Hello PeterT,
The word of God does indeed demonstrate the resurrection and catching away as taking place prior to the tribulation. The following is the prophecy regarding this event:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words."
So, above is the promise of the Lord's coming to gather the living and the dead who believe in him, then Paul continues with the following:
"Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."
Not knowing the times and dates mentioned above is referring back to what Paul just described, which is the times and dates in which the resurrection and catching away would take place, referring to his coming as being like "a thief in the night." Then Paul says the following:
"While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief."
Therefore, the order of events listed in the scripture is first the resurrection and catching away, which is then followed by the time of destruction. And if you will notice regarding that time of destruction Paul says, "But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should take you by surprise." The reason for that time of destruction not taking believers by surprise, is because the event of the resurrection and catching away that Paul wrote of takes place first, keeping us from that time of destruction. And regarding that time Paul goes on to say:
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"
So, the wrath in the verse above is synonymous with the destruction mentioned in verse 3. The biggest problem with the mid and post-trib interpretations, is that it takes believers in Christ through God's wrath, which we are not appointed to suffer. Christ made atonement for us which means that, the wrath that we deserve as a result of our sins was placed on Christ and that wrath has therefore been satisfied. That being said, it would be against God's nature to send those who have been reconciled to him and then to put them through his wrath.
As I have said many times, there is a lack of understanding as to the magnitude of the wrath that is coming, as many have down-played the wrath of God by assigning the seals, trumpets and bowls judgments to historical events. Those who believe this have no understanding of the literal wrath that is coming nor its severity. They have also not discerned between the common trial and tribulation that comes at the hands of mankind with the powers of darkness orchestrating in the background, opposed to the wrath that will be coming directly from God upon the entire earth. And since this will be a time of great distress such as the world has not seen from the beginning of creation, until now and never to be equaled again, which will affect the entire earth, then the Lord will remove his people, the dead and living, from off the earth before he pours out those judgments. When has the following ever taken place?
"I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth, declares the Lord. I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea—and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth,”
"I will make mankind scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir."
The above is referring to "The Day of the Lord" and the book of Revelation from chapter 4 onward, is a detailed account of that time of God's wrath, which will be carried out via the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.
The word of God does indeed demonstrate the resurrection and catching away as taking place prior to the tribulation. The following is the prophecy regarding this event:
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words."
So, above is the promise of the Lord's coming to gather the living and the dead who believe in him, then Paul continues with the following:
"Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."
Not knowing the times and dates mentioned above is referring back to what Paul just described, which is the times and dates in which the resurrection and catching away would take place, referring to his coming as being like "a thief in the night." Then Paul says the following:
"While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief."
Therefore, the order of events listed in the scripture is first the resurrection and catching away, which is then followed by the time of destruction. And if you will notice regarding that time of destruction Paul says, "But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should take you by surprise." The reason for that time of destruction not taking believers by surprise, is because the event of the resurrection and catching away that Paul wrote of takes place first, keeping us from that time of destruction. And regarding that time Paul goes on to say:
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"
So, the wrath in the verse above is synonymous with the destruction mentioned in verse 3. The biggest problem with the mid and post-trib interpretations, is that it takes believers in Christ through God's wrath, which we are not appointed to suffer. Christ made atonement for us which means that, the wrath that we deserve as a result of our sins was placed on Christ and that wrath has therefore been satisfied. That being said, it would be against God's nature to send those who have been reconciled to him and then to put them through his wrath.
As I have said many times, there is a lack of understanding as to the magnitude of the wrath that is coming, as many have down-played the wrath of God by assigning the seals, trumpets and bowls judgments to historical events. Those who believe this have no understanding of the literal wrath that is coming nor its severity. They have also not discerned between the common trial and tribulation that comes at the hands of mankind with the powers of darkness orchestrating in the background, opposed to the wrath that will be coming directly from God upon the entire earth. And since this will be a time of great distress such as the world has not seen from the beginning of creation, until now and never to be equaled again, which will affect the entire earth, then the Lord will remove his people, the dead and living, from off the earth before he pours out those judgments. When has the following ever taken place?
"I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth, declares the Lord. I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea—and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. When I destroy all mankind on the face of the earth,”
"I will make mankind scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir."
The above is referring to "The Day of the Lord" and the book of Revelation from chapter 4 onward, is a detailed account of that time of God's wrath, which will be carried out via the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.
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