Introduction

Mid-Tribulationism teaches that the church will enter the seven last years, but will be taken to be with Christ 3 1/2 years later at the mid-point. Typically, this removes the church from the "Great Tribulation" which they believe to be contained in the second half, but does put the church through some of the more tolerable conditions during the first half. Like Pre- Tribulationism, this is a futurist / premillennial belief system. Many of its arguments reflect that of Post-Tribulationism, only taking a more sequential view of the Revelation narrative.

Imminence

The church has held to an "any time now" expectation of Christ's return. Along with this, however, we also see that at least some signs are said to present themselves before His return. The Mid-Trib view is a good balance between the two.

The Middle of "The Week"

Both Daniel and Revelation contain time references concerning the end times that emphasize the mid-point of a seven year period (Dan 7:25; 9:27; 12:7-11; Rev 12) (note: in the Jewish Lunar month 3 1/2 years is 1,260 days). The Great Tribulation (which contains God's wrath) will be in the second half of the 7 last years. Because believers will escape this time, they will be raptured before it takes place, or at the midpoint.

The Rapture in Revelation 14

If the Mid-Trib theory holds, we would expect to find the rapture just before Christ's judgments are carried out upon the unbelieving world. Revelation 14:14 describes just such an event. (This event is later described more fully in chapter 19). 

The Last Trump

The rapture is said to take place at the Last Trumpet (1 Cor 15:52 see 1 Thess. 4:16), not at the Last Bowl. The rapture will occur at the Seventh Trumpet Judgment, not at the Seventh Bowl Judgment.