During the tribulation, where is the church going to be? Will it be raptured to begin our lives with God? Or will disciples be going through the tribulations also? This devotion looks at some verses used as evidence that the church will be raptured before the tribulation begins.
Nuggets
- All First Thessalonians 4: 16-17tells us is how Jesus is announced and the rapture order.
- First Corinthians 15: 51-53 says nothing about the state of the world in which we are living at the time.
- In First Thessalonians 5: 9, Paul is taking more about the judgment than the tribulation.
- Saved out of could mean that they made it through the tribulation, not got yanked out of it.
Devotions in the What I Believe series
Devotions in the End Times category
End Times Churchy Words Focus
Over the last four devotions, we’ve been looking at the tribulation. That does not sound like it is going to be an enjoyable time.
One thing we didn’t talk about was, where is the church going to be in all of this? When will the church be raptured?
Let's Put It into Context
The Holman Bible Dictionary defines rapture as “the catching up of believers by Christ at the time of His return.” The group is called the church, believers who together worship God and Jesus Christ and work to proclaim His gospel and make disciples.
There is debate as to when the rapture will occur in relation to the tribulation. According to Compelling Truth, the tribulation “… is the period during the end times wherein God judges Israel and the world for their unrighteousness and prepares to establish Jesus as the King of the world.”
Resource
The tribulation will last for seven years. It can be divided into two halves with a identifiable middle in between.
When Do We Fly?
One theory is that the church will be raptured before the tribulation starts. I found some verse others say are corroboration for this.
I don’t see these verses specifically telling us that.
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4: 16-17 CSB)
When I think of the rapture, I think of First Thessalonians 4: 16-17. But all this verse tells us is how Jesus is announced and the rapture order.
It says nothing about the state of the world in which we are living at the time.
“Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality” (I Cor. 15: 51-53 CSB)
The verses in First Corinthians also are very familiar. Again, it says nothing about the state of the world in which we are living at the time.
“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 5: 9 CSB)
Yeah, finally! Sorta.
This verse does not talk about the rapture by name (but then no verse does). It is talking about believers experiencing God’s wrath.
We’ve talked about God’s wrath a couple of times. God’s wrath comes out of His nature because of the need to maintain order. The tribulation is going to be about His wrath and judgment.
I see a couple of different applications of God’s wrath. Yep, the tribulation is going to be an excellent example of God pouring out His anger on a thick-headed mankind who won’t accept His love.
But God’s wrath is always tied up in our propensity to sin. Whatever happens in the tribulation is just leading up to the final judgment.
God always has His eye in the prize — a restored relationship with us. The tribulation/judgment is not going to be His focus. He is going to focus on us perfected.
What this verse says to me is that we, as disciples, are not going to experience God’s wrath because we have admitted our sins, believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and confess God as Sovereign Lord.
I am just not sure it is talking rapture here. Sure, Paul said, “For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night” (CSB) in First Thessalonians 5: 2.
But in verse 9, Paul is taking more about the judgment than the tribulation. What I am reading this to mean is that God wants everyone to be saved (I Tim. 2: 4).
Moody Bible’s The Second Coming of Christ noted the next three verses when making the statement “The Rapture will also inaugurate a period that the Bible characterizes as the ‘great day of His wrath,’ ‘the great tribulation’ and the ‘time of Jacob’s trouble.’”
Who Gets to Reign?
“Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20: 4-6 CSB).
Ice stated that “premillennialism teaches that the Second Advent will occur before Christ’s thousand-year reign upon earth from Jerusalem (Revelation 19:11—20:6).”
I have a couple of problems with this interpretation. One problem is that the reign happens after the battle where the beast is captured. The beast isn’t captured until after the end of the tribulation.
Another problem is not everyone has come to life. Read this again. “… I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed …” (Rev. 20: 4-5 CSB emphasis added).
I am so confused right now.
- Not everyone came back to life. So, they were resurrected but remained dead? That doesn’t seem right.
- The people who will reign are those who didn’t take the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast is in the tribulation. If the rapture occurred before the tribulation, does that mean only tribulation converts will reign with Jesus for the thousand years? Then who is still asleep?
Making the Connections
I am stopping before I get even more confused.
So, what does all of this tell me? We are not supposed to worry about the when. We aren’t even supposed to worry about the how. Whether God takes us before, in the middle, or at the end of the tribulation, God has this.
Thompson put it this way. He wrote, “Salvation is sure — as sure as Omnipotence can make it in view of Christ’s death.”
How Do We Apply This?
We have to take it on faith that God has a plan. Pastor Chad preached on that today. We were in the end of Daniel 9.
What I wrote down in my sermon notes was this: “Though we may not understand all things, God has a plan. It will be completed.”
God has it figured out. He knows His timing. We don’t have to worry about it. We just have to believe in Him.
Father. You want us to watch. You want us to learn. We are not going to learn and understand everything — and that is okay because we are not You. We have faith in You that You will do what You said. You are in control. We pray for Jesus’ return. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email daily or weekly providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.
Pingback: How Will the Tribulation End? – Seeking God with Elaine
Pingback: What Happens in the Middle of the Tribulation? – Seeking God with Elaine
Pingback: What Is the Tribulation? – Seeking God with Elaine
Pingback: What Happens to the Antichrist? – Seeking God with Elaine