Matt 24:22) But it’s nearly at the end. The only tribulation following is, “…the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” containing, “…the seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.” (Rev 16:1 and 15:1)

That makes sense, for we are promised that, “…God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess 5:9) for we have put our faith in, “…Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1:10)

Yes, it makes sense, but only if we are willing to give up that comforting secret pre-trib rapture heresy. But if we hang on to it, our Bible is full of contradictions, Daniel the Prophet and the Apostles Paul and Peter were terribly confused and/or ignorant, and Jesus Himself was flat wrong in His warnings to His disciples. But I believe in a God who is all-knowing and perfectly consistent throughout His Word. That is why I call the pre-trib rapture doctrine a heresy – it makes God out to be weak and misleading, and leads believers to put their faith in a false hope rather than in the sure Word of God.