The Weblog of Trenton & Nichole Adams

Reasons Against Pre-Trib Rapture

I'm tallying up a convincing list of scriptural reasons why people should abandon their fictional pre-trib views for the truth of post-trib rapture.  I hope this can be a quick summary of why the pre-trib rapture view is soooo wrong.  It is helpful to read my other articles on this topic, to obtain greater details about the topic, but this will give a nice overview of why the pre-trib rapture view is false.

I believe that most doctrinal issues need to be taken from the Word of God, in the proper context.  If we do not have biblical context, we cannot possible come to the proper conclusions on many, many issues.  Most doctrinal errors are due to people spiritualizing scripture to mean something that it does not.  Now, keep in mind that there is spiritual application for much of scripture.  For example, Daniel received a "new revelation" about Jeremiah's 70 weeks.  But, making this a general practice, simply because our minds came up with a good plausible explanation for something, is not good practice.

1. Jesus explicitly said that He WAS NOT coming in secret.  He made this abundandtly clear, so that there was no confusion about it.  He even went as far as to tell us not to go looking for Him when people claimed He was in the desert place, or in the secret chambers, etc.
2. Pre-trib rapture proponents like to use Revelation 4:1 to show that we are raptured, before most of Revelation occurs.  Any reasonable person reading the scriptures will see this is totally not true.  John was describing his experience, and his experience alone.  It is not to be spiritualized, and to do so will lead you into error.
3. The last trumpet, mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:52, is in fact THE LAST TRUMPET.  The only last trumpet that can fit, is the last trumpet of revelation, which is also when the two witnesses are caught up.  It is bad exegesis to assume that the trumpet spoke of by Paul is a trumpet other than the one mentioned in Revelation.  We are supposed to use scripture to interpret scripture.  Some have even said that they believe the two witnesses are the Gentile and Jewish church.  That may very well be the case.  Again, one MUST spiritualize Paul's Words in order to adopt a "secret rapture", which as we know from #1 above, was explicitly spoken against by THE Christ Himself.
4. Jesus said He will not send out His angels to gather us to Him, UNTIL certain things happen (Matthew 24:29-31).  If you look at how these match up with Revelation 6:12-13 (6th seal), Revelation 8:12 (fourth trumpet), and Revelation 16:10 (fifth vial), it may astound you. These things include.
   1. the sun is darkened
   2. the moon does not give it's light
   3. the stars shall fall from heaven
   4. the powers of the heavens are shaken
5. In Revelation, John tells us (Revelation 10:6-7) that he was told that when the seventh angel sounds, that there shall be no delay, to when the mystery of God is finished.  It is my understanding that the mystery of God is God's plan for us on this earth, including the plan of salvation.  Now, most believe that there is still 3.5 years left after the 7th trumpet.  But how can that be, if the mystery of God is finished?  And, when the seventh angel finally sounds, that verse (Revelation 11:15) says that the kingdoms of this earth, have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, at that time.  In other words, He is coming down to establish His kingdom.
6. One essential truth of Paul's teachings, that will hamper a person believing the truth of post-trib rapture is the idea that we have replaced the Jews until the tribulation.  Paul explicitly warned against this sort of doctrine, and said that we should be fearful of believing such things.  See Romans 11:17-25 for Paul's explanation of the Jewish olive tree.  Remember that the tree is Christ, and we are the branches.  Some important points about this are below. Note that the tree never changes, but the branches do.
   1. That tree is Christ, and it existed from the beginning.
   2. The Jews were already on the tree(Christ/Yahweh), as they are called "NATURAL" branches
   3. Christ came
   4. Some of the Jews rejected Him, though a GREAT NUMBER accepted Him and believed He was the messiah.
   5. The Jews who did not accept Him, were cut out of the tree (Christ), effectively having the kingdom remove from them, and given to another that would produce it's fruit.
   6. The "gentiles" were boasting themselves against the original branches.
   7. Paul declares that they need to be VERY careful about this, and to not be high minded.
   8. The Jews will be graft back into the same tree (Christ).

   So, as you begin to realize that we are all on the same tree, you may also begin to realize that the tree is not complete until the NATURAL branches are graft back in. That happens during the tribulation.