PART II
II. WHY IS THE RAPTURE BEFORE THE TRIBULATION?
There are excellent biblical reasons why the Rapture is BEFORE the Tribulation period.
1. The Rapture is always imminent in Scripture
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Mt 24:36-42)
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Mt 25:10-13)
2. The Tribulation is for unbelieving Jews, not for the redeemed Church
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people [Israel]: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Dan 12:1)
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's [Israel’s] trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jer 30:6,7)
3. The righteous were always delivered from God’s wrath BEFORE it came upon the ungodly and the wicked.
A. Enoch raptured into Heaven before the Flood
B. Noah and his family placed in the Ark before the Flood
C. Lot and his family taken out of Sodom before its destruction
D. Rahab taken out of Jericho before its destruction
E. Believers to be saved from wrath, and all believers to be watchful and prayerful
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth... And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Rev 3:10; Lk 21:34-36).
II. WHY IS THE RAPTURE BEFORE THE TRIBULATION?
There are excellent biblical reasons why the Rapture is BEFORE the Tribulation period.
1. The Rapture is always imminent in Scripture
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Mt 24:36-42)
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Mt 25:10-13)
2. The Tribulation is for unbelieving Jews, not for the redeemed Church
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people [Israel]: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Dan 12:1)
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's [Israel’s] trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jer 30:6,7)
3. The righteous were always delivered from God’s wrath BEFORE it came upon the ungodly and the wicked.
A. Enoch raptured into Heaven before the Flood
B. Noah and his family placed in the Ark before the Flood
C. Lot and his family taken out of Sodom before its destruction
D. Rahab taken out of Jericho before its destruction
E. Believers to be saved from wrath, and all believers to be watchful and prayerful
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth... And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Rev 3:10; Lk 21:34-36).
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