What is the rapture? Is it even in the Bible? If so, when does it happen? The Tribulation period is the last seven years preceding the Messiah’s conquest of the earth, during which the Antichrist holds power over part of the world. There are many different views on this, but this is my attempt at making sense of it.
There is a diverse set of Christian Eschatological views, including Amillennialism, Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, Historicism, Preterism, Futurism, Idealism, and others. This discussion will focus solely on the rapture, which falls within the realm of Premillennialism. The rabbit hole of all these things is beyond the scope of this article and my current understanding.
Some Christians don’t believe in the rapture or even a physical return of the Messiah. They usually fit into the category of Amillennialism. Amillennialists don’t believe in a physical return and reign of Christ for 1,000 years on earth (Revelation 20:1-15). They think that everything in the book of Revelation is metaphorical. Then there is premillennialism and postmillennialism. Premillennialism is a direct interpretation of Revelation, which holds that Christ will return and reign on earth for 1,000 years before Judgment Day, and then judge the world. There will be a new creation of Heaven and Earth for those with eternal life. Postmillennialism is relatively similar, but Christ returns after the millennium, and it is believed that the millennium refers to an age where Christianity dominates the world and, in the process, alleviates social problems. In this view, Christ returns only when the church reaches perfection and has a positive impact on the world. Some Christians believe in a return of Christ but do not specifically believe in a rapture. They interpret the “meeting of the Lord in the air in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 as simply seeing him in the sky as he comes down from heaven, after all, “the air and clouds” refer to the sky here on earth.
The rapture is mainly focused on the Premillennialism framework. Some believe that it happens before the tribulation, and others say afterward, while others say in the middle. The English word “rapture” is not found in the Bible, but the concept of the rapture is. It is derived from the Latin word “rapiemur”, meaning to be “caught up”. The event is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NLT) 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
As we can see, a resurrection of the dead occurs immediately before the rapture, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. There are two main resurrections, the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14, 1 Cor 15:12-58, 1 Thess 4:13-18, Heb 11:32-35, Rev 20:4-6) and the resurrection of the wicked (Rev 20:4-6, Rev 20:11-15). Jesus mentions both in John 5:28-29. The chronological placement of Rev 20:4 and Rev 7:10-17 is where the debate between pre- and post-occurs. Jesus discusses his return in Luke 17:26-37 and describes what appears to be the rapture. He describes various scenarios involving two people, with one of them disappearing unsuspectedly. He says that just as in the days of Noah (Genesis 6-9), when the people who died in the flood were caught off guard by the rain, or like Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19, when Lot was rescued and the rest perished. Jesus discusses the Second Coming, a distinct event, in Luke 21:24-28. In Matt 24:15-51, Jesus describes them both.
All of Jesus’ teachings on the resurrection can be found in Luke 14:14 (the first resurrection), John 5:28-29, John 11:24-29, Matthew 22:22-33, Mark 12:18-27, and Luke 20:27-40. Paul’s teachings on the new, eternal bodies given to believers can be found in Romans 8:23, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, and Philippians 3:20-21, as well as in the passages on the first resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:35-58.
Pre-tribulation Rapture:
Let’s examine pre-tribulation first. There are only two resurrections, so if the first resurrection (of the righteous) occurs before the tribulation (pre-tribulation), then all the saints who died during the tribulation (Rev 7:14) missed the first resurrection and can only experience the second resurrection (of the wicked). In this view, a pre-trib resurrection works best if no Christians die in the tribulation but we know that isn’t true according to Rev 7:14. In Rev 6:9-11, when the 5th seal is opened, the martyrs are crying out for justice, and God tells them to wait a little longer because there are more martyrs to be killed. This sounds like God is telling them to wait a bit longer for the 1st resurrection/rapture because some more tribulation saints are going to die, and he can’t do the 1st resurrection before they die. Based on this information, it appears that a pre-tribulation rapture is not feasible because all individuals who are supposed to be in the first resurrection or rapture must be taken after the tribulation or during it. After all, those martyred in the tribulation will miss the first resurrection, which precedes the rapture according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Another possible scenario is that the events of Rev 6:9-11 and Rev 7:9-17, are actually before the “great tribulation” and the martyrs from Rev 7, were killed in a pre-great tribulation event, this would allow for all Christians (even the resurrected martyrs) to be removed entirely from the earth by the start of the Great Tribulation, and anyone that becomes a Christian afterward would be preserved to the end, because again if they die during the tribulation they would have missed the 1st resurrection.
