Emphasis on the Rapture's timing can be an important issue...Rehashing an older post due to it's critical message...

I have recently been hearing more and more from folks who are excited to be getting out of here soon. They are understandably sickened by the utter depravity that has been embraced by this world.

Before digging into this subject again I must emphasize that "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." Proverbs 18:13.

The hope for many today is that they believe that will be taken out of this world soon so they will no longer have to deal with the hard job of standing up against evil or to endure the evils of this world for much longer. No scripture said it was ever going to be physically or mentally easy only that we would not have to to it alone in the sense that God is always with us. We may not have other people by our side but rest assured God is there. In a sense we can be assured that it will be spiritually easy as His yoke is indeed easy.

In the previous post I showed that the dangers of the pre-trib mentality is that for most it is their excuse to sit back and wait verses actually continuing on in the Lord's work here on earth as He seeks for souls to be returned to Him.

I was a hard core supporter of the pre-trib doctrine for most of my Christian walk until I actually started to scrub the scriptures for support of this stance. I was left with nothing at all other than an understanding that I was using scriptural gymnastics to support my position.

I was encouraged to sit in a Bible study the other day where a supporter of the Pre-Trib rapture actually emphasized that we need to be busy about the Lord's work until we are taken out of here. This does not happen often when this subject is taught so it was good to hear this brother do this. My concern is that the teaching itself tends to lend to a greater tendency to become too relaxed. I have seen this happen far too often.

It is no wonder that this doctrine appeared in the Church about the time she started to become more and more luke warm and complacent.

I put a challenge out on social media the other day. It was a simple one. I was merely asking for one scripture that contained the word 'tribulation' that provided specific support for the Pre-Trib doctrine. I have received no real answers back yet and I am still waiting.

Some may take issue with this question with the argument that goes along the line that we use scriptures to support the doctrine of trinity even though the word 'trinity' is not in the scriptures. This argument cannot apply here as we have  scriptures located in and around the idea of the rapture that contain the specific word 'tribulation'. My ask is to show how any of these scriptures support the idea of a pre-trib rapture.

Before the 1800's you will be very hard pressed to find anyone who supported this idea. In the early church they were well aware of tribulation and even looked forward to being ministers and martyrs  within the "Great Tribulation"

I decided to use today's post to help answer this question.

There are many verses containing tribulation but there are two that specifically speak to the time of the rapture. The key word's to pay attention to are "after" and all the words that clearly speak to the Lord's second coming. Note that His second coming is not going to be a surprise to anyone, once it is actually happening. The timing of when this happens is the surprise as no one knows this day or hour but, rest assured, scriptures tells us once it does happen, all will be aware...

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:29-31 KJV

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Mark 13:24-27, 37 KJV

In Revelation we see the darkening of the sun and moon as described in Matthew 24 and Mark 14.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Revelation 6:9-14

Keep in mind that there is a difference between the wrath of God and this "Great Tribulation". The Wrath of God is upon the ungodly while the tribulation is brought upon the saints by the forces that oppose God (anti-christ, rulers of this world, etc...).

We, as Christians, ought to know that if we are truly living set apart from the world as peculiar people for Christ then the world will come after us with much tribulation. This is even before this "great tribulation" that the scriptures speak of.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 KJV

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 KJV

For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. 1 Thessalonians 3:4 KJV

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: [5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 KJV

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:9 KJV

I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. [10] Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:9-10 KJV

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14 KJV

For more specific details around this subject please refer to: http://kuwlministries.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-core-problem-with-teachings-of.html