Arguments For the Pre-Tribulation Rapture

The Great Tribulation is for Unbelieving Israel NOT the Church

1. Passages such as Matthew 24:1-31 and Mark 13:14 were spoken to the disciples as representatives of the Jewish nation not the church. The setting is in Judea.
2. The abomination is setup in Jerusalem.
3. They were to pray that their flight is NOT on the Sabbath (Mt.24:20), which the church (7^th Day Advents notwithstanding) does not celebrate.
4. EXPRESSIONS: (a) "this generation" (Lu.21:32); (b) "great distress upon the land" (Lu.21:23); (c) "Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot" (Lu.21:24); (d) "kingdom of God is near" (Lu.21:31).
5. Satan persecutes the "woman" who is Israel (Re.12) during the 70^th week. The church must be removed because, as the body of Christ, she would more likely to be persecuted than Israel.
6. The Great Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath upon Israel (Je.30:6-7; Zec.13:8-9; Is.60:2; Lu.18:8).

The Nature of the Church Forbids Going Through the Great Tribulation

1. The church is a heavenly people with a heavenly calling and destiny (Jn.17:14; Ph.3:20). The church is seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ep.1:3; 2:6). Israel has an earthly inheritance (De.28:1-14), though they may be saved spiritually.
2. The church was chosen before the foundation of the world (Ep.1:4). The church is foreordained to be conformed to the image of Christ (Ro.8:29).
3. When Christ comes for His church, He comes alone (1Th.4:16-17 "the Lord Himself shall descend"). At His second coming He comes with the angels all the way to the earth to reign (Mt.25:31).
4. The church is promised glory (Ro.9:23 "…which He prepared beforehand for glory") not wrath (Re.6:17 "…who is able to stand").
5. There are some who are "alive and remain" at the rapture (1Th.4:13-18). Antichrist will slay those who do not worship him (Re.13:7-8, 14-15; 16:2; 19:20-21; 20:4), which would not leave many alive through the Great Tribulation.
6. The imminent (at any moment) return of Christ would keep us anticipating Christ’s return any time. Otherwise, we would be looking for signs (events) to let us know when Christ is about to return. For example, the abomination of Desolation occurs, and then 3 ½ years later the return of Christ occurs. This would be a sign we could use to pinpoint Christ’s return.
7. Paul’s epistles do not warn the church that she will go through the Great Tribulation.
8. If the church goes through the 70^th week then the Jews who believe will become part of the church. After the 70^th week the Jews will inherit the earthy promised kingdom, but the Gentile believers will go with Christ which would dismember the body (Ep.5:27).
9. The message of the church is grace (Ep.2:8-9). The message of the 2 Jewish (they wear sackcloth) witnesses is one of judgment (Re.11:5-6). These two messages cannot mix.
10. The "restrainer" (1Th.2:5-10) [Holy Spirit] will be taken out of the way (v.7) before the lawless one [antichrist] will be revealed (v.8). The church, which has the Holy Spirit indwelling them, is removed before the lawless one is revealed.
11. Revelation 1:19 outlines the book. The things that "take place after these things" are the things that will occur after the church has been removed. There is no mention of the church after chapter 3 until Christ returns in chapter 19.
12. The Lord does not come to the earth during the rapture (1Th.4:16, "in the air"), but does come to the earth during His second coming (Zec.14:4,9).
13. The church as well as the rapture (1Co15:51-52) is a mystery. These have not been revealed before (such as in the O.T. and the Gospels). The coming of Christ (Messiah) is clearly taught.
14. At the rapture it will be a time of "peace and safety" (1Th.5:3; Mt.24:32-41, things seem normal), but at the second coming it will be after the world-wide plagues upon the earth.

An interval of time is necessary for Christ to Come "for" and "with" His Saints

1. An interval of time between the rapture and the second coming of Christ is necessary for the (1) Judgment Seat of Christ, and the (2) Marriage Supper of the Lamb to take place.
2. The Judgment of the Gentiles takes place after Christ returns. If the rapture occurs at the same time as the second coming, all believers ("sheep" – Mt.25) would be removed. This would leave only unbelievers ("goats", Mt.25). There would not be any separation of the sheep and goat because there would only be goats.
3. Repopulating the Millennium – During the Millennial Kingdom there will be natural farming, building, and child-bearing (Is.65:20-25). If the rapture and the second coming occur together, then all believers go to be with Christ leaving only unbelievers. Unbelievers cannot enter the Kingdom of God (Jn.3:5). An interval between the rapture and the second coming allows for people to be saved, and in their natural bodies enter the kingdom.