The most common pre-tribulation solution is separating the first resurrection from the rapture. That seems to conflict with 1 Thess 4:13-18, which says in verse 15 that “those who are still alive when the Lord comes, will not take precedence over those who have died”, meaning the 1st resurrection happens before the rapture occurs. One solution to this is that the first resurrection is divided into two parts: one that occurs before the tribulation accompanying the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), and one that follows afterward, as described in Revelation 20. That would mean there are three resurrections, but according to Jesus Himself in John 5:28-29, there are only two, unless the resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is not the first resurrection, but rather a separate event. Similar to the temporal mass of Jerusalem’s resurrection that occurred with Jesus’ resurrection, as described in Matthew 27:51-53. Learn more about this here.
In this case, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is about Christians (going back to the 1st century) who are resurrected; they, along with living believers, are raptured before the tribulation. Then, in Revelation 20:4-6, the resurrection is described as the true first resurrection for all the righteous, including the Old Testament patriarchs and tribulation martyrs. This scripture says explicitly, “And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years (Rev 20:4).” This implies this is a resurrection specifically for the tribulation saints since it refers to the mark of the best and other things unique to the tribulation.
Another idea is that there are two raptures, one before and one after the tribulation. One of them is the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and the other is the rapture of the tribulation converts. It’s also possible that those tribulation converts don’t experience death but are transitioned to new bodies at the point of death without having to be part of any resurrection, fitting into the category of those who are raptured, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
Post-tribulation Rapture:
For the post-tribulation rapture, there are two significant problems. One is that Jesus said no one knows the day or hour of His coming except God the Father (Matthew 24:36), so it must be before the Great Tribulation. Otherwise, it would be expected to be right at the end of the 7-year Tribulation, making it predictable. Two, it conflicts with the timing of Revelation 7:9-17 and the framework of 2 Corinthians 5:3. The first problem can be addressed by examining Matthew 24:26 more literally, as it states, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen.” Knowing that it will happen at the end of the Tribulation isn’t enough to accurately predict the rapture down to the day and hour, so the rapture happening post-tribulation doesn’t have to conflict with Matthew 24:36. As for the second issue, in Revelation 7:9-17, the martyrs who are clothed in white are the same ones mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11. In Rev 6, when the fifth seal is broken, the martyrs are asking God to avenge them. In Rev 7, they are standing before God’s throne, but according to 2 Cor 5:3, no one goes to the kingdom as a bodiless soul, meaning people don’t go to the kingdom until they are given their new heavenly bodies at the first resurrection. God doesn’t judge even dead wicked people in hell; they are resurrected (Rev 20:11-15). That is why there must be a resurrection of everyone; we must have living bodies to be judged. Eternal life starts with resurrection. Since the people in this scene have bodies, they must have already been resurrected. Some may suggest that the Rev 7 scene represents paradise for the spirits of the righteous deceased, who await the resurrection. However, one would have to explain why they have bodies if they are still awaiting resurrection.
The rapture is immediately after a resurrection, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Therefore, if this verse describes the first resurrection, then the rapture can’t occur post-tribulation, because the events of Revelation 7:9-17 must happen beforehand, as these martyrs have yet to be resurrected. However, if Revelation 7:9-17 describes events after the tribulation, then everything falls into place. For post-tribulationists, there is no need to separate the resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 from the first resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6, because both are post-tribulation events. Essential questions for post-trib: If the rapture is post-tribulation, then who are the “left behind”? Why is it significant that they are left behind if the tribulation is over? Since the millennial reign begins immediately after the tribulation, does being left behind carry any significance?
A point of conflict:
The phrase “great falling away” in 2 Thess 2:3 is translated from the Greek word apostasia (ἀποστασία), which is where we get our English word apostasy, which means to become apostate or “rebel against”, or “walking away from” and ideology, usually in the context of (but not limited to) religion. Some teach that, however, the word apostasy is a reference to the rapture itself since many believers will be “caught up” and taken “away from” the earth. This is based on how the word apostasia was translated in the pre-KJV English text. Various English translations were made before the King James Version (KJV), including the John Wycliffe Bible, William Tyndale’s Bible, The Great Bible (commissioned by Henry VIII), The Geneva Bible (produced by English refugees who fled to Switzerland), and The Bishop’s Bible (commissioned by Queen Mary I). They say that some of these translations use the word “departure” and therefore refer to the rapture. Departure and falling away are synonymous, so I don’t see much difference there, since both of them mean to leave. Essentially, this leads to an interpretation dispute amongst believers on what apostasia means in the context. One group says this is referring to people leaving the church for sin and hedonism, and the others are suggesting this is the church leaving the earth. The former is more common, as most people are expecting a falling away from the church to sin and hedonism in preparation for their deception by the antichrist. The question is, FROM WHAT are the people falling away or departing from? How a person interprets WHAT the people are “departing or falling away” from, in 2 Thess 2:3, may determine if they are pre-tribulation or not. If the text itself settles which one was true, that can narrow things down.
Some questions are:
1) Can 1 Thess 4:13-18 be describing a set-apart resurrection that is not the 1st resurrection?
2) Does the Bible support two raptures, one before the tribulation and one during or after the tribulation that includes the 1st resurrection?
3) In 2 Thess 2:3, who is falling away, and from what are they departing?
4) Is Rev 7:9-17 a mid-tribulation event or a post-tribulation event?
5) Do believers who die as tribulation martyrs get to bypass the need for resurrection and translate like those who are raptured?
If the answer to all the above questions is No or no answerable with scripture, then that just leaves a mid-tribulation rapture. If Rev 7:9-17 is during the tribulation, then neither pre- nor post-trib can work because the first resurrection/rapture can’t happen before or after the events in Rev 7:9-17. The people need to be resurrected with their new bodies to be in the Kingdom, and Christians can’t be killed after the 1st resurrection, unless, of course, God is going to immediately take them away and transition them like the living believers in 1 Thess 4:13-18, and 1 Cor 15:51-52.
In the mid-tribulation scenario, the first resurrection occurs midway through the tribulation, allowing it to be a one-time event that happens after all tribulation saints are killed in the first half of the tribulation. Since the tribulation continues after that moment, it allows tribulation saints to be in heaven with their new bodies surrounding the throne, as described in Revelation 7:9-17. This allows for consistency with the framework of 2 Corinthians 5:3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, because the martyrs are in God’s presence with their new resurrected bodies, after being killed during the tribulation. This would mean, however, that people who get saved in the second half of the tribulation would have to be preserved until the end without dying, or they would be translated at the point of death, because the first resurrection has already occurred.
In Matt 24:4-31, Jesus says there will be false prophets and messiahs as well as wars and natural disasters, but despite all of this, the gospel will be preached all over the world. Then the lawless man from Daniel 9:27 (the antichrist) will come and make a 7-year peace treaty with Israel, but break it halfway through the tribulation. He will persecute God’s people, and they will flee from Israel. Then he will perform signs and wonders, deceiving even some of the elect. These events are also referenced in 2 Thess 2:9-11. Jesus then quotes Isaiah 13:10, Isaiah 34:4, and Joel 2:10, describing judgment day in verse 29 of Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”
Then, in verses 30-31, he says that the Messiah will return, and there will be mourning all over the earth at the site of Jesus. All of God’s chosen ones will be gathered from all over and taken with Him. He says there will be signs, but no one will know the day or the hour of His return (Matt. 24:32-36). Then he says it will be like the days of Noah, because the rapture will come before the unexpected judgment, and he describes the rapture in verses 39-41. Likewise, in Luke 17:22-37, Jesus said things will be “like the days of Noah and Lot.” Remember, both Noah and Lot were rescued before judgment. Jesus even warns us not to be like Lot’s wife, who turned back and was destroyed (Luke 17:32-33). The pre-tribulation philosophy posits that Jesus would not allow His bride to suffer, and the righteous are rescued before judgment, based on the examples of Noah and Lot, who were also rescued. For pre-trib, Matt 24 is not chronological; Jesus saves the best news for last. In chronological reading, the rapture occurs last, which is the position held by post-tribulationalism.
Some say that since Antichrist is revealed before Jesus returns and defeats him, as stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Jesus can’t come before the Tribulation if He is supposed to appear after the lawless one is revealed. The solution is that the return of Christ is a separate event from the rapture of the church. Since the rapture event describes the saints as meeting Christ in the air in the twinkling of an eye, in contrast, His return is depicted as Him touching the ground at the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:1-5). Also in Matt 24:21-31, Jesus said that there will be a Tribulation before his return. Since his return coincides with the 1st resurrection, this event must occur after the tribulation begins, meaning his return takes place during it or afterward. This is not a problem if the pre-rapture resurrection is separate from the 1st resurrection. It also works if there are two raptures or tribulation martyrs who are translated.
Another part of the debate then is whether or not the tribulation Jesus mentions in Matt 24:21 and 29 is the “Great Tribulation” of Revelation, or just the beginning of the time building up to the Great Tribulation starting from the persecution of the Jews by the Romans after they destroyed the temple in the 1st century, all the way into the future when this all comes to an end. In verse Matthew 24:34, he says, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things are fulfilled.” Some people have different ways of defining “this generation.” Some say “this generation” refers to the generation of Jesus himself, who witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans. While that is undoubtedly true for some of the things Jesus mentioned, such as the destruction of the Temple, Jesus also talks about future resurrection and judgment, which have not yet happened.
Preterists interpret this to mean that all events in the book of Revelation have already occurred in the 1st century. They claim that Roman Emperor Nero (54-68 AD) was the Antichrist, and the resurrection and rapture are merely metaphors and allegories. That seems theologically inconsistent with the expected literal resurrection of the dead that Jesus himself, the Apostles, and even the Pharisees supported in opposition to the Sadducees, who believe that there is no literal resurrection. In addition, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, responds to false teaching by some 1st-century preachers that the resurrection is not literal. In 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, Paul says if the resurrection is not literal, then Christ never rose from the dead, and Christianity itself is a farce. Furthermore, he says that because Christ rose from the dead, we too will rise from the dead when he returns. More on Preterism here.
The alternate view is that “this generation” is simply referring to the last generation, as in the generation that is around when the antichrist appears and Christ returns. In Luke’s version of Jesus’ teachings on eschatology, Jesus said there would be an “age of the Gentiles” after the destruction of Israel by the Romans in Luke 21:24. Many interpret this to be from the time of 70 AD, when Jerusalem was destroyed up until the recent years (the restoration of Israel in 1948).
A very complex topic, and the goal here was to lay out the different options with some if/else statement constructors to narrow down what the conditions are necessary for each view to be true, so that readers can take the time to study for themselves, rather than being lured down a divisive rabbit hole that causes more disharmony in the body of Christ. At the end of the day, if the rapture occurs pre-trib, then a mid- or post-trib believer will simply be pleasantly surprised; if it happens mid- or post-trib, then pre-trib people can trust that God will take care of them, either preserving them until the end or resurrecting them when they die. Anyone who believes in Jesus and is saved (Rom 10:8-10) has met the conditional requirements for eternal life according to John 3:16-21.
Jesus speaking on the subject:
Matt 24:42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. 45 “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 48 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ 49 and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 50 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, 51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus’ main point was to be ready, not to fight over when the master returns. We are supposed to be doing the assignment the master gives each of us. Some believers will be too busy doing the work to care about the return and will be rewarded for their diligence, some will be slacking off and doing foolish sinful things and will be punished. There is a third group that will be sitting around waiting for his return, trying to predict the rapture. Jesus said no one except the Father knows the time of his return (Matt 24:36). Their actual job is teaching people about Jesus, and based on what Jesus says in Matt 25:24-27 in the parable of the servants, they will be treated like the foolish servants for doing nothing. Sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair with a shotgun waiting for Jesus to come back while complaining about sinners is NOT the great commission.
Resources:
Apostasy – apostasia (ἀποστασία